Sunday, September 30, 2007
Milan / gloves
I arrived in Milan yesterday after an uneventful, quite relaxing trip from Varenna ( I caught the slow boat from Varenna ( once again sat out in the cold and drizzle to avoid the crowds) to Como and then a train). I am currently in a bar with free wireless so I will make this quick ( not preplanned like some posts) because the place is beginning to fill up. It is hard to find somewhere to eat in Italy that is open on Sundays, so I was delighted to find this place just down the road from my hotel which charges E5 for 1 continuous hour . Here I have just paid E3 for a very large glass of niceish red and E4.50 for a large plate of delicious lasagne and nothing for the internet. Yesterday I went to a museum , the POldi Pozz something or other I've forgotten and this morning I went to the Pinocoteca di Brera, the main art gallery. Most things are closed on Mondays in Milan. I have just bought myself a lovely pair of gloves - black with red buttons, silk lined - my souvenir of Italy. A friend told me of the shop. i didnot buy the cheapest pair in the shop. The guy was rabbiting on about 'how elegant - just right for an evening out with your husband' so I replied in Italian that my husband died a year and a half ago. He replied , in Italian, that he was sorry, and then after a pause , said with a checky grin, your next husband. 'Forse' I replied, but with a smile. I will remember that interchange. I also bought a book to read this afternoon and perhaps tomorrow morning. I am very tired ( yesterday I fell asleep in the train, only to be woken by the ticket inspector - sleeping in trains is not a good thing to do for security reasons on your own) and struggling a bit so think I might 'stay in'. Tomorrow I will look at the duomo.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Varenna
I arrived here yesterday after an uneventful trip. Varenna is a small town on the eastern shore of Lake Como. It is very picturesque – that is, I’m sure it is if you could see through the drizzle and low cloud. Yesterday afternoon there was snow on the surrounding hilltops. I had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant – the first time that I have been staying in a hotel with a restaurant, but I had checked out the menus of all the other restaurants in town in the afternoon. Once again I have a room on the 4th , top, floor – no lift – looks like it is an extra floor that has been added into the roof space. All the floors below have a big shuttered window that looks out to the lake. I have a funny little semicircle about ½ m in radius on the floor. I can lay on the floor and look out at the ferries coming and going, lucky me. I do have a skylight, so there is enough light. I’m hopeful for a clear night so I can see stars lying in bed.
This morning after breakfast I walked up a hill to look at a ruined castle. Visibility was poor from all the lookouts and I gave up at a closed gate with Private property, beware of the guard dog ‘ signs. The paths down were quite slippery.
Lake Como is sort of an inverted Y shape. Varenna is near the junction of the 2 arms. Late this morning I caught a ferry to the far northern end. It stopped at a lot of small towns. I had a coffee and sandwich-like thing and then came back. The boat on the way north had a downstairs inside area with fairly hard-to-see-through windows. The upstairs area had a cover, but the whole area was subject to wind-driven drizzle. The seats were all wet. I decided that getting to Colico dry and warm without seeing anything was worse than getting there frozen having seen everything. The return boat was a much bigger affair with clean windows so sitting inside was an easy decision. However I am still trying to thaw out.
Tomorrow I will probably look at a few gardens around here and maybe Bellagio or Menaggio - 2 nearby towns before going to Milan on Saturday.
This morning after breakfast I walked up a hill to look at a ruined castle. Visibility was poor from all the lookouts and I gave up at a closed gate with Private property, beware of the guard dog ‘ signs. The paths down were quite slippery.
Lake Como is sort of an inverted Y shape. Varenna is near the junction of the 2 arms. Late this morning I caught a ferry to the far northern end. It stopped at a lot of small towns. I had a coffee and sandwich-like thing and then came back. The boat on the way north had a downstairs inside area with fairly hard-to-see-through windows. The upstairs area had a cover, but the whole area was subject to wind-driven drizzle. The seats were all wet. I decided that getting to Colico dry and warm without seeing anything was worse than getting there frozen having seen everything. The return boat was a much bigger affair with clean windows so sitting inside was an easy decision. However I am still trying to thaw out.
Tomorrow I will probably look at a few gardens around here and maybe Bellagio or Menaggio - 2 nearby towns before going to Milan on Saturday.
Ligurian food specialities
Liguria is a thin strip of land running from the French border to the NW corner of Tuscany. This has influenced its food. Genoa is the main town.
For 100’s of years it was a major port. Pesto was developed for the sailors on long voyages to combat scurvy. So there is pesto on menus everywhere.
