A Life, Lived

Sant'Andrea della Valle

Shelagh J, an old slow travel board member, commented on one of my posts while I was in Rome and suggested that I go and visit this church. She said that it was stunningly beautiful inside. One afternoon, after a snack and some wine at Roscioli followed by some shopping I realized I was quite close to the church. I'd walked past it a few times during the week but today was the day to pop in.

Opera lovers know this church well - Giacomo Puccini set the first act of his opera Tosca in Sant'Andrea della Valle (in the Barberini Chapel). In fact, many call this an 'operatic church'. The open majesty of the great white marble hall , glittering with gold and  bold paintings, seems to call for some kind of grand orchestral accompaniment.

The drama unfolds as soon as one enters the church. Mattia Preti's enormous paintings (1650-51), spreading the story of St. Andrew's martyrdom across the curving apse, have a powerful impact. The three frescoes, St. Andrew Raised on the Cross, St. Andrew's Crucifixion, and St. Andrew's Burial, are both uplifting (particularly as a result of the lofty classical architecture and spacious landscape) and tragic (the saint's fearful expression and mocking crowds).

The dome—long the third largest in town, after the Pantheon and St. Peter's—was, like the facade, was designed by Carlo Maderno. It was frescoed in 1608–27 by two former pupils of Carracci.

Three powerful pontifical families contributed (and even more unusual for their era, cooperated) to produce Rome's most theatrical basilica - Sant'Andrea della Valle (St. Andrew of the Valley).

The famous humanist Piccolomini popes from Siena, Pius II and Pius III, are both buried inside.

When I walked in a young man came up and offered my a audio guide. Thinking I'd rather just sit and take it in, I declined. He misunderstood and kept telling me it was free. I walked away and sat under the dome transfixed by the paintings and sculpture. It wasn't long before I rethought the audio guide. LOL

The audio guide was so good that I felt compelled to make a donation.

I'm glad Shelagh J suggested it or I might never have gone in and had this fabulous experience!

Centrale Montemartini

A must see on my recent trip to Rome (OK, not that recent but still recent enough that I remember it LOL) was the Centrale Montemartini museum. Set in Rome’s first public electrical power plant, the Centrale Montemartini Museum presents marble statues from the Capitoline Collection set against the backdrop of preserve turbines, diesel engines and steam boilers to create one of the most thought-provoking museum spaces Rome has to offer.

The carefully chosen pieces don’t overwhelm the viewer like the more packed Vatican Museums and the spacious ceilings and natural light from the high glass window panes creates a dream-like atmosphere that guides you back through time to the turn of the century and into Rome’s classical past.

It’s truly spectacular to see the hulking machines (now silenced for decades) adorned in twisting pipes and pressure gauges juxtaposed with creamy marble carved into delicate flowers, curls of hair and the faces of heroes and gods worn rough at the edges. This museum has more than works of art and history to display; a meditation on change and time.

The Montemartini power plant was built in 1912 in Ostiense, an industrial neighborhood situated just south of Rome's historic center. The building, the first public electricity plant in Rome, was designed in Art Nouveau style and named after the Italian economist Giovanni Montemartini. The machines inside the plant were regularly renewed and in 1942 a massive 20,000 kW alternator was installed to supply EUR - the site of a planned world exposition - with power. The plant miraculously survived World War II unscathed and it continued to be in use until the mid 1960s when it was abandoned.

During restructuring of the Musei Capitolini in 1997, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures were moved to the Centrale Montemartini for temporary display. The exhibition of gods and machines was so successful it became permanent, and the plant continues to house classical art among the old electrical production machines.

Compressed air canisters line both sides of the ground-floor atrium, which worked the diesel engines in the machine room above. Pillars of reinforced cement and one of the boilers they supported fill other galleries, where statues of Hera, Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite circle the machines. Two huge diesel engines are joined by a steam turbine, while before their switches and dials Achilles holding a dying Penthesilea.

The museum is divided into four areas. The atrium on the ground floor shows panels that illustrate the history of the Centrale Montemartini and Ostiense. The next room is the Hall of Columns, where you find beautiful mosaics, funerary objects and a row of busts from the Republican era.

