Saturday, June 12, 2004
When in Rome... (7/8)
Italy - part 7 of 8
1 June 2004 - in flight(cont'd)
Friday morning we left for Rome. G found a kitten at the villa, and DD went nuts over it. There was an interesting scene with the kitten and its mother - mom kept trying to get the kitten across the driveway but it was too big to carry. When she dropped the kitten, it'd scramble back under a bush and mom kept trying to drag it out. The whole episode was pretty funny.
The drive to Rome was uneventful - if Italian driving can ever be said to be uneventful! We checked into our hotel near the Trevi fountain, and met everyone there in the afternoon. The Trevi fountain was very big, and the place was packed with tourists and street vendors. Some of the vendors, especially the rose-sellers, are rather pushy!
After meeting up with folks, we went to the Forum and looked around. (Wish I could say something funny happened on the way there, but alas I can't use that line...) There were a lot of ruins in the Forum, and it was rather dusty, especially when the wind picked up. The remains of the Senate building were interesting, and we all could easily have spent more time there. We spent almost 2 hours as it was. From there, we went to the Colosseum. DH had already been in, and M wasn't interested, so only L, G and I went in. For some reason, admission was free this week, which made things quite nice. The Colosseum was in a way a bit smaller than I expected. I would have liked to have explored the area underneath, but it was still pretty neat walking around. There were some nice views of the city from there. All in all, it was neat but I wouldn't have wanted to pay €8 for going on. Then we walked back to the Trevi and got dinner at a place I think everyone but M liked. DD liked the green apple (mela verde) juice she had.
And then there were six - L and H went home on Sunday.
The family went to a Latin Mass at St. Peter's on Sunday morning. Two of the readings and the homily were in Italian, the second reading in French, and the hymns in English, but the Mass itself was in Latin, which was actually pretty cool. After Mass we went outside for the Papal Blessing. I didn't see the Holy Father, but DH saw where he was (inside one of the buildings, in an upper-story window), and saw his hand a few times. We'd gotten a few rose-scented rosaries, and those are blessed now.
After a quick stop for food, we met up with G and M at Castell S. Angelo. We didn't go in, but went from there back to St. Peter's and looked around for a while. St. Peter's is by far the largest and most ornate of the churches I've seen. There was a great deal of mosaic (especially on the floor and ceiling), gilt frescoes, baroque carvings in both stone and wood, and a lot of statuary. The side chapels were closed off so I didn't get much of a look at them, but the main sanctuary itself was overwhelmingly impressive.
Near the statue of St. Andrew was a staircase to the crypt underneath where many of the popes are laid to rest. Pride of place among these, visible but inaccessible to visitors, were the bones of St. Peter in a carved wooden box, lying under the high altar area. We passed several sarcophagi, including the most recent pope interred there. We also saw embedded in the walls markers for other popes, and remnants of the first basilica built by Constantine.
The path through the crypts led outside the Basilica, so after a bit of a rest, we went back to the hotel. It was a bit of a walk - I think I've done more walking the past week than I have the previous two months combined. We were all a bit tired and footsore - taking turns carrying a 45# kindergartner when she got tired didn't help any of our backs! We settled in, then the four remaining adults played cards for a while. The game of spades went a lot quicker than Friday night's game - the hearts game we played afterward lasted almost as long. A quick run to a fast food sandwich place (Mr. Panino, which was actually pretty decent), then we sat around chatting for a while.
And then there were four - M and G flew out way early Monday morning.
I finally got around to posting a picture of the Assisi needlework that I picked up in Assisi. I'll add the link to part6 as well..
Thursday, June 10, 2004
We drove up to Assi-si-si to see what we could see-see-see (6/8)
There's timing for you: DsD was going to take her car (a '91 Saturn SL1) to the dealership to determine the cause of some recent problems she's been having. DH and I decided that given the age of the car, if the cost to repair was too much, we'd get another car and DsD would get his current one (a '96 Saturn SL1). Well, DsD's car died on the way to Saturn, which pretty much made the decision for us. DH is now the proud owner of a storm grey '04 Saturn ION2. Fortunately my car (an '00 Saturn LW1) will be paid off in August. Yes, I know, we're pretty much an all-Saturn family. We like the no-haggle deal, and the dent-resistant panels have come in handy. That, and the Saturn dealership is only a couple miles from our house and we've always gotten great service from them.
Anyway, instead of driving you crazy talking about new cars, I'll drive you to Assisi....
Italy - part 6 of 8
1 June 2004 - in flight
Well, I have four days to catch up on. Since we have an 11-hour flight back to Atlanta, now is probably the time!
Friday we got an early start and drove to Assisi,which took us about an hour. Once there, we walked up a somewhat steep hill to the Rocca Maggiore. It wasn't open right away, so we admired the splendid view of the surrounding countryside until opening. The Rocca also seemed to be a popular gathering point for the local adolescent population - there must have been 50 teens hanging out, playing soccer, or making out. (I think the guys were admiring more than just the countryside, especially after being flashed by one of the teen girls there.)
