guilded in the light of dawn

Our day started ridiculously early today but it turned out to be worth every minute of missed sleep! I was up at 5:20 and into the shower, leaving me time for a hard-boiled egg, half of an apple about the size of my head, and an espresso before June, Carm, and I struck out on our mission. Anthony had other plans. We were all organized this morning and got out at our scheduled time. The sun was just peeking out from the horizon as we made our way to St. Peter's Basilica. The temperature was cool, perfect for walking around Rome!

The streets were quiet with only the odd car zipping around but luckily a lot of our route was along pedestrian walkways so we weren't almost run over a dozen times! I almost gasped as we rounded a corner to the bridge of the Tiber - the angel statues that lined the bridge were highlighted with gold from the morning sun, the marble glowing as if lit from within. Wow! I did have a thought of Dr. Who's Silent Angels!

Mere humans created such beauty but it was Nature that gilded it.

Past the Castel St. Angelo we turned the corner and there in the distance was St. Peters, also glowing with the light from the rising sun. Spectacular. The scale of the building shifted as we walked closer and closer, till it loomed above us like a mountain carved from stone. It's really mind-boggling to think of the labour to create such a site or would that be sight!

The line-up to the elevator to the top of the dome had started to form but we were early enough to be only about 20 people back… as we waited for the ticket office to open we took time to take in the details of the facade. Giant corinthian columns held up the soaring dome - were we really going to walk that far up? We did a small cheat, spending an extra 5 euros to get the elevator to the first level - stairs would take us to the very top.

Getting off the elevator, we stepped out onto a walkway that circumvented the base of the soaring dome. Mosaic artwork glazed the whole thing with colour and detail. It was almost too much to take in. Far below us, people on the basilica floor looked like ants, but we still had a ways to go. 320 steps to be precise, up a very narrow staircase that curved in, making us walk at a slant. We all did well - I was really proud of June for making such a huge effort! She's a trooper 😀 

When we finally made it to the top, we stepped out onto a narrow terrace that encircled the very top. I was breathless, partially from the exertion but also by the spectacular view of Rome. Being so early, we had time to walk around a few times, stopping to take a million photos, before starting the walk down. There was no elevator to shorten the trip so by the time we made it to the bottom (551 steps), my legs were like rubber - I could barely stand, my legs were shaking so much. 

There was more to take in, so with rubbery legs, I wandered around the basilica. Was everything blurry because my blood was pounding so hard? No, the vastness and beauty created a welling of emotion - I had to fight to not break down in tears. Mosaic, sculpture, and marble everything created a scene that would be impossible to imagine on my own. Someone, a long time ago, had the vision to create something so extraordinary.

I wandered alone, lost in awe of my surroundings. I find myself often immersed in the experience with no thought of the others with me! I took pictures of everything.

It was 9am when we staggered out into the sun. We were near(ish) to the market that Carm and I had walked to on Monday, but luckily google maps popped up a message that it was closed today - of course! It's May 1st, a national holiday. We were all starving, so found a little cafe to sit down (a welcome break!) for a coffee & pastry, before ambling down a wide pedestrian mall, window shopping. I deeked in & out of shops with beautiful clothes, and Carm was on a quest for a hat. He found a nice hat - I tried on a floushy summer pant & top outfit but it was way too big for me so I passed. It was such pretty fabric (and even had sparkles) so I was a bit disappointed!

It was time to start heading back - we were all exhausted and I’m afraid that we pushed June to her limits. After a side-quest to the food shop, we finally made it to our apartment. I couldn't get my shoes off fast enough! We had a simple lunch of soft mozzarella, slices of yellow pepper, and a slice of bread. Oh, and a bottle of Aperol spritz which put me straight to sleep! I'd told June that I probably wouldn't nap today - ha ha! I was out cold for an hour!

Our early rise was worth it though - there were no crowds when we started out - by the time we left the basilica we could see that the line to the elevators had at least 1000 people already! At 9am! The early morning light was… what expletive could I use that I haven’t already used a million times?

I will say that my hours on the treadmill at an incline really prepared me for this trip! Considering we did 22 floors (according to my fitbit), and 17,000 steps by noon, I feel reasonably okay, after a nap! (well, I'm sitting up in bed writing this and I can feel my legs stiffening up! Time for some gentle movement!).