The Hall of the Machines on the second floor is the largest and most impressive room. Here classical statues vie for attention with the massive diesel engines, installed in 1933 in the presence of Mussolini himself. The machines provide a backdrop for a collection of faithful replicas of Greek statues. At the other end of the room are statues that were found in the 1930s at the Temple of Apollo Sosiano near the Theater of Marcellus.

The Boiler Room, named for the huge fifteen meter tall boiler, is home to a number of beautiful statues that once adorned luxurious imperial residences and a group of funerary monuments that were excavated in Ostiense. Among the highlights here are a large mosaic with a hunting scene, a sculpture group depicting a satyr fighting with giants and several high quality statues including one of Venus and another one showing the muse Polyhymnia.

Another exhibit, in a massive space at the back of the museum, featured the special train built in 1858 for Pope Pius IX. As you'd expect, the train is ornate and unique, from the papal coat of arms on the exterior of the train to the curtains and furniture within. Each carriage has a unique function and served Pius IX in a particular way.

For example, this car with the open windows was used when he delivered his blessing to the people. The enclosed one was used for meetings with his collaborators during his trips and even included a chapel, which was quite sophisticated and technologically advanced for the time.

Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (Sant’Ignazio Church)

The Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (Sant’Ignazio Church) is a Jesuit Church that was built between 1626 and 1650 with a rich and fascinating history. It was right around the corner from my apartment and I walked by a number of times before heading in.

Nothing can quite prepare you for the immense sights inside and the painting from way on high to below. Andrea Pozzo of the Jesuit order painted the roof aspects in particular with a trompe l’oeil or optical illusion. The great dome (or so you think) that you see above you is actually a flat painting with 3D effect. If you are inside the building and you look at it from almost all angles. The first time I wandered in it was cloudy outside so the effect of sun streaming in through the windows was a tad misplaced. On another more sunny day it was quite effective.

Every inch of this building inside has such fine beauty and detail. You walk around and around to take closer looks at everything. However then you turn round and see the rest of the place in so many different angles that mesmerized is not a strong enough word to describe the feeling I had.

To the left and to the right of the main area there are side chapels that seem to transform you to a whole new great church of their own accord. A top tip is to not just stay in the centre of the building which is where many stop, stay and stare. Wander behind all the pillars and you will find many many treasures for the eyes.

Beating the Crowds at the Vatican

When I was booking tours for my recent trip to Rome one that intrigued me was a tour of the Vatican museums prior to their opening. This would be my third visit to the Sistine chapel and the rest of the Vatican museums. When I had visited previously it was often so crowded that there was no room to move, let alone enjoy the art.

This is the fourth most visited museum in the world with 200,000 artworks spanning five millennia, from ancient Egypt to the present day. It is estimated that during peak time periods 25,000 people visit the museums on a given day. The crush of people can be so overwhelming that it can trigger seizures and heart attacks - our guide told us that the museum experiences an average of 7 medical emergencies a day as a result of the crush of people.

Any wonder why the idea of beating those crowds appealed?

You can do a tour which is completely after hours but it books up months in advance and can be upwards of $ 500. The tour I booked was less expensive and offered a complete hour prior to the crush of people.

Our groups met at a subway stop near the Vatican, after checking in we made our way to entrance of the museums were we stood in line until we were allowed in. Yes, even though we were there before the museums opened people were still queuing to get in.

It was a bit odd - some guides walked straight in with their groups. Others (like us) waited a bit. The guards were brusque and could have used a few lessons in how to interact with the public. Mind you, if I had to answer 'is this where I find the Vatican museums' question 1000s of times a day I might get cranky as well. Most people were relegated to the line which soon snaked far away from us in the opposite direction. Those were the people who would be in line for hours prior to being let in.

It wasn't long before we were let in and we went through the security gates to our destination. Our guide moved the group fairly quickly through the museums to the Sistine chapel. I was immediately struck by the lack of people. For example, this is the famous hall of the maps:

and here it is about 90 minutes later when we retraced our steps:

Yes, beating those crowds was so worth it!

