tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86220448227159694822024-03-14T02:43:43.212-07:00McPhails in Italy 2012Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-13391961738536810042012-08-01T11:59:00.002-07:002012-08-01T11:59:43.794-07:00Italian Restaurants<br />
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Now that we are back in Canada and have had a few days to acclimatize and to become re-acquainted with North American food, some reflections on Italian cuisine might be in order.</div>
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Eating lunch or dinner in an Italian restaurant is very different from Canada.</div>
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A full Italian meal consists of an (1) <em>apertivo</em> (pre-meal drink), (2) <em>antipasto</em> (an appetizer), (3) the <em>primo</em> (first course, almost always pasta in one of its hundreds of variations or risotto), (4) the <em>secondo</em> (the second course--typically fish or meat), (5) <em>contorni </em>(a side dish such as seasonal vegetables or roasted potatoes, etc. If you order meat, that is all you will get on the plate--you order the <em>contorno</em> to accompany the secondo. Sometimes the <em>secondo</em> will come with a salad, but not always.), (6) <em>formaggio e frutta </em>(the first dessert, literally cheese and fruit), (7) <em>dolce </em>(main dessert which is sweet--tiramisu is very popular), (8) caffe (post-dinner coffee or espresso (but never cappuccino--Italians never drink coffee with dairy products after lunch! They believe the dairy product interferes with digestion. You mark yourself as a tourist if you order a post-dinner cappuccino; in some restaurants, the waiter might refuse to serve it to you, so great is your culinary faux pas.), (9) <em>digestivo </em>(a post-meal drink such as limoncello which is quite pleasant, or grappa which can substitute as jet fuel. It is made from the grape skins left over from the wine production--certainly an acquired taste.</div>
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Few people, Italians or visitors, order all courses. It is quite acceptable to order antipasto and dolce, or antipasto and secondo. Waiters are very obliging and will gladly bring a second plate if you want to share a course. For example, the antipasto is quite a generous serving and is nice to share, especially if it is an assortment of seafood or dried meats.<br />
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Gelato (Italian ice cream served in special shops that typically sell nothing else) is simply delicious. It comes in almost infinite flavours (always natural and fresh in the best gelateria where owner take enormous pride in their product). Gelato uses milk compared to North American ice cream. Unlike North American ice cream, real gelato never uses additives, preservatives or other noxious chemicals found on labels of ice cream in Canada.</div>
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Italian restaurants never rush customers. You have to ask for your bill; otherwise, the waiter assumes you are simply relaxing and enjoying yourself after your meal--and it would be impolite to disturb you.</div>
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Many restaurants automatically add a cover charge to your bill. That takes care of the tip. You can leave a couple of Euros on the table if you really liked the service and the meal--but it is not expected, and certainly the waiter does not glare at you as you leave. Instead, you are always sent on your way with a cheery and sincere comment or farewell. Waiters do not hover like they do in Canada, pestering you with "How are the first bites tasting?". They are attentive but not overly so. </div>
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Waiters will always ask if you want water (still or fizzy), but it costs you extra since it comes in bottles--sometimes ones that they simply refill in the kitchen. Wine is quite inexpensive--a glass of good house wine is about 3-4 Euros ($5). Typically, waiters will set a basket of bread on your table, whether you ask for it or not. It, too, costs extra--usually about 1.5 Euros per person.</div>
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Prices in Italian restaurants vary--they are higher in Rome and Florence, and much higher in tourist spots as we discovered when we paid over 30 Euros for an appetizer and a drink in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Wine is less expensive than soft drinks. A coke may cost you 5 Euros ($6-7). </div>
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Many restaurants have tables outside, a nice alternative if it is very hot and there is no air-conditioning inside. Even if there is, it is not always up to the task and its efficiency is compromised by the fact that doors and windows are open! On very hot days, there are large fans pointed at the patrons that blow a fine, refreshing mist to cool you off if you are sitting outside.</div>
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A meal in an Italian restaurant is always a pleasure. Waiters are helpful explaining dishes, especially when the menu has no English subtitles. They always want you to fully enjoy the meal and do everything then can to make sure that happens. An occasional waiter might seem a bit abrupt, but most are friendly and helpful. And when I say waiter, that's what I mean: there are very few waitresses. About the only place we saw women serving tables was at family-owned establishments where everyone pitches in.</div>
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Italian eating places use different labels, depending on the type of food and service provided. A bar or <i>caffe</i> serves only drinks and coffee. An <i>osteria</i> serves local food, sometimes with no written menu. The chef uses local produce that is available that day. A <i>paninoteca</i> is a sandwich shop (but infinitely better than Subway!). You grab a slice of pizza at a<i> pizzeria</i>. A<i> trattoria</i> is the place to go for informal dining (they are often family owned). A <i>ristorante</i> is more upscale and has printed menus and tablecloths. </div>
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A seafood appetizer. The seafood is lightly fried in batter and served very hot and crispy.</div>
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Pasta with mussels.</div>
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Eggplant (aubergine) and seafood combination.</div>
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A wonderful restaurant around the corner from our apartment in Florence. </div>
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We ate there twice!</div>
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Bruschetta pomodoro with olives--a typical appetizer.</div>
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Pasta with wild boar sauce.</div>
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Pear cake with chocolate.</div>
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Steak Florentine with pepper sauce. Steak is always served rare. To ask for it otherwise will result in bewildered looks or refusal to comply.</div>
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Contorni, in this case, grilled seasonal vegetables. </div>
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Gnocchi with pesto sauce</div>
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Tortelli with asparagus</div>
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Seafood secondo. Notice the absence of vegetables on the plate. </div>
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They are ordered separately. </div>
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A very popular appetizer: Caprese salad (tomatoes and basil with buffalo mozzarella - a wonderful, fresh cheese - tastes nothing like mozzarella cheese in Canada).</div>
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Ricotta cheese mousse appetizer with bean puree</div>
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A hearty bean and lentil soup</div>
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Wild boar cacciatore </div>
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Tiramisu</div>
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Ravioli with sage</div>
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Spaghetti Amatriciana--a popular pasta dish</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri;">
<br /></div>Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-66883230489476923712012-07-27T14:44:00.002-07:002012-07-27T14:44:41.452-07:00Some Thoughts on Arrival Back in Canada<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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As we have a long layover in Toronto Airport on our way to
Saskatoon, perhaps a few reflections on Italy and Italians would not be amiss.
At least it will be helpful to write a few thoughts while they are still fresh
in our minds.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our flight to Toronto was one hour late leaving Rome’s
Leonardo da Vinci Airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Our Air Canada aircraft, an</span> Airbus, accommodates just over three hundred passengers. Not surprisingly, the waiting area
at Gate G 8 had seating for perhaps 30 or 40 people. The result, when it became
apparent that the flight was going to be delayed, was like an absurd mosh pit.
Fortunately, we were on the perimeter and avoided the jostling and evil looks
when passengers intruded into others’ personal space. Interestingly, there was
no announcement explaining the delay—and certainly no apology. Air Canada's motto; Never explain, never apologize! Air Canada
wonders why it has so much trouble making a profit. The explanation is self-evident. The experience reminds one
of the heydays of the notoriously passenger-unfriendly Russian airline Aeroflot
when the officials simply opened the plane’s doors and it was every man, woman
or child for themselves as people raced across the tarmac, up the stairs to the
aircraft and attempted to seize empty seats. When all the seats were occupied,
the doors were slammed shut and the hapless passengers who were not so fleet of
foot returned to the departure lounge, hoping for better luck the next time a
plane appeared.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our experience wasn’t quite so grim, but it was certainly an
eye-opener that passenger comfort seemed so low on the airline’s priority list.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the bright side, we had one less hour to wait at Toronto
Airport to catch our connecting flight to Saskatoon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our driver to the airport from the Rome hotel this morning had a
heavy foot, but not nearly so heavy as Sandro who met us on July 6. It’s
amazing that the streets of Rome aren’t littered with wrecked cars. In many
instances, there are no lanes painted on the streets, and cars and motorbikes
weave in and out of imaginary lanes—of course, without signaling! Applying
makeup, texting and talking on cell phones is a common practice. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On the subject of mobile phones, everyone seems to have
one—but Italians mostly talk on them, not text. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Overall, the Italians are very polite, kind people. Everyone seems
delighted to see their friends—and even strangers—and the resulting
conversation is almost always lively and animated. When someone says <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buongiorno</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buona sera</i> it is genuine. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On the few occasions when we shopped in fruit and vegetable
markets, we discovered that there is a protocol. You never touch the
produce—instead, you point at it and tell the merchant how many or how much you
want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The assumption is that everything
is fresh and wonderful—hence, squeezing the fruit is an implied insult that the
merchant would sell anything less than perfect produce. The only people who get
away with handling the fruit are elderly ladies who choose their fruit and
vegetables with great care. Italians seem to have learned not to cross the matriarchs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It seems that many Italians smoke. The streets are littered
with cigarette butts. When regional trains stop at stations, smokers rush for
the exits to catch a few puffs before the train pulls out of the station.
Mostly, they stand in the doorway, unintentionally impeding passengers who are
trying to get onto the train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> By the way, </span>Italian
trains are very good: they are quite cheap, most often punctual, and run
frequently. The high speed ones are a pure pleasure!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We were told by a very scholarly guide in Siena that
Italians hate three things: air-conditioning , clothes dryers (hence laundry
hanging from balconies all over the place), and ice cubes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our experience with the non-existent air
conditioning at the Florence apartment confirms the former.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Italians seem to revere elderly people and babies. We saw
several instances where grandparents on the street doted over their beloved
grandkids. Italians also love dogs. Everywhere we saw people walking dogs at
all times of the day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The hill towns are jewels. Our experience was limited
(Cortona, Siena, San Gimignano, the five villlages in the Cinque Terre, and
Orvieto). Vehicle traffic is strictly restricted in the towns. Visitors with
cars must leave them outside the walls and walk into town. The towns are walker
friendly—although the steep hills and staircases are a test of one’s endurance
on hot days. Both Siena and Orvieto have sets of escalators that help to get
people from the parking lots to the town above. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The inhabitants regard tourists with bemused expressions but
genuine hospitality (not surprising since tourism is a major prop of Italy’s
economy).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their warmth made
communication possible when we spoke only English and they spoke only Italian.
We sensed that even our clumsy attempts at Italian were appreciated and always
resulted in a friendly exchange. The least helpful people we met were employees
in the tourist information office in Rome!</div>
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It should be no surprise that Italy produces such great wine
and so much of it. During our journeys through Tuscany and Umbria endless
hillsides were lined with beautiful rows of grape vines. When there weren’t grapes, the
hills had groves of olive trees. Both the wine and the olive oil are splendid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A series of storms along the eastern USA and Canada had a cascade
effect on air traffic in Toronto, causing flights to be delayed or cancelled.
