No 33 – Roman Musings

Back in Rome there was time for one last stop before the long flight home. Nearing the end of their travels, Sailor Boy and Pip were both tired and in a pensive mood.  So what would be the last stop? The Markets?

“No money”, said Sailor Boy.

“What about the Sistine Chapel?”

“Well we’ve seen a lot of art and I’m a bit over the crowds,” muttered Pip.

“OK, then there’s the catacombs or the cemetery you wanted to see, remember Keats? On a beautiful spring day – it’s better to be outside isn’t it?”

So to the cemetery it would be. Off the usual tourist track, they would go to the cemetery and pay homage to, the incomparable poets John Keats and Percy Shelley for a final burst of nostalgia.

The boys set out for a pleasant walk past the large empty field of Circus Maximus, once the home of chariot racing, to reach the Non Catholic cemetery of Rome. A distinctive stone pyramid, some 50ft tall, uilt for a long forgotten general as a self-indulgent grave stone, provided an excellent location marker for the site.

Inside the cemetery iron gates and stone walls lay an evocative setting. Its park-like atmosphere of green verges and picturesque trees are watched over by gentle guardians, elderly ladies selling memorabilia to raise funds for its upkeep.

The boys loved the tranquillity of the cemetry gardens, finding a welcome respite from the chaotic city beyond its walls.

Along a grassy walkway, at the far end of the gardens, they found the grave of John Keats, the stone simply inscribed ‘An English Poet’. To make his own homage, Pip placed a tiny flower on the grave and remembered some lines from Keats’ poem, “To Autumn.”

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too…

Nearby on a small rise of ground they found Keats’s friend the radical poet, Percy Shelley, famed for his atheism and intellect. Author of “Prometheus Unbound”, and husband of Mary Shelley, who wrote the masterpiece “Frankenstein” he was another Romantic poet. The epitaph on Shelley’s grave was from Shakespeare’s “Tempest”, and reflected his untimely death drowning on the Italian coast at the age of 29.

From somewhere in his past, Pip remembered lines from Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind”, and his thoughts lived on…“over the universe like withered leaves to quicken a new birth!”

Under the shade in the cemetery garden, groups of young people relaxed and chatted.

No 31 – Sicilian Suprises

Not many people know that in central Sicily lies an archaeological site with the largest complex of Roman mosaics in the Mediterranean.  The Piazza Armerina, a Roman dwelling uncovered in excavations was revealed to be a hunting lodge for the Emperor Herculius.

On its painted walls and in detailed floor mosaics, stories from history and mythology are depicted. Pictures of animals, hunting, fishing and chariot racing reveal scenes of everyday life.

The hot and cold tubs in the bathing areas are features of envy and in one of the sleeping quarters, an extraordinary love scene reveals the timelessness of love.

Sadly the mosaic dubbed the Bikini Girls, depicting girls playing gymnastics, was under restoration and inaccessible, providing a good reason to return one day.

On the eastern side of the island, the ancient city of Syracuse is known for its impressive Greek Theatre which is used for performances of ancient plays and is still the only theatre in the city.

The legendary Renaissance artist Caravaggio lived and worked in Syracuse for a time, as did Archimedes, who was considered to be the greatest mathematician of antiquity. He was murdered by a Roman soldier on the beach during a siege. Nearby the famed Arethuse fountain has been celebrated in poetry through the ages, for according to Homeric legend the goddess Leto stopped here to give birth to the goddess Artemis.

No. 30 – Sampling Sicily

On the north west coast of Sicily, the road to Erice, pronounced ‘Eriche’, loops up a steep mountainside like a long twisting strand of Sicilian spaghetti. The town is so ancient that its origins are lost in mythology, so old it was said to be founded by the Cyclops, the one-eyed giants described by the ancient poet Homer. For three centuries it was ruled by Arabs until conquered by the Normans, who left a magnificent 12^th century castle, a feat of medieval engineering buttressing out of its tallest grey peaks.

