Girovaga

Sicilia – Part I

City wall of Trapani, as viewed from the terrace of our apartment.

When I said we were going to Sicilia, Italian friends sighed, American colleagues raved, and my dear friend Nicholas whined that he could not be there too. Thanks to all, I received some great advice on things to do and places to see. Sicilia is beautiful, to say the least, the people are friendly to a fault, and the food is divine.

We took our first flight since arriving in Italy last May. It seemed strange to fly out of Rome instead of taking a train and we were pleased to discover we had not forgotten how to drive, as neither of us had done so for 10 months.

We are staying in the small city of Tràpani in Northwest Sicily. Rather than try to “do” the whole island in one trip, we selected a corner of the region to explore. If we like it – and we do so far – we have plenty of opportunity to return and explore more of this vast and interesting island. With an ocean-front apartment reached via 60 steps (no elevator) we are living local. Luckily we didn’t have to haul our suitcases, although each only weighs 20 pounds or so, because the building has a rope and pulley system to assist in baggage handling. [NB: two-and-half years ago

Stopping by the grotto in Lo ZIngaro. People lived here as long as 10,000 yeasr ago.

we stayed in Vernazza in an apartment that had a climb of 57 steps. We struggled with that climb to the point that we really thought about it before we went up or down to minimize the number of trips per day. Now we are both in far better shape with weight loss (both of us), “new legs” and a gym program for me, 6-7km per day walking, and daily jaunts up the 64 steps to our apartment in Roma. The 60 steps in Tràpani are a piece of cake!]

I wanted to stay in Erice, a medieval town about 2400 feet abve Trapani, but Francesco, Rick and Jane were right to advise against it as a base. It has been encased in clouds for 3 days now. It’s much better here at sea level.

Erice is atop the hill hidden in a mass of clouds.

Our arrival day devolved into a miserable rain and chill, warded off by an amazing dinner involving the best caponata we’d ever eaten, fresh fish, and a couscous preparation like none I’ve ever had, served with a whole roasted fish and a tureen of fish broth. With a crisp local white wine, we were satiated and slept a full 8 hours for a change!

Crystal clear waters far below the trail in Lo Zingaro.

Fortunately Sunday dawned bright and clear, so we headed to La Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro for a hike. What a beautiful and unusual place! It’s a little bit like parts of Hawaii with stark and interesting beauty, unusual plants, and ever-so-quiet. The water is clear with many shades of blue and turquoise contrasting with the lush green of a spring-rain freshened landscape. I have not been anywhere quite this quiet (only the sounds of birds and the wind) for many many years. We felt far removed from our bustling Roma, which was the point of this vacation. Lizards darted across our path, and the wild flowers opened almost before our eyes

Little lizards dart along the trail enjoying the sun. So did we.

as the sun warmed the day. A half-hour or so into the hike, we encountered a small museum dedicated to the contadini (farmers) where an amicable man told us about the activities and dwellings of a typical farm family. We were his first visitors this day so he was ready to chat. My Italian understanding is really coming along, thank God, and we had a decent conversation. There is a grotto along the trail where they have determined people have lived for some 10,000 years. Amazing to consider how ancient this land is. Also, I got some sun as ordered by my doctor who thinks I need more vitamin D.

The hike was a good workout so we indulged in a fine Sunday lunch of fresh fish, fresh pasta, and an arugula salad, enjoying the antics of little children dining with Nonna e Nonno at an adjacent table.

Greek temple at Segesta, viewed from afar.

Clouds come and go, with passing showers. The temperature is not warm enough for beach time, but excellent for exploring, so Monday we headed to Segesta, where we saw our first-ever Greek ruins. This is a marvelous time of year to visit without crowds or the dizzying heat of summer. We found ourselves alone beside the magnificent temple, in the ancient arena, and along quiet paths. The temple is huge and well-preserved. One can walk completely around it for an excellent perspective on the architecture. Built in the 5^th century, B.C., it has survived at least three earthquakes, and has withstood the ravages of man for so many centuries, but the courthouse in Salem, OR, barely lasted a decade due to poor construction.

After an up-close encounter with the temple, we ascended the hill opposite (305 meters above sea level) where the city used to be, to the location of an ancient arena. There we found gorgeous views back to the temple across fields of wild-flowers in bloom.

Luckily, as this is Italy, one can get a fine espresso freshly pulled by the barista, and

My favorite travel companion in the ancient arena at Segesta.

a freshly made pastry even at an archeological site. Try that at Silver Creek Falls or the Mount St. Helens.Stay-tuned. More to come….