I have also tried:
Farinata – a pancake-like flat bread made of chickpea flour. Very nice
Trenette - long thin flat pasta
Trofie – little worm-like shapes that look like pasta but are made with potato flour. Usually served with potatoes and beans
Ligurian olives – small, dark brown, not bitter, but hard work – you don’t get much around a pip
Torta pasqualina – Spinach, cheese and egg pie
Pandolce – a sweet cake with dried fruits, nuts and candied peel. This was tricky. They seem to be only made in 2 sizes 500g , about €7, and 1kg sizes. They look like a big version of the rock cakes my mother used to make. Anyway, I had been pondering the problem of how to try some for several days. Today I found a shop that had lightly toasted pieces available (obviously last week’s left overs but I did not care). It was OK, but would have been nicer with a bit of butter!
For 100’s of years it was a major port. Pesto was developed for the sailors on long voyages to combat scurvy. So there is pesto on menus everywhere.
I have also tried:
Farinata – a pancake-like flat bread made of chickpea flour. Very nice
Trenette - long thin flat pasta
Trofie – little worm-like shapes that look like pasta but are made with potato flour. Usually served with potatoes and beans
Ligurian olives – small, dark brown, not bitter, but hard work – you don’t get much around a pip
Torta pasqualina – Spinach, cheese and egg pie
Pandolce – a sweet cake with dried fruits, nuts and candied peel. This was tricky. They seem to be only made in 2 sizes 500g , about €7, and 1kg sizes. They look like a big version of the rock cakes my mother used to make. Anyway, I had been pondering the problem of how to try some for several days. Today I found a shop that had lightly toasted pieces available (obviously last week’s left overs but I did not care). It was OK, but would have been nicer with a bit of butter!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Stuzzichini…
.. are the little nibblies that come with a fancy drink
I left the bar on Sunday night before finishing what I hoped to do. I was wrong – the people were not cheering a local team , they were gathering for the next match which really was a local team – Genova ( 30 km west) . When the tables around me started to be rearranged and the preparatory chanting started I left. I tried to watch the match in my room, but it must have only been on pay TV. I could see a channel that featured 2 commentators watching the game and ‘calling ‘ the action – but you only saw them . This is Italian TV, so one of them was a female with plenty of cleavage. I resorted to weightlifting – some international competition in Chang Mai Thailand, but the commentators were English and quite informative.
Yesterday I went to Camogli – a little fishing village not far from here. I pottered around, took lots of photos of fishing boats ( I really must do a photography course – I have several OK photos and a few almost good ones) , had an espresso and caught the train back. There is an old church up on one of the surrounding hills behind Rapallo with a cable car up to it and also a track. I had read several descriptions of the track ranging from an easy 1 hour to moderate 1 3/4 hour walk. The trouble was finding the start. The map was vague. I spent ¼ hour winding my way up the steep hill to where the road ended in 3 front yards protected by 3 large, locked gates. I went down and stopped to ask 2 little old ladies. After a while talking about one’s sister in Australia, they pointed out the correct path – but I still had to go down more before I could start going up again. The path meandered up and up and up. It was weird, at one point looking down on a 6 lane autostrada through an olive grove. Half way ( making the large assumption that the map was to scale) up, an hour or so after I started ( including the false start, but I was moving fairly quickly), I thought I would be sensible and return.
Today I went to Genoa. Founded in the 4th century BC, it was a major power in the 14th to 17th century. It declined but in the last 10 years or so its got its act together. It reminds me of Naples – windy, narrow streets with lots of character ( and characters, particularly at night I gather) . I wandered around the 2 main art galleries. This was a bit of a challenge – the list of paintings in rooms that came with the audio guide did not always match the map that my entry gave me and sometimes neither matched the order that the guides tried to steer you in. Both ‘galleries’ were in old restored Palazzos – lots of smallish rooms, but interesting architecture. I then wandered up and down and in and out of interesting streets looking at interesting buildings, found somewhere to eat and then wandered around the old port area.
Tomorrow I go to Varenna.
I left the bar on Sunday night before finishing what I hoped to do. I was wrong – the people were not cheering a local team , they were gathering for the next match which really was a local team – Genova ( 30 km west) . When the tables around me started to be rearranged and the preparatory chanting started I left. I tried to watch the match in my room, but it must have only been on pay TV. I could see a channel that featured 2 commentators watching the game and ‘calling ‘ the action – but you only saw them . This is Italian TV, so one of them was a female with plenty of cleavage. I resorted to weightlifting – some international competition in Chang Mai Thailand, but the commentators were English and quite informative.