The Rocca is undergoing renovation, so we were only able to get into two of the towers. The main one, a polygonal tower, was accessible via a long narrow corridor, then a steep spiral staircase to reach the top lookout point. M didn't go up because he's not big on heights, but the rest of us did.
After the Rocca, we split up. M, L and H saw one of the churches, and then went on to Spoleto. G, DH, DsD, DD and I stayed to see more of the churches. We first went to San Rufino, which like many of the churches I've seen has a number of frescoes. It had a rather ornate baroque chapel which seemed in very good repair. Beneath the church were the remains of some crypts, including the sarcophagus that originally held St. Rufino. There were some very early Church carvings down in the crypt, and it was a little eerie down there.
There was also a small museum at San Rufino. There were some vestments on display - I was impressed with the detail of the embroidery - and some other liturgical items. There were also several paintings. G was a bit disressed at how poor a condition some were in and hoped they'd go in for restoration soon.
After S. Rufino, we went to the Temple of Minerva. It had very old classical columns, but the inside was a bit more modern. Relatively speaking, of course. It had a very Marian feel to it, especially in the frescoes.
From there we had lunch, then to the Basilica of S. Francesco (yes, the St. Francis). Certainly can't go to Assisi and not pay our respects to one of its most renowned and beloved residents. The Basilica is very large and ornate, with frescoes detailing the life of St.Francis on the walls of the main sanctuary. There were mosaics and frescoes, and a lot of giltwork. Downstairs was the lesser sanctuary, which was also mosaiced but a bit more austere. Stairs from there led down to St. Francis' tomb. It was both thrilling and sobering to be in the presence of such a worthy man.
Afterward we made our way to S. Chiara (St. Clare, Assisi's other famous saint). It sort of took a while to get there, as we kept popping into shops along the way. I fulfilled my mission of picking up piece of Assisiwork *in* Assisi. There were some very beautiful pieces for sale, but €50+ is a bit out of my range, even if it is undervalued for the time involved to create them! We stopped in another small church on the way - nowhere near as elaborate as the others, but still very nice in its simplicity.
St. Chiara's is also nice, and less ornate than S. Francesco. Her tomb was underneath, and you could actually see her body. She was laid out as if asleep, in nun's attire, and there was a mask covering her face, and other coverings on her hands and feet. [Ed: I've since learned her remains are skeletal, hence the coverings. At the time, I thought I remembered her being one of the incorruptibles, but I had her confused with someone else.] Seeing her laid out was profoundly moving, if a bit unnerving.
Afterward, we walked back to the car and drove back to Il Borghetto. We needed to get up early to check out and head for Rome, but DH, L, G and I stayed up until 1:30am playing spades. It was a single game - DH and I hit 500 the same hand we sandbagged. Then G and L sandbagged and as it was already past midnight we decided that the next team to sandbag would lose the game if there was no winner by then. I think G and L ended up sandbagging again, but it was late and I really don't remember well.
Anyway, instead of driving you crazy talking about new cars, I'll drive you to Assisi....
Italy - part 6 of 8
1 June 2004 - in flight
Well, I have four days to catch up on. Since we have an 11-hour flight back to Atlanta, now is probably the time!
Friday we got an early start and drove to Assisi,which took us about an hour. Once there, we walked up a somewhat steep hill to the Rocca Maggiore. It wasn't open right away, so we admired the splendid view of the surrounding countryside until opening. The Rocca also seemed to be a popular gathering point for the local adolescent population - there must have been 50 teens hanging out, playing soccer, or making out. (I think the guys were admiring more than just the countryside, especially after being flashed by one of the teen girls there.)
The Rocca is undergoing renovation, so we were only able to get into two of the towers. The main one, a polygonal tower, was accessible via a long narrow corridor, then a steep spiral staircase to reach the top lookout point. M didn't go up because he's not big on heights, but the rest of us did.
After the Rocca, we split up. M, L and H saw one of the churches, and then went on to Spoleto. G, DH, DsD, DD and I stayed to see more of the churches. We first went to San Rufino, which like many of the churches I've seen has a number of frescoes. It had a rather ornate baroque chapel which seemed in very good repair. Beneath the church were the remains of some crypts, including the sarcophagus that originally held St. Rufino. There were some very early Church carvings down in the crypt, and it was a little eerie down there.
There was also a small museum at San Rufino. There were some vestments on display - I was impressed with the detail of the embroidery - and some other liturgical items. There were also several paintings. G was a bit disressed at how poor a condition some were in and hoped they'd go in for restoration soon.
After S. Rufino, we went to the Temple of Minerva. It had very old classical columns, but the inside was a bit more modern. Relatively speaking, of course. It had a very Marian feel to it, especially in the frescoes.