Tags: Erice, Hiking, Segesta, Sicily, Trapani, Zingaro

Comments 24 Comments
Categories Hiking, Sicily, Sights, Travel

High maintenance

24 Feb

I’ve been meaning to write about the odd assortment of pedicures I have had in Italy. It took me a few appointments to finally settle into a salon and services that I could enjoy and where the results are good, but the journey has been interesting….

Nail salons are important here. In fact, every type of personal appearance maintenance is very important: nails, hair, massage, waxing — esthetics of every kind. Many women have their nails done, both hands and feet, on a regular basis. After all, one must maintain la bella figura. One of my favorite bloggers, Mozzarella Mamma, did a wonderful post on the female beauty scene http://www.mozzarellamamma.com/2011/linguini-and-luscious-legs/ . Go ahead, read it, laugh out loud, then come back to finish reading this post. I’ll wait.

Welcome back; now on to my own experiences. I am addicted to pedicures-as-therapy and have been for years. Ric will tell you that my personal maintenance is a line-item in the household budget. It’s certainly cheaper than psychotherapy.

My Italian salon adventures started in Sorrento when we were on vacation over a year ago. Mid-vacation I wanted a pedicure. We were tromping about Italy to the tune of 6-10 miles a day. My toes needed a little pampering and I was looking forward to a strong leg massage. Ric was looking forward to two hours of my absence so he could take a nap. I asked the concierge at our hotel to recommend a place, and he pointed me to a nearby salon: “It’s where the general manager’s wife goes.” Good enough for me. Ha!

Arriving at the salon, I was led down a narrow, steep stairway to a dim cubicle in the basement. I was seated in a straight-backed chair on a platform and the nail tech had me place my tootsies in a plastic basin of tepid water. No comfy vibrating chair, no swirling whirlpool of warm, scented bubbles to sooth my tired feet: just tepid water. In December. From there the treatment proceeded on course with what one might expect until we got to the “massage:” a half-hearted application of lotion. Ric does a better foot massage for me when he’s half asleep. Then it took a turn for the worse: No lovely, shiny, top coat seal-of-protection for my newly painted digits. When asked, the nail tech had no idea what I was talking about. By the time I returned to the hotel, my polish was already scuffed. €30.00 flushed, and not exactly una bella figura.

Arriving in Rome last May, I sought out a recommended salon near the Embassy. Based on Mozzarella Mamma’s post, I figured Roman salons would meet my expectations. This one did a good job including a whirlpool footbath, comfy chair, decent massage, used some of the best polishes made, perfect top coat; but very expensive. I’d need to shop around.

A few weeks later, I moved on to Salon #2, conveniently located on my commute home. Again with the tepid basin of water. This nail tech explained that warm water was bad for my feet. Huh. Following the no-massage massage there was NO TOP COAT. “Signora, if I put on more polish they will never dry.” Listen? Do you hear the sound of €35 being flushed? The polish dried, but again it scuffed on the way home.

Returning to the high-end salon, I was assigned the resident Amazon, a muscular lass of about 6’2” (remember the man-hands episode on “Seinfeld?”) who proceeded to cut my cuticle so deep I bled into the swirling whirlpool foot bath and styptic powder was required. (Her strong hands gave a heck of a massage, though.) Nice nails, but a nasty cut. So maybe a high-end hotel would do the trick. I hit Salon #3 on Via Veneto.

Escorted to a quiet and luxurious treatment room, I was instructed to lie on a massage table and make myself comfortable. “We’re doing a pedicure?” (I asked just to make sure I wasn’t supposed to be naked at this point. In Italy one never knows.) “Si, signora, just relax.” The tech brought, guess what? A bowl of tepid water to the table, bent my legs and situated my feet in said plastic basin of tepidness. Yup, I’m really relaxed now, with my knees in the air and my feet in tepid water. Really happy I wore a skirt so I could maximize my exposure. At least they used a top coat so the polish lasted.

So I have returned to the high-end place by the Embassy, where I have settled into a routine of dependable service, nice people, un caffè while I soak, and no more injuries to date. Sometimes there’s even a little dog in the lap of the woman seated next to me. I like that. The price of pampering can be high, as is the price of maintaining one’s bella figura.