Pip and Sailor Boy strolled around its mysterious and delightful cobble stone laneways past tiny shop fronts bulging with trinkets until they came across the main square. There on the other side was the local patisserie. This town was famous for its pastries, “Buonjourno!” said Pip to the smiling owner who was only too pleased to offer his local specialties. “What a time we’re having!” It was a mouth-watering display of sweets and with their very healthy appetites, a memorable morning tea.

Rolling back to the bus they headed down the long slippery dip road to the next stop, Segesta. Segesta was famous for its Greek temple which forms a splendid ruin.  The temple’s statue of Diana had been stolen by one of the Roman governors. Some crimes are never forgotten! Pip was in awe, gazing at the glorious columns in their unspoilt setting. You would never have known it hadn’t been completed.

Near the town of Trapani the boys visited a Sicilian olive farm and were treated to an authentic farm-house lunch hosted by Maria the owner.

They inspected 2,000 year old olive groves, tasted three different types of olive oil and had the best bruschetta they had ever eaten, filled with intense flavours of garlic and oregano. After the main course, consisting of not one, but two spaghetti dishes, they still had room for a local speciality, olive oil ice cream. It was surprisingly delicious.

The afternoon was spent visiting a winery. Pip, old enough to be able to sample the local varieties, joined in the fun making tasting notes on his preferences. The white wine he stated…was… “warmed by the Sicilian sun, cooled by the Mediterranean wind, with a hint of ambrosia, the nectar of the Gods.” The red… “a strong muddy flavour, a taste of the Sicilian farm yard perhaps.”

The final inspection of the wine cellars was asomewhat dreamy affair.

The next day they headed south to the archaeological paradise of Agrigento. Now here was a true highlight of the trip. Adjoining the modern town, a whole series of temples cascaded down an elevated slope facing the sea. In 500BC Agrigento had been called Akragus and was a city of 100,000 people. From the 1^st century BC it had been occupied for 5 centuries by the Romans. In the middle ages it had been ignored. Then in the 1950s 20 Roman dwellings had been discovered built over earlier Greek houses.

Their tour began with the most intact and impressive temple which had been dedicated to the Goddess Hera.  It was constructed facing the east to greet the rising sun. Behind its enormous columns were three rooms, the first a treasury for offerings, the second for daily activities of the priestesses, and the last for sleeping. Hera was the protector of marriage and next to the sacrificial alter, ancient marriage ceremonies had taken place.

Across the site, acanthus plants were still growing. It was said the Greeks had based the structure of their iconic columns on the tall cylindrical flowers of this very plant. So the Spanish architect Gaudi wasn’t the first builder to take inspiration from nature.

According to the site map, the next temple had been dedicated to Heracles, the world’s first strongman. But when Pip looked up, the once mighty temple was in complete ruin. It had once been the largest temple, longer than the others with 38 giant columns. In the 1920s an Englishman called Captain Hardcastle fell in love with it and attempted to reconstruct some of the columns. He built a house there to allow him to explore and excavate the ruins. He was even buried there. At the time few locals were even interested in their history. But his passion helped others to ‘see’, and realise what they had on their doorstep.

Now tourism is the lifeblood of the city,  Agrigento is famous around the world and Sicilians are proud of their history again.

No 28 – Roman Rendezvous

In contrast to the neglected Colosseum, Pip found St Peter’s Basilica to be a glistening display of shining marble filled with glorious art. Perhaps Vatican City doesn’t have the same funding problems for the upkeep of its heritage buildings as does the city of Rome, he thought.

The lengthy tour conveniently ended in the Vatican gift shop, where waiting in line for the toilets, Pip was able to contemplate the 2,300 euro price tag on a small copy of the statue of David.

Across the timeless Tiber River, Pip discovered the magnificent Pantheon, a shrine to all gods built by the Emperor Hadrian. Nearly two thousand years after its construction it’s in remarkable condition.