Our flight to Saskatoon was 90 minutes late leaving, but the pilot must have
put the jets into overdrive because we were only 60 minutes late into
Saskatoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 2:30 am by the time we
got home to Outlook. Because our biological clocks have not reset, we were
awake at 6:00, and out weeding the garden by 7:00 a.m. I imagine we’ll need an
early bedtime tonight. </div>
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Our dog Quinton was glad to see us, although he is always a bit
standoffish when we leave him for extended periods—a sort of “Now, tell me
again, who are you guys?” attitude. Cathy Morrow looked after Quinton while we were away. He loves being with her. Quinton spent his mornings at the golf course enjoying morning toast and coffee with Cathy, chasing rabbits and otherwise having fun. I'm afraid he finds us rather dull company by comparison--although he is far too polite to say so. After all, he knows who pays for his dog food and treats--and his overpriced haircuts!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SdENGXyymBiaTx0BPJJtYVe-L9oKVVB0q3ztBI9h4WAXOXkD96TMLlkdwCazNnih_8zeKmKlJCKgQV1cuKkcCWliOc8MshmSvRHJpBOWqflxKFTVwDVDfbRNRBsOXswKU6R9_zCOSUNe/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SdENGXyymBiaTx0BPJJtYVe-L9oKVVB0q3ztBI9h4WAXOXkD96TMLlkdwCazNnih_8zeKmKlJCKgQV1cuKkcCWliOc8MshmSvRHJpBOWqflxKFTVwDVDfbRNRBsOXswKU6R9_zCOSUNe/s320/DSC_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks to Carrie, we arrived home to find our yard and vegetable garden in wonderful shape!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj16sTOrxnYYKMcd05mul-ll2OMb-DN4kfQV7vKkebLYQ48xvqK8Q3JRGHcy981OnU_tUgIVtC1RgySOZs8V77J3QEC7ha8Xk9mcxccnzETjKQlwLYbKpN7twAiUDu_7VOMTLC3qISmUn/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj16sTOrxnYYKMcd05mul-ll2OMb-DN4kfQV7vKkebLYQ48xvqK8Q3JRGHcy981OnU_tUgIVtC1RgySOZs8V77J3QEC7ha8Xk9mcxccnzETjKQlwLYbKpN7twAiUDu_7VOMTLC3qISmUn/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calendula grows on its own.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0JU0q2-B4CznhoS5xRXgKb3CRd2btJMYGk4M45xLUpjYJuKuPQ6YIpLnSpSC8rLV9rB08QapHU8_UHIH27GojEw_dFOqEmV2LtGna9zRfgBz4LjgVdEmcFnkrALgOvELN2R4lFASpuFz/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0JU0q2-B4CznhoS5xRXgKb3CRd2btJMYGk4M45xLUpjYJuKuPQ6YIpLnSpSC8rLV9rB08QapHU8_UHIH27GojEw_dFOqEmV2LtGna9zRfgBz4LjgVdEmcFnkrALgOvELN2R4lFASpuFz/s400/DSC_0004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of lush green in the vegetable garden.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiysqQMPJqX_BfCGnZQk86ut_zxcTRcWEGDj0AiNYhy2rATMCHq4HsBijVuHnI4YjiHEXNH5vQgVSaNx6gJ7aLTTC1_odDdshad5oPcXngyZNhtnSgJpM4GVPzrHJRUSLQ_-UQOhoYCIqD/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiysqQMPJqX_BfCGnZQk86ut_zxcTRcWEGDj0AiNYhy2rATMCHq4HsBijVuHnI4YjiHEXNH5vQgVSaNx6gJ7aLTTC1_odDdshad5oPcXngyZNhtnSgJpM4GVPzrHJRUSLQ_-UQOhoYCIqD/s400/DSC_0006.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have healthy basil plants for bruschetta al pomodoro.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzSlTzhz9-F__RH3nA0dfZW7wxb1Lkmh6XmlziYJyYwmeR2o_w-Gm76dfTEsOyA9TVjJD93uiwAnAOKLFSyOb_r54kZxkcX5VtSwIVKdMrrKNaIjwSd4sbkIRzp31AQnsMPuZ7Og-Oo7I/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzSlTzhz9-F__RH3nA0dfZW7wxb1Lkmh6XmlziYJyYwmeR2o_w-Gm76dfTEsOyA9TVjJD93uiwAnAOKLFSyOb_r54kZxkcX5VtSwIVKdMrrKNaIjwSd4sbkIRzp31AQnsMPuZ7Og-Oo7I/s400/DSC_0008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything looks good. As much as we loved Italy, it is good to be home among familiar surroundings.</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-86346138860076549432012-07-25T10:07:00.003-07:002012-07-25T10:07:58.171-07:00Last Day in Rome<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_yuBFQGrpkdf9Xj3IQYh3-rHf7254PMtzjTMoRI-pQxxGgASdzsnb9VNseGjUvx1EOVmGEYLaA9uW6_M2n6uKZlhERgDgJD1YrhFSciIafDlcv-N_RYa5suFpMO7WqumC9ZxAvmJAPlp/s1600/DSC_0706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_yuBFQGrpkdf9Xj3IQYh3-rHf7254PMtzjTMoRI-pQxxGgASdzsnb9VNseGjUvx1EOVmGEYLaA9uW6_M2n6uKZlhERgDgJD1YrhFSciIafDlcv-N_RYa5suFpMO7WqumC9ZxAvmJAPlp/s320/DSC_0706.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Gardens at the princely Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a private residence </div>
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that houses an excellent art gallery.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepi29s0srIx6J6bRFLqQoFKYNGkhM-GUHbVqt-8-WGQiGgzR2zGDy4OKSi76g6BROI7LcGc9DJ0OJ0yBWqPB3_iE6N43946Amsf62IXMA_zjtxuzcxycx0_Ehq8AlTeUeRdwv7usZCV1U/s1600/DSC_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepi29s0srIx6J6bRFLqQoFKYNGkhM-GUHbVqt-8-WGQiGgzR2zGDy4OKSi76g6BROI7LcGc9DJ0OJ0yBWqPB3_iE6N43946Amsf62IXMA_zjtxuzcxycx0_Ehq8AlTeUeRdwv7usZCV1U/s400/DSC_0708.JPG" width="267" /></a></div>
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The Eternal Flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kQT3WYBT7abWMiFm11twlqAvs0jh1_cMzpaWe2TXgK6812cc9ydBXmSVjPVpUTfpby9EMDyyJLkW6BlHHqVvd_iDhCwVjUgzZJ3kfFkTl6zQAzPrIpu7DnFczVsi1TRZIhLLV6hi8zaC/s1600/DSC_0718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kQT3WYBT7abWMiFm11twlqAvs0jh1_cMzpaWe2TXgK6812cc9ydBXmSVjPVpUTfpby9EMDyyJLkW6BlHHqVvd_iDhCwVjUgzZJ3kfFkTl6zQAzPrIpu7DnFczVsi1TRZIhLLV6hi8zaC/s320/DSC_0718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II at the famous Rome landmark.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDITr5mWFY-ShprziqG-4TUUbDBSsAkHTuDeF_Skn3_8kr9vqvTcbHHOZSsITGN_LIrAASa6ycoipKRwjTFsDs0-5u13e_LcI_NYKr9nJjtuYmjABaT2BOSFmeh6Mce69F9hQ10s1NEVr/s1600/DSC_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDITr5mWFY-ShprziqG-4TUUbDBSsAkHTuDeF_Skn3_8kr9vqvTcbHHOZSsITGN_LIrAASa6ycoipKRwjTFsDs0-5u13e_LcI_NYKr9nJjtuYmjABaT2BOSFmeh6Mce69F9hQ10s1NEVr/s320/DSC_0723.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
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Giordana Bruno, a Dominican friar who was burned at the stake in 1600, looks down on the market vendors in Campo de Fiori.</div>
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The famous Spanish Steps are adjacent to the John Keats house </div>
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(salmon-coloured building to the right).</div>
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Our final day in Rome was spent doing two things: Cathy and Kendra shopped (and met John for lunch at Vittorio Emanuele II monument), while John squeezed in visits to two museums: The Pallazzo Doria Pamphilj and the Keats-Shelley Museum.</div>
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The Pallazzo Doria Pamphilj is said to have 1000 rooms. It is the private residence of a powerful family which traces its roots back to the middle ages. Over the years, the family increased its power through strategic marriages and close alliances with the Vatican. Today, the art work is open to the public--and what a collection it is! As you walk through what used to be private chambers, the walls seem to be papered with paintings. Gorgeous, opulent, almost decadent that such a collection could have been amassed by one family: Carravaggio, Valazquez, Raphael, Titian, the Flemish painters... the list goes on. Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, heir to the family fortune and art collection, seems to be a nice fellow as he narrates each room and describes his favourite paintings on the audio guide that goes with the price of admission. It was a pleasure to view the gallery: in many of the rooms I was the only person. There are leather chairs where you can sit and enjoy individual paintings at leisure. It was glorious to know that outside the palazzo the traffic was roaring and tourists were frantically rushing from famous site to famous site--while I was basking in almost compete silence in the magnificent palatial rooms.</div>
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After lunch, I visited the Keats-Shelley House which is adjacent to the Spanish Steps. Keats lived here briefly before he died tragically at the age of 25. The actual museum is pretty much as it was when Keats lived there, although the city authorities ordered that all the furniture etc be burned when Keats died in 1821 of consumption (tuberculosis). They thought that burning the furnishings would prevent the spread of the disease. The museum has original letters and manuscripts, some of which are very touching as Keats faced his death which he knew was inevitable. A professor from Baylor University delivered a paper in the small library--it was merely a coincidence that it happened at the same time as my visit. Frankly, it was not very good: there was a singular lack of logic and originality. Much of it sounded like to could have been cribbed from Wikipedia. <br />
Meanwhile, Kendra and Cathy shopped. It appears that most stores in Rome (Italy, for that matter) are having sales.<br />
We will splurge at a restaurant tonight, get a good night's rest, and set off at 8:30 tomorrow morning in a car that has been arranged to take us to the airport.<br />
We are not looking forward to a long flight, and a 5 1/2 hour layover in Toronto! However, it will be good to sleep in our own beds after three weeks on the road.<br />
<br />
Arrivederci from Rome.</div>Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-43376982791020793372012-07-24T11:15:00.000-07:002012-07-24T21:57:09.418-07:00Sad to Leave Orvieto for the Noise of Rome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As our Italian holiday quickly draws to a close, we regretfully left Orvieto at noon today, to make the hour-long train journey to Rome. It was drizzling when we left (good for Simona's vegetable garden), but by the time we reached Rome the sky had scattered clouds and the temperature had edged up, but not nearly like it was when were here two weeks ago.</div>
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Our hotel is a short taxi ride from Termini Station. Hotel Residenzia Cellini is a bit unusual in a number of ways: (1) there is no prominent sign on the outside announcing its presence--just a small brass plaque and a buzzer system to get the attention of the desk staff, (2) the actual hotel is situated on the 3rd and 5th floors of a building that appears to have both businesses and residences on other floors, (3) guests check in at the third floor and are either directed to rooms there, or shown to the fifth floor. One thing that isn't unusual is the size of the elevator. It took two trips to get the three of us and our bags up to our room which has a double bed and a single bed. The hotel is very nice. The furnishings are elegant, the floors in the halls are marble, the floor in our room is inlaid hardwood, the bathroom is marble and modern, there are fancy 19th century type curtains--and best of all, the air-conditioning works! We'll be very comfortable here for our last two nights in Rome.</div>
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Led by Cathy's map reading skills we took a long walk down the via Nazionale where we came upon the Victorio Emanuelle II Monument. By that time we were both hungry and thirsty, so we found our favourite Irish Pub in Rome (it's close to the monument; Cathy and John had visited it previously and had to recommend it to Kendra) and recharged our batteries.</div>
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We returned to the hotel on via Corso which turns into via Condotti--the premier shopping district for Rome's elite and well-heeled travellers. All the snobbiest fashion and jewelry stores are to be found here. Needless to say, we limited our activities strictly to <b>window</b> shopping.</div>
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We have been told about some good restaurants in this district of Rome, so will seek one of them out for our second last dinner in Italy (on this vacation). </div>
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Victorio Emanuelle II Monument. Romans who don't like it call it the Giant Typewriter. </div>
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Kendra has plans to shop here tomorrow.</div>
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John has no plans to shop here tomorrow!</div>
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. . . or here!</div>
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. . . and certainly not here!</div>
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This is likely as close as Kendra will get to Dior. The jacket on the model costs 3000 Euros ( close to $4000).</div>Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-41264624806971039642012-07-23T09:11:00.000-07:002012-07-23T09:11:10.940-07:00Wine and Cheese in the Gorgeous Umbrian Countryside<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMX8lxGUVGIxoyfU5zkkHgcPW7-A8mer4TF2bzMlBtQIopBOvM5wKYA_Pu_7TCH2onHN1udSONfla7MckJlkkaGHYaEIYtR_PplQFc_dgUnAOYxdtN1BG_ClOiaeOZ9pPpolgyrZGL-zj/s1600/DSC_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMX8lxGUVGIxoyfU5zkkHgcPW7-A8mer4TF2bzMlBtQIopBOvM5wKYA_Pu_7TCH2onHN1udSONfla7MckJlkkaGHYaEIYtR_PplQFc_dgUnAOYxdtN1BG_ClOiaeOZ9pPpolgyrZGL-zj/s400/DSC_0643.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emanuele, Alessandra and their children Francesco and Anna, at their organic farm.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first stop of the day was at la Fattoria dell Secondo Altopiano, a hillside farm where Emanuele makes exquisite goat cheese. He and his wife Alessandra have about 70 goats which are milked twice a day to produce unique, wonderful cheeses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cheeses are matured in a cellar where temperature and humidity are carefully monitored.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We sampled seven different cheeses, ranging from young to well matured.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sharp, earthy mature cheese that goes well with honey which was harvested from Emanuele's father's bee hives.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orvieto seen from across the valley.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge oak cask to mature red wine at Palazzone Vineyard, our second stop of the day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wine tasting on a beautiful patio overlooking the vineyards featured five wines (three white, one red, and one dessert)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the beautifully groomed grounds of Palazzone, Vini Classico Di Orvieto winery.</td></tr>
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In an age where so much of our food is mass produced and, therefore, not as good as it could be, it was such a pleasure to meet Emanuele and Alessandra who operate an organic farm that produces milk for the excellent goat cheese that is produced. It is clear that Emanuele is passionate about making cheese and is constantly working to produce new and interesting cheeses. When we arrived and went into the goat barn, we were greeted by the sound of classical music. Emanuele loves classical music--a passion he shares with his goats. From the moment we arrived, we knew we were in for a special experience. </div>
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After meeting some of the younger goats in the barn--they all have names--Alessandra took us up a path to the pen where three rams are kept. She explained how important it is for her and her husband to keep careful records of the family history of each goat. Just like dairy farmers or beef producers in Canada keep meticulous records of the bloodlines of their animals, this couple does exactly the same with their herd of goats. A bit farther up the hill, the herd of goats that are milked twice a day were straining at the gate, waiting for us. Goats, unlike cattle, or even horses, are very friendly and curious animals that like to be petted and have their heads scratched. They were so eager to see us that one, Merengue, managed to get over the gate to greet us. Francesco, six, had to run to get his father to put the goat back in with the herd. </div>
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Then came the tasting. In total, we sampled seven cheeses that ranged from very young and relatively mild to more mature cheeses. Alessandra explained that, unlike commercial farms where the cheese is always uniform and tastes the same, Emanuele loves to experiment, so that the various cheeses he makes are never exactly the same. The only consistent thing about the cheeses is that they are all consistently <i>good</i>. We had a choice of salted or unsalted bread with the cheese and a very nice red wine. Also, there were three tiny jars containing honey, a ribes rosso (red currant) jam, and a marmalade with eggplant, apricots and pistachio. The sweetness of the honey and jam is a wonderful complement to the cheeses, especially the more mature ones. It is accurate to call Emanuele an artist; he is passionate about cheese making and uses his creativity to produce wonderful cheeses that we can only dream of in Canada! </div>
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Simona, who kindly made all the arrangements for the day, took us next to Palazzone, makers of Vini Classici Di Orvieto, where we met Isobelle who took us on a tour of the winery. She explained the varieties of grapes that are produced on the sloping hillsides that surround the estate. The production facilities are very modern but the wine master still follows the age old traditions that have served Italian winemakers for centuries. She spoke of the close bond between winemaker and nature--and how the weather can have such a powerful influence on the grape production. For example, in a wet growing season the grape vines don't have to work as hard and there is a lesser alcohol content in the grapes. With each wine we sampled, Isobelle talked about the soil, the varieties of grapes, the age of the wine and so on. We certainly knew a lot more about wine and its production by the time we left. We even arranged to have a case shipped to Canada!</div>
