Venezia

We arrived at Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia at 11:30am and then Andrée worked out how to get to Piazza San Marco (San Marco Square) on the vaporetto (ferry) while I stayed with the luggage. Andrée did a fantastic job in selecting this area to stay, it was ideal for visiting the other areas of Venice either by foot or ferry.

Above, we are just about to arrive at the Piazza San Marco ferry stop.  We will grow to recognize this station quickly to know that we need to get off the boat.  Upon arrival at San Marco we decided to have lunch at a great cafe - with super friendly service and over priced food - it was such a great spot we went there a few times.  We watched the world walk by since we had two more hours until check-in time - this was a great way to get comfortable here. 

There was surprisingly not many pigeons at Saint Mark's while we were there.  I thought there would be more pigeons from all the vacation or travel photographs, movies, or television that I have seen over the years.

This is all we could see of the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) due to renovations.  It was disappointing for us but then it will hopefully look better when, or if, we return to Venice.

I wanted to buy some oil paintings for Dawnie to frame for me and surprisingly I ran out of time.  Then I ask myself "where do you have wall space to put them?".

The streets are delightfully narrow, it is wonderful being in Venice.

Pinch us we are in Venice.  We were planning our second week in Italy and suddenly the plan was Venice which both of us were thrilled to include.  Ah .... Venice, it is so beautiful walking around the narrow streets full of interesting things to photograph and shops to peruse.  I am on the hunt for another pair of Ray Ban's and a passenger on one of the ferries had just the pair I would like. I should have asked which country they were from but one never knows what language is spoken by the folks around you.  I did find new Ray Ban's not like those I had seen and different to what I normally go for but I like them.

We have had our worst meal and food service right here at the hotel we are staying in.  A group of folks were looking at the menu posted outside and possibly wondering about the place, Andrée and I were naughty and gave them the thumbs down sign.  The folks waved and nodded thanks to us and then moved on.  We did not want anybody else to suffer as we had done with the smug Maître D, the surly waitress and bad food service.  Andrée and I would hesitate to recommend the hotel (Best Western San Marco) except that it is in a great area - just do not eat at their restuarant.  The Rialto Bridge is just minutes away from the hotel along narrow streets with interesting shops.

Our first closeup view of the Rialto Bridge.  It is wide with a narrow street down the middle of it.  Beautiful day as you can see by the sky.

Pisa and Lucca

Our hotel receptionist suggested that we visit Pisa first and then Lucca on Sunday and as it turned out she was correct.  Pisa yesterday was crowded but not nearly as crowded as we think a Sunday may have been.  Lucca today was tranquilo with folks strolling around the wonderful old city and its ramparts but more on Lucca later, Pisa first.

PISA - The train to Pisa was fast, fifty minutes, and we were in another world with a beautiful small leaning tower. We wandered around the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) with its Cathedral,  Bapistry, and Tower.

The Cathedral has a wonderful sense of space and is decorated with large paintings on all walls.  It is one of the only Cathedral's we have visited that allows photography making it all the better to visit.  I did not go into the Bapistry as I had remembered it as being plain and with many steps to climb.  The intrepid Andree took the challenge and did visit the Bapistry. Neither of us climbed the tower, I did it in 1989 and these days half the fun has been taken away.  Today you cannot come down on the outside further than two levels.  I remember coming down on the outside and as you came down on the leaning side your pace changed to a run. We walked back to the station via the university district (one road) and did not come across Galileo's dwelling.  I did spot the Geology Department which we visited in 1989.

The Cathedral, Bapistry and Tower are all in the Field of Miracles (Campo dei Miracoli).  I remember being amazed the first time I saw the tower as to how small it is.

When Garry and I went up the tower in 1989 tourists were permitted to come all the way down on the outside.  Today this is not permitted.

Parrocchie S. Nicola has been raised to be above flood level.

Back in Firenze we returned to Trattoria a Guido where we had our first meal the day we arrived.  Our meal was superb (not to die for yet) but very, very, good so we vowed to return there for our final meal in Firenze tomorrow evening.  What did we have?  Scallopini in mushroom sauce for Andrée and Scallopini in white wine sauce for me.  Hmmm .... delicious.

LUCCA -
Matilda's beloved Lucca was the favorite Tuscan city of the Countess of Canossa. Having read about Matilda I was interested in visiting the Cathedral San Martino, that she rebuilt to house the Volto Santo.  Volto Santo is the relic (true face of Christ) supposedly carved by Nicodemus over 2,000 years ago. Andrée and I decided that should this not be the truth then we at least know Volto Santo existed in 1052 when Matilda first saw it.

Just as Kathleen McGowan writes, the labyrinth is on the West Portico wall before you enter the Cathedral. In Matilda's time the labyrinth was painted on this wall then one hundred years later it was carved into the stone.  I traced my finger around the labyrinth but the throngs of people waiting to photograph it made tracing my way in and out of the labyrinth not possible today. The six petal rose in the center has been completely demolished however it is an eleven step labyrinth just as in Chartres.