The impressive gigantic columns were cut from single blocks of stone and its dome is still the largest of its type in the world.  Becoming consecrated as a Christian church during medieval times saved it from the vandalism inflicted on many Roman temples in that period.

The iconic and stylish Trevi fountain is almost loved to death. Made famous in films such as ‘Three Coins in a Fountain’ and ‘Roman Holiday’ with the inimitable Audrey Hepburn, Pip found the site to be swarming with tourists. Everyone was jostling for position, photographing themselves like adolescents at a school formal, while simultaneously trying to throw a coin in the fountain and make a wish.

It was a only short walk to the Spanish Steps, but Pip ran into a Roman soldier and got into a spot of bother. He had to pay money to be released. This was another ancient sport.

Adjacent to the Steps, he visited the house, now a museum, where the poet John Keats had died at the age of 25. From his bedroom was a view of the Steps. Pip was so moved by the exhibition that he was inspired to think he might try to find the Protestant cemetery in Rome to visit his grave. Another day.

But first – it was off to the island of Sicily.

No 27 – A Colossal Clean?

Can anyone visit Rome without seeing the Colosseum? Pip was not as keen as Sailor Boy, as he had heard how cruel the Romans had been, especially to Christians and animals. So after some discussion, the boys went their separate ways. While Sailor Boy took the tour to one of the most famous monuments in the world, Pip travelled across town to see other significant landmarks. Each wished the other luck for their journeys through the anarchic Roman traffic.

Arriving at the Colosseum, Sailor Boy’s first impression was of an awe inspiring building, but on closer inspection he could see that the marble was severely blackened in parts. It appeared badly in need of conservation cleaning. Why do they just leave it to rot and waste away, he wondered? And what do they do with all the entrance fees? One section seemed to have a distinct lean. Despite the thousands of tourists and guides milling around, this iconic building was clearly neglected.

Still he was on a tour and he followed the group inside to see where the gladiators had lived and fought. He marvelled at the frescos depicting the fighting gladiators who lived brutal lives. They trained all year for one event when they would live or die.

Sailor Boy learnt that the Colosseum spectacles were advertised on billboards and were usually held twice a year for several days – unless it was a special occasion when they could continue for 100 days. The normal program was quite straightforward. The morning contests were billed as man vs animal, followed by beheadings of criminals before lunch. When the guide started speaking about what they did to the wild African animals even before the shows, Sailor Boy understood why Pip didn’t want to come. Pip may even have felt a little nervous.

The afternoon program consisted of the gladiatorial battles of man vs man. Even in those days there were food and drink stalls and souvenir shops selling gladiatorial figurines.

Like most Roman endeavours, the Colosseum had been very well organised. With 50,000 seats to fill, spectators had tickets and entered through numbered arches to specific areas. Sailor Boy could see the remains of complex passageways under the ground level where props and machinery were used to turn the arena into a jungle or once, a pool of water to stage a mock sea battle.

Here animals had been held captive and tortured to enrage them before events. At times thousands of wild animals had been killed on a single day. Many animal skeletons and artefacts had been uncovered in excavations and were on display in the Colosseum museum.

While the Ancient Greeks had revered intellect and athletic displays, the Romans had revelled in blood sports. On reflection, Sailor Boy realised that he preferred the athletic celebrations and theatre of the Greeks, where crowds had been entertained by dramatic plays of tragedies and comedies, interpreting the grand events of life. Coincidently before the boys were to leave Rome, the Italian Ministry of Culture announced that conservation and cleaning program on the Colosseum was to begin later in the year. Fingers crossed.

No. 26 – All Roads Lead to…

Civitavecchia is the closest port to the city of Rome. After disembarking from the ship Pip and Sailor Boy took a bus to the city, which turned out to be a rather long ride. When they finally arrived at their small but ‘well located’ hotel, Sailor Boy threw himself on the bed. “It’s crazy, this city is enormous. How long did that take, three hours?” The entire morning had gone. All these roads just lead to… more cars!