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Orvieto has been such a wonderful part of our Italian holiday. The day trip to Cortona, the wonderful cooking lesson with Simona, the visit to the caves, the Duomo, and today's tour of the goat cheese farm and the winery--they have all been unique experiences. We are grateful to our new friend Simona for the time she has taken picking us up in her car and driving us into the countryside. Her kindness and thoughtfulness have become part of our memories of this beautiful region of Italy. We have promised to email pictures of what a Saskatchewan winter looks like!</div>
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Tomorrow we are back into the noise and excitement of Rome where we will pack in as much sightseeing and shopping as possible before we fly back to Canada on Thursday.</div>
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<br />Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-4749472648230808662012-07-22T09:42:00.003-07:002012-07-22T09:42:29.697-07:00Sunday in Orvieto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Cathy and John chose an early morning walk around Orvieto. Kendra caught up on the sleep debt from her recent Contiki tour. The walk took us both above and below the ramparts that protected this ancient hilltop town from invaders. At the time, there was only one entrance to the city--a narrow stairway. Today, there are five gates to allow citizens and visitors access.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the gates that allows entrance only to drivers with resident permits.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The views are spectacular in every direction from the Rupe.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">We went on an hour-long tour of the only two caves that are open to the public. Pictured above is a deep well to supply water in times of siege. The other 1200 caves are private-- meaning they are under homes and businesses.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Enterprising residents raised pigeons by the thousands as a source of food during sieges. Pigeons cost nothing to raise as they fly out to forage for food and then return to their nifty private homes or the cooking pot. Pigeon is a part of the local history and is often found on menus in Orvieto.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathy and Kendra catch their breath after climbing a long set of narrow stairs in the cave.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A street musician entertained us at lunch. He must have spent the money his mother gave him for music lessons elsewhere. Still, he played with enthusiasm and in the hope that some tone-deaf passersby would drop a few coins into his hat.</span><br />
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Orvieto is mostly a sleepy hillside town (at least in the tourist off-season), no more so than on an early Sunday morning. We walked most of the Rupe--a quiet, three-mile path that circles the town. Always on one side are the ancient ramparts, while on the other are wonderful views of the Umbrian countryside steeped in mist and clouds in the early morning. At many places on the path, the only sound was from birds. Even the traffic below was only a quiet hum. The experience was very peaceful.<br />
Strolling back to our apartment, we encountered a few people out walking their dogs or visiting with neighbours. Otherwise, we had the path to ourselves.<br />
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We breakfasted back at the apartment, relaxed a few minutes, and then set out with Kendra to take in the Underground Orvieto Tour. The present day town of Orvieto was almost entirely built from materials dug from the ancient ruins. First the Etruscans, then the Romans occupied the area. The actual town is perched on the remains of an ancient volcano that spewed up tufa and potsilano (the two building materials used then and today). The material is relatively soft (at least compared to marble or granite) and can be dug into with hand-held tools like picks. It would have been very labour intensive, but if one had the energy and patience, a cave could be dug. The citizens made a primitive, cave hospital. Only recently have any of the over 1200 caves that lie under the town been opened to the public, although archeaologists have been scouring them for decades. <br />
The tour consists of quite steep descent into about 100 metres of tunnels that have been opened up. The guide pointed out an olive press, a deep Etruscan well (over 130 feet deep), and a series of niches in the walls that housed pigeons in the days when the town might come siege for weeks on end. Each family dug a passageway under their dwelling to store wine and olive oil, and to house the pigeons that provided a source of food. Other animals used for food would have required food and water--not easily available in wartime, whereas the pigeons simply flew above the invading army, found food in the valley, and returned home to the roost (as pigeons instinctively do) each evening. Each family had its own pigeon coop and used the birds for food. Pigeon became a staple of the diet, and even today pigeon (piccione) is featured on the menus of many Orvieto restaurants.<br />
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During the dying days of World War Two, the Nazis bombed the aircraft hangers and railway station in Orvieto as they retreated back to Germany. The local citizens used their personal caves as bomb shelters. Today, in some shops there will be a section of glass on the floor through which customers can see caves.<br />
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In many ways Orvieto's Duomo is more impressive than larger, more famous cathedrals we've seen in other cities, such as St. Peter's in Rome and the Duomo in Florence. Certainly the facade is much more interesting. The structure, begun in 1290, took almost three centuries to complete. The facade, which has been restored a number of times, is astonishing. Entire scenes from the Bible are done in bas-relief on marble, including some grim characterizations of the Last Judgement where figures entwined with snakes suffer in Hell. On the top of the four pillars are bronze statues of Matthew, Mark, John and Luke. Most amazing of all are the mosaics. The one of Mary being crowned is stunning with its gold background.<br />
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Inside, at first, the church seems unimpressive. The Duomo is dominated by empty space and black and white striped columns--all of which direct your gaze to the glorious high altar framed by an original 14th century stained glass window. The organ has over 5,000 pipes--although they cannot all be seen. The single most impressive art in the church is a<i> Pieta </i>carved in 1579 by artist Ippolito Scalza. There are four figures: Mary holding the body of Christ, Joseph with his carpenter tools, and a figure at Christ's feet--likely Peter. The agony on the brilliantly carved face of Mary is moving.<br />
There are two main side chapels: Chapel of the Corporal and Chapel of San Brizio.<br />
In the former, the famous altar cloth stained with blood is encased behind glass and framed in turquoise. According to church orthodoxy, a priest, Peter of Prague, who doubted the concept of transubstantiation had his doubts removed when the host he held above his head during Mass began to bleed profusely enough to stain the altar cloth. The event was declared a miracle and the pope ordered a cathedral to be built to display the sacred relic. <br />
The second chapel is much more dramatic. Local artist Luca Signorelli was commissioned to paint frescoes on much of the interior of the church. The ones in the Chapel of San Brizio are spectular--both for their visual impact and their originality. He captured vivid scenes of the Resurrection and the Last Judgement. The Last Judgement scenes are grim. Devils torment sinners and winged angels stand guard lest any of the souls try to escape. The details are amazing--a bit fanciful perhaps--but drive home the religious point. The room is awesome (in the true sense of the word), especially when you consider that Signorelli completed the complex work in five years. There is a poignant scene with Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary with the dead Christ who is the image of Signorelli's son who died from the plague when the artist was working on the frescoes.<br />
The bronze doors of the Duomo are recent--they were finished in 1970 by Emilio Greco. They too depict religious scenes.<br />
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Altogether, Orvieto's Duomo deserves as much attention as St. Peter's.<br />
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Photos are not allowed inside the Duomo, but the following may give some idea of the scope of the facade.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from bronze door by Emilio Greco.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bas-relief scene of the temptation in the Garden of Eden.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenes from the upper facade of the Duomo.</td></tr>
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<br />Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-63646573022512518302012-07-21T07:56:00.000-07:002012-07-21T07:56:33.153-07:00Cooking with Simona<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simona demonstrating how to fold the egg whites into the sugar and yolk mixture for our tiramisu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting the basil ready to make pesto</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra--tagliatelle pasta maker extraordinaire!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rotolini di zucchinie ricotta --thin strips of courgette marinated in olive oil and oregano, then rolled with a mixture of fresh ricotta cheese, basil, toasted pine nuts and lemon juice, with a drizzle of wonderful balsamic vinegar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra preparing the stuffed zucchini flowers to deep fry in a light batter (see below for finished product)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Umbrian countryside from Simona's patio</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing touches to the tagliatlelle with pesto and grilled cherry tomatoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simona's home (wood burning oven up the stairs)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simona Fabrizio, Kendra and Cathy--after our dinner together</td></tr>
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Everyone who loves food and comes to Italy should be as fortunate as we were today. Simona Fabrizio, a gracious host and superb cook, invited us into her charming country home for a cooking lesson.<br />
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She and her husband Nick bought a run down house in the countryside several years ago and have laboriously and lovingly transformed it into a wonderful and welcoming home. The couple share share their home and yards with an elderly dog (who turned up uninvited at their door several years ago and has become a part of the family)--along with two cats, some chickens and a goat. Along with a vegetable garden, they produce grapes and olives. When the grapes and olives are ready, they are taken to commercial facilities to be turned into splendid olive oil and delicious wine. Simona joked that once--and only once--she and Nick attempted to make their own wine, with disastrous results. "It was terrible," she joked.<br />
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Simona picked the three of us up at the bottom of the funicular in Orvieto and drove us to her home to begin the cooking lesson about 10:00 o'clock. Under her careful and patient guidance, we produced four delicious, authentic dishes: rotolini de zucchini e ricotta, lightly deep fried zucchini flowers stuffed with bocconcini balls and anchovies, home made pasta with fresh pesto sauce, and indescribably good tiramisu. As we cooked, we sampled a crisp asti spumante wine from the area. With our memorable meal we had a pleasant locally produced white wine.<br />
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Simona is a delightful lady who shares amusing stories about her experiences and is very interested in other people. Charming and friendly, she put us at ease and created a marvellous, unforgettable day.<br />
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We cannot wait to try out the dishes when we get back to Saskatchewan.Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-3379532270514616882012-07-20T10:39:00.001-07:002012-07-20T10:39:35.554-07:00A Day Trip to Cortona<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CxzVGhyphenhypheny9KZNPk4MihYaIf_29RYyFtLIvBl_JxJKwwBVLhyphenhyphentE1_EJM8mpuJg2VgyjQLtAuaI-5TPgViTqRwWYh0vLNfDPy5f_ZK4l1jPjh5lemLINW5tu4Ad8CfulRxIztAAC4lN2rqz/s1600/DSC_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CxzVGhyphenhypheny9KZNPk4MihYaIf_29RYyFtLIvBl_JxJKwwBVLhyphenhyphentE1_EJM8mpuJg2VgyjQLtAuaI-5TPgViTqRwWYh0vLNfDPy5f_ZK4l1jPjh5lemLINW5tu4Ad8CfulRxIztAAC4lN2rqz/s400/DSC_0406.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathy and Kendra along the outer wall at Cortona.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Piazza della Repubblica (town hall) in Cortona. The wooden balcony is an unusual feature of architecture from the historical period.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A famous 13th century crucifix at the Santa Margherita Basilica.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry about the format--meant to use portrait, and it turned into landscape-and the blog site does not allow for edits. This mosaic was on a wall on our long walk up to Santa Margherita, an amazing piece of art exposed to the elements.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The remains of Santa Margherita rest below the dome of the church.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delightful lunch on a terrace at Ristorante La Loggetta overlooking the Piazza della Repubblica.</td></tr>
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The three of us had a pleasant day trip to Cortona, another medieval walled city. Cortona is the southern most town in Tuscany--just a few miles from the Umbrian border.<br />
We caught the funicular, then a regional train, followed by a bus and arrived in Cortona at 10:00 am. One of the appealing things about the town, aside from the panoramic Tuscan landscapes visible from many vantage points, is that there are several (at least seven) churches for a community of about 2500 people. We explored three of them: the Duomo, the Basilica of Santa Margherita and the Church of St. Francis.<br />
The Duomo has an interesting white and grey interior, with several small chapels cut into the walls. There are evidently many religious relics on the alters, but all are covered with white cloths that hide embedded parts of saints in the marble.<br />
Santa Margherita is a popular local saint originally from a wealthy family. She became an unwed mother and thereafter devoted her life to helping the sick and poor. The well preserved 13th century crucifix in the church is reportedly the key to her sainthood because it talked to her. It's a little grim to see her remains encased in a glass coffin as the centre piece of the church. Like so many churches in hillside towns, Santa Margherita is ornate and magnificent in its size. How a town could afford such a masterpiece, which obviously took decades to complete, is a mystery. Such was the power of the Church back then.<br />
The Church of St. Francis, 13th century, is considerably more modest. The most impressive feature are the original wooden beams supporting a sizeable church. The authorities are working on restoring some frescoes that were whitewashed by dull-witted church officials centuries after the church was completed. There is a precious relic framed in the altar--a piece of the cross reportedly brought to the church by Elias after he visited Constantinople.<br />
In all three churches one finds glorious religious paintings. If the Mendel in Saskatoon had even one of them in its permanent collection, it would be one of the stars of the Canadian art gallery scene.<br />
Our lunch, under the canopy at the Ristorante La Loggetta provided an opportunity to recharge our batteries after a steep walk to the Duomo in the Tuscan sun. The orrechiette and tortelli (stuffed with ricotta and spinach) hit the spot. Some wonderful gelato during the day also perked us up.<br />
We had time to be real tourists and do a bit of shopping in the small shops that line the streets of central Cortona. We purchased a couple of small watercolours, one of the rural region, and one of Cortona seen from below. They are pretty and will remind us of the Tuscan sun when it's -30 degrees in January.<br />
Showers and a rest at the apartment will set us up for another dinner, this time at the unusually named Pizzeria & Restaurant Charlie which Rick Steves claims is popular with families and students. It features wood-fired pizzas, large salads, homemade pasta and grilled meat.<br />
Tomorrow, the long-awaited cooking class takes place when our chef, Simona, picks us up and takes us to her farmhouse for a cooking lesson (pasta mainly I hope). Of course, we get to eat the end result!Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-26961855773984581512012-07-19T11:32:00.001-07:002013-10-23T19:42:29.184-07:00Kendra Joins Us in Orvieto<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning view of the Umbrian countryside</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretended that we were locals and went shopping at the market for fresh fruit, tomatoes and basil by 7:00 am!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the funicular as we descended the hill on our way to pick up Kendra at the train station</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funicular car </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funicular station at the bottom of the hill just across the street from the railway station</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra and Cathy outside our apartment - we're happy to be together!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">We have had a quiet but very nice day in Orvieto.