Once we got to the Sistine Chapel we were left alone for about 30 minutes to stare in awe at the frescoes. Pictures are not allowed so I don't have any of my own pics but here are a couple that I grabbed off of the internet.

It turns out that there is a bench which runs along the walls of the chapel and you can sit on it as you peer up at the wonderful ceiling - who knew? Whenever I have been in the building before it was so crowded that this feature was never evident.

Once we left the chapel our guide took us through the museums at a more relaxed pace and even though it was still crowded it was not nearly as crowded as it would have been.

One of the things that I was not aware of was the impact Michelangelo's frescoes had on the art of the renaissance. His knowledge of anatomy and understanding of muscle groups changed the way the human form was depicted in art. You can really see this in the work of Raphael in the papal apartments.

Midway through his work, Raphael snuck into the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo was working and studied the art. You can see the effect here:

and then here:

The difference in the human forms and the use of movement is dramatic.

You can also see the effect in this fresco which depicted God. Prior to Michelangelo no one had depicted God in human form. Michelangelo depicted him as a bearded, older white man. Here is Raphael's version . . .

I have to say that this was one of the best tours I have taken on my many journeys. It was a ton of walking (I reached my daily fit bit step goal about halfway through the tour) but although I had toured these museums two other times I learned a lot.

The tour ended up near another Michelangelo masterpiece - the Pieta - in St Peter's Basilica.

A sculpture that always moves me whenever I see it.

Our guide provided a fascinating take on the composition which made me look at it in a different way . . . and helped clear up that mystery for me of why Mary looks so young in the sculpture.

By this time I was exhausted. I had been up since 5 AM. I had now walked 14,000 steps. My feet hurt. I was hungry. I did not want to walk back to the apartment.

Of course the taxi stand had no cabs lined up - to be expected on a transit strike day.

As I trudged on my way a parked cab driver rolled down his window and asked if I would like a ride. I knew it was a scam. He told me it was a flat rate which was about 15 euro more than I had paid in the morning to get here. At that point I did not care.

I did come to care about his driving however. At one point we were in the lanes of oncoming traffic dodging cars as he raced to his destination. Porca miseria.

Eventually we made it and I was alive.

He did NOT receive a tip.

I rewarded myself with gelato on the way to the apartment.

And That's a Wrap.

How is it possible?

I know it was a short trip and all but it seems to have just whisked by.

I know that I did a lot - for example, in the past week I have added close to 100,000 steps on m Fitbit. That is some sort of record.

I've got lots to say but I have to pack and get some sleep (daylight savings time starts in Italy tonight - year, an hour less sleep before a happy travel day) so I am going to close with some random shots from the week.

 

Avert Your Gaze

One of my favourite places to visit in Rome is the Fontana delle Tartarughe or Turtle Fountain. Located in Piazza Mattei on the edge of the ancient Jewish Ghetto this area has an atmosphere of peace and quiet which is increasingly rare in a busy metropolis like Rome. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries this area was totally dominated by the wealthy and powerful Mattei family. The Matteis controlled the traffic on the left bank of the Tiber overlooking the Tiber Island and beyond, using the capable Jewish workforce from the local area, to whom they guaranteed protection.

There is a legend behind the fountain. As there is with so many places in Rome.

This popular Roman legend claims that Duke Muzio Mattei, ruined by gambling, ordered the fountain removed from its original site to the middle of the piazza overnight in order to win the trust of the wealthy father of a woman he wished to marry. The next morning he opened the window of his palazzo and showed his future father in law the fountain. The father was impressed and allowed the marriage to go ahead, and the Duke, to remember the event, had the window overlooking the fountain closed up.

The story is probably only a legend; sceptics note that it would have been very difficult to move such a complex fountain in the dark without making any noise in a single night. According to historians such as Maurizia Tazertes the fountain was built over a long period between 1581 and 1588, and the Palazzo Mattei di Giove, the main residence of the Mattei, was not completed until 1616.

