Roma Bellissima!
It has been way too long since going
back to Roma, such an amazing city and overflowing with history and architecture.
The Roman women are very unique in their style; American guys looking
for a hot woman, you need to check them out, so different from the
Milanese lady. Rome is not far from Napoli so it has quite a strong
southern influence; the driving is insane but not quite as bad as Napoli
(although not far from matching it if not surpassing Napoletan
drivers). Taxi drivers are still arguing in the streets at the taxi
stand at Roma Termini (the pirates vs the legal taxi drivers), and
waiters and owners are still hawking business from the sidewalks in
front of their activity or on the plaza square. Prices are horrendous in
all the cafes and pizzerias (terrible food in the tourist zones...I
mean how can you screw up a pizza???). There is trash alongside the
curbs, not just cigarette butts, even though trash cans are frequent and
visible; again I realize man is the only creature who shits where it
eats and sleeps.
Nonetheless, Rome breathes a different air, the
sidewalks are wide and easily walkable compared to Milano, the
architectural eye candy is astonishing, the spirit of the Romans
transports you to another time. They are packed with pride about their
city as well as, fire and personality (watch your pockets
however) ready to talk, to argue, to actively engage in just about
anything; Rome truly bustles with life. I can see why Alessia (swimmer
representing Italy in the World's these last weeks, but from Rome) loves
her city and why she is proud; and my love/hate affair with this crazy
country continues. How can one not love this world of history and
wonders?
August 3, 2009
Firenze - Summer and Sangria!
Maybe
it is the heat, causing me to think of Firenze, urges for Sangria or is
it my usual spring fever...hum. Three recipes for Sangria are posted
here, one in Italian, one for parties, English and the basic recipe in English
and all superb! Now, all I have to do is grab that crazy maschio to
share it with me somewhere high above the city or on some mountain top; I
crave high mountains or is it the altitude and Italy combined, the
lifestyle, the people, the culture and architecture, the cradle or culla
of civilization? I must have lived there in a previous life.
When I took the early train to Florence last fall, I wanted to walk my old haunts and see if I could find a few old friends. Walking from the Santa Maria Novella station I could feel the
city take hold of me. I walked around the Duomo and headed for Via
Cavour; it was early and most of the eateries were receiving deliveries
(the only time vehicles can 
be on the street) with shopkeepers out front sweeping and
moping and washing windows. After passing one intersection I looked up
at the pale rose and yellow facades and literally fell into a trance
feeling the past around me, in me and pushing through me; I was home, I
could not deny it, I had lived here before.
I felt like an Eagle soaring through and around the streets as I continued my w
alk.
Upon
passing Piazza della Republica I yearned for more time to sit at the
pink café seated outside nursing an espresso. Finally I spotted, through
a space in two buildings, my favorite vista of Piazza della Signoria
and I had to stop and lean against a wall. I felt as if someone had
punched me in my gut; and someone had, my beloved city my favorite
piazza; so many feelings assault me when I get to this square.
Years
ago, when I lived close to the city, I remember walking through that
same Piazza with my husband; it was late November, wicked cold and windy
and it was night time although, not late. As we made it to the center
near the fountain, we stopped and just listened, voraciously soaking up
the solitude, the distinct lack of tourists and the cold air. I knew he
was oblivious to what was coursing through me because he had slowly
drifted away walk
ing
towards the Uffizi. I stood there and felt myself going back in time,
as if someone was taking me back to this same spot, centuries ago.
I
felt the different clothing I was wearing; I heard the horses and
carriages over the uneven stones I could even smell the different
scents, the fire pots burning in the square. Unexpectedly, it seemed as
if I was in the midst of a crowd, spirits brushing against me and all
this laughter, chatter and noise whirling around.
My husband yelled at me to get moving and I snapped out of it to find utter silence except for the water
falling in Neptune’s fountain (by Bartolomeo Ammannati). The wind was
shoving me and, with the suggestive lighting of that square, I knew I
had been there a lifetime before. Ah, home sw
eet
home. So yes, when I crave Italy, now I truly understand why. I just
wish I could make more frequent visits to this now crazy, loud and dirty
city; my city, my past (or maybe it was a past I best forget).
May 5, 2009
Peace in Times of Great Unrest
Wishing a peaceful Easter to all....
April, 2009
Not Just Any Bookstore...Bassano del Grappa
While roving the streets of
Bassano del Grappa, this little day-tripper stumbled on an extraordinary
bookstore fashioned as a library in an ancient palazzo. Art and culture
have been joined in a meticulously restored edifice called Palazzo Roberti.
The building dates back to the 1600’s and thanks to painstaking
restoration, the palazzo presents a bookstore of the 21st century
cradled in the essence of the past. Just browsing books one has the opportunity to admire the high intrinsic value of the architecture, the
gardens, the statues and frescoes. Flanking the staircase is a
banister, a superb work of art in and of itself; the fat hand carved
wooden rail is supported by forged iron pieces resembling snakes. Today
the cultural center, situated on the "piano nobile," allows us to live
literature in the past during invitations and meetings with writers and
artists of today. This lovely palazzo conquered me as it also did for
Napoleon, who chose to reside there twice during his lifetime.