Actually, quiet and laid-back were what we looked for when we chose this lovely
hill town. In the afternoon when most shops are closed for the siesta, the
streets are deserted. It is possible to walk the entire length of a narrow
street and not encounter a soul. By mid morning, however, the tourists have
arrived from Rome on a day trip and things get busy--but nothing like Rome or
Florence. It's heavenly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Kendra arrived by train from Rome this morning. Her
tour of the Mediterranean finished today, and we are very happy she'll be with us for the next week and will be on the same plane home on July 26. We are
avoiding thinking about the end of our holiday--it's going by way too fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Orvieto, as mentioned, is 1000 feet above the train
station, and most people get here on a funicular--a small railway car the is
pulled by cable up the steep slope. It's cheap and only takes a couple of
minutes to reach the top. A bus meets the funicular and takes you to the main
square, the Duomo Square. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">This morning, after a good night's sleep, we were
awake at 6:00 so we walked along one of the ancient ramparts that used to
protect Orvieto from invaders. It is possible to walk the rampart around the
entire town--a walk that takes about an hour. A project for another day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">We stopped at the local market (open every Thursday
and Saturday) where farmers from the region bring their produce to Orvieto and
set up shop in a square. As we entered the square, we could smell fresh basil
from one of the stalls. As well as delicious fresh vegetables and fruit, there
was a fishmonger and an amazing refrigerated truck that opened its whole side
panel to reveal a cheese store! It was so pleasant to be able to observe the
local people out doing their shopping and visiting with the merchants and each
other. it was all very relaxed and friendly. For a moment or two--as we made
our purchases (they graciously accepted our fractured attempts at Italian and
obliged when we point at what we wanted and held up fingers to indicate how
many)--it felt like we were Orvietians (if that's a word). We bought some
tomatoes, a small watermelon, oranges and cherries. We tried to buy basil, but
the farmer waved away our money and handed us a small bundle at no
charge! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">We eat breakfasts in the apartment (we bought
cereal, orange juice, wholewheat bread, milk--and of course lots of fruit). For
lunch and dinner, we usually go out. There are so many fantastic restaurants we
want to take advantage of. We know that when we get back to Outlook, the
restaurant scene is nil and it will be a long winter without good eating
places. We are taking a cooking class and are hopeful to get the knack of
making pasta and other Italian dishes to remind us of our summer here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Last night, we did not go to Mezza Luna as indicated.
It was closed for holidays. Apparently, when it gets hot in July and August,
some restaurants close and everyone goes to the beach. Instead, we came upon Le
Grotte del Funaro, a rope makers shop in ancient times, now a superb
restaurant. We ate on the terrace (cold Zuchhini soup and roast suckling pig
for John, and Caprese salad and a chicken dish for Cathy) and watched the sun
set over the Umbrian hills. As it got darker, lights appeared and twinkled from
villages miles away across the valley. Needless to say, it was wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Tomorrow, we plan an early start to take the train
and then a local bus to Cortona. We're cheating a bit because it will take us
back into Tuscany from Umbria, but our neighbour has told us so much about
Cortona that we want to spend a day taking in the sights of yet another hill
town. In Medieval times, towns were built on hills to protect inhabitants from
invaders. The history of Italy is rife with stories of feuds between towns. The
Florentines were especially quarrelsome--and even today Florence is a bad word
among some Italians. It makes the ancient grudge between the Capulets and the
Montagues in <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> start to make sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">The three of us hope to have some interesting
photos and stories from Cortona tomorrow.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-49929761673219969622012-07-18T10:56:00.000-07:002012-07-18T10:56:03.053-07:00Arrival in Orvieto<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNf7zh8AywiTDuQEwyTd49NwbcR5YYA-SQwgQXSIWhMm0Uf-bD4J-a7OKUedX9FrmRNocan34FD-DBqLiYxvIz_M4Ri7-0jUfFq37VQ8o10ZBiUvFd5JNIksI2TzyXgN5GPXS8LfMLDV6/s1600/DSC_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNf7zh8AywiTDuQEwyTd49NwbcR5YYA-SQwgQXSIWhMm0Uf-bD4J-a7OKUedX9FrmRNocan34FD-DBqLiYxvIz_M4Ri7-0jUfFq37VQ8o10ZBiUvFd5JNIksI2TzyXgN5GPXS8LfMLDV6/s400/DSC_0341.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical narrow street in Orvieto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIzA_GUvQzWOcXImXDNfAQrkIQVzKEVbPYUW3yp70mb37sPYQPPds4Hi1n5op5F4piiibdTSaQVuikx_b6rMUzIZEhUGv1e6YKox5fUpbVO49WFMpPohCc6aJdnmWcN-PJRgrlBWtApUd/s1600/DSC_0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIzA_GUvQzWOcXImXDNfAQrkIQVzKEVbPYUW3yp70mb37sPYQPPds4Hi1n5op5F4piiibdTSaQVuikx_b6rMUzIZEhUGv1e6YKox5fUpbVO49WFMpPohCc6aJdnmWcN-PJRgrlBWtApUd/s400/DSC_0348.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plazza Republica--50 steps from our apartment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYW1_lzLTYVBEkdo_5P4BR8wNQnLRz2fZeETkIgZAVVY-eGsUIWfhxoOI73x-EzpILLt-_eecnEjT0xZvri3xYJVcc82vOcjshYN8XRmcNUL-HEyEQ9EbpdyGlmPyXV1p5kqLs7Dk4OyBc/s1600/DSC_0357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYW1_lzLTYVBEkdo_5P4BR8wNQnLRz2fZeETkIgZAVVY-eGsUIWfhxoOI73x-EzpILLt-_eecnEjT0xZvri3xYJVcc82vOcjshYN8XRmcNUL-HEyEQ9EbpdyGlmPyXV1p5kqLs7Dk4OyBc/s400/DSC_0357.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza del Duomo clock tower</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinp1hPvmkWsYthXH5giwGGWAA5-s69EOKxX1LOo6kP1vpmriEw7M_kiGb-YQs-Kir4Fs7J_OY8K_PNobtE0TqfUT4e5tLdUdC1cXXK_ZBjMnWFy0LjKKavOK7XOFVRpymEYhhs_0kFD2n/s1600/DSC_0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinp1hPvmkWsYthXH5giwGGWAA5-s69EOKxX1LOo6kP1vpmriEw7M_kiGb-YQs-Kir4Fs7J_OY8K_PNobtE0TqfUT4e5tLdUdC1cXXK_ZBjMnWFy0LjKKavOK7XOFVRpymEYhhs_0kFD2n/s400/DSC_0342.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower on the Duomo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH3XfLBnwKoM9XJESOtQZBDmjuHXYyAiRE78Tx29KZacu64M00XxjSoc9vHctnqtfeKvTA-LkqmjQaNlgR13gRX1YHOQTsToKFVS81cUsrjslWcXwaXU4elBIgST5ZO0XqXLaKfXAr9g8/s1600/DSC_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSH3XfLBnwKoM9XJESOtQZBDmjuHXYyAiRE78Tx29KZacu64M00XxjSoc9vHctnqtfeKvTA-LkqmjQaNlgR13gRX1YHOQTsToKFVS81cUsrjslWcXwaXU4elBIgST5ZO0XqXLaKfXAr9g8/s400/DSC_0351.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orvieto's Duomo (from 1330) has Italy's most interesting facade featuring The Last Judgement </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YA55eEVBUWp4Jl8l6lNp8RIWtjQrNLX-foOF2EzjsD62Syf33N1Dv_a4znEinSQ7XPlg1vfJP97EQeoQqiZ2MkLE5-UJcd61FY3-woSXDLQAaeHiZ97y6NbUcptkNDnao2txuqDDzbsg/s1600/DSC_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YA55eEVBUWp4Jl8l6lNp8RIWtjQrNLX-foOF2EzjsD62Syf33N1Dv_a4znEinSQ7XPlg1vfJP97EQeoQqiZ2MkLE5-UJcd61FY3-woSXDLQAaeHiZ97y6NbUcptkNDnao2txuqDDzbsg/s400/DSC_0362.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Door to our home in Orvieto--60 steps up to our apartment - no elevator!</td></tr>
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We arrived in Orvieto, a town in Umbria, this afternoon after a 2 hour train trip from Florence. Orvieto is an ancient hill town that sits 1000 feet above the valley on a huge mountain of tuff, an easy to dig volcanic rock. The city was a regional power during the Middle Ages a few centuries before Christ. It's one of a small number of Etruscan cities in all of Italy.<br />
Orvieto is famous for three things: its Cathedral, its Classico wine and its ceramics. We've only had an opportunity to walk from one end of the town to the other (20 minutes) to visit the tourist information centre. We're looking forward to Kendra arriving from Rome tomorrow. With her, we plan to fully explore Orvieto and the Umbrian country side. We may even slip back into Tuscany to visit Cortona.<br />
We're very pleased with our apartment - despite the 60 stairs to the top floor! From the windows we have a beautiful view of the countryside. Despite the afternoon heat, the apartment stays wonderfully cool-a nice change from Florence and Rome.<br />
We're off for what we know will be another delicious meal, this time at Mezza Luna. Maybe we'll post some pictures tomorrow. Ciao!Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-69437753344469468702012-07-17T22:49:00.001-07:002012-07-17T22:53:24.985-07:00Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa (A Fast Day in Tuscany)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNSG-5Q2Bj7uXcl3ir71zgduVe1ObnPX93LPPj9fz-V6417pD99YBq36OgZVftXuHTDxDFx0kRoQnLV1IkLCtUkEUwoH9MQ4C9Hcbbsz5ofWMHF3r_WHwtM2k0Ozv6YOeEDc9wMyjV1TY/s1600/DSC_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNSG-5Q2Bj7uXcl3ir71zgduVe1ObnPX93LPPj9fz-V6417pD99YBq36OgZVftXuHTDxDFx0kRoQnLV1IkLCtUkEUwoH9MQ4C9Hcbbsz5ofWMHF3r_WHwtM2k0Ozv6YOeEDc9wMyjV1TY/s400/DSC_0122.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siena--a medieval hill town--reached by five sets of large escalators</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh679Xg9dtY5kEuAh7RDtCJnbSN_NdX1G8SXcUkLHxNx7OORXs6tOCAn1NgFeOWKCzd0wRipk_M5vjvDy7jP-fmzDQkc0gexnl_ssG4CRToeIzpdYDH533Apr28MlTTXYhBJGZiE1nsIyQ4/s1600/DSC_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh679Xg9dtY5kEuAh7RDtCJnbSN_NdX1G8SXcUkLHxNx7OORXs6tOCAn1NgFeOWKCzd0wRipk_M5vjvDy7jP-fmzDQkc0gexnl_ssG4CRToeIzpdYDH533Apr28MlTTXYhBJGZiE1nsIyQ4/s400/DSC_0187.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Duomo--gothic cathedral is home to valuable art works by Donatello, Bernini and Michaelangelo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIfMG9imAjpwzQQR4ZrSqB_Qe3TUgdbriXoN3mZYD0JVd53HNtGERITSFTmK7cDQBtq32a9L26bADfM_y1gJDu2T0vWGmO4EopVw9-_O5qkzqkJ5IV4PidbtPtmyD9-albYRbAwsJVhiz/s1600/DSC_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIfMG9imAjpwzQQR4ZrSqB_Qe3TUgdbriXoN3mZYD0JVd53HNtGERITSFTmK7cDQBtq32a9L26bADfM_y1gJDu2T0vWGmO4EopVw9-_O5qkzqkJ5IV4PidbtPtmyD9-albYRbAwsJVhiz/s400/DSC_0246.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine tasting accompanied lunch at a beautiful family-owned vineyard</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZPcBzgbqxAUNlFEW1RmcjtkyGa55a_YC1vYHuwZCy2Rly90BeJe7oY0HXnQvUukUTjtgNB0AFdQXQ2KqgcOGii5fMePY14VDxSLJgmiZ7IK4PAQIN9lvBPiw_JbljWW1dZmOmg6L5U81/s1600/DSC_0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZPcBzgbqxAUNlFEW1RmcjtkyGa55a_YC1vYHuwZCy2Rly90BeJe7oY0HXnQvUukUTjtgNB0AFdQXQ2KqgcOGii5fMePY14VDxSLJgmiZ7IK4PAQIN9lvBPiw_JbljWW1dZmOmg6L5U81/s400/DSC_0259.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathy's new Ferrari</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuRBYJXFTs8DiG5oM0IY9wyyzKEAHxD29CFP5SDd889H3cqZjLMTZgxKoYjdJ3WsToCvablwqG-U77c188Z3677bZ7FC7OxNEyt8DZ5Bmtia8nAbrAnrKQEPe9Re_SIy8z7FuhF9hBHWd/s1600/DSC_0277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuRBYJXFTs8DiG5oM0IY9wyyzKEAHxD29CFP5SDd889H3cqZjLMTZgxKoYjdJ3WsToCvablwqG-U77c188Z3677bZ7FC7OxNEyt8DZ5Bmtia8nAbrAnrKQEPe9Re_SIy8z7FuhF9hBHWd/s400/DSC_0277.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Gimignano --nicknamed "medieval Manhattan"--14 towers remain from over 70 </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzys9Ra0kGNn-2IrzU-NkQCOGMzQEY2xrV70_Ot5RSVvUZQ7uJCujMkwoSI9CjKBqfCafHLvuS-bJ5nM0wt7fGGbZ3M0LArBtCCldeKmOGv_86_bXD0-mXdgW4Yf-fbUC8XPAZ1OrkEFe/s1600/DSC_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzys9Ra0kGNn-2IrzU-NkQCOGMzQEY2xrV70_Ot5RSVvUZQ7uJCujMkwoSI9CjKBqfCafHLvuS-bJ5nM0wt7fGGbZ3M0LArBtCCldeKmOGv_86_bXD0-mXdgW4Yf-fbUC8XPAZ1OrkEFe/s400/DSC_0302.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stefano - our entertaining and informative tour guide for the day</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJthiTQ45aDaGv7JZB4admNMehkDraHurR9x_FYqVlc6Rnn4yd4rmqJU5w16frp4OuL4tghDjizq-ONivZN3umQFmHg-XpfFYoIkDfHbTN45z1UTJJbbDrU4IhLfhk0f4RbLYGXcHPob6/s1600/DSC_0303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJthiTQ45aDaGv7JZB4admNMehkDraHurR9x_FYqVlc6Rnn4yd4rmqJU5w16frp4OuL4tghDjizq-ONivZN3umQFmHg-XpfFYoIkDfHbTN45z1UTJJbbDrU4IhLfhk0f4RbLYGXcHPob6/s400/DSC_0303.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No visit to Pisa would be complete with this obligatory picture!</td></tr>
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Today was a bit of a whirlwind--we visited three Tuscan towns. It's not an ideal way to learn about them in such a hurried fashion, but with our time in Florence dwindling, we put in a 12 hour day with Walkabout Florence Tours. It was such a contrast with the small group of people from the previous day. There were probably about 50 people on the very comfortable air-conditioned bus. Stefano, our energetic and very witty guide, made the day a pleasure. He's Italian and has a irrepressible love of life. Always smiling, he managed to keep his guests happy and interested--not an easy task with several people on board whose grasp of English is rudimentary. He was especially careful, to explain meeting times and places carefully so as not to leave people behind.<br />
He talked about the history of the places we visited without over dwelling, as some guides tend to do.<br />