Yesterday I went to Camogli – a little fishing village not far from here. I pottered around, took lots of photos of fishing boats ( I really must do a photography course – I have several OK photos and a few almost good ones) , had an espresso and caught the train back. There is an old church up on one of the surrounding hills behind Rapallo with a cable car up to it and also a track. I had read several descriptions of the track ranging from an easy 1 hour to moderate 1 3/4 hour walk. The trouble was finding the start. The map was vague. I spent ¼ hour winding my way up the steep hill to where the road ended in 3 front yards protected by 3 large, locked gates. I went down and stopped to ask 2 little old ladies. After a while talking about one’s sister in Australia, they pointed out the correct path – but I still had to go down more before I could start going up again. The path meandered up and up and up. It was weird, at one point looking down on a 6 lane autostrada through an olive grove. Half way ( making the large assumption that the map was to scale) up, an hour or so after I started ( including the false start, but I was moving fairly quickly), I thought I would be sensible and return.
Today I went to Genoa. Founded in the 4th century BC, it was a major power in the 14th to 17th century. It declined but in the last 10 years or so its got its act together. It reminds me of Naples – windy, narrow streets with lots of character ( and characters, particularly at night I gather) . I wandered around the 2 main art galleries. This was a bit of a challenge – the list of paintings in rooms that came with the audio guide did not always match the map that my entry gave me and sometimes neither matched the order that the guides tried to steer you in. Both ‘galleries’ were in old restored Palazzos – lots of smallish rooms, but interesting architecture. I then wandered up and down and in and out of interesting streets looking at interesting buildings, found somewhere to eat and then wandered around the old port area.
Tomorrow I go to Varenna.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
What is the Italian for Tapas?
In case you are wondering the bar I have found, for the second day in a row, has supplied me with a substantial plate of nibblies to go with my very strong drink. Yesterday I was not charged extra. I hope the internet connection holds out while I answer some emails (and the ice melts to dilute the drink a bit or I will be more fuddle brained than usual). Yesterday it ( the internet connection, not the drink) gave out part of the way through. Tonight the footall game on the TV must be a more local team - there are more local senori smoking and cheering than yesterday. The smoke may drive me out.
An interesting walk
Rapallo is at the ‘base’ on the eastern shore of the Portofino promontory - about 5km by 5km as the crow flies with some hills (610m at highest point ) in the middle.
There is a good network of walking trails so I thought today I’d try some out. I walked from Rapallo, mostly along the coast to Santa Margheurita Ligure and then after a stroll around ( too many people – there was a swimming race starting for all ages) set off into the centre of the promontory. The path followed a ridge up providing magnificent views of the towns below. For about 1 ½ hours I saw no one else – made up for the Cinque Terre crowds. However at 1 point it crossed my mind (only fleetingly) to be slightly worried. Noone knew where I was and the path was quite steep / narrow/ washed away etc in parts. I came across a notice saying from Wednesday to Sunday from September to December it was boar shooting time in this area. Soon after, I heard 3 sounds that sounded like gun shots – Oh good, I thought , as I came across a particularly steep part that required hands as well as feet to climb up , I wonder what wild boars look like from a distance., maybe a person with a backpack scrambling up a steep path could be mistaken for one? I was not going back, so I just scrambled faster. At the top – about 470 m - several paths from other parts converged. I spent a while ‘talking’ to a Swiss lady who was also out walking in a very funny mixture of Italian, English and French. From there it took me an hour to get down to San Fruttuosa which is only accessible by foot or water. There is a very old little church, a few fisherpeople’s cottages, a few restaurants and a very stoney beach that , when I was there, was filled with Italians sunning themselves. The stones were difficult to walk on they were so large, I can’t imagine how tortuous they must have been to lie on. After a nice lunch I caught a ferry back to Rapallo. It stopped at Portofino and Santa Marghuerita on the way. I thought the quick look at Portofino from the boat would be enough. One of my books says that Portofino ‘is full of the glitterati, attracted to Liguria’s most chic spot where Europe’s movers and shakers come to wheel, deal and play’. Although my clothes and I had started the day clean, by that stage, both them and me were badly in need of a wash. It is still quite hot here – mid to high 20’s.