Tags: la bella figura, manicure, Pedicure, salon

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Culture, Life, Style

Beyond il Colosseo

20 Feb

Beyond il Colosseo

Every guest wants to see il Colosseo, followed closely by the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s, Villa Borghese, and many of Rome’s grand and well-known sites. But where do you go once you’ve seen all the most-popular sites? What treasures await those who have more time in Rome? Ric and I have made a point of visiting some lesser-known venues over the past few months and have found some true gems, virtually free of tourists, lacking long lines and crowds.

Palazzo Braschi Museo di Roma

The art is interesting, but Palazzo Braschi is the star.

New by Roman standards, Palazzo Braschi dates only to the 18^th century. Situated adjacent to Piazza Navona, it is a wonder that so few people venture in. The building itself is amazing, with one of the grandest staircases imaginable. Built with Papal wealth, after financial problems plagued the owner the building was sold to the State. After the Second World War, 300 homeless families lived here causing extensive damage, but restoration work resulted in the fine museum we see today. One hot June day, at the height of tourist season, we found ourselves among a mere handful of people enjoying the cool interior of Palazzo Braschi. The collection features scenes of Rome as painted during the Renaissance. It’s fun to see how things looked to the artists of the time, but the real star is the Palazzo itself. Revel in the architecture and imagine a time when this was a private residence.

Palazzo Colonna

Palazzo Colonna grandeur: only available on a Saturday.

Not every museum is open every day. A truly notable exception is the Palazzo/Galleria Colonna. Open only on Saturdays from 09:00-13:15, one has to plan to see this treasure. As a bonus, there is an English tour at 11:45 (Italian at 11:00). Just off Via IV Novembre, Palazzo Colonna presents a less-than-stunning edifice. In fact, we have been past this structure dozens of times without realizing the importance of the site and the art within. (The wax museum at street level provides an odd contrast and is no doubt visited by more people daily than Palazzo Colonna sees in a month… or two.) Once you are inside, it is jaw-droppingly beautiful. If you recall the movie “Roman Holiday” with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, the final scene of a palace press conference was filmed in Palazzo Colonna. Parts of the palazzo date from the 13^th century and there is a claim that “Dante slept here.” Popes and Hapsburgs, feuds and wars, provide background to this enormous and elegant residence and gallery. The family still lives in apartments at the site, explaining perhaps why it is open so few hours each week.

Palazzo Colonna: You’ll have to take the tour to hear the story of the cannon ball….

Palazzo Farnese

A formidable façade reveals a grand beauty, seat of the French Embassy.

Another one-day-a-week venue – at least for English speakers – is the French Embassy to Italy, located in Palazzo Farnese, which is only open for tours in English on Wednesday, and only at 17:00. (French and Italian language tours are also available on Monday and Friday.) As a working embassy, only portions of the building and grounds are accessible, and one must reserve at least a week in advance; However, for the modest price of €5.00, it is perhaps one of the highest value tours available. A pope, Michelangelo, Puccini, Annibale Carracci, Queen Christina of Sweden (the proverbial tenant from Hell), and Giacomo della Porta all played a role in the rich history of this palace. No pictures are allowed inside, but trust me; the severe exterior on Piazza Farnese does no favors to the beauty within.

Villa Torlonia

La Casina delle Civette, a curious mix of styles.

This is a truly off-the-beaten-path location even for many Romans, Villa Torlonia is a vast and beautiful park with three diverse villas now serving as museums. Once owned by the Pamphilj family (Villa Pamphilj and Galleria Doria Pamphilj are also properties of this enormously wealthy dynasty), it passed to the Colonna family and finally the Torlonia. The estate was extensively remodeled in the early 19^th century. There are winding paths, small lakes and fountains, obelisks, the three museums, and more restoration work in progress. Mussolini lived in the Casino Nobile for 18 years, renting it for one Lira per year. You will see families enjoying the grounds, playing, walking, and soaking up the sun from a bench. My favorite building is the Casina delle Civette, House of the Owls. Formerly known as “The Swiss Cabin” and originally a refuge from the grand villa Casino Nobile, it has been transformed through the years with a mixture of architectural styles that almost defy description. Go for the stained glass and enjoy the inlaid wood, medieval influences, mosaics and majolica.

Villa Medici

Villa Medici from the garden.