Out first stop, after a 60 minutes drive through the Tuscan countryside south of Florence was the beautiful town of Siena. Like so many Medieval towns, it was built on a hill for defensive purposes. The Florentines and Sienese apparently were bitter enemies for centuries--reading between the lines, they aren't too keen on each other to this day! Most traffic is not allowed into the towns to avoid congestion on the extremely picturesque, but narrow streets. We left the bus below and rode five successive escalators to reach the town. The heart of Siena is the Piazza del Campo where the famous Palio horse races take place twice a year, on July 2 and August 16. They put a dirt track in the square and horses from the 17 Siena neighbourhoods compete in a no-holds-barred race that is dangerous for both rider and spectator. Bribery of judges and officials is standard practice since winning the race brings so much prestige to the district which wins. It's both a religious and a secular event. Each horse, for example, is brought into the church to be blessed by the priest before the race. We were told: "Don't try to understand the event--even people who live here don't really understand it. It's a colourful pageant that is planned and looked forward to all year."<br />
The Duomo is spectacular. The columns are black and white marble. Artists have used different coloured marble to produce beautiful mosaic pictures on the floor. Everything about the church is spectacular, including four small marble statues by Michelangelo.<br />
Our next stop was an organic farm ten minutes from San Gimignano. They grow olives and grapes (over 300,000 bottles of wine a year), as well as raising cattle (they are white like Simmental cattle) and growing a large commercial garden.<br />
Our lunch included pairings with five different wines produced by the vineyard. The key was to have very small tastings of each with the bruschetta, pasta ragu, salad, cheese, salami and prosciutto and a dessert wine with almond biscotti. The family must do very well--or else they have rich friends--because there were three expensive sports cars in the lane by the house-- Masseratti and Ferraris. A ride in one of them was not part of the tour package.<br />
Following lunch, we made our way up to San Gimignano--also on a hill. In previous centuries, this fortified town had upwards of 70 towers to protect inhabitants from invaders. Many of them have subsequently been destroyed by invaders, but 14 remaining towers make San Gimignano distinctive; it is nicknamed the "Medieval Manhattan." It was was wonderful place to stroll along the narrow streets and view the countryside from a park called La Rocca. San Gigignano has a duomo (of course) but the short time we had didn't allow a visit.<br />
Our final stop of the day was at Pisa, famous for its tower. The tower tends to overshadow a much more beautiful structure, the Baptistery, finished in 1260. Mercifully, we only spent about an hour in the Field of Miracles which is what the area is called. The places was swarming with tourists--all posing for the seemingly obligatory picture of them holding up the tower.<br />
Altogether, it was a marvellous--if exhausting--day.Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-41543292859014796852012-07-16T11:36:00.001-07:002012-07-16T11:36:52.149-07:00Slow Day in Tuscany<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-GRrbzHJ50un-0mRMkhKZ6gXefwPp88iIXPVaNHuzeKMUzoPGklT6jppyJuT8_MiJfcGdWHtQgiCWRhqaFiSDTRvFChiUSFleaG-d05DyMg9g1Vt-p10u_fNNcr6V6ionMhbzOhh0jqZ/s1600/DSC_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-GRrbzHJ50un-0mRMkhKZ6gXefwPp88iIXPVaNHuzeKMUzoPGklT6jppyJuT8_MiJfcGdWHtQgiCWRhqaFiSDTRvFChiUSFleaG-d05DyMg9g1Vt-p10u_fNNcr6V6ionMhbzOhh0jqZ/s400/DSC_0029.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One more view from Rio Maggiore (Cinque Terre)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chianti wine tasting from Montefioralle vineyard owned by Fernando Sieni</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjWgGZMFBuoSBlTnZiMn5yKFCIlOhLwv4DbqMza6MBsdEVzDmdP0aKS8GsSeeKdCObHmjZ1vqrzoRkDyCsXRDOThyvPvm2VWg2U0E7ND_sdsiHcUZrU4bXVuE83CiKwgap4NmqOOSRdNC/s1600/DSC_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjWgGZMFBuoSBlTnZiMn5yKFCIlOhLwv4DbqMza6MBsdEVzDmdP0aKS8GsSeeKdCObHmjZ1vqrzoRkDyCsXRDOThyvPvm2VWg2U0E7ND_sdsiHcUZrU4bXVuE83CiKwgap4NmqOOSRdNC/s400/DSC_0071.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Fernando's wine cellar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufS3JoMg_0He0oDxnrG0SItFVLX_oTfA5hjNnATvk9zS9vaOqLWyXyDSPoHjxmVtocFero3uSbXsnCYaNn2HRm2OswaQI9XtwY0vVxMUsR5YwtDod-odixPaY01B8MOR4RqNb0UUr_0yG/s1600/DSC_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufS3JoMg_0He0oDxnrG0SItFVLX_oTfA5hjNnATvk9zS9vaOqLWyXyDSPoHjxmVtocFero3uSbXsnCYaNn2HRm2OswaQI9XtwY0vVxMUsR5YwtDod-odixPaY01B8MOR4RqNb0UUr_0yG/s400/DSC_0087.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Montefioralle - a small hill town with only 100 families</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymWQdQXjkucM3F7Ztd7VvFsmVuwem0m2AoawAw4nY-IP-yA8SgLZ8RmjE_seWsoCjGy5ZDUEDFPAlNTEdTlnA-wtZKF1f643fLgPmA1bZgZf7iMIq1AYMWh3xR4bO2CWSDVbJgFJyrlll/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymWQdQXjkucM3F7Ztd7VvFsmVuwem0m2AoawAw4nY-IP-yA8SgLZ8RmjE_seWsoCjGy5ZDUEDFPAlNTEdTlnA-wtZKF1f643fLgPmA1bZgZf7iMIq1AYMWh3xR4bO2CWSDVbJgFJyrlll/s400/DSC_0089.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuscan hillside with grape vineyards in the background</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_WeC0b5JP8w5S3AAcn79kWeo7BelOWyAwx3PYadF3pfECSmuVDMLvZSRs8_gqEdrQmgIovLv1UnxKuhIjtETxGIajUSqt7uqBCmGbIMiAhNz6dLdiA_m1MPp-ZGXwpqrWyl-vqkiak8f/s1600/DSC_0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_WeC0b5JP8w5S3AAcn79kWeo7BelOWyAwx3PYadF3pfECSmuVDMLvZSRs8_gqEdrQmgIovLv1UnxKuhIjtETxGIajUSqt7uqBCmGbIMiAhNz6dLdiA_m1MPp-ZGXwpqrWyl-vqkiak8f/s400/DSC_0104.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This valley marks the boundary of the Chianti wine-making region</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stopped at a castle - originally a military fortress</td></tr>
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In its own way, today was as great as yesterday--in some ways even better! We spent the day with Simon (a Brit who's lived in Italy for years and is married to Manuela - a Sicilian woman and wonderful cook) and six other tourists doing a slow tour of three Tuscan villages--mercifully far away from the tourist crowds in Florence. Simon runs a very casual tour with frequent stops at points of interest and opportunities to take photos of the spectacular Tuscan countryside. Unlike other tour guides with larger groups, we were never rushed. We didn't look at watches once the entire time. We piled into Simon's Volkswagen van and quickly left Florence behind.<br />
Our first major stop was at the Montefioralle vineyard owned by Fernando Sieni. The vineyard itself only covers 5 acres and produces 3000 bottles of wine each year plus olive oil. Interestingly enough, 1000 of the bottles are consumed by Fernando and his extended family. The vineyard was originally owned by the church before Fernando's father purchased it and eventually handed it down to him. In his 70s, Fernando operates the vineyard the way his father taught him. He leads a simple, fulfilling life--in the manner of Italians for centuries.</div>
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When we arrived, Fernando met us and showed us to a lovely table in a shaded area beside his grape vines where we sampled six Chiantis (2006-2010) plus a reserve wine and a vin santo (dessert wine)--which we have a bottle of in our suitcase! As he explained each wine in Italian, Simon translated. The conversations were interesting and wide-ranging--from the origins of wine to Fernando's trip to Turkey. Accompanying the wine was delicious bruschetta with salami, prosciutto, olive oil and a slice of sharp parmesan cheese. Fernando is a very personable and knowledgeable character who was very interested in where all his guests were from--he brought out a massive atlas and wanted to know where we were from in Canada. We spent a comfortable hour enjoying his wine, hospitality and conversation with our group.</div>
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After sampling the wine, we had a tour of how the wine is made. Compared to large vineyards, Fernando's operation is very small and hands-on. We saw the vats where the wine matures before it's put into oak casks (from France--French oak apparently isn't as porous as Italian oak). When it's time for the wine to be bottled, a commercial operation pulls into the driveway and within a day, the wine is bottled and labelled. In the village (less than 50 metres from the vineyard), Fernando has a modest wine shop that's open by invitation only. He will ship wine to North America, and we were tempted except the Saskatchewan Liquor Commission would charge excess import fees! With shipping and taxes, we estimated the wine would triple in price. Too bad!</div>
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Down the road at Panzano, we had a delicious lunch at Cantinetta Sassolini. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; line-height: 19px;">John had </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2c2c; line-height: 19px;">maltalgiati</span></span> (irregularly cut sheets of thin pasta) with duck sauce and Cathy had a delicious fish dish (not sure what it was called but it was like a crispy crepe filled with cod fish filling).<br />
Panzano is a typically pretty small Tuscan village that overlooks hillsides of vineyards and olive groves. Life is very slow here. We only saw a couple of locals during our walk. The rest were having a post-lunch siesta to avoid the midday sun.<br />
We stopped at Greve in Chianti for a brief stroll around the piazza and had gelati before returning to Florence by 6 pm. <br />
The tour lives up to its name because today was easily the most relaxing day we've had since our arrival in Italy.<br />
Tomorrow? The best of Tuscany tour. Stops in Sienna, San Gimignano and Pisa (likely mostly for a photo op at the tower). </div>
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<br /></div>Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-17533128888155720222012-07-16T00:24:00.001-07:002012-07-16T00:24:16.623-07:00A Day in the Cinque Terre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj085QjygsC0OUhaZ3jeGQv1PosEeti_d60Jz3ME5vTXW4dys5rAtvtJ6-DhcW413M6NnPZ2SKhiv94bpC8Gxn5DVeEDO4pWy2XnU7V5l4cCWweCjupRyJSuK3ShX596yVn-wdDt73QZib/s1600/DSC_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj085QjygsC0OUhaZ3jeGQv1PosEeti_d60Jz3ME5vTXW4dys5rAtvtJ6-DhcW413M6NnPZ2SKhiv94bpC8Gxn5DVeEDO4pWy2XnU7V5l4cCWweCjupRyJSuK3ShX596yVn-wdDt73QZib/s640/DSC_0925.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Manarola,the first of five villages on the Cinque Terre Trek.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manarola on a quiet Sunday morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terraced field cut into the steep hills to grow olives and grapes. This is between Corniglia and Vernazza, a challenging 4.5 km hike.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch in a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean. A seafood appetizer--anchovies, squid, shrimp, baby octopus...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dzB6PXHz4ORZ3FKGosz_afspTxV6FapnmOy4aF7iXZ20Gcx_wqOxRnh-4BNoo52NOusqrM2sGxTBD7MIz7cCODvQf0dsbRoOCrElM9JUqN7Tgv5YjDij881Kq53q61SR5rIlyN-OX8gB/s1600/DSC_0972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dzB6PXHz4ORZ3FKGosz_afspTxV6FapnmOy4aF7iXZ20Gcx_wqOxRnh-4BNoo52NOusqrM2sGxTBD7MIz7cCODvQf0dsbRoOCrElM9JUqN7Tgv5YjDij881Kq53q61SR5rIlyN-OX8gB/s640/DSC_0972.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many beautiful views of the Mediterranean from high on the hills between Corniglia and Vernazza. The hike is in a national park.</td></tr>
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Our decision to take the Cinque Terre trek was one of the best we've made so far. Although the day was long (we boarded the bus at 8:00 am and didn't get back to Florence until 8:30 pm), it was sensational. Our guides, two brothers Alex and Julian, provided just the right amount of information and were very attentive addressing everyone's needs, especially those who chose not to make the 4.5 km hike between two villages. The hike is quite demanding: for the entire time, with brief exceptions, you are either ascending or descending, sometimes at a very steep pitch on trails that are made of sharp, loose stones. Sometimes there are handrails--most often not. After the first 200 metres you are drenched in sweat--it's not a pretty picture meeting panting, perspiring hikers coming the opposite direction on the narrow trail where someone has to step to the side to give way to the other. Hikers are a polite breed, smiling in recognition at others involved in the same venture and frequently drawing on dwindling energy supplies to gasp a greeting as they meet each other.<br />
Cinque Terre is about two hours north of Florence in the so-called Italian Riviera. We travelled on the autostrade, a first rate highway where posted speed limits are optional and tailgating is obligatory. Our bus driver Franco was nonplussed as he used the size of the bus and liberal use of the horn to maintain our position in the passing lane along with zippy sports cars, Mercedes, etc.<br />
We arrived above Manarola about 10:00 o'clock and left the bus for the day. Descending steep, winding stairs, we reached the first of the five villages. During off season they have only a few hundred people, but during the tourist season--well, that's another story. We were there on Sunday and saw townspeople chatting with each other in the streets, going to church and just enjoying life on a beautiful, slightly breezy day. They seemed oblivious to the tourists, which was very nice.<br />
Our group of about 25 took the train from Manarola to Corniglia where we walked up a long zig-zagging set of stairs (382 steps) to reach a lovely restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean Sea where we had lunch The appetizer (see photo) had a wonderful selection of seafood with a small serving of potato salad. The anchovies were marinated and were totally unlike the appalling and salty canned version we buy in Canada. The baby octopus is soft and delicious, not rubbery like the versions sold in North American restaurants. The restaurant was right at the starting point of the hiking trail that would take us to Vernazza. The hike, as described earlier is demanding, but well worth the effort. The ratio between beautiful scenery and height increases with every step.<br />