From there we had lunch, then to the Basilica of S. Francesco (yes, the St. Francis). Certainly can't go to Assisi and not pay our respects to one of its most renowned and beloved residents. The Basilica is very large and ornate, with frescoes detailing the life of St.Francis on the walls of the main sanctuary. There were mosaics and frescoes, and a lot of giltwork. Downstairs was the lesser sanctuary, which was also mosaiced but a bit more austere. Stairs from there led down to St. Francis' tomb. It was both thrilling and sobering to be in the presence of such a worthy man.
Afterward we made our way to S. Chiara (St. Clare, Assisi's other famous saint). It sort of took a while to get there, as we kept popping into shops along the way. I fulfilled my mission of picking up piece of Assisiwork *in* Assisi. There were some very beautiful pieces for sale, but €50+ is a bit out of my range, even if it is undervalued for the time involved to create them! We stopped in another small church on the way - nowhere near as elaborate as the others, but still very nice in its simplicity.
St. Chiara's is also nice, and less ornate than S. Francesco. Her tomb was underneath, and you could actually see her body. She was laid out as if asleep, in nun's attire, and there was a mask covering her face, and other coverings on her hands and feet. [Ed: I've since learned her remains are skeletal, hence the coverings. At the time, I thought I remembered her being one of the incorruptibles, but I had her confused with someone else.] Seeing her laid out was profoundly moving, if a bit unnerving.
Afterward, we walked back to the car and drove back to Il Borghetto. We needed to get up early to check out and head for Rome, but DH, L, G and I stayed up until 1:30am playing spades. It was a single game - DH and I hit 500 the same hand we sandbagged. Then G and L sandbagged and as it was already past midnight we decided that the next team to sandbag would lose the game if there was no winner by then. I think G and L ended up sandbagging again, but it was late and I really don't remember well.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Deja vu of sorts (5/8)
Since neither defrosting my freezer nor my code review are of particular interest to anyone, I'll just cut to the chase!
Italy - part 5 of 8
28 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Yesterday was a fairly light day - we didn't leave the house until after noon. We drove up to Montecastillo di Vibio, a small walled town. It had a nice little church, and a park outside the walls. From there we drove to Orvieto and spent most of the afternoon there.
We actually got to go inside the cathedral this time around. The interior on first impression seems fairly simple, with the same black and white layers of stone as the exterior. Closer inspection reveals the remains of frescoes in all of the side alcoves. The north side windows were half stained glass, with the bottom half a yellowish brown material which the guidebook says is translucent alabaster. The south windows, at least in the main part of the church, are all alabaster. There is a pretty large and impressive baptismal font toward the back.
The high altar is richly decorated with frescoes and a large, detailed stained glass window. These were all pretty well preserved, and the effect was rather striking. I noticed an area for a choir, and G noticed sconces on the walls high above - seeing the high altar area in full candelight must be a very moving experience.
To the left as you face the altar, there is a set of pipes above the transept for the organ, and the pipes are surrounded by what appears to be carved and painted wood. Passing under the pipes northward, one arrives at the Chapel of the Corporal, which contains the altar cloth from the Miracle of Bolsena in 1263. The whole cathedral was built to house this relic, actually, and this side chapel contains an elaborate enameled silver reliquary to display the corporal. This chapel also contains frescoes, mostly of the Miracle, which were somewhat faded. I confess I paid most of my attention to the corporal itself. I was surprised to find it on display, and I was deeply moved just to be in its presence.
Outside of the chapel, in the part of the transept under the organ, was a Pieta that I really liked.
There was another chapel at the south end of the transept that was ornately gilt and frescoed, but there was an admission charge so we didn't go in.
After Il Duomo, we went into an Etruscan museum across the square. It's definitely a lot different seeing the figurines and pottery in person instead of viewing a photograph in a history book! After the museum we stopped in another small church, then at a spaghetteria for lunch. I had spaghetti with butter and sage, which was very good. Then a little bit of shopping (I got some dried kiwi, which was actually pretty good), a quick stop in Todi for pictures of S. Maria della Consolazione, and back to the villa. L and H made chicken piccata, which was excellent.
Italy - part 5 of 8
28 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Yesterday was a fairly light day - we didn't leave the house until after noon. We drove up to Montecastillo di Vibio, a small walled town. It had a nice little church, and a park outside the walls. From there we drove to Orvieto and spent most of the afternoon there.
We actually got to go inside the cathedral this time around. The interior on first impression seems fairly simple, with the same black and white layers of stone as the exterior. Closer inspection reveals the remains of frescoes in all of the side alcoves. The north side windows were half stained glass, with the bottom half a yellowish brown material which the guidebook says is translucent alabaster. The south windows, at least in the main part of the church, are all alabaster. There is a pretty large and impressive baptismal font toward the back.