On a recent Sunday, we were among only four Americans touring Villa Medici. Bordering Villa Borghese, above Viale del Muro Torto, just north of Piazza di Spagna, you will find this magnificent palazzo and grounds. Entering from the fortress like side facing Viale Trinità dei Monti, the villa is impressive only in size and age. Sign up for the guided tour and the beauty of this 16^th century enclave is revealed. Villa Medici is like most palazzi, steeped in the history of cardinals, artists, architects and even ancient Romans. Today it is the seat of the French Academy in Rome, hosting artists from all over the world in residency fellowships. The focus of the tour is on the grounds, which are truly magnificent. Unfortunately with the Tuscan heritage of Cardinal Ricci and Cardinal Ferdinando de’ Medici, much of the original sculpture collection is now in Firenze in the Uffizi. Through restoration and replicas, we can enjoy the site much as it once was. In the private pavilion of Cardinal Medici admire recently restored frescoes from the 17^th century, once covered

Niobe suffers from hubris and loses al of her children.

thoughtlessly with many coats of lime, now again visible thanks to one of the artist-in-residence fellows. And in one of the 16 squares of the garden, we discover the dramatic installation of Niobe and her dying children. The entire estate was restored in the 20^th century, ensuring many generations can continue to enjoy this oasis in the midst of busy Rome. By all means one should see the Colosseum, Forum, Palatine Hill, Borghese Gallery, the Vatican and St. Peter’s. When you’ve seen these historic “must do” sites, when you’ve seen the Caravaggios and the Michelangelos in the magnificent churches, there’s still more to discover in Rome: places where you might just find yourself alone with the art.

Tags: Palazzo Braschi, Palazzo Colonna, Rome, Villa Farnese, Villa Medici, Villa Torlonia

Comments 18 Comments
Categories Architecture, Rome, Sights

Rain in Rome

20 Jan

Waiting for the bus in the rain is one of the distinct pleasures of living here.

20 January 2013.

People bemoan the rain and what it does to their carefully laid plans, especially tourists with a limited schedule and vast lists of “must-dos” in Rome. True, this is a great city for being out-and-about, but the rain forces one to think of new indoor venues, especially when you’ve already seen the biggies: The Vatican, Villa Borghese, the Pantheon, Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Massimo (National Museum of Rome), San Luigi dei Francesi and countless other magnificent churches.

There are many delightful and under-appreciated sites. I wrote of one last summer, when we had Palazzo Braschi Museo di Roma almost to ourselves on a Sunday. I’ve sent many visitors there and received reports of how peaceful and interesting it was.

This great hall was featured in the press conference scene of Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.

Usually our Saturday meanderings take us to Campo dei Fiori. This Saturday it was more like a bad day in Portland and not suitable to a 7km walk and marketing. So we ventured into another lesser-known but magnificent museum, Palazzo Colonna. I don’t know how many times I have passed by the rather unimposing edifice on via Nazionale, where the wax museum and various shops do not invite me to linger. But just around the corner, down a small alley-like street with several delightful marble bridges, is the entrance to perhaps the most impressive palazzo we have had the pleasure of visiting. As with many buildings here, the exterior is unremarkable but the interior is incredible. The property itself is gigantic, larger than the Vatican Museums, right in the middle of Rome, yet one can walk by daily, unaware of the treasures within.

Embedded in the steps of the Great Hall, this cannon ball dates back to the Risorgimento.

The family has lived here – yes they still occupy apartments – for eight centuries. Having never lived in one house for more than 8 ½ years, I am in awe of roots that run so deep. The building is as much art as the collection. Only open Saturday mornings, a visit includes a guided tour by an art historian, and the enthusiasm of the staff is itself a treat to behold.

So if you find yourself in Rome on a rainy Saturday – or even on a sunny one – Palazzo Colonna should be on your list.

Magnificent frescoes and Tromp L’oiel cover the ceilings.

A Colonna was responsible for defeating the Turks at Lepanto. This table base depicts captured Turks in chains.

Tags: art, museum, Palazzo Colonna

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Art, Rome, Sights

A different sort of New Year’s Eve

1 Jan

It was actually quite a thrill to see the Pope in person!

Our friends and relatives know we are not usually partiers on New Year’s Eve. Our Portland routine was take-and-bake pizza from Papa Murphy’s, a great bottle of wine, and a movie from Netflix. No way we want to be out driving on NYE! Oh, there have been a couple of private parties over the years, maybe trivial Pursuit with Barry and Veronica, and in 2011 we were flying home to Portland from our vacation in Italy on 31 December, but usually we are very low-key. So low-key that we have occasionally “missed” the turn of the year because we were already asleep. Quite pathetic.

Allora things have changed a bit for us in our new life! We started the evening — really in mid-afternoon — heading to St. Peter’s Basilica for 5:00PM vespers with il Papa. This is a ticketed (free, but still ticketed) event and we were fortunate to receive them courtesy of the Embassy. Arriving about 3:45PM, we were able to get seats not-too-far-off the main aisle. A few thousand (seriously a lot of people) were seated inside St. Peter’s and, as you see on TV, giant screens in the square allowed the non-ticketed to watch outdoors, standing.