We walked around this beautiful calm city taking in the sights and enjoyed lunch in a piazza while people watching as we ate and then walked along the city wall.

San Martino's Campanile from the Centro Storico (old city center) walls/ramparts.

Below: San Giovanni Basilique where the 150th anniversary of the birth of Giacomo Puccini (1858-2008) was held.  Puccini was baptized here on 23rd December, 1858 and the funeral of Puccini's father was held here on 23rd January, 1864.

Dinner again tonight was very good, we both enjoyed Chicken with Rosemary and grilled vegetables, and washed it down with a glass or two of wine.  This was finished off nicely for the second night with a gratis Limoncello.  It has been a lovely visit to Tuscany.

Andrée:  We had a wonderful time wandering around Roma, Umbria and Tuscany.  We have become quite practiced at finding our way from point to point by local train and tomorrow we are off to Venice for a more, um, watery experience of Italy.  (Though I trust there will still be red wine to enjoy...)

Firenze/Florence

We arrived in Firenze to find the Information Booth under reconstruction and no obvious signs to where it is now.  I asked a policeman for the general direction of the Duomo and hotels and they were close to the station so we walked.  Along the route that the policeman suggested we found a nice clean two star hotel (Hotel Nuovo Italia) that we are both quite comfortable with.  We are close to the points of interest in Firenze and have been out each day enjoying the city.

Our first view of the Duomo, Bapistry and Campanile (bell tower) as we go on a walk around Centro Storico (old town center).

The Bapistry of the Cathedral in Firenze is spectacular with its glittering gold dome.  This should not be missed by anybody visiting Florence.  The Cathedral is very plain inside but then it is quite something on the outside with its green and white marble stripes.

View of the golden Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi Gallery.  Lining either side of the bridge are jewelry shops specializing in gold and silver.

Galileo Galilei's statue in the colanade of the Uffizi Gallery.  Photography is permitted within the Uffizi.  One should not visit Firenze without visiting the Uffizi to see the collection of statues, bronzes, portraits and medieval paintings.  I was happy to see the Botticelli's again, The Birth of Venus (it is beautiful) and Primavera (needs to be cleaned).  The original Botticelli Autumn is at the British Museum.  The Carravagio's were not all on display as the gallery is preparing for a summer exhibition.

With my interest in Kathleen McGowan's books I was pleased when I noted a painting of Mary Magdalene holding an Alabaster Jar and Joseph of Arimathea holding the Libro Rosso.  There were a few paintings that mentioned Saint James but he was not in his pilgrim gear like he is in Spain.

We are staying in Firenze until Monday and tomorrow we will visit Pisa and I need not mention what we will see there as I am sure anybody reading this Blog knows about the tower .....

The following day will go by bus to Lucca where we will visit San Martino the church that Matilda of Canossa built to house the Volto Santo.  Matilda had a finger labyrinth carved into the outside wall of San Martino but the six petal rose has been damaged, deliberately(?).
For those with eyes to see .....

We are having a nice mellow time enjoying Italy.  I did however twist my left knee when I got up from the lunch table today and am now resting it.  Andree is out with her camera so she is a happy camper.

Roma, Vatican City, Perugia

 

Above is the Victor Emanuele Monument built to honor the first king of a unified Italy, inaugurated 1911 and completed 1935.

On our first day in Rome we rode the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus around the city.  Andrée and I had ridden the little train in Rocmadour, France, because of the hills and we knew this was the way to go.  It is always a great way to get your bearings and a feel for the city you are visiting.  I was jet-lagged and found myself dozing off but managed to see many fountains when the bus slowed down to go around them.

Andrée took this photo of me at the Colosseum and below is Andrée, photo taken by me.  Note we both have the green light, means our vacation is a goer :)

Being back in Rome is delightful. Visiting the classic Roman sights once again left me in a state of awe, the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Trajan's Bazzar, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon to name a few.  I felt that I needed to pinch myself because here I was, back in Rome.  My last visit was 2005.

Via Sacra (Sacred Way) the most famous street in ancient Rome.

The Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum c. 315 CE.

Trajan's Column and Trajan's Forum c. 115 CE.  I love the trees in Rome, are they Cypress?

Castel Sant'Angelo, The Mausoleum of Hadrian commenced 123 AD and completed 139 AD is known as one of the most original monuments in Rome.

 

The Pantheon 27-25 BC., Piazza della Rotunda.   The temple built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa has been radically changed since his time.  Hadrian rebuilt the building 118-125 AD.  The Pantheon was closed for mass/tourists the afternoon we visited but as the doors were open we could see inside.  We sat at a cafe and this was our view, it was such a lovely afternoon.

This is the famous Trevi Fountain and it was crowded each time we passed by.  We both commented that it would be awful here in mid summer when Europeans are on vacation.  We threw our coins in the fountain so we will return, well that was my wish.

Vatican City

We visited the Vatican City and took a tour through the Sistine Chapel.  As I am sure you all know Michelangelo did great work here.  I thought the most amazing work is the arched ceiling.  The ceiling is NOT arched, it is a rectangular room, no arches.  Michelangelo painted the walls and ceilings to look arched.  No photography is allowed in the Vatican Museum or the Sistine Chapel.