The high altar is richly decorated with frescoes and a large, detailed stained glass window. These were all pretty well preserved, and the effect was rather striking. I noticed an area for a choir, and G noticed sconces on the walls high above - seeing the high altar area in full candelight must be a very moving experience.
To the left as you face the altar, there is a set of pipes above the transept for the organ, and the pipes are surrounded by what appears to be carved and painted wood. Passing under the pipes northward, one arrives at the Chapel of the Corporal, which contains the altar cloth from the Miracle of Bolsena in 1263. The whole cathedral was built to house this relic, actually, and this side chapel contains an elaborate enameled silver reliquary to display the corporal. This chapel also contains frescoes, mostly of the Miracle, which were somewhat faded. I confess I paid most of my attention to the corporal itself. I was surprised to find it on display, and I was deeply moved just to be in its presence.
Outside of the chapel, in the part of the transept under the organ, was a Pieta that I really liked.
There was another chapel at the south end of the transept that was ornately gilt and frescoed, but there was an admission charge so we didn't go in.
After Il Duomo, we went into an Etruscan museum across the square. It's definitely a lot different seeing the figurines and pottery in person instead of viewing a photograph in a history book! After the museum we stopped in another small church, then at a spaghetteria for lunch. I had spaghetti with butter and sage, which was very good. Then a little bit of shopping (I got some dried kiwi, which was actually pretty good), a quick stop in Todi for pictures of S. Maria della Consolazione, and back to the villa. L and H made chicken piccata, which was excellent.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
On the road to ruins... (4/8)
I'm still riding the high from last night's game. Man, that was an exciting one! I wonder what it's like to skate the Cup. (Of course, I'd need to learn to ice skate first...) I bet it's a wonderful feeling.
Today's journal installment is a bit lengthy, so I'll get right to it.
Italy - part 4 of 8
27 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Yesterday was another gorgeous day. We went to Carsulae in the morning. Carsulae is the ruin of a Roman city, still quite impressive for having been abandoned for centuries. The site was overgrown with clover and other wildflowers, and we explored the ruins to the persistent drone of bees. There was a small church (S. Damiano) which looked as if it might actually be used occasionally, and ruins of an amphitheatre, a large tomb, several arches in various states of repair. And of course, more sheep. I walked on the remains of a real Roman road - the Via Flaminia. We easily spent two hours there, and between the weather, the wildflowers, and the ruins, we all got some rather nice pictures.
After Carsulae, we drove around for a while, through small mountain towns. We stopped in a tiny place called Giano dell'Umbria, on the top of one of the mountains, which had a 13th century fortress and two churches. We went into S. Maria della Grazie, which was quite nice inside for being tiny. The stonework had an interesting marbled coloring - streaks of orange, black, grey, pink, and white. The other, larger church was San Michele Arcangelo. DH made it inside that one.
I am struck by how resourceful Italians are when it comes to housing. Every town we've come across that dates back to the medieval period has apartments in the old walls and fortresses, and many balconies and windows are covered with live plants. Right now everything is in bloom, and the high alleyways of stone and flowers are very beautiful, especially in Todi.
From Giano dell'Umbria, we drove through Bastardo (yes, it means what you think...) looking for someplace to eat. M and G took pictures of themselves by the Bastardo and not-Bastardo signs ('Leaving [town]' signs are simply the name of the town with a large red diagonal line through it.). Having no luck on our quest for food, we drove through several other small towns, eventually arriving in Todi. We had a somewhat steep uphill walk through narrow streets (bedecked with flowers and graced with the remains of frescoes) and arrived at the town square. We went into the Duomo in Todi, much of which dates back to the 11th century. That was pretty nice. We had a snack at a small cafe on the square (and DD had her requisite gelato), then we went up to S. Fortunato, another church in Todi. That was easily the thing I liked best in Todi - many of the side chapels had frescoes in various states of repair. It was a shame that so many of the frescoes were badly damaged. One of the chapels looked like it had been recently restored, and it was simply amazing. And underneath the main altar, reachable by steps, was a sarcophagus containing the remains of several saints, including the namesake San Fortunato. It was both impressive, and a little eerie.
There was a beautiful little courtyard near S. Fortunato that I liked. It had a small bench, and rows of roses.
We did see some...interesting...entertainment in Todi. There was a young woman whose clothing left little to the imagination, and seeing her with her boyfriend as we were leaving S. Fortunato prompted DsD to wonder how to say "Get a room!" in Italian. DsD claims she saw them being even more indiscreet later in an arcade at the back of the cafe on the square, but I'll be thankful I missed that.
After Todi we came back to the house, then went out for dinner (which was good but not quite as good as Saturday) before spending a late night talking about various things. G is also a gamer, so he and DH and I talked for a while.
Today our objective is a return to Orvieto this afternoon for a cathedral visit and shopping.