Defenders of the legend point out that the Palazzo Giacomo Mattei, the earlier residence of the Mattei family, which stands directly in front of the fountain, was built in the early 16th century, before the fountain was built, and thus the legend could be true.

What is the truth?

To this day however, if you look up at the Palazzo overlooking the fountain, you will notice that two of the windows are bricked in . . .

The original fountain design called for four bronze dolphins on the upper Basin, supported by the upraised hands of the four young men. However the fountain with plagued with low water pressure which necessitated the removal of the four dolphins. As a result, the upraised hands of the statues seemed to have no purpose.

Probably to correct this problem and balance the composition, the four turtles around the edge of the basin were added during a restoration of the fountain between 1658 and 1659 ordered by Pope Alexander VII. They are usually attributed either to Gian Lorenzo Bernini or Andrea Sacchi. The date of the restoration is recorded on four scrolls of marble around the fountain.

The turtles are very realistic; If their creator was Bernini, he may have used casts of a real turtle, as he did with sculptures he made of other living creatures.

Something Different

Yesterday was a busier day than I had anticipated. I faced the hoards at the Vatican, had an near death taxi experience, napped, visited a bunch of places, shopped, and had some treats.

I can save those reports for later, instead I am going to tell a tale.

One of the challenging things about Rome is that there is so much history everywhere. You know that no matter where you go you are walking past battlefields, spaces where leaders - political or religious - schemed, dreamed, won and lost, buried ruins of living spaces where people lived and died. It is every were. In fact, most of us have no clue of the life events that took place where we place every footstep.

This is an example.

This is a house like many others on via del plebiscito. I've walked past it countless times.

In fact, I was hunting for it in order take a picture to accompany this post and struggled to find it.

Do you notice something odd about that one door? It is lower and less grand than the others?

This is the story.

It seems that in the 17th century the Altieri family decided to turn a few of their houses around the Piazza Gesu into a grand home worthy of their status. The building was completed in 1655 and it certainly impressed upon everyone the great importance of this family.

Fast forward 15 years and their status increased dramatically when Emilio Altieri ascended the Papal throne. Now the grand house needed to be grander. There was a need to rush as well since Clement X was already 80 when he was crowned.

As an aside . . . it took 4 months to determine that Clement would be the Pope and when he was selected he refused to accept as he was too old. To this day he is still the oldest person to be selected as Pope.

But back to the Altieri,

Knowing that their time of peak power would be short, they hastily commissioned an extension of their residence. However, something (or someone) stood in the way.

It was normally for wealthy families to buy up or take the buildings next to their home if they wished to expand. In fact, it was a bit of a hazard living close to the wealthy. The Altieri expropriated the neighbouring homes and proceeded to demolish them except for the home of an old woman named Berta.

Berta would not be moved.

Finally the Altieri told her that she would be disposed of as well with her meager house.

Again, Berta would not be moved.

In fact, she declared that she would curse the family. Curses were a serious threat not to be taken lightly in those days. Particularly when a relative was the Pope.

Desperate, the Altieri offered up large sums of money and even the prayers of the Pope.

Nope. Berta was not going anywhere.

Finally they decided to build their grand house around her small residence. Her house was incorporated within their grand palazzo and they coexisted.

This is a popular story with the Romans - it has a classic theme of the weak and poor triumphing over the rich and powerful.

One doesn't know if it is true any more - oral history being what it is and the passage of 350 years - but to this day you can clearly see that one part of the building is very different than the rest with even the symmetry being off. The last remaining bits of Berta's house and her triumph over the Altieri.

A Completely Unplanned Day

Today was a beautiful day - the sun came out and I had no plans. I could just wander about and pop into whatever interesting building or alley I saw.

It was also a day that had me have a very slow start to the day - not leaving the apartment until close to 11. In my defense, I had a bunch of work stuff to o or I would have been out the door sooner.

When I was locking the front door to the building I noticed that the 'secret entrance' to Santa Maria spora Minerva was open. OK . . . it isn't a secret entrance but I suspect it is one only used by locals. I thought I'd pop in and see what a difference sunshine makes to the interior of the church.