I wanted to visit the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter.  I am a believer in the love story of Mathilde of Canossa and Pope Gregory VII and so my interest lay in seeing Matilda's tomb.  I was very happy to see that Matilda's tomb is just across from Michelangelo's Pieta, in other words it is in a prominent position for the ONLY woman entombed in the male dominated Basilica. 

Michelangelo always claimed descent from Matilda but records show Matilda only had a daughter who died hours after birth.  Why is Matilda there?  Why is Matilda shown holding the Papal Crown and the Keys? 
For those with ears to hear and eyes to see.

Matilda can also be seen standing at the side of Gregory VII on January 28, 1077 when The Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV was begging forgiveness for his wars against Matilda (Tuscany) and the Pope (Rome).  Henry IV spent three days and three nights outside Matilda's castle in Canossa in the snow barefoot and hair-shirt waiting to be admitted for an audience with Pope Gregory VII.  Henry IV was forgiven and the excommunication lifted, Henry IV returned to Germany and went back to his cruel ways.

Wandering the city then stopping at an outdoor cafe to enjoy a capuccino or fresh squeezed blood orange juice feels the right thing to do and allows for a little people watching.  The days were warm and sunny with a bright blue sky which was magical light for photographs later in the day and a nice start to our vacation.

The first day I started out in boots but they were hot and horrible.  Living in Houston has spoiled me and I now only like wearing sandals.  So at the end of the first morning I went to a shoe shop and bought some Mephisto sandals, now I am a happy camper once again.

Perugia

Things fall into place easily sometimes.  We arrived at the Roma train station for a train to Perugia and found that one was leaving in minutes.  No, we had not checked a timetable first.  The train journey through Umbria gave us a chance to see the mountains and fertile valleys of the region, it was a truly beautiful sight with the many hilltop villages along the way.  A couple of hours later we were in Perugia walking around this beautiful old walled city set on many hills.

Looking toward the 13th century Fontana Maggiore which was built in celebration at the completion of the aquaduct to Perugia.  The fountain was considered the most interesting and beautiful fountain anywhere at that time.

The original griffin and lion in the museum are the symbols for Perugia.  Copies have been placed in their original position on a wall of the town hall but symbols of the griffin and lion can be found all over the city.

Two views of Perugia and the mountains of Umbria taken from the walls of the city.

The Archeological Museum is well worth a visit to see the pottery, jewelry, and artifacts.  Don't miss this fine tablet showing Etruscan writing which is read from right to left and yes, they wrote their characters backwards to writing the alphabet as we know it.  Interesting huh?

In the 1980's Perugia placed a series of escalators in the tunnels within the city walls.  These escalators go from the Termini (bus station) to the top of the hill which is a long, steep way to walk.  There are exits out along the way and the series of escalators finish at the main piazza of Perugia.

In 1531 there was a papal war over taxes commonly called the Salt War.  Why am I telling you this?  Perugia refused to pay the taxes to Rome and then stopped using salt when baking bread.  Even today they do not bake their bread with salt.  Yes, to me it was noticeable, so out with a salt shaker!

Assisi

Yesterday we took a bus ride to Assisi.  It is over twenty years since I visited Assisi so a refresher visit was most welcome.    It was a windy and freezing cold morning which found Andrée shopping for a scarf for the added warmth.  Assisi is one of those aforementioned hilltop villages so we walked up to the two Cathedrals first and then up, and up, and up through the village.  It is hard to tell if the blank spaces in the frescoes is earthquake damage or simply wear and tear on old art (my previous visit was before the earthquake).

Andrée preferred the Cattedrale Inferiore (lower cathedral) with frescoes by Giotto surrounding the tomb of Saint Francis.  I liked the Cattedrale Superiore (upper cathedral) thinking the frescoes there were lighter giving not such a dark and heavy feeling.

Some of the many Saint Francis tourist pieces you can buy.  No we did not get one of these.

A reminder that it does get cold here but this day we did not need a reminder, it felt this cold.

Oratorio dei Pellegrini, Sec XV - Oratory of the Pilgrims

Assisi is well worth a visit when in Umbria especially for pilgrims wanting to visit the tomb of Saint Francis.  However, Assisi is small, touristy, and expensive so you may want to visit only for the day while staying elsewhere.

There is a train from Perugia to Assisi but in both towns the train station is a long way from Centro Storico (old town center) and requires a bus or taxi.  Going between the cities by inter city bus is far simpler as the bus stops at the gate to the old city.

Ach-choo, ach-choo .... for the first time in over thirty years, or since leaving Australia in 1978, I suffered seasonal allergies in Assisi.  I sneezed my way around town obviously allergic to something in the Spring air.  I was now far more sympathetic to Andrée who had been suffering allergies (or a cold) since arriving in Rome.  Should I say that I am not a sympathetic person by nature.

Ah Tuscany!  We will leave Perugia tomorrow on the 10:00AM train for Firenze/Florence.