Today's journal installment is a bit lengthy, so I'll get right to it.
Italy - part 4 of 8
27 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Yesterday was another gorgeous day. We went to Carsulae in the morning. Carsulae is the ruin of a Roman city, still quite impressive for having been abandoned for centuries. The site was overgrown with clover and other wildflowers, and we explored the ruins to the persistent drone of bees. There was a small church (S. Damiano) which looked as if it might actually be used occasionally, and ruins of an amphitheatre, a large tomb, several arches in various states of repair. And of course, more sheep. I walked on the remains of a real Roman road - the Via Flaminia. We easily spent two hours there, and between the weather, the wildflowers, and the ruins, we all got some rather nice pictures.
After Carsulae, we drove around for a while, through small mountain towns. We stopped in a tiny place called Giano dell'Umbria, on the top of one of the mountains, which had a 13th century fortress and two churches. We went into S. Maria della Grazie, which was quite nice inside for being tiny. The stonework had an interesting marbled coloring - streaks of orange, black, grey, pink, and white. The other, larger church was San Michele Arcangelo. DH made it inside that one.
I am struck by how resourceful Italians are when it comes to housing. Every town we've come across that dates back to the medieval period has apartments in the old walls and fortresses, and many balconies and windows are covered with live plants. Right now everything is in bloom, and the high alleyways of stone and flowers are very beautiful, especially in Todi.
From Giano dell'Umbria, we drove through Bastardo (yes, it means what you think...) looking for someplace to eat. M and G took pictures of themselves by the Bastardo and not-Bastardo signs ('Leaving [town]' signs are simply the name of the town with a large red diagonal line through it.). Having no luck on our quest for food, we drove through several other small towns, eventually arriving in Todi. We had a somewhat steep uphill walk through narrow streets (bedecked with flowers and graced with the remains of frescoes) and arrived at the town square. We went into the Duomo in Todi, much of which dates back to the 11th century. That was pretty nice. We had a snack at a small cafe on the square (and DD had her requisite gelato), then we went up to S. Fortunato, another church in Todi. That was easily the thing I liked best in Todi - many of the side chapels had frescoes in various states of repair. It was a shame that so many of the frescoes were badly damaged. One of the chapels looked like it had been recently restored, and it was simply amazing. And underneath the main altar, reachable by steps, was a sarcophagus containing the remains of several saints, including the namesake San Fortunato. It was both impressive, and a little eerie.
There was a beautiful little courtyard near S. Fortunato that I liked. It had a small bench, and rows of roses.
We did see some...interesting...entertainment in Todi. There was a young woman whose clothing left little to the imagination, and seeing her with her boyfriend as we were leaving S. Fortunato prompted DsD to wonder how to say "Get a room!" in Italian. DsD claims she saw them being even more indiscreet later in an arcade at the back of the cafe on the square, but I'll be thankful I missed that.
After Todi we came back to the house, then went out for dinner (which was good but not quite as good as Saturday) before spending a late night talking about various things. G is also a gamer, so he and DH and I talked for a while.
Today our objective is a return to Orvieto this afternoon for a cathedral visit and shopping.
Monday, June 07, 2004
Stanley will get a tan!
The Lightning won the Stanley Cup!!!!
And kudos to the Flames on a well-played, hard-fought series! The game came down to the wire, and left me breathless!
It's a beautiful thing!
And kudos to the Flames on a well-played, hard-fought series! The game came down to the wire, and left me breathless!
It's a beautiful thing!
Less work, more hockey!
In half an hour, two teams, 15 wins into the playoffs, will face off to win the ultimate trophy....35 pounds, 110 years of history...
Okay, enough of the melodrama. Lightning vs. Flames, and someone is skating Lord Stanley's Cup tonight!
GO BOLTS!!
Okay, enough of the melodrama. Lightning vs. Flames, and someone is skating Lord Stanley's Cup tonight!
GO BOLTS!!
Happy endings (3/8)
I had some great things happen this weekend - won an evilBay bid on a book I'd been trying to find for about 5 years, and the Lightning won Saturday night to force a game 7. I saw Shrek 2 on Saturday - that was hilarious! And yesterday after Mass we went out to lunch and I had some awesome ribs. Yum! I finished The Sorcerer's Treason by Sarah Zettel, and started Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife. So all in all it was a good weekend. Haven't quite gotten back to stitching yet, but that should happen this week. But anyway, on to the journal!
Italy - part 3 of 8
25 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Hallelujah, M's bag has finally arrived - at about 8pm this evening. He is seriously annoyed with Alitalia, but at least now he has pants.