Look at the difference. Today - a sunny, beautiful day:

Sunday - a dull, grey day.

Apparently I need to plan my church visits according to the light.

My next stop was this rock:

Now before you go down the dark road of thinking I have lost my mind, there is a story here which intrigued me. One of the books I used to do some pre-trip research was a book of unusual things in Rome that most tourists miss. This weathered hunk of marble is one of them. The marble stump has a conspicuous split down one side. Legend has it that Roland, Charlemagne’s chief Paladin, slashed his indestructible sword Durendal against it while fending off a group of Roman knights.

Cool.

I soon ended up in the Piazza Colonna which is named because the  column of Marcus Aurelius has stood there since AD 193. The spiral picture relief tells the story of Marcus Aurelius’ Danubian or Marcomannic wars, waged by him from 166 to his death.

Next I wandered along via del Corso towards the Piazza Popolo. I had vague thoughts of visiting Chiesa di Santa Maria del Popolo to see the Caravaggio paintings there. There certainly were a lot of churches along my way. I popped into all of them (well, except for one that was closed - I think it had been consecrated so I guess it doesn't count). I was particularly struck by the notes that people had left on the various statutes and shrines.

The Piazza del Popolo was as impressive as ever.

Sadly, my destination was NOT open. :-(

Oh well, it was a lovely day for a walk.

I turned back and walked along Via di Ripetta.

Along the way I started to get peckish. I passed an interesting looking wine bar/shop/restaurant called Gusto. They had a lunch buffet which seemed plenty popular but I wanted the restaurant. I was taken upstairs to a nice table. It wasn't long before I realized that I was the only non-Italian there.

I started with an amazing appetizer called Carciofo cacio e pepe followed by Maccheroncini all’ Amatriciana. Both were amazing and as I type I am thinking of a return visit.

I was moving a little more slowly after I left the restaurant.

Soon I cut off onto winding streets and alleys as I made my way back towards the apartment.

I found time to do some shopping and pick up some gelato.

All in all it was a fabulous - proof that having no plans at all leads to some interesting discoveries.

Tomorrow, if things go well (and there is a major transit strike in the city) I have a pre-opening tour of the Sistine Chapel. I've been perservating for hours about getting up on time . . . which means I shall be awake every hour on the hour all night. LOL

A Bit of a 'Lazy' Day in Rome

The weather was wet once again yesterday.

I had nothing planned on my agenda. It was a slow start in the morning.

When I got going I had plans to just wander and see where I ended up. I sort of wanted to head towards the Piazza Navona and the neighbourhood where we stayed when we were last in Rome.

When I set out I passed Santa Maria sopra Minerva- Rome's only Gothic church. It is always worth a visit since it is filled to bursting with art treasures.Most would never realize that behind Santa Maria sopra Minerva's massive seventeenth-century facade (currently covered up for restoration work) lies Rome's one and only Gothic church. In fact, once past the basilica's severe classical portal, a visitor encounters a sight completely unique in Rome: soaring  vaults, delicate arches, predominant blues and golds, flickering lights from stained-glass rose windows. Most of the great renaissance artists worked here and are represented in frescoes, sculptures, or paintings.

Because it was so grey outside most of the interior was cloaked in darkness. I will need a return since no amount of euros in those 'put in a euro to see the art for a minute' machines would light the gloom.

I next popped into the Pantheon - crowded as usual.

You can see the puddles of water from the rain falling through the oculus in the ceiling.

I was determined to lose the crowds as I moved on towards the Piazza Navona.

It wasn't long before I was in another church - San Luigi dei Francesi. This is the church dedicated to the french citizens of Rome. Here in the Contarelli Chapel are three amazing paintings of scenes from the life of St Matthew, which have hung here for more than 400 years. Painted by Caravaggio these painting shocked the citizens of the day and the still impress with their power.

Again - poor lighting.

SIGH

Soon I was in the Piazza Navona itself. The last time we were in Rome it was full of crowds for the Christmas Market. This time there were a few pockets of tourists but it wasn't outrageous.