Already they had witnessed an accident when a police motorcyclist collided with a car. The Roman traffic was fast and furious. Cars zoomed around corners and drivers frequently blew their horns to squeeze through narrow streets that had been built for chariots. They didn’t even stop at the pedestrian crossings. Traffic lights seemed to mean very little, or as one guide derisively said, “They think they’re Christmas lights!”

Looking out from the hotel window, the small lane below seemed just as chaotic as the nearby main road, Via Nazionale. They watched workers at the tiny local supermarket unload boxes of supplies onto the road inches from the parked cars.

“Well, we’re here now, aren’t we, so let’s take it easy” said Pip sensibly. “What about lunch?”

After a stroll around the neighbourhood they found a gloriously colourful café with several local customers inside. A good sign. Soon cappuccinos and deliciously toasted focaccia sandwiches revived them and Sailor Boy was able to study the guide book.

Like most travelling companions, the boys had similar interests, but occasionally different ideas on what they wanted to do.

As author and traveler Mark Twain once said, “There ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them, than to travel with ’em.” Usually a compromise could be reached.

First was a visit to the Forum, an enormous site, which had been the epicentre of the Roman Empire. This was where Julius Caesar was murdered in 44BC. Here lay the marble and stone remains of temples, the Roman Senate, military quarters and living areas, such as the house of the Vestal Virgins.

Rising behind the Forum is the Palatine Hill. This was the home of the Roman Emperors and was the location of the world’s first grand palace.

The first ‘themed’ dinner parties had been held here in banqueting rooms where panelled walls of rare green and purple marble were inlaid with gemstones. Many rooms had underfloor heating, and the Romans invented bath houses, spa rooms and massage therapy. It was so famous, the word ‘palace’ itself is derived from “palatine”.

Here also had been the first botanical and zoological gardens and evidence remains of the emperors’ love for architecture and art.

The nearby house of Livia, wife of the Emperor Claudius, exists today as a museum with an exquisite collection of frescos, marble busts and statues. Some of the mosaics look surprisingly contemporary and the surrounding partial walls and gardens created many evocative spaces.

Rome was defeated and sacked by the Visigoths in 410, an event signifying the end of the classical period and the beginning of the Middle Ages. Even though so little now remains, combined with the heady stories of drama and excess, it had been a thrilling afternoon.

No. 25 – Life on Board

“Welcome Aboard” said each and every member of the smartly uniformed crew lined up to meet Pip and Sailor Boy when they stepped off the gangway and onto the ship for the first time. Like many guests, it made them feel, for a moment, very important. Combined with the magnificent foyer in which they found themselves, it was initially overwhelming, a vision of nautical splendour.

Finding their way around the fourteen decks took some time.

Passageways disappeared horizontally, lined with a profusion of artworks. Vertically there were six lifts and a central staircase which resembled those found in luxurious hotels.

Elegant foyers led into dining rooms and specialty restaurants, each with its own ambiance, highlighted with chandeliers and liveried waiters.

There were so many on board activities that it was impossible to experience them all. If it was too cold to jump in the outside pool, there was the jacuzzi to try, a spa club and even a cooking school. On one of the upper decks guests could try their hands at mini putt-putt or improve their golf ‘swings’ on the solitary driving tee.  Then there were port visits and on shore excursions to plan. To assist with this, destination services provided extensive information on ports. In addition, the theatre could be transformed into a lecture hall for various talks by guest speakers on matters of interest, such as Greek mythology, shopping or world financial woes.

As it was a holiday, most people wanted to lie around the pool and forget about all that and eat delectable meals.  Pip’s favourite activity area was the Art workshop where he went each day to assist with collage classes.

He had been on board for some days before he discovered the ship’s library, but once found he adored it. Comfortable lounge chairs were surrounded by an impressive collection including a reference section, travel, paperbacks and classics.