Today we drove up to Lake Trasimeno to see some of the castles. The drive was a bit less stressful than yesterday, and the lake is very beautiful. Our first stop was Magione - we attempted to see the castle there, but it was occupied by the Knights of Malta, so we could only see the outside. From there we drove through small Italian towns and scenic roads bounded by wildflowers to Castiglione del Lago, a walled city overlooking Lake Trasimeno. We went to see the Rocca, but we hit the lunchtime closing so we wandered the town for a bit until we could get in. That is one minor annoying thing about places here - most of them close for about two hours at lunchtime, and we've seemed to hit those times more often than we'd like.
After Castiglione we drove to Passignano and walked around for a bit. We had gotten separated from G and M, but fortunately we met back up again with them at Passignano. From there we drove back to the house. Right now we have a fire going, and things are pretty quiet. Tomorrow we're planning on heading back to Carsulae and maybe a few other places.
Italy - part 3 of 8
25 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Hallelujah, M's bag has finally arrived - at about 8pm this evening. He is seriously annoyed with Alitalia, but at least now he has pants.
Today we drove up to Lake Trasimeno to see some of the castles. The drive was a bit less stressful than yesterday, and the lake is very beautiful. Our first stop was Magione - we attempted to see the castle there, but it was occupied by the Knights of Malta, so we could only see the outside. From there we drove through small Italian towns and scenic roads bounded by wildflowers to Castiglione del Lago, a walled city overlooking Lake Trasimeno. We went to see the Rocca, but we hit the lunchtime closing so we wandered the town for a bit until we could get in. That is one minor annoying thing about places here - most of them close for about two hours at lunchtime, and we've seemed to hit those times more often than we'd like.
After Castiglione we drove to Passignano and walked around for a bit. We had gotten separated from G and M, but fortunately we met back up again with them at Passignano. From there we drove back to the house. Right now we have a fire going, and things are pretty quiet. Tomorrow we're planning on heading back to Carsulae and maybe a few other places.
Friday, June 04, 2004
Days of wine and spades (2/8)
The Wrath of Grapes
Well, I'm caught up with laundry and bills. Clothes are unpacked, though souvenir-type things need to be dealt with. I did take time to watch the hockey game last night. Unfortunately the Flames won in OT, so the Lightning are facing elimination this weekend. And the bad thing is that I nodded off right before the gamewinner. I guess I'm still adjusting to being back in my normal routine.
But hey, it's Friday so life is good.
Italy journal - part 2 of 8
24 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Yesterday it was pouring rain as we drove to Podici. Driving in heavy rain on narrow, curving Italian roads doesn't seem like a fun experience - I'm glad DH is driving and not me. We drove up to Podici to see the castle there. I had forgotten my sweater and it was chilly, so I stayed back at the car with DD. The castle dates to the 9th century, and looked pretty impressive from the outside. It appeared as though much of the inside may have been converted to apartments. M managed to get inside and see from the tower, so I'm sorry I missed it.
From Podici we drove back down the narrow mountain road, passing, of all things, a high metal bridge that advertised "Bungee Jumping", and stopped in a town by a rather impressive waterfall called Cascata delle Marmore ("Marble Waterfall"). The waterfall is a huge tourist attraction, but is only open on weekends - during the week the river is diverted for industrial purposes.
From Cascata we went to Carsulae, the ruins of a Roman city, but we got there after closing. What we could see looked rather impressive, and we plan on hitting it again later in the week.
On the way home we stopped at a pizzeria in Todi and got food to go. We consumed those, and 7 bottles of wine, during the evening. I played spades for a while with L, M and G, then DH took over for me.
I had far too much to drink, and probably spent an hour or two emptying the contents of my stomach when I went to bed. My stomach was a little queasy this morning but that eventually subsided. I'm surprised I'm not hungover, considering how miserable I felt last night. [Ed: I also apparently couldn't shuffle but could still deal, while I was still playing spades.] But at least I'm in good company - G also, from what I hear, impressively painted the outside stairs, and he has been hungover all day. Neither of us have had much, if any, wine today.
Today we drove into Orvieto. The scenery was spectacular - we drove around a lake in the middle of rather impressive mountains. It reminded me of Scotland, but green. Orvieto is built atop a plateau, and dates back to the Etruscan period. The remains of a fortress, from which you can overlook a great deal of the surrounding countryside, have been converted into a park. What remained was still rather impressive, and on the walls you stand at rather dizzying heights. From the fortress, or Rocca, we walked past numerous shops in old buildings to the cathedral square.
The cathedral, or Duomo, is, simply put, rather breathtaking! The facade is gilt and mosaic (or maybe fresco) with lots of carved stone panels. The rest of the body of the cathedral alternates black and white rows of masonry, a rather striking effect. Unfortunately we got there right after the Duomo closed for lunch and we didn't have time to wait for it to open, as our parking expired at 3pm. So we had lunch at a cafe in the cathedral square, and headed back to the cars. DD, DsD and I stopped at a gelateria (ice-cream bar) for dessert. I had kiwi gelato, which was quite good. DsD had capuccino and DD had lemon. I guess G got her hooked on when he bought her a lemon gelato yesterday for her birthday!