You can see that the sun was trying to break through the crowds (although never successfully).

 

I got a kick out of this group of workers. They were doing something with a drain next to a smaller fountain./p>

The entire time I watched I never saw any actual work being done.

The large church overlooking the piazza, Sant’Agnese in Agone, is always a good spot to sit and contemplate the world. Pink and white marble dominate the walls, keeping everything light. No dark Carvaggio-esque paintings here! White marble wall engravings are the only artwork, helping to reflect the light. Only when you look up, up, up do you find any paintings, and these still maintain the brightness of the lower half of the church, primarily utilizing soft blues and pinks.

Windows around the base of the dome let in the majority of the light, and the dome itself made me do a double take! The painting inside the dome works as an optical illusion, making your eyes think it goes higher up than it does, extending towards heaven. The very very top of the dome ends in a window, as well, giving more light to this bright, comforting church.

Just what you'd expect for a church dedicated to a young girl who was martyred.

St. Anges was around, as far as we can tell, 12 or 13 years old when she was martyred right on this very spot somewhere around 303-304AD. How do they know that, you ask? Simple: scientists have analyzed her skull, which just happens to be displayed in a chapel next to the main part of the church.

The story of St Agnes is an interesting one.

It all started, of course, with a boy.  The son of a Prefect of Rome, to be exact, who became infatuated with young Agnes. Living up to her name (in Greek Agnes meas “pure, chaste”), Agnes rejected his advances proclaiming her chastity represented her devotion to God.  The spoiled son didn’t take this very well.  To punish Agnes for rejecting him, he had her put on “display”, naked, in the Circus Agonale (present day Piazza Navona), where the prostitutes paraded to sell their services.

This is when her miracles began.  To cover her nakedness and save her modesty, her hair grew in long locks, protecting her from public eyes.  This didn’t keep a man from wanting to buy her, though, and when he died before he had the chance Agnes was accused of being a witch.  To prove her innocence – you already know how well that worked out for her – she said that an angel in white was protecting her.  To convince everyone of this she brought the man back to life with a prayer to said angel.  Probably not the best way to prove you’re not a witch…

…the Romans didn’t think so, either.  They threw her onto a fire to burn her alive, but the flames miraculously went out, saving her.  They finally decided to take a more direct approach and pierced her neck with a sword as they would a lamb being slaughtered.  This is why St. Agnes always appears in artwork with a lamb in her arms or at her feet.

As I kept on my journey I was in more familiar territory - this is the neighbourhood where we stayed for a couple of weeks in 2014. I did some shopping and found my favourite gelato shop.

It had moved locations a bit but the gelato was every bit as good as I remembered - this was half  sage and raspberry and half rosemary, lemon and honey. MMMMM

The restaurant where I wanted lunch was close to the Pantheon so I headed back. I discovered that i had half an hour to kill because it did not open until 12:30.

Where to kill 45 minutes?

Sant'Eustachio il Caffè, one of my favourite coffee shops in Rome.

Lunch was at Armando Al Pantheon. I was one of the few without reservations that they sat. While the food was amazing I confess that I did not care for the attitude of the servers. Not one bit. It was one of the few times where I have not left a gratuity.

The fact that I worked as a server for many years means that is serious stuff. :-)

Based upon the service alone I wouldn't go back. I am sure that there are plenty of other restaurants in Rome where I can enjoy good food but not be treated like crap.

I was uncomfortably full at this point which meant one thing - siesta.

When I finally woke up it was getting late but not late enough that there wasn't time for one more adventure. I set out in the wind and rain to the wedding cake (AKA the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II) where there was an exhibit of Monet's paintings. Frankly, after all of the religious art I have see so far I was due for something a bit more modern.

This exhibit is made up of more than 60 of Monet’s most beloved pieces from his Giverny household - these were the pictures that he kept for himself (well, except for one painting that was sold but returned after the purchaser determined it to be 'unfinished').

The exhibition presents a the many shades of Monet’s work. Dimmed lights that take you from one picture to the other – interwined with animated projections of Monet’s most famous artworks – guide the way.