Unlike most guests, the boys actually made it to the well-appointed gym – more than once. Around 5pm the bars and games rooms came alive, sometimes spontaneously with an arrival or an event and everyone knew it was the place to be. The after dinner theatre shows were varied but somewhat predictable, designed for an older audience with waiters serving drinks.  Nevertheless performance standards could be high and one night they saw an outstanding tribute band.

On board, all of the crew went out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and overall Pip and Sailor Boy treasured the experience.

Meeting Patsy on board, Pip was glad to discover that cruising at sea was not a barrier for determined people with a disability, if they could find the means to make the journey. It’s still possible to see the wonderful planet which we all share.

“Land ahoy” called Pip. As delightful and as entertaining as cruising was, everyone has to disembark sometime.

No. 24 – Ravishing Ravello

Unfortunately the sky was quite overcast when the ship moored not far from the town of Positano. Both Pip and Sailor Boy had been looking forward to seeing this part of the Amalfi coast. The grey cliffs were spectacular, but where was the light, the colour, the sparkling water?

After taking the ship’s tender to shore, a short ride in a local ferry took them along the coast to the tiny town of Positano, with a population of 2,500, still barely larger than a village.

Many decades ago, the musings of American writer John Steinbeck on Positano were published in Harper’s Bazaar magazine, and are credited with expanding the tourist influx to the whole region.

“Positano bites deep,” he wrote, “It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”

Expectations had been raised to lofty heights.

“Well the stones on the beach bite deep,” said Sailor Boy shifting uncomfortably on the grey pebbles. For two Australians accustomed to golden sands, it wasn’t much of a beach.

More enticing was the nearby town of Ravello. The tourist literature states the town has long been a destination for writers, artists and notables; including Virginia Woolf, Joan Miro, Truman Capote, M.C. Escher, Tennessee Williams, Graham Green, Leonard Bernstein and Hilary Clinton among many others. What a roll call !

This was a location not to be missed. To access the town, the local bus winds up a steep precipice negotiating a nerve jarring series of road bends before depositing its passengers on the village outskirts. Ravello’s heritage listed streets are for walking only.

Within the historic centre, the Villa Rufolo dates from the thirteenth century. Its flower gardens, overlooking the Gulf of Salerno and the Amalfi coast, must be among the most spectacular in the world.

The German opera composer Richard Wagner stayed in the villa. He was so moved by its beauty that he composed there, imagining the setting as the garden in the second act of ‘Parsifal’.

Every year the lower gardens of the Villa Rufolo host a Wagnerian concert to celebrate his visit.

Looking out across the bay, even on a dull day, it was ravishing.

No. 23 – Portofino – Jewel in the Crown

A vision of heaven on earth awaits those who discover the Italian Riveria. Along the north west coast of Italy lie aqua marine bays, elegant villas and picture postcard towns.

In Portofino the pristine waters were so translucent that it seemed as if the boats were floating on air.

From the stately villas dotted around the shoreline, yellow, white, cream and russet brown houses receded up the hillside in a symphony of colour.

The green landscaped terraces created a play of geometric steps and angles, composing the exquisite, horse-shoe shaped inlet that was Portofino.

Pip was on his best behaviour as there were several signs about dogs.

Some of the most stately villas had castellated medieval walls and turrets and were guarded by working dogs.

They were told the two villas with the most commanding positions belonged to the world famous designers, Gabana and Dolce.

 Pip tried to look his best, in the hope of being noticed. Sailor Boy looked hard but couldn’t see either of the well-dressed fellows.

They spent a pleasant day walking the hillsides and narrow streets. In the town, they were surprised to discover, that much like an attractive woman, some of the beauty had been applied with paint. To portray an image of well-proportioned houses, ‘windows’ had been carefully painted onto the walls of some buildings creating a realistic effect called “trompe d’oeil”. It was very deceptive.