On the way back from Orvieto, we hit a grocery store in Todi and H made spaghetti and salad for dinner. It was quite good.
M and G went into Todi again, and L and H are just driving around. I'm still a bit tired so I'm going to turn in early.
Well, I'm caught up with laundry and bills. Clothes are unpacked, though souvenir-type things need to be dealt with. I did take time to watch the hockey game last night. Unfortunately the Flames won in OT, so the Lightning are facing elimination this weekend. And the bad thing is that I nodded off right before the gamewinner. I guess I'm still adjusting to being back in my normal routine.
But hey, it's Friday so life is good.
Italy journal - part 2 of 8
24 May 2004 - Il Borghetto
Yesterday it was pouring rain as we drove to Podici. Driving in heavy rain on narrow, curving Italian roads doesn't seem like a fun experience - I'm glad DH is driving and not me. We drove up to Podici to see the castle there. I had forgotten my sweater and it was chilly, so I stayed back at the car with DD. The castle dates to the 9th century, and looked pretty impressive from the outside. It appeared as though much of the inside may have been converted to apartments. M managed to get inside and see from the tower, so I'm sorry I missed it.
From Podici we drove back down the narrow mountain road, passing, of all things, a high metal bridge that advertised "Bungee Jumping", and stopped in a town by a rather impressive waterfall called Cascata delle Marmore ("Marble Waterfall"). The waterfall is a huge tourist attraction, but is only open on weekends - during the week the river is diverted for industrial purposes.
From Cascata we went to Carsulae, the ruins of a Roman city, but we got there after closing. What we could see looked rather impressive, and we plan on hitting it again later in the week.
On the way home we stopped at a pizzeria in Todi and got food to go. We consumed those, and 7 bottles of wine, during the evening. I played spades for a while with L, M and G, then DH took over for me.
I had far too much to drink, and probably spent an hour or two emptying the contents of my stomach when I went to bed. My stomach was a little queasy this morning but that eventually subsided. I'm surprised I'm not hungover, considering how miserable I felt last night. [Ed: I also apparently couldn't shuffle but could still deal, while I was still playing spades.] But at least I'm in good company - G also, from what I hear, impressively painted the outside stairs, and he has been hungover all day. Neither of us have had much, if any, wine today.
Today we drove into Orvieto. The scenery was spectacular - we drove around a lake in the middle of rather impressive mountains. It reminded me of Scotland, but green. Orvieto is built atop a plateau, and dates back to the Etruscan period. The remains of a fortress, from which you can overlook a great deal of the surrounding countryside, have been converted into a park. What remained was still rather impressive, and on the walls you stand at rather dizzying heights. From the fortress, or Rocca, we walked past numerous shops in old buildings to the cathedral square.
The cathedral, or Duomo, is, simply put, rather breathtaking! The facade is gilt and mosaic (or maybe fresco) with lots of carved stone panels. The rest of the body of the cathedral alternates black and white rows of masonry, a rather striking effect. Unfortunately we got there right after the Duomo closed for lunch and we didn't have time to wait for it to open, as our parking expired at 3pm. So we had lunch at a cafe in the cathedral square, and headed back to the cars. DD, DsD and I stopped at a gelateria (ice-cream bar) for dessert. I had kiwi gelato, which was quite good. DsD had capuccino and DD had lemon. I guess G got her hooked on when he bought her a lemon gelato yesterday for her birthday!
On the way back from Orvieto, we hit a grocery store in Todi and H made spaghetti and salad for dinner. It was quite good.
M and G went into Todi again, and L and H are just driving around. I'm still a bit tired so I'm going to turn in early.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
The journey of 5000 miles begins with a single step (1/8)
As promised, here is the first installment of my trip journal!
Italy journal - part 1 of 8
Our trip got off to a rather inauspicious start. My family was meeting our friend M, and three of his friends (G, L, and H) whom we'd never met. We arrived first, with M due to arrive second so he could find G, L and H as they arrived. We got to Rome at 9am. 11 came, then noon, and still no M. By this time, G was to have arrived. 1pm, then 2, at which point L and H were due in. DsD had the brilliant idea of making a sign saying "(M's last name) party", at which point we were able to meet up with the other three before M arrived. M arrived last, although his bag didn't, and by 4pm we were all on the road. Traffic wasn't too bad once we got off of Rome's ring road, and a very scenic drive up, down, and through mountains got us to our villa. Now, on to the actual journal!
23 May 2004 - Il Borghetto, near Ilci in Umbria, Italy
This week we are staying at Il Borghetto, a farm situated on an olive grove and vineyards in Umbria. It's private property, and this is one of several houses the owners rent to vacationers. From here we have a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside, including at least two castles. There are other houses scattered about, including a couple of small towns.