The entire artistic journey of the Impressionist master is taken into account. From his very first caricatures with which he earned his first money, to the rural and urban landscapes of his many dwellings, the whole exhibition is impressive.

What a great way to spend some time on a wet evening!

By the time I had walked back to the apartment I was soaked. Yes the rain had stopped but the darkness made it rather difficult to avoid puddles or being splashed by speeding cars.

I finally cooked a proper meal - plin ravioli with a brown butter and herb sauce followed by fried beef cutlets and salad.

Paul asked when I had for dinner, I sent him the pics, he then asked what restaurant I had gone to. I think that was a compliment. :-)

Speaking of Paul - we chatted on facetime for a bit and then I crashed.

It hadn't seemed like a busy day but the mere act of writing it out suggests that perhaps it might have been.

An Exhausting but Invigorating Day in Rome

I likely could call the first part of the day 'death by walking tour' but I'll try to be a wee bit more positive.

The weather reports were calling for some pretty wet weather yesterday - not what you want to hear when you have a walking tour scheduled.

When I got up the sky was blue and I thought - woo hoo, the reports were wrong.

When I finished breakfast the rain was teeming down and I thought - perhaps I should cancel.

After I finished my shower the rain had let up and I thought - I can do this.

It was a bit drizzly when I left but nothing that made me think I should haul my umbrella up. I was about 10 minutes from my destination and the skies opened up. I didn't get my umbrella pit immediately and wouldn't you know within seconds I was surrounded by those guys selling umbrellas. Waving them off I got my own brolly out and finished my trek.

When I reached the tour meeting point it turned out that I would be the only person on the tour. A private tour for no extra charge - happy Jerry.

There was some time before we headed out so I sat and had a coffee and cornetta.

Normally I'd stand at the bar but for some reason I sat down and ordered from a table. If you ever wanted proof of the 'table price premium' in Italy this experience was it. My bill came to 9 euro. Ordering at the bar it might have been 3.

Oh well, did I say I scored a private tour for no extra charge? :-)

My guide's name was Dario. He was a bit of a dreamer - always wanted to be an archeologist from a young age but his parents convinced him to go in a different direction so he could support a family. He did that but always felt the pull. Years passed and he quit his job, went back to school, and got a degree in archeology and at history. He was a great and personable guide, which was good since it was just he and I. Had he been a pill it would have made for  along morning.

We had a special entrance through the gladiators gate.

This was an amazing way to enter the structure.

The Colosseum is probably the most impressive building of the Roman Empire. Dario reminded me that the proper name is  the Flavian Amphitheater - the Colosseum name came from the giant statue to Nero that stood nearby. It was built on top of Nero's famous lake and it was the largest building of the era. With the rain it had turned to a bit of a lake inside (later we heard that the lower art of the structure was closed due to flooding).

Dario did a fabulous job of bringing the ruins to 'life' with words and images from a book he had packed away in his backpack. Even though I had toured the ampitheatre 12 years ago this was a very different experience (for one, there was no mom to lose. LOL)

The elliptical building is immense, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of more than 48 meters (159 ft). The magnificent structure was clad in marble - although all of this was removed for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica and the Palazzo Farnese.

Emperors used the Colosseum to entertain the public with free games. Those games were a symbol of prestige and power and they were a way for an emperor to increase his popularity.

Our next stop was the Forum. Along the way we saw temporary stands being set up. Dario explained that the Pope preaches here on Good Friday and the crowds are so large that this now takes place outside of the Colosseum.

Before we could get into the Forum we had to go through a security check. Another thing I don't remember from our last visit. There were no guards milling about with large guns nor security checks in 2006. The presence of armed guards is something that really is hitting me on this trip - they are at all major sites.

The Roman Forum was the pulsing heart of Rome, the city’s main piazza where citizens of every social level met to exchange opinions, do business, buy in the markets and renew their strength over a tasty dish and a cup of good wine.

The Roman Forum is situated in the area between Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Three thousand years ago, this valley between Campidoglio and the Quirinal, which was to become the future social and political centre of one of the greatest empires of ancient times, was submerged in marshland.