From Vernazza, we took a train to Monterossa, the end of the trail (we would visit the first town Riomaggiore last). Monterossa is the most touristy of the five towns because of its long beach which was shoulder-to-shoulder with sun worshippers on Sunday.<br />
The plan had been for us to take a boat back to the first town and see the entire Cinque Terre from the perspective of the water. Unfortunately, the sea was choppy, making docking impossible, so we rode the train (by this time jam-packed with other equally sweaty tourists) to Riomaggiore--a disappointment, but unavoidable.<br />
We were treated to a glass of Cinque Terre white wine on a lovely terraced restaurant from which we could see the entire coast line of this very beautiful part of Italy. The easier part of the trek was left to the end: a walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola on the via Dell'Amore. Along the way, we saw padlocks locked to wires, cables and fences. Closing a padlock with your lover and then throwing the key into the sea below at a certain spot is a common ritual in Italy. Benches along the way are named for lovers from Greek mythology. We then took the train back to Spezia where we boarded our bus for the ride back to Florence.<br />
A slow day in Tuscany is next! Ciao.Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-61105215451335413802012-07-14T11:03:00.000-07:002012-07-14T11:03:13.630-07:00A Day of Museums in FlorenceThe Galleria dell' Accademia is famous for Michelangelo's <i>David</i>, a towering marble statue that can be seen from the entrance of a long hall that houses it. It was brought inside several years ago when it finally occurred to authorities that it could suffer long-term damage from the elements. Today it sits enclosed by a thick, five foot high plexi-glass barrier after a disgruntled, hammer-weilding artist attacked it in 1991, inflicting only minor damage to the toes before he was arrested. Seen close up, the proportions seem wrong--the head is too large for the body and the hands are enormous, especially the right one. Michelangelo, the genius, planned for the statue to be seen from a distance and therefore deliberately altered the proportions so that the statue would look life-life. The exaggerated right hand seems appropriate; after all, David used it to slay Goliath. It's amazing that the artist was able to capture emotion in cold marble. Today, David is besieged by tourists, the numbers of which the museum authorities attempt to control--as witnessed by the long lines outside. We, wisely, had reserved tickets and went right in another door. As interesting as the famous <i>David</i> is, there are four large Michelangelo statues in marble called <i>Freeing the Slaves.</i> In each, a figure seems to emerge from the raw marble, creating an original and striking effect.<br />
The other main attraction of the Accademia is a staggering number of creations done for churches: ornate alter pieces, frescoes, oil paintings and so on. They range from the 13th to 18th centuries. Most interesting are the early Renaissance works. The artists seemed fixated on a small number of themes: the Annunciation, the taking of Christ's body from the cross, the crucifixion, Mary surrounded by saints, and Madonna in various stilted poses. There are countless angels with wings and gold halos, some of which look like frisbees above the figures' heads; this is especially true in paintings done by some of the second line artists. It's appalling to think of the number of churches that must have been looted to gather so much church art in one place.<br />
There is also a small collection of musical instruments and, to no one's surprise, the Stradivarius instruments are the stars of the show.<br />
We played the part of the innocent and gullible tourists when we stopped for lunch in Piazza della Signoria, the famous square adjacent to the Ufizzi Gallery. We knew from the tour books that outdoor cafes in such popular, tourist-infested locations are expensive. Thirty euros ($39) poorer--for two slices of bruschetta, a beer and a bottle of water--we had learned our lesson.<br />
Becoming cultured is hard work. We showed up at the Uffizi at 3:00, our appointed time, collected our tickets and went in relatively hassle free, except that Cathy had to make a quick exit through the incoming masses to empty our water bottles. The security people allow bottles but no liquids. We left our cameras behind at the apartment because we knew that photos are not allowed; seeing someone taking a picture is about the only thing that kick starts the otherwise lethargic attendants into action. They spring from their tiny stools, screeching "No photo" at top volume and thrust their hands in front of the offending camera lens. Otherwise, all we could determine that they do is play video games on their phones or text. Some occasionally doze off.<br />
Note to art thieves: choose 6:00 pm for your snatch and run because the majority of staff will be too absorbed with their phones or sleeping on the job to sound the alarm.<br />
Notwithstanding the staff, the gallery is staggering. It has a collection of art works from the 13th to the 17th century, including most of the important Renaissance painters. I have no idea how many paintings there are in the Uffizi--but it's a huge number. Like the Borghesi in Rome, one needs to be in the position to live in the city for several weeks and visit the gallery many times, on each occasion taking in only one section or one room or one painter. Otherwise it's overwhelming, and after three hours we joined the others people who looked glassy-eyed and wearied by the attempt to take in so much "culture" in such a short time. A simple case of sensory overload which makes you feel like a philistine for not appreciating each and every work to the fullest. But it's impossible.<br />
After three hours, we left--very happy to have had the opportunity but sorry to have missed so much. Among our favourites, we single out the room with several excellent Raphaels, another room full of beautiful Botticelli paintings including the famous <i>Birth of Venus</i>, and wonderful works by da Vinci, Michelangelo and Carravaggio.<br />
We'll have an early night because tomorrow we're going on a day trip to the Cinque Terre. Hope to have some good photos to post tomorrow night.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled seasonal vegetables at Trattoria la Burrasca. We had a very good dinner here, as shown by the following pictures.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gnocchi with pesto sauce</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florentine steak with green peppercorn sauce. Steaks always come rare, and asking for it well done would result in a major eye-roll from the waiter and much snickering in the kitchen--and then it would come very rare anyway. After all, the chef knows better than you!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The small restaurant is near the huge covered market in Florence.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the Duomo from a side street. The building is so tall that you cannot see its dome from close by.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The campanile, a gothic bell tower on the Palazzo Vecchio, near the Uffizi Gallery.</td></tr>
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<br />Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-29813880402955593132012-07-13T21:38:00.000-07:002012-07-13T21:38:11.440-07:00First full day in Florence<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESDs4ZbJ4Tbv30p566kWQarwhjkNyUKBCDUkeVL4e8ujooDwVZjXFLzJlfEd072EHPoPh-eJyJE_H22oGmJVOBLcXWkGKbk-jGYpLKB1L4rLMLbF7QnqRTJSWpfnE9wV4DFcGzURNsCt2/s1600/DSC_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESDs4ZbJ4Tbv30p566kWQarwhjkNyUKBCDUkeVL4e8ujooDwVZjXFLzJlfEd072EHPoPh-eJyJE_H22oGmJVOBLcXWkGKbk-jGYpLKB1L4rLMLbF7QnqRTJSWpfnE9wV4DFcGzURNsCt2/s400/DSC_0670.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cattedrale Santa Maria dei Fiore (better known as the Duomo)<br />
This church is so tall that you cannot actually see the dome from street level. The best views are from the village of Fiesole above the city.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basilica de San Lorenzo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU0Cb1vulUFTo5mxqzbx1S0GoEEf1CEIsqXyXm3eet9bWDwBXjdfMYV1JAHh60igv0R9i2ZJTPTzbMwz-tgvJjUpCxpl7IhYf8rfwGiRVDear5I65HPIDMaWH67YGII7jvgf7Z5dja088/s1600/DSC_0680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU0Cb1vulUFTo5mxqzbx1S0GoEEf1CEIsqXyXm3eet9bWDwBXjdfMYV1JAHh60igv0R9i2ZJTPTzbMwz-tgvJjUpCxpl7IhYf8rfwGiRVDear5I65HPIDMaWH67YGII7jvgf7Z5dja088/s400/DSC_0680.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doors of the baptistery by Ghiberti (across from the Duomo) - each panel illustrates a Biblical theme.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the panels</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Last Judgement (fresco) by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari towers 376 feet above the altar in the Duomo, which took over 150 years to construct.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Basilica di San Lorenzo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tripe and other offal are for sale in Mercatto Centrale - Florence's largest indoor market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzL1q1RPY_0NFk83RqtAupARyE9g8ReQXmvQqpjm8eFCGcemXyKHgQpNNpwndnNXhlaO3CatQG4ccnSEL8uuXGVNG_3-R3fL6_APkmTcU6EfE5PTdMc998SJkjwQPpGL9mm6AoEYv4YzCX/s1600/DSC_0795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzL1q1RPY_0NFk83RqtAupARyE9g8ReQXmvQqpjm8eFCGcemXyKHgQpNNpwndnNXhlaO3CatQG4ccnSEL8uuXGVNG_3-R3fL6_APkmTcU6EfE5PTdMc998SJkjwQPpGL9mm6AoEYv4YzCX/s400/DSC_0795.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gardens of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi</td></tr>
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For the first time since we arrived in Italy, I wasn't drenched in sweat after fifteen minutes of walking. The temperature is about 30, but there are a few clouds and a cooling breeze. It's odd to be wasting time in a blog writing about the weather, but when it's actually bearable in July and August in Italy--that's newsworthy!<br />
Our apartment has good facilities so we've stocked up on breakfast things--we even have cereal made by Kelloggs called "Nice Morning." We have wonderful fresh fruit, orange juice, yogurt (Activia, if you can believe it), wonderful pastry that's flaky and a bit sweet, and a mild cheese (a bit like gouda).<br />
We walked to the Santa Maria Novella station (less than 20 minutes) just so that we know our way for Sunday when we begin a one-day tour of Tuscany at a pick-up point near the station.<br />
We were at the Cattedrale Santa Maria dei Fiore (better known as the Duomo) by 10:00 when it opened. With almost no crowds in sight, we enjoyed the stunning interior. It should be sensational--it was started in 1296 and not finished until 1436, with the new facade added in the 19th century. Italians take their time to get things right, at least most of the time. Like virtually everything of value or interest in Florence, Michelangelo had a hand in its construction. The dome which is a technological marvel towers above the city. It's astonishing that such a massive structure does not collapse under its own weight. There is a huge "Last Judgment" fresco by Vasari on the dome. Intrepid--or foolhardy--tourists pay 8 Euro to climb the 463 steps to the dome for, what I am told, is a spectacular view of the city. I'll take their word for it.<br />
The famous bronze doors by Ghiberti that open into the Baptistry across the way from the Duomo are also a marvel. Unlike a large number of irreplaceable monuments and historic building that are not maintained very well by authorities, these magnificent doors are awe inspiring.<br />
We made our way through a market which sells mainly leather goods on the way to the Mercatto Centrale. The stalls stretch for at least 200 metres, and each merchant implores you to examine their merchandise. The prices are cheaper than the boutiques selling leather goods that surround the area where we have the apartment and, I suspect, of lesser quality. We saw an interesting sign on one stall assuring customers that the leather good were high quality (as opposed, I suppose, to cheap knock-offs made in China).<br />
The Mercatto Centrale is a marvellous place with dozens and dozens of indoor stalls selling meat (there must be 20 meat stalls alone; they sell almost every part of the animal), seafood, vegetables, pasta, spices, wine, olive oil and so on. Everything is attractively displayed--even to the extent that rabbits almost looked appetizing.<br />
On the way home, we stopped at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi--you can't wander far in Florence without coming upon something associated with this incredibly rich and even more incredibly powerful family. From what I can infer, they used their wealth and power to get, by whatever means necessary, what they wanted. The palazzo is filled with opulent rooms and gardens. We passed by the much more modest Basilica di San Lorenzo (another Medici--I told you we can't get away from them) but didn't stop. There are only so many churches you can take in in one day, and we had plans to visit the Santa Croce church just down the street from our front door in the afternoon.<br />
Santa Croce is fascinating. It contains the tombs of "who's who" from Italy's celebrity list from the 13th to late 17th century--with a few on either side of the time line: Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante, Rossini, a couple of Medici family members, etc. There is a very good museum that has some noteworthy art, including a fascinating, decorative 15 foot crucifix by Cimabue done in in the late 1200's. It was badly damaged, as were hundreds of other art works when a flood in the 1962 (I think) brought water 8 feet up the wall of the Santa Croce church. It has been restored and continues to draw art lovers.<br />