Lunch in Asiago
Had lunch while wandering Asiago
the other day and what a major disappointment this little place was.
The décor was lovely as you can see from the photos but the personnel
and service was offensive.
The
prices were high for what was offered and when I ordered some wine, it
was either by the glass or by the half bottle. OK, fine but how about a
list of what is available????? I ordered by the glass and the waitress
trotted off up the stairs to see what was open…. When she returned it was not, would you like white or red, but this is what we have and presented me a bottle.
So what do you do, tell her to take a hike? Not likely, she would
probably spit in it if I had told her to get me something else. Who
knows, the wine was probably someone’s leftover bottle from the night
prior.
The head duck was dressed in a suit…for an Osteria?? Yes it ha
d
tablecloths and was very nice downstairs but not enough to be that
pretentious if you ask me; the quality of the food did not match the
dress code. This little place is tied to the Hotel Europa a four star hotel…or I should say stolen stars for a rating and is next to one of the more famous hotels in the town. (This photo is the "nice" hotel)Asiago
is a fantastic altopiano with numerous small towns scattered around the
plateau. This is not a Cortina d’Ampezzo or a Campiglio however there is
that “air” or feeling of being on the verge of having been touched by
the hands of “get rich quick” tourism.
Since Asiago is a short drive from Vicenza, this is a place for locals to get some skiing in with
just a short drive from home in the morning, on the slopes by 9 and
then home by evening. Nonetheless, there is that air of catering to a
higher tourist Euro and that brings nothing but disenchantment to those
looking for a casual and relaxing little day trip away from it all. The
area is well known for cheese and limpid honey and is well equipped
for skiing although here in March the lifts were closed even though
there was still a lot of snow. Granted
it was Monday and shops are either closed on Monday or at the very
least, during the morning, so the town was dead and many cafes or
restaurants were closed. This only helped fuel the idea I had formed
in my head of this town; that the season had just ended and no one
really cared to be nice because they did not have to now, almost as if
they were burnt-out and fed-up. Despite
this gloomy feeling, I will still venture a return trip during early
summer, the hills must be breathtaking and there are other towns on the
high plateau besides Asiago, which looked very inviting and comfortable
and ready for exploration.
Genova, Old Port District
While
making their way towards Portofino, they made a command detour to
Genova and its famous aquarium. Never having set foot in this crowded
and busy city with a suspended highway winding through, she was
invariably curious to have a glimpse and get a feel for this famous
city. Although pushed
for time, they headed to the old port district finding parking in some
un-godly spot hidden on the wharf and from there, had a nice
walk (800 meters or so) to the “fish tanks.” The old port provides a
smorgasbord for the senses; full of all those typical odors from a
maritime environment making a port, a port and inundating the senses all at once.
The
smell of saltwater permeated the air; the sing-song clinking and
clanging of sailboat rigging tickled their ears, and the heady odor of
rotting fish and fish entrails mixed with diesel, rust and boat paint
warmly greeted them; ah yes, the “bouquet” of a port. The
boardwalk was wide and welcoming, splattered with Africans selling
knockoffs, benches semi occupied by locals soaking up some “rays” and
people watching, generally just enjoying the sun and fresh February air.
Approaching the old galleon replica, fishermen littered their path with
old yet precious nets stretched along the boardwalk as they darned
away, repairing, chattering and selling the morning’s catch. The
boats were docked just below the boardwalk and from there they hoist up the
boxes and crates of fish to trolley carts
with suspended balances ready in the blink of an eye to open up shop
and sell their wares in this open-air make-shift market bursting with
spontaneity and life. The
galleon provoked images of Columbus, what it must have been like oh-so-many-years ago; too bad Italy did not finance him, they certainly misse
d
out on the chance of a lifetime! All around the harbor were floating
palaces, sleek (longilinea) boats just begging to go out in the open
water. Once she entered
the aquarium, she was astounded with the presentations, the tanks and
exhibits. Being a tad jaded as if no one can do a better aquarium than
the one she visited in San Diego, this was a real experience of
interaction, not just a display of fish. There was a marvelous grouping
of huge tanks as well as, a nice representation of miniature tanks with
massive amounts of attention dedicated to detail. Most impressive were
the exquisite displays of jellyfish; almost unreal in their jewel-like,
filmy delicate “skirts.” The dolphins are a sit-down-and-stare-at time
eater, always a fascinating and fun world in which to lose one’s self;
entertainment arrives by the boatloads from the sea lions, a cleverly
interactive tank a
s well as the penguins.Loaded
up with smiles and “oohs and ahs” they headed to the car for the wicked
little tunnel tour south towards Rapallo. Yikes what a terrible road
from Genova south, loaded with trucks hauling containers, two lanes only and all tunnels; makes that beer all the more meaningful upon reaching destination.
February 24, 2009