With the rain you could see that it still had a tendency to be marshy. :-)

In the area around the Forum, the city was also home to markets, shops and taverns. You could also find the typical Termopolia, which were the ancient equivalent of today's fast food restaurants. In short, the Forum was the heart and soul of city life. It was in Caesar's time, when Rome has become the capital of a vast empire, that the Forum became a place for celebrations and in the Imperial era it was the symbol of the Empire.

Soon it was time to climb. Our stop was at the top of the Palatine Hill - the hill that gave rise to the English word “palace”, the Italian “palazzo” and the French “palais”. Guess what was located at the top of the hill?

Without a guide, it can be difficult to make sense of the ruins of the Palatine. However, while some of the remains are little more than a pile of bricks, other buildings have been surprisingly well-preserved. These are the must-see sights that Dario pointed out on the Palatine:

The Flavian Palace (also known as the Domus Flavia or the Domus Augustana). This enormous palace was built during the reign of the emperor Domitian in 92 AD, and was later expanded by Septimius Severus. Although you can get close-up to the ruins on the Palatine, make sure you check out the view from the Circus Maximus too – when you’re standing below the Palatine, you really get a sense of the sheer size of the palace.

The Stadium of Domitian. There’s been some debate about the exact function of this building, as while it resembles a hippodrome, it may have been the emperor’s private garden. Whatever its purpose, this impressive construction was certainly part of the imperial palace.

Hmmm - notice how dark that sky suddenly turned?

Normally this tour would have ended on the Palatine with a tour of the house of Cesar Augustus located deep underground however it has been closed for restoration. Instead, we walked down from the Palatine, crossed the street, and walked up the hill nearby - the Celio Hill. There we saw the equally impressive Case Romane (Roman houses) under the  church of SS Giovanni e Paolo.

Traditionally the church of SS Giovanni e Paolo stands on the site of the dwelling of the two saints, John and Paul, who were Roman military officers put to death for their Christian faith. Later the property is believed to have belonged to a Christian senator called Pammachius, who converted his home into a church.

In the nineteenth century, an enterprising monk excavated underneath the church, and found a series of decorated rooms dating back to the third century. Archaeological investigations have assigned various dates to the remains here; which belong to different stages of the site's development. Once a number of humbler dwellings and shops stood here, before the buildings were incorporated into a more sumptuous villa, whose frescoed walls can still be seen.

Like the more famous Domus Aurea, the rooms here are now underground, and it takes some imagination to imagine the spaces as they were before they were covered by later buildings. The wall-paintings, however, are a vivid reminder of times past.

It was raining heavily when we finished out walk down from the hill. It was the end of the tour so I said good by to Dario and headed on m way. It turns out that it was the end of my energy as well. I was about two blocks from a restaurant that Paul and I have been to a few times and I had hoped to go there for lunch. Then I saw a taxi stand - before you know it I had my exhausted and wet self in the back of a cab and was headed back to the apartment.

I stopped along the way for lunch. This restaurant wasn't great but it was close to the apartment and at that point dog food would have been great! I had a half bottle of white wine, pasta carbonara, and a salad.

When I got back to the apartment I quickly changed out of my wet clothing and fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up just after 4:00 and had to get a move on because I had a wine tasting at Vinoroma at 6:00. I've done three tastings with Hande over the years and this one was the best yet. It was a small group - me and 4 friends from Hawaii. We tasted five wines - a sparkler, a white wine, a orange wine, a red wine, and a dessert wine. Each wine was paired with cured meats, cheese, olives, or partially sun dried tomatoes (I say partially because they weren't dried to the leather like consistency of typical sun dried tomatoes). It was a fabulous experience - the wines, food, and company all were top notch. Of course, it was great to catch up with Hande as well.

It must have been close to 10:00 when I left the studio. I decided to walk home to enjoy the monuments and ruins lit up.

Once again, Rome did not disappoint.

I finished the day facetiming with Paul before I fell into bed just before midnight. It had been a full and amazing day in Rome.