We had dinner tonight in a small restaurant near the Central Market that Jane and Gerry, Cathy's sister and brother-in-law, recommended. They were there several years ago and had a great meal. We did too! The food here in Italy is so good. It relies on fresh ingredients (including only vegetables that are in season--spinach, peppers and zucchini are the key veggies now). The do such marvellously simple and creative things with vegetables. With everything, in fact.<br />
Tomorrow is a "culture" day: first, the Accademia to see sculpture, especially Michelangelo's <i>David; </i>and then to the Uffizi to see some of the world's greatest masterpieces by Giotto, Leonardo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens and Michelangelo.Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-12917995585045702272012-07-12T15:27:00.000-07:002012-07-12T15:27:16.081-07:00Arrival in Firenze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Croce church - just steps away from our apartment in Florence</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruschetta pomodoro</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assorted fried fish and vegetables (squid, baby octopus, sardines, zucchini and carrots - in cone)<br />Delicious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rigatoni with local pork sausage and black truffles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spire of Palazzo del Vecchio</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue in the Piazza della Signoria<br /><br /></td></tr>
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It's been long day, as we left Rome and made our way up to Florence on a high speed train (the Frecciarossa). The journey lasted one hour and twenty minutes. The modern train has screens at the end of each coach that provide information on distance travelled, estimated time of arrival and speed. The "speed" section caught my attention. As we passed through the beautiful Umbrian and Tuscany countryside, I was aware we very moving along at a good clip because the vehicles on the autostrade that often parallels the train track were no match for our speed. It was only when I noticed on the screen that we were going 250 km/hour that I realized our actual speed.<br />
We weren't sorry to be leaving Rome, in spite of the fact that we left hundreds of things unseen. We attempted to choose well--instead of breezing through every tourist spot in the travel book, we selected a small number of Rome's attractions and focused on them. The heat and noise was beginning to take its toll, so we were pleased when the train left Rome's ugly suburbs behind and snaked its way through some green and pleasant countryside. Many of the fields are ready to harvest; the hay has already been baled in the rolling fields. We saw fields of sunflowers in bloom.<br />
Florence (Firenze) has its own drab and dreary suburbs, and Santa Maria Novella station equals Rome's Termini for noise and confusion. We phoned the concierge from the station and he was waiting for us at Via Verdi 12, when we arrived by cab a few minutes later. Gian showed us where everything is and what to do if the electricity goes out (re-set the breakers). The apartment hadn't been occupied for at least a week and, as a result, it was stifling. The poor old air conditioners have been going full blast ever since--to no avail. It's after midnight and the apartment is still quite hot. We've opened windows and hope it cools off.<br />
We shopped for a few groceries (mostly fruit, baked goods, milk, juice for breakfasts) and had a very late lunch at--wait for it: we found another Irish pub. There's something weird about our coming upon three Irish pubs for lunch in one week!<br />
We became acquainted with our neighbourhood before dinner.We are in the Santa Croce area about fifty metres from the church in the photo. It appears to be away from the major tourist areas, which is just fine with us. We walked to the Piazza della Signoria where the Uffizi Gallery is located before having a wonderful meal at Boccadama Eneteca Ristorante.<br />
More tomorrow.Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-84161594199753499022012-07-11T14:12:00.001-07:002012-07-11T14:12:58.174-07:00Museum Day in Rome<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5mN_Lj8fhKKOQIRAIrlWrnqnCJj8DcZ0aOtrgg94WUboyOZn5ZgI0bXrrL2jKVoH_Fu1gG7wx6BDLXETfXXhr4385mGoQkshq85_4NjPGcbAIhn9DAjEt4PJJX388ZlmgjGnqrFdGzP8/s1600/DSC_0543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5mN_Lj8fhKKOQIRAIrlWrnqnCJj8DcZ0aOtrgg94WUboyOZn5ZgI0bXrrL2jKVoH_Fu1gG7wx6BDLXETfXXhr4385mGoQkshq85_4NjPGcbAIhn9DAjEt4PJJX388ZlmgjGnqrFdGzP8/s400/DSC_0543.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Palazzo dei Conservatori - one of the world's oldest museums, founded in 1471</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Rome's skyline domineered by church domes, including St. Peter's in the centre (taken from the terrace at the top of the museum).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius - erected in 175</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new Italian friends: Massimo, Biancamaria, Delfina and her recently acquired puppy Aquamarine (in bag)-owners of the apartment where we are staying.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand staircase in the Museum di Roma</td></tr>
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We decided to devote our last full day in Rome to Museums: the Palazzo dei Conservatori (one of Italy's largest museums which lays claim to being the oldest museum in the world, a claim I'm in no position to dispute) and Museo di Roma (a former palace build by the nephew of a pope who couldn't say no to his nephew's demands for money).<br />
The Conservatori is a magnificent building (although a bit confusingly laid out) housing pre-Christian sculpture, paintings and artifacts from Rome's history. As you enter the courtyard, great chunks of a statue of Emperor Constantine are seen: a foot, a hand, and his head that must be ten feet tall. The statue formerly occupied the Basilica of Constantine, but the years have not been kind to dear old Con and consequently his quest for eternal glory (at least represented by the statue) lie in pieces. Still, even the enormous fragments that remain are impressive.<br />
The famous statue of Romulus and Remus is dwarfed by the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius which has been moved into a massive glass room to protect it from the elements. The July temperature in Rome, I swear, would melt bronze.<br />
The view of the Roman skyline from the top floor cafeteria of the museum is interesting. At street level one doesn't really grasp the importance of the Catholic Church to the life of the city (at least until the present time). From the roof top viewpoint, the domes of many churches dominate the skyline. The museum has some great paintings as well.<br />
We arranged to meet our gracious Rome landlords Massimo and Biancamaria, and their daughter Delfina, for lunch. They are warm, friendly people who live interesting lives. Massimo is a professor of music at Malta University (therefore they do not live in Rome for much of the year , and rent out their apartment in the historic and interesting Campo de Fiori district of Rome. Biancamaria is an actress who is currently involved in a project she created. She has created a dramatic presentation of Saint Caterina set to the music of John Coltrane. Saint Caterina was a strong advocate for human rights, including those of women, centuries before her time. Delfina had saved her money since she was four to buy a puppy, and the newly purchased and very sweet puppy accompanied her and her parents to Rome. Even though we only met the family for a couple of hours, we feel that we know them. They are so kind and thoughtful. Massimo even accompanied me to a bank machine to walk me through the intricacies of Italian banks.<br />
With one possible exception, all the restaurants we've eaten at in Rome have been very good. Tonight we went to Ciccia Bomba near Piazza Navona where we had very good pizza (with Parma ham sliced thin as paper and zucchini flowers with the usual cheese; and Pasta alla Norma (excellent tomato sauce with grilled eggplant). <br />
Off to Florence tomorrow morning. Arrividerci!Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-20052129516358535232012-07-10T14:18:00.000-07:002012-07-10T14:18:38.366-07:00Church Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Peter's Basilica</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bD131xX-Gk4ebp4EXTja_dsU9M7c1khRExn_EFMr9yCwR7ugmwehj5DETX6EZaH2cxdxvfXjneZoKMkERPwSrVH9Beqt11N2iOwXWaHAhAXjY1golPteiv989xW5DRBo-kOQffDiKH7l/s1600/DSC_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bD131xX-Gk4ebp4EXTja_dsU9M7c1khRExn_EFMr9yCwR7ugmwehj5DETX6EZaH2cxdxvfXjneZoKMkERPwSrVH9Beqt11N2iOwXWaHAhAXjY1golPteiv989xW5DRBo-kOQffDiKH7l/s400/DSC_0341.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Globe in foreground is same size as the globe at the very top of St. Peter's basilica.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facade of San Giovanni dei Florentini</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to San Giovanni</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BBfOjsmu4XlXxiyp4Xe4GcCbi8pqCAKUHP-lEqgzkZXYXpkbno3ltk1CC6XKeQMJ6NCgq_2E0TlDZLF7O43Ey7SDxsujCtKy0jh8chYgiqtoWAStDDcsCP9do6yIQowv1DLbAOtiuYR0/s1600/DSC_0518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BBfOjsmu4XlXxiyp4Xe4GcCbi8pqCAKUHP-lEqgzkZXYXpkbno3ltk1CC6XKeQMJ6NCgq_2E0TlDZLF7O43Ey7SDxsujCtKy0jh8chYgiqtoWAStDDcsCP9do6yIQowv1DLbAOtiuYR0/s400/DSC_0518.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronze replica of Mary Magdalene's foot - the first person to enter Christ's tomb after the ascension (in San Giovanni)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathy in our tiny lift - maximum capacity: 2 people (or 1 person and 1 suitcase!)</td></tr>
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We hit the street (Vittorio Emanuele) by 7:55 this morning to be at the Vatican Museum by 8:40 for our guided tour. Assuming that the earliest booking of the day would result in reduced crowds proved to be faulty thinking. I think the place is packed with tourists at virtually any time of the day. We had online reservations and, therefore, went in without delay by a special entrance. There was a line up at least 300 metres long of people without tickets. By 9:00 am the temperature in Rome is blistering, and the people had at least a two hour wait ahead of them.<br />
The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica are the main tourist draws in Rome (our guide told us the 28,000 people go through the Vatican Museum every day).<br />
The guided tour proved to be a good choice--as opposed to exploring the museum on our own. The guide was very knowledgeable--a bit too much information overload for the children in the group. It's interesting to observe the people who visit museums. It's clear to me that most visit out of a sense of obligation--if you're in Rome, you visit the Vatican. The teenagers can barely suppress yawns and their younger siblings have no such inhibitions. Mom and Dad are trying, without apparent success, to instill a little culture and art appreciation in their bored offspring whose unspoken attitude seems to be, "but Mom, you told me Rome was going to be fun!"<br />
It has to be said, however, that even the most dedicated art lover has a hard time of it with the noise, the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, and the unspoken but very real imperative to keep moving. In fact, in the Sistine Chapel, the guards tell people to keep moving--that is, when they aren't shouting at them to be quiet. It all detracts from the awe-inspiring magnificence of Michelangelo's ceiling. Nonetheless, if you can mentally block out the noise, it is impossible to miss the religious splendour if the chapel. Deeply versed in the Bible, and aware of the sometimes prissy standards of the pope and cardinals, Michelangelo extended the bounds of art in a creation that is almost impossible to fully appreciate--certainly not in the few minutes you are allowed to be in the chapel. Still, it is satisfying to be in the presence of pure genius--even for a few moments.<br />
The galleries in the Vatican Museum have some wonderful art work: sculptures, tapestries, oil paintings.<br />
St. Peter's is also inspiring--its sheer size and grandeur are astonishing.<br />
The Vatican has a lot to learn about dealing with crowds--especially the ratio of toilets to visitors.<br />
A visit to the Vatican tells a lot about the Catholic Church. No expense was spared by the popes as they competed to outdo each other in commissioning chapels, private rooms, and other monuments that were intended to celebrate their greatness and perpetuate their memory. One gets the impression that a good number of them were egomaniacs. Appearance seemed to be the most important criterion.<br />
To cope with the intense heat as we stepped out of St. Peter's, we promptly left Vatican City and sought the air-conditioned comfort of the Abbey Theatre Bar (another Irish pub we discovered in Rome).<br />