There is a good network of walking trails so I thought today I’d try some out. I walked from Rapallo, mostly along the coast to Santa Margheurita Ligure and then after a stroll around ( too many people – there was a swimming race starting for all ages) set off into the centre of the promontory. The path followed a ridge up providing magnificent views of the towns below. For about 1 ½ hours I saw no one else – made up for the Cinque Terre crowds. However at 1 point it crossed my mind (only fleetingly) to be slightly worried. Noone knew where I was and the path was quite steep / narrow/ washed away etc in parts. I came across a notice saying from Wednesday to Sunday from September to December it was boar shooting time in this area. Soon after, I heard 3 sounds that sounded like gun shots – Oh good, I thought , as I came across a particularly steep part that required hands as well as feet to climb up , I wonder what wild boars look like from a distance., maybe a person with a backpack scrambling up a steep path could be mistaken for one? I was not going back, so I just scrambled faster. At the top – about 470 m - several paths from other parts converged. I spent a while ‘talking’ to a Swiss lady who was also out walking in a very funny mixture of Italian, English and French. From there it took me an hour to get down to San Fruttuosa which is only accessible by foot or water. There is a very old little church, a few fisherpeople’s cottages, a few restaurants and a very stoney beach that , when I was there, was filled with Italians sunning themselves. The stones were difficult to walk on they were so large, I can’t imagine how tortuous they must have been to lie on. After a nice lunch I caught a ferry back to Rapallo. It stopped at Portofino and Santa Marghuerita on the way. I thought the quick look at Portofino from the boat would be enough. One of my books says that Portofino ‘is full of the glitterati, attracted to Liguria’s most chic spot where Europe’s movers and shakers come to wheel, deal and play’. Although my clothes and I had started the day clean, by that stage, both them and me were badly in need of a wash. It is still quite hot here – mid to high 20’s.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Rapallo
I arrived in Rapallo late morning. I really enjoyed my time with rellies in Peralta. We spent Thursday either getting to ( an interesting experience) or walking 3/4 of the Cinque Terre walk or getting back. The wallk itself was quite spectacular in places and the little villages all look like the postcards with one exception. The postcards do not show the hordes of tourists that fill them, nor the tired waiters in the cafes - it is the end of the season. There were also far more people on the trail itself than I like.
Today I went for lunch to a restaurant that the lunchtime hotel staff recommended to me. i.e. I got a real answer from a temporary person, not an official answer from the main staff. At 12.30 ( quite early) , when I got there it was chock full of local people. I had a large delicious meal quite cheaply. I pottered around in the afternoon and found this bar/cafe that would hook ellebee into their broadband for 1 Euro an hour. ( The hotel charged me E2 for half an hour of a dial-up connection) got here at 6, got set up, and thought I would worry about dinner later and order a drink first ( my priorities are right!) Anyway, a glass of wine is 4E ( sorry cannot find the Euro sign) and a fancy aperitivo is E5 so I ordered an aperitivo. It came with a large plate of nibblies - bits of frittata stuff, chips, foccaccia with prosciutto etc - i.e. dinner. I wonder if I will be charged .
I have 3 days here - 1 day in Genoa and 2 walking around this area - there are several small villages only accessible by water or foot. I will try and post some photos tomorrow.
Today I went for lunch to a restaurant that the lunchtime hotel staff recommended to me. i.e. I got a real answer from a temporary person, not an official answer from the main staff. At 12.30 ( quite early) , when I got there it was chock full of local people. I had a large delicious meal quite cheaply. I pottered around in the afternoon and found this bar/cafe that would hook ellebee into their broadband for 1 Euro an hour. ( The hotel charged me E2 for half an hour of a dial-up connection) got here at 6, got set up, and thought I would worry about dinner later and order a drink first ( my priorities are right!) Anyway, a glass of wine is 4E ( sorry cannot find the Euro sign) and a fancy aperitivo is E5 so I ordered an aperitivo. It came with a large plate of nibblies - bits of frittata stuff, chips, foccaccia with prosciutto etc - i.e. dinner. I wonder if I will be charged .
I have 3 days here - 1 day in Genoa and 2 walking around this area - there are several small villages only accessible by water or foot. I will try and post some photos tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Still at Peralta
I have spent a lovely 4 days eating, drinking, talking, and relaxing. We have visited Pisa and Lucca. We have been for several walks on goat tracks in amongst the olive groves, on the side of mountains.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Arrived in Peralta
My travel plans all went smoothly enough , even if a little unorthodoxly. I donot thing they have had anyone arrive on foot before. The walk only took about 1 and a quarter hours, with a few breathers, it is very steep. I gave up on the 2 maps that I had and used the words. Several times I stopped to ask people . Their response was always the Italian equivalent of - further up, keep going, * this keyboard is very old and nothing is in the normal place ( . The internet connection is a slow dial up , no wireless, so you will have to wait for a photo. The website does not do it justice. The view is amazing.
Chris and Pip arrived a few hours after me, loaded with supplies, so we should be right for a day or so.
Must away.
Chris and Pip arrived a few hours after me, loaded with supplies, so we should be right for a day or so.
Must away.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Assorted things I have seen and eaten
In Mantova I have seen in no particular order :
A lovely little shop selling only buttons, but millions of interesting ones
Many shops with beautiful clothes for high prices.