Pip was thrilled to find plaques recognising writers who had stayed in the town. Guy de Maupassant who was a master of short story writing, frequently sailed his yacht “Belle Ami” around that coast calling in at Portofino.

The great early Renaissance writer Petrarch had also visited, traveling by donkey. Petrarch is sometimes referred to as the world’s first tourist, as he was the first to climb a mountain in southern France for the pure enjoyment of the experience.

Pip thought, that in his travels, Petrarch would have dreamed of exquisite beauty and unrequited love, because he was famous for his love sonnets, even inventing his own poetic structure.

A jewel in the crown of the Italian Riveria, Portofino was certainly the place to do it.

No. 22 – Two Tuscan Towns

In the Tuscan towns of Florence and Lucca Pip developed his appreciation of art and culture.

Who can forget the story of Pinocchio who was famous for his long nose which grew whenever he told lies?

The writer of the famous story, Carlo Collodi, was born near the town of Lucca. Pip tried to think of who he knew who was like that. Who liked telling lies or creating tall stories? After viewing all the Pinocchios on display, he continued meandering through the busy Florentine streets.

At the Galleria Accademia again he had to fight his way through crowds to see Michelangelo’s statue of ‘David’, but the hordes of visitors there affected his enjoyment of the work. He noticed dust on many of the displays and thought the gallery attendants could do more than just stand around.

Inside the cathedral Santa Marie del Fiore in the centre of the old city, Pip stood in reverence before the lavishly decorated marble tombs of two of his heroes, Michelangelo and Galileo. It was rather overwhelming.

Later, in a room adjoining the cathedral’s central apse, Pip was delighted to discover a display of musical manuscripts. He had never seen anything like it. In front of his eyes was the history of music.

He learned that medieval scores were hand written and not on paper, but on leather, or cow’s hide, and that these were now extremely rare.

The medieval musical notation was written in 4 lines, whereas now, its on 5 lines. At first, there was no indication of the intensity, rhythm or even length of notes. The creation of one book could ‘cost’ 13 cows, so they were very valuable. Song books were large, so that many singers standing around the book could see and follow the music.

Another of Florence’s famous sons was Benvenuto Cellini, a Renaissance playboy, sculptor, goldsmith and musician. It didn’t seem to matter that he had murdered several people, he was so very talented and there was his statue.

Despite his ‘high expectations’, Pip was glad to leave Florence, finding it overwhelmingly crowded, tired and dirty.

Many of the beautiful Renaissance buildings seemed somewhat neglected. Florence had some wonderful, and sometimes confronting, statues of male figures. Although there probably were some there, he couldn’t find any statues of famous women on his visit.

Nearby, the smaller town of Lucca, had become a wealthy town during the Middle Ages after discovering and exploiting the silk making properties of silk worms. It also had a musical history, for who was born there, but none other than Puccini, the composer of Turandot, La Boheme, Tosca, Madam Butterfly and many other operas.

His statue graced the small square outside his home, now a museum. Pip discovered that while Puccini was a wonderful example of a musician, he was a poor example as a heavy smoker. In all his images, he is shown holding a cigarette. Sadly he died an early death from throat cancer at the hight of his career.
In Lucca today, people live in and around the ancient Roman amphitheatre.
“In a small apartment where do you hang your washing?” someone might ask.
“I hang it out over the Roman amphitheatre” the lady from Lucca could reply.

Lucca was altogether a more delightful and charming town than its more famous neighbour Florence.

The features of its impressive Saint Michael Church and the Palazzo Pretorio, an elegant Renaissance building were well appreciated and outlined by Pip’s gracious guide, Wanda Martinelli.

Because of her enthusiasm and knowledge, her concern for her guests and her clearness in directions, Wanda was by far the best local guide Pip had experienced. At the end of his tour he thanked her for making his visit so thoroughly enjoyable and they became good friends.