At Il Borghetto, there are many trees in bloom - I don't know what they are, but they have somewhat strongly scented white flowers. there are also large bushes of lavender and rosemary. On the drive up here, as well as on the property, we have seen a great number of rosebushes in bloom. Here at Il Borghetto I've seen red, white, yellow, peach, and pink roses. And that's just near this house.
Yesterday when we arrived the weather was beautiful - in the 70s, sunny with a slight breeze. Today it's a little cooler because it's raining. Storming, actually - I hear thunder, and it's a heavy downpour. But still, very beautiful for all that and already the storm is passing.
Last night we had dinner at a restaurant outside of Todi - I don't know the name, but the food was phenomenal. For antipasti we had a tray of roast pork, some very thinly sliced ham, some flatbread, and an herbed garlic bread. For pasta, I had a fettucine with asparagus - others had spaghetti or ravioli pomodoro or bolognese. For the meat, I had agnella al forno - a roast lamb chop that had olive oil and herbs, and was quite delicious. The hostess was also quite gracious, even though she didn't speak English and none of us know much Italian. I wish I could remember the place to offer as a recommendation.
Tune in next time to hear about our first drive around Umbria, Orvieto take 1, and my experience with wine and spades!
Italy journal - part 1 of 8
Our trip got off to a rather inauspicious start. My family was meeting our friend M, and three of his friends (G, L, and H) whom we'd never met. We arrived first, with M due to arrive second so he could find G, L and H as they arrived. We got to Rome at 9am. 11 came, then noon, and still no M. By this time, G was to have arrived. 1pm, then 2, at which point L and H were due in. DsD had the brilliant idea of making a sign saying "(M's last name) party", at which point we were able to meet up with the other three before M arrived. M arrived last, although his bag didn't, and by 4pm we were all on the road. Traffic wasn't too bad once we got off of Rome's ring road, and a very scenic drive up, down, and through mountains got us to our villa. Now, on to the actual journal!
23 May 2004 - Il Borghetto, near Ilci in Umbria, Italy
This week we are staying at Il Borghetto, a farm situated on an olive grove and vineyards in Umbria. It's private property, and this is one of several houses the owners rent to vacationers. From here we have a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside, including at least two castles. There are other houses scattered about, including a couple of small towns.
At Il Borghetto, there are many trees in bloom - I don't know what they are, but they have somewhat strongly scented white flowers. there are also large bushes of lavender and rosemary. On the drive up here, as well as on the property, we have seen a great number of rosebushes in bloom. Here at Il Borghetto I've seen red, white, yellow, peach, and pink roses. And that's just near this house.
Yesterday when we arrived the weather was beautiful - in the 70s, sunny with a slight breeze. Today it's a little cooler because it's raining. Storming, actually - I hear thunder, and it's a heavy downpour. But still, very beautiful for all that and already the storm is passing.
Last night we had dinner at a restaurant outside of Todi - I don't know the name, but the food was phenomenal. For antipasti we had a tray of roast pork, some very thinly sliced ham, some flatbread, and an herbed garlic bread. For pasta, I had a fettucine with asparagus - others had spaghetti or ravioli pomodoro or bolognese. For the meat, I had agnella al forno - a roast lamb chop that had olive oil and herbs, and was quite delicious. The hostess was also quite gracious, even though she didn't speak English and none of us know much Italian. I wish I could remember the place to offer as a recommendation.
Tune in next time to hear about our first drive around Umbria, Orvieto take 1, and my experience with wine and spades!
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Well, I'm back.
To borrow a quote from Sam Gamgee. Or anyone else who's ever gone on a journey.
I had a wonderful time in Italy. I'm a little sunburnt, a bit footsore, and somewhat tired, but overall I'm happy. Well, happy about having had the trip - I can't say that I muster quite as much enthusiasm for being back at work.
I'm also pleased to discover that the Lightning are at least holding their own, having tied the series with the Flames Monday night. I'll get to watch at least two hockey games now.
I'm still in the process of getting settled, both at home and at work, so this will be a rather short entry. I do have a travel journal, which I will be posting piecemeal over the next week or two, so watch this space.
Meanwhile, I am still adjusting to having to breathe hot water. At the moment it's 91F and feels like 97F. Bleah...
I had a wonderful time in Italy. I'm a little sunburnt, a bit footsore, and somewhat tired, but overall I'm happy. Well, happy about having had the trip - I can't say that I muster quite as much enthusiasm for being back at work.
I'm also pleased to discover that the Lightning are at least holding their own, having tied the series with the Flames Monday night. I'll get to watch at least two hockey games now.
I'm still in the process of getting settled, both at home and at work, so this will be a rather short entry. I do have a travel journal, which I will be posting piecemeal over the next week or two, so watch this space.
Meanwhile, I am still adjusting to having to breathe hot water. At the moment it's 91F and feels like 97F. Bleah...
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