It was beautiful and very exciting for this Swedish-Lutheran girl from St. Paul Minnesota to attend a service

The magnificent Basilica San Pietro, with a few thousand people…. and us!

in St. Peter’s, presided over by the Pope himself! Very moving to see the excitement ripple through the crowd, the little nuns standing on chairs to try for a view, the security people unsuccessfully trying to dissuade such indecorous behavior. Here are a few photos I snapped to try to give you a feel for the evening. I wish you could hear the magnificent male choir in four-part harmony, singing the Latin service. Post vespers (a 90+ minute service), we wandered home through the busy streets and via tram. But there was more to come this year!

The crowd gathers in St. Peter’s Square before New Year’s Eve vespers.

In anticipation of seeing il Papa, even the nuns stand on the chairs. The excitement was palpable.

Most of our friends & family know we used to dine quite early in Portland. 7:00PM was getting “late” as a starting time for dinner out. If you have read this blog for a while, you know we have become more Italian in our dining hour: a self-defense move in summer to avoid the heat, and any time as most decent restaurants are only open after 7:30 or 8:00PM. (Even at home on a week night we don’t eat until at least 8:00PM.) And if you show up at 8:00PM in a restaurant, you may well be dining almost alone with a few other Americans, Brits and Germans. But I digress….

We had a 10:00PM reservation at a place that is perhaps a 12-15 minute walk from our place. Yes, a 10:00PM start. The location, close to home, is significant because all of the buses in Rome stopped running at 9:00PM on New Year’s Eve. 9:00PM!! We can only conjecture, but we think the crowds are just too intense in the main piazzas and on the main streets to allow free passage of the buses. And then there are the fireworks….

So we went to a fine little neighborhood place, good fish, nice crowd, everyone quite dressed-up. Suits on the men (somewhat extraordinary in our Roman dining experiences), cocktail attire on some of the women. We were a bit under-dressed as it turns out, although in Portland we would have been over dressed. [Note to self: Next year make Ric wear a suit on NYE, and I’ll wear the sparkly jewelry.] At least I put on make-up for a change.

On our walk to dinner — indeed even before — we heard some fireworks being set off. Big, booming, morter-shell-sounding fireworks. All through dinner smoke drifted up the street in front of the restaurant as the occasional bottle-rocket or whatever was set off. A few minutes before midnight, so as to avoid the party-hats being passed out in the restaurant, we paid the bill and exited to an ever-increasing barrage of fireworks. And when the clock struck 12 , all hell broke loose throughout Rome from what we could see and hear. From behind us, ahead of us,

Stole this one from the website of one of the newspapers…. This is how our neighborhood looked.

and all sides, we heard and saw fireworks that absolutely had to be illegal, but were quite thrilling! As we climbed the hill to our apartment, displays appeared from neighborhoods across the Tiber, as well as off balconies and rooftops right on our street. Standing at Piazza della Muse, we can look out over the northern reaches of Rome and we could see fireworks (Ric says) all the way to Viterbo! This celebration made anything we have ever experienced on the 4th-of-July in the U.S. seem miniscule by comparison. The noise from every quarter was enormous! Right across the street, from the penthouse of a 6-story building, a rather professionally-executed display was going on when we arrived home about 12:15 and went on another 15 minutes after we arrived. At the Catholic church across the street, a group of grade-school children were accompanied by a few adults to wave sparklers and set off firecrackers. Although we were a bit concerned when one of the priests tucked a wad of sparklers behind a pipe running up the side of the church and set them off. (Ric hoped it wasn’t a gas pipe.) But then quiet: By 12:45AM it was over, at least as far as we could hear from inside the apartment. And the cats came out from under the bed. Buon Anno, tutti!

Tags: celebrities, holidays

Comments 10 Comments
Categories Culture, Food, Holidays, New Years, Rome

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Girovaga

Sicilia – Part I

High maintenance

I’ve been meaning to write about the odd assortment of pedicures I have had in Italy. It took me a few appointments to finally settle into a salon and services that I could enjoy and where the results are good, but the journey has been interesting….

Welcome back; now on to my own experiences. I am addicted to pedicures-as-therapy and have been for years. Ric will tell you that my personal maintenance is a line-item in the household budget. It’s certainly cheaper than psychotherapy.