I've been practicing my Italian without a ton of success. For the life of me, I cannot say a reasonable ‘bonjourno’ no matter how hard I try. I see the pain on Carm's face when I destroy the pronunciation! However, it's almost second nature to say ‘scusi’ and ‘si’ which I can do a reasonably well. I'll give myself a gold star for trying though!

We all rested up for the afternoon in preparation for our Michelin star meal tonight! I think I'll post this afternoon - I'm sure I’ll want to go straight to bed after supper!

Ciao!

Awesome!

“everything everywhere!”

“the light at dawn cast on white marble, bringing it to life - this deserves a double say as it was beyond awesome”

“making it to the top of the dome!”

“simple lunch”

art for art's sake

We were out pounding the streets by 9am this morning, first destination: breakfast! Since it was on our way, and out of the crowded area, we stopped into our local coffee/bar for espresso and of course, pastry stuffed with cream. The guy already knows our order! Then we dragged June and Anthony on another marathon walk - I'm pretty sure they are going to start revolting at our enforced marches! They were good sports, coming along for the walk rather than catching a bus or cab.

We had tickets for 11:45 am at the Villa Borghese and since it was only a few km away we ambled along, enjoying the sights as we went. With a few detours into churches (I’ve lost count of how many), and a long wander through the most beautiful park you can imagine we arrived with plenty of time to spare, giving J&A a few minutes to rest before our tour. 

Carm and I toured the museum in 2019 but were blown away again by the artwork: Bernini sculpture, Rafhael, Titian, and Caravaggio paintings - honestly the rest was a blur - there was just so much to see. Some of the ceilings were lined with what looked like sculptures, but were in fact paintings that looked 3d… I was overcome with emotion multiple times, but managed to keep it together and not embarrass myself too badly! Ella, the tour guide confided that she often experiences the same thing and sometimes visits privately just so she can gently weep! Ah, the Italians!

The two hour tour went by quickly and soon we were back in the park working our way home, stopping for lunch at a cute cafe in the middle of the park. The owner spent much time with us talking about wine and food - he was a good salesman so we ended up sharing a 45 euro bottle of chardonnay which, if you go by J&A's scale, it was a 9 out of 10 on the guzzle scale!

But we didn't take him up on his offer to line the men up with his tailor for custom made shirts - fabric started at 100 euro a metre!

Carm and I had Roman style focaccia with the most amazing mozzarella that I have ever had. It was nothing like I've tasted - so creamy, soft and moist. The tomatoes were okay, the basil was fresh, and the olive oil drizzle was sublime. Roman focaccia is totally opposite to the one that I make: it’s thin and a bit crispy in contrast to the fluffy style that I make. I'll have to do some experimenting!

The restaurant itself is smack dab in the middle of the ginormous park and with the sun shining through the trees and visions of expanses of lush green grass it was the perfect foil for the crowded streets of Rome.

We routed ourselves back down the Spanish steps which were lined with blooming azaleas - spectacular! Of course the crowds were thick. We left J&A in our dust, hurrying ahead to re-find the little grocery store near our apartment. We wanted some more fruit to augment our ‘first breakfast’. Yesterday Carm made some hard-boiled eggs which gave me a little boost of protein and paired well with an apple. As much as I'd like to, I can't live on sugar and flour alone!

We finally got back to the apartment just before 6pm - all of us exhausted from a long day! We did just over 17,000 steps which is a pretty good showing for one day! Since June & Anthony are having a long nap, I imagine we'll stick close for supper! I have a few slices of pizza from around the corner on my brain (although to be honest, at this moment I'm not hungry at all but since they've started cooking in the restaurant below the aroma of garlic and roasting beef might change that!

Last night we had a conversation with an American couple sitting near us… as they were getting ready to leave, he said that he didn't want to bring up politics but wanted to tell us how much he admires our Prime Minister! We agreed with him!

I think I'll open the bottle of Aperol Spritz that we picked up at the grocery store! I discovered yesterday, after two of them, that my Italian pronunciations improve with alcohol! Or at least it sounds like that to me 😀 

Opps! June just came in to suggest pasta down the street! Yes!

Ciao!

Awesome!

“everything everywhere!”