After a brief siesta (not in the bar!-- at our apartment), we strolled the Via Giulia (commissioned by Pope Julius--if he had a number, I don't know what it is). It is a quiet kilometre long street that runs parallel to the Tiber River. The home of wealthy Romans and foreigners, Via Giulia is very different from other neighbourhoods we've walked through. It's quiet, a bit aloof with its expensive homes and high end art galleries. It terminated at a wonderful church: San Giovanni dei Florentini which opened in 1508. The architect Jacopo Sansovino beat out the great Raphael to design it, but ran into trouble when the foundation began to sink (it's near the Tiber) and he was sacked. Michelangelo contributed to the design of the floor plan. It is a treasure house of Baroque art, with several chapels on either side of the nave being sponsored by wealthy families who hired artists and sculptors to complete the tiny chapels which are not more than five or six metres square. Theses chapels are richly decorated by some of the top artists of the day, including Filippino Lippi and Michelangelo. In many ways, because the church was almost deserted and very cool, the experience was superior to St.Peter's earlier in the day.Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-44243457785907431682012-07-09T07:30:00.000-07:002012-07-09T07:30:33.446-07:00All About Food<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf49QQDa5KP739cx0EW9WELBBfAQ263PAhmrfoLM4Z5vdTX2hIxJ3z36rmrH8OIkiMi7XY5EF7X7Z2eBIzdHK1Ankv1pKI1yqHYye7z3NVqsGn36WnYK792aH97KNjJmNmiGefmtQEvMCQ/s1600/DSC_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf49QQDa5KP739cx0EW9WELBBfAQ263PAhmrfoLM4Z5vdTX2hIxJ3z36rmrH8OIkiMi7XY5EF7X7Z2eBIzdHK1Ankv1pKI1yqHYye7z3NVqsGn36WnYK792aH97KNjJmNmiGefmtQEvMCQ/s400/DSC_0203.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guide Luna - an Australian who has lived in Rome for the last 2 years.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proscuitto hanging in Volpetti's - a wonderful gourmet food store.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side trek to Protestant cemetery - grave of John Keats</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lina and Enzo Lazzerini gave us delicious fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese from their stall in the recently opened Testaccio Market</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Award-winning owner of Giolitti - "best gelato in Rome"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Machine (panna montata produttore) used to make whipped cream to add to the gelato</td></tr>
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What a day this has been. We have been looking forward to the Eating Italy Food Tour since we booked it online weeks ago. It features eight stops to savour Italian food. The tour takes place in the Testaccio area of the city--a neighbourhood where ordinary middle class Romans live and shop--far-removed from the hordes of tourists - like us!<br />
We called a taxi to pick us up at the apartment; after our experience with unreliable public transport, we opted for a taxi. It arrived within minutes. The driver was quiet and drove conservatively--at least by the standards of most Roman drivers. The only unsettling aspect was his shaven head and a large tattoo on his arm which featured the word HATE in English. We were not subjected to a diatribe on undesirable immigrants, as his skinhead appearance suggested. For all I know, he could be a quiet family man. Like all drivers he talked on his cell phones (yes, plural) while driving. Not withstanding, he delivered us promptly and safely (the key requirement) to our destination outside Zi Elena cafe.<br />
We had time for a walk through the gritty neighbourhood before meeting our extraordinary guide Luna (who bears a striking resemblance to Sandra Bullock). A transplanted Aussie, she obviously speaks flawless Italian and has become knowledgeable about her adopted country, offering ideas, quips, and travel advice about all parts of Italy. She has done her homework and makes the four-hour tour an adventure in food and Italian culture. She often illustrates her information with humous anecdotes and witty remarks.<br />
We began at Barberini (bakery) where we sampled the traditional Italian breakfast called cornetti (like croissants only ten times better!) and had a sample of tirmisu (not a breakfast staple) from a tiny cup made of intense dark chocolate.<br />
The highlight of the tour was a stop at E. Volpetti, a gourmet food store that meets you with a heavenly aroma. We were tempted to move to Rome just so we could shop at this sublime store. We were given samples of food by the family which has owned the store for generations: for example, prosciutto, salame (not a misspelling), pecorino, and a divine balsamic vinegar (a bottle of which will accompany us home).<br />
The tour features a brief visit to the famous Protestant Cemetery by the Pyramid. We took pictures of the graves of the two great British Romantic poets who are buried there: John Keats and Percy B. Shelley. There are cats throughout the cemetery--a woman has made it her life's work to care for them. The spirit of Keats is said to live on through the cats--a cute but nonsensical notion.<br />
Back to the food! The Testaccio Covered Market has recently moved from its old location. While new and very clean, it sits on top of the ancient supply route that brought food stuffs into the city. We made bruschetta from delicious fresh tomatoes (bruschetta al pomodori). We saved some of the tomatoes to eat with mozzarella di bufala from the charming stall of Lina and Enzo.<br />
What used to be the largest slaughter house in Europe (the equivalent of 17 football fields) is now a museum, but we had a quick peek at the overhead rails that used to convey the countless carcasses to various parts of the facility. Some of Rome's most famous dishes originated from the inventive wives of poorly paid workers who were allowed to take home the undesirable bits (brains, tails, tripe--you get the idea). Evidently, the dishes are on the menus of some of Rome's finest restaurants.<br />
As we made our way to Flavio al Velavedodetto for lunch we passed a man-made mountain. In ancient times all foods were brought into the city in clay urns of various sizes. They were called amphora. Because of their nature they could only be used a couple of time before the wine, oil, honey etc deteriorated the jugs or penetrated the porous surface. So they were thrown away by the thousands and the hill (dumpsite) is the result. Today, bars and restaurants surround the base of the "mountain" now called the Monte Testaccio. We were served three pasta dishes: carbonara, amatriciana, and cacao e pepe (pepper and cheese). Wonderful food.<br />
As if that wasn't filling enough, we stopped at 00100 Pizza where we had a unique food--suppli all a genovese. The restaurant was recently the site of a Master Chef Australia TV show. They are egg-shaped risotto balls that are breaded and deep friend. The filling also contains chopped beef. Superb.<br />
Finally we staggered to Giolitti (an authentic gelato store which just won a medal--to win the store has to pass rigorous standards, including being run by a single family for four generations!). Luna gave us a brief tutorial on detecting fake from real gelato before we each sampled two beautifully flavoured varieties.<br />
Clearly, for both of us, the food tour was the highlight of the tour--so far. Stay tuned because we're taking a cooking class when we're in Orvieto. Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-7757841267532022442012-07-08T08:25:00.000-07:002012-07-08T23:14:17.500-07:00July 6/7 in Rome<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza Navona</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIXIXIVi5JR_snIpIT6dj5WYETIGLxojvJPEU0dS0rrEd4yQIGF_P8lC_MBXQ8T6IVpUGT3eL6uUu-uMqTa-U1pAjBhArM3yCbcMXMKjTyjbvFLqWexn04EVTD_M2psZNoDcm_HvqgyWC/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIXIXIVi5JR_snIpIT6dj5WYETIGLxojvJPEU0dS0rrEd4yQIGF_P8lC_MBXQ8T6IVpUGT3eL6uUu-uMqTa-U1pAjBhArM3yCbcMXMKjTyjbvFLqWexn04EVTD_M2psZNoDcm_HvqgyWC/s400/DSC_0027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pantheon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy94Ko5wVOBYegsViy-Io-yXbn53UtmXvKLDeFRIDLIHOsLP3cVROresPwdt8orfjlb0KRhUIjv6H1p1bZ8PLOrebCoP8DdQGUJQ2WIkT3N5Ka0TmU82qdWJwIG4kSmTGlzx39zeNga2i6/s1600/DSC_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy94Ko5wVOBYegsViy-Io-yXbn53UtmXvKLDeFRIDLIHOsLP3cVROresPwdt8orfjlb0KRhUIjv6H1p1bZ8PLOrebCoP8DdQGUJQ2WIkT3N5Ka0TmU82qdWJwIG4kSmTGlzx39zeNga2i6/s400/DSC_0165.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victor Emmanuel Monument - Soldiers on Guard</td></tr>
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Our first two days in Rome have yielded some surprises and some predictable experiences.<br />
We remembered from when we were in Rome on a guided tour in 1986 that the traffic is a nightmare. Drivers regard signs and lights as optional and pedestrians are fair game if they have the audacity to step into the street, even at a crosswalk or on a green light. The hotel we stayed at for the first night had arranged a driver to pick us up at the airport and deliver us to the Hotel Teatro de Pompeo. Sandro, whose size would qualify him as a lineman with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, met us as arranged and led us to his blue Mercedes. The air-conditioning was a welcome relief from the heat that hit us as we stepped out of the terminal. Sandro attempted twice to get through a barrier without putting in his parking ticket--in fact he backed out of one line and attempted another. He had a remote control which he seemed reluctant to use to lift the barrier. After a couple of false starts we left the airport and hit the autostrade whereupon the speedometer quickly reached 140 kpm--at one time it topped 160--and we were on our way into Rome. Lanes, where they exist, on the streets are merely guidelines and Sandro slid into narrow spaces behind and beside buses with cm to spare. Once we realized that his driving was the norm, we relaxed and enjoyed the ride.<br />
The staff at the hotel couldn't have been nicer. Like much of Rome, it is build over centuries of rubble from previous civilizations. In fact, the hotel is on the foundation of Pompeii's theatre. We purchased a cheap mobile phone to use in Italy, but of course the instructions were in Italian. The desk clerk set up and activated the phone for us. Had it been left to John to perform the task, the phone would have ended up ground underfoot in frustration. The clerk programmed the phone to give instructions in English, so I think we are okay. He kindly told us to come back if we had any problems with the phone or if we needed any other kind of assistance. He typifies the kind and friendly people we have met. Interestingly, the least helpful and friendly people we've met work for the Italian Tourist Bureau just off Piazza Navona. Yesterday, we visited the Borghese Gallery (hands down one of the great art galleries in the world) and thought we'd economize and take the bus. Where better to get advice than the Tourist Office, right? The woman who ostensibly helped us mentioned the bus number (116) and pointed in the general direction off to her right when we asked where the bus stop was. Long story made short--when it came time to catch the bus we were unable to find the bus stop or to spot a #116 bus. Her directions when she pointed to her right were intended only in the most vague sense, meaning the bus stop could be 10 metres away or 500 or half way to the Borghese for all we knew. One must have reservations to gain admittance and you are assigned a specific time to be there (30 minutes before the appointed time to pick up your ticket). Frantically looking for the bus stop while closely keeping track of the time, we finally hailed a taxi and rode in air-conditioned style to the Gallery. The lesson learned? Ask people on the street for information and avoid the official tourist people who are, like so many Italian workers, guaranteed a lifetime job and cannot be fired for any reason. No wonder their economy is in such a mess.<br />
The hotel is 50 meters from our apartment, so on Saturday morning we rolled our suitcases over the cobbled streets to 8B via Chiavari where Massimo's (our landlord) Philipino caretaker Ronnie and his wife Jinki showed us where to leave our bags. The building is 800 years old. Needless to say, that means the walls are thick, a factor that insulates us (partially) from the intense heat of Rome. The forecast indicates the temperatures will be +30 every day of our stay. One merely learns to cope! At outdoor restaurants the management has large fans placed near some of the tables. A pump sprays a fine mist of water in front of the fan blades which distribute it onto patrons. For the most part it is a futile exercise since the mist evaporates in the dry heat almost before it reaches the person it is intended for.<br />
Campo di Fiore is a wonderful area of Rome. It is central and has an amazing range of restaurants. The square itself is a thriving market during the day and becomes a mecca for tourists and locals at night when all the stalls are taken down. We bought fresh fruit there yesterday--sensational cherries and peaches. We also bought olives and cheese in the local supermarket which is not 50 metres from our front door.<br />
We are attempting to blend in a bit--Cathy more successfully that I--by learning and using a few Italian phrases.<br />
We'll keep you posted in the coming days on some of our experiences.<br />
Arriverdici from Rome.<br />
<br />Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8622044822715969482.post-58093986178825117222012-07-06T08:04:00.001-07:002012-07-06T08:04:37.141-07:00Safe Arrival<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Buon giorni o!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are happy to report that we arrived safely in Rome this morning. After a long 8 1/2 hour flight, we had a car waiting for us at the airport to take us to our hotel. (It was a fast ride - 150 km at one point!) It is quite warm here, but our hotel room is air-conditioned. After we got settled, we went for a walk around the neighbourhood: Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navonna, the Pantheon. Also had our first taste of gelato (very refreshing on a hot day) and some pizza to keep us going until suppertime. We have plans to go out for dinner this evening fashionably late - Italians don't eat until after 8:00 - at a restaurant close by recommended by our hotel. It will be our anniversary celebration. We will see if we can post some pictures soon. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arrividerci!</span>Mrs. McPhail's Grade one classhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714043084818190380noreply@blogger.com0