“trees, grass, fountains, and statues in the park”

“watching the dogs playing in the park”

“another beautiful sunny day”

so many sights of sites to see

Last night we enjoyed some prosecco and porchetta sandwiches at our apartment. We were all beat from a busy day so it was nice to stay in for a while. Suddenly it was almost 10pm - time had flown by - and time for bed. I slept like a log until 5:30… I scrolled my phone for a while, delaying getting up until our agreed upon ‘get up and get going’ time of 6:30. A leisurely shower, a coffee, and a crunchy apple fueled me for the walk to the coffee shop which is just a few blocks away. Of course it was a bit like herding cats getting everyone out the door, but we made it!

A second espresso and one of those yummy cream filled buns was ‘second breakfast’ - would there be a third? Not today but I'm not ruling it out for the future!

We all wound our way through the cobblestone streets to the pantheon. It was already 9am so the line to get in was huge - probably a few hours long! Yikes! Note to self: get there for 8am. We left Anthony to enjoy a morning in a cafe while the rest of us hurried (and I use that term very lightly), to the Trevi fountain. There were crowds but nothing like later in the day. We didn't go to the coin toss level but maybe another day.

From there we headed towards the ‘Wedding Cake’ which is a huge monument celebrating Italy's creation. Impressive! There was some construction which made it difficult to get to where we could walk up the stairs so we skipped out on that, instead we walked towards the coliseum which we could see in the distance, skirting along the Forum which houses even more ruins. The sun was blazing in our eyes, but I we still managed a few photos 😀 

From there we turned around to head to Campo di'fiori, but first a deek down into the subway for the bathroom. Of course we had no change! There were a few volunteers directing people who were kind enough to change a Euro for 2 half euro coins. The bathrooms were the kind that spray down the whole thing between uses - I didn't go in as I remember them from France (maybe) - I was grossed out by the dripping water over everything!

Back into the sunshine we ambled down busy roads till we were at the market. Traffic is wild! June wanted some cheese, meats, and lettuce for lunch but we had no luck. Of course the stalls had tourist prices so we came out empty handed, instead stopping at a little shop for a few things. Down one road and across another, around a corner and there we were at Piazza Navona! It was probably around 11:30 by this time but it still didn't have the huge crush of people that seems to assemble in the afternoon. On our way from there to our apartment, we stopped in a shop for some lunch fixings that we couldn't find earlier. I think we were all relieved to arrive back ‘home’! I know I sat down for 5 minutes before making myself a sandwich - Carm was more energetic, cooking up some hard-boiled eggs to have on hand. 

I haven't had a vegetable since last Saturday… unless you count yesterday's tomato sauce! And I've eaten more bread than I would normally in a month! I'm skirting the edge of acid reflux so will have to keep tabs…

I've taken to walking with my phone in hand, glancing at the directions. I have a phone case with a strap that I've tied onto my ‘pac safe’ travel bag so I don’t worry too much about pick pockets - there are hundreds of more vulnerable people to target!

After our impromptu lunch, we all retired to our rooms and crashed. I could have fallen asleep but I'm afraid of screwing up my sleep overnight - so far I've adapted well and feel reasonably adapted to the 6 hour time change! So instead I tapped on my keyboard, putting thoughts into words… hmmm… my thoughts are words so it was really putting words onto ‘paper’.

It's 2:30 now and I still have to have an aperol spritz! We passed a spot this morning that looks promising - actually we passed dozens of places, many of which offer it in a ‘to go’ cup, but I'd rather sit down for a few minutes to watch the world go by. Maybe in an hour we can head out for a refreshing beverage 😉 

Well, it's 3:15 now and I just tried to stand up… my legs have stiffened like crazy! I shouldn't have lay down for so long 😱  Will need a gentle walk and a spritz now for sure!

6:30 - I didn't get my spritz… I got two! First one down a little alley with only a rickey table and high stools to sit on… June and Anthony caught up with us so we picked a street cafe for spritz number two… this one was better and in an actual glass… our little tables were just off the road, perfect for people watching. Olives and little crackers accompanied our drinks - oh, and we shared two bottles of San Pellegrino - must stay hydrated!

We had supper at the little restaurant below our rooms. It was close and we were all tired… the food was good but left me feeling that it was a bit too rich for my stomach! Time for bed now, we have a busy day again ahead of us tomorrow.

Ciao!

Awesome!

“everything everywhere!”

“old buildings fill the eyes”