Some shops with beautiful clothes for reasonable prices.
Many more childrens clothes shops as a proportion of total clothes shops than in Aust.
A Baby Dior shop. Nothing for a child older than 2. The cheapest thing in the window was a €34 Tshirt. At first I thought the most expensive thing in the window was a little dress (winter) at €119 , but then I saw a pink overcoat/jacket thing at €329. The fur around the collar was probably an ex – rare animal. Needless to say I did not buy my very precious granddaughter anything from this shop.
A butcher shop only selling horsemeat, though I read somewhere that they sometimes sell donkey meat as well.
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Other foods specialities / things new to me that I have had
In Ravenna I had squacquerone – a local fresh cheese. I had it baked with some veggies
And straight in a piadine – sandwich like thing of flat bread – with Italian rocket
Strazzapretti - long thin spaghetti like pasta
Scamorza – a smoked mozzarella like cheese
In Mantova :
Ceciata – flat bread made of chick pea flour.
Tortelli di zucca – large ravioli like shapes of pasta filled with a mixture of pumpkin (mainly) and crushed amaretti biscuits
A typical Mantovan risotto with funny little bits of meat – drier than we serve risotto.
Scaglie di grana ( an aged hard cheese) with mustard preserved fruit
An aperative Spritz –aperol, white wine and soda
Valpolicella – a red from somewhere around
Moscato – from this area . Funny – it smelt sweet but tasted dry
A lovely little shop selling only buttons, but millions of interesting ones
Many shops with beautiful clothes for high prices.
Some shops with beautiful clothes for reasonable prices.
Many more childrens clothes shops as a proportion of total clothes shops than in Aust.
A Baby Dior shop. Nothing for a child older than 2. The cheapest thing in the window was a €34 Tshirt. At first I thought the most expensive thing in the window was a little dress (winter) at €119 , but then I saw a pink overcoat/jacket thing at €329. The fur around the collar was probably an ex – rare animal. Needless to say I did not buy my very precious granddaughter anything from this shop.
A butcher shop only selling horsemeat, though I read somewhere that they sometimes sell donkey meat as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Other foods specialities / things new to me that I have had
In Ravenna I had squacquerone – a local fresh cheese. I had it baked with some veggies
And straight in a piadine – sandwich like thing of flat bread – with Italian rocket
Strazzapretti - long thin spaghetti like pasta
Scamorza – a smoked mozzarella like cheese
In Mantova :
Ceciata – flat bread made of chick pea flour.
Tortelli di zucca – large ravioli like shapes of pasta filled with a mixture of pumpkin (mainly) and crushed amaretti biscuits
A typical Mantovan risotto with funny little bits of meat – drier than we serve risotto.
Scaglie di grana ( an aged hard cheese) with mustard preserved fruit
An aperative Spritz –aperol, white wine and soda
Valpolicella – a red from somewhere around
Moscato – from this area . Funny – it smelt sweet but tasted dry
Ceilings of bedrooms…
..has been the theme for this morning. The Palazzo Ducale and the adjacent Castle of San Giorgio was the home of the ruling Mantovan family for several hundreds of years. At its height it was, according to the guide book, the largest palace in Europe. (definition of Europe?) Anyway, what took my fancy in the several hours that it took to wander though, up and down, through some more, etc, etc was the ceilings of the bedchambers. One had an intricate wooden maze with , in Italian, ‘maybe yes, maybe no’ written all over it. I got a severely cricked neck trying to work it out, so have bought a postcard. ( No photos allowed in this palace – but bright sunlight streams in and sooty, humid air pours in through the wide open windows !) . In another bedroom the ceiling is painted blue with bright yellow stars. Diana races across the sky in her chariot, ably assisted by several angels. I was reminded of a lovely place I visit occasionally in Brisbane with the stars on the ceiling. The final bedchamber had a nice piece of trompe l’oeil. You look up and it looks like several women and a few angels are balancing a tub of plants on the edge of a balustrade, about to come tumbling down on top of you.
I’ve also walked miles this morning looking at other piazzas. In the main piazza there is some gathering of old racing cars. They are all lined up with no appearance of order. I walked up and down the rows taking photos of MG’s and Jaguars. The place was crowded with men peering at cars. The only other women I saw were apparently young ,decorative , very scantily attired ( it is very hot here) appendages of men. Maybe it was too early for real women.
This afternoon I visited a few churches. See previous post.
I leave here tomorrow. I will walk to Mantova station, get 3 or maybe 4 trains depending on the connections, ending up at Viareggio at 1.30ish, then I walk to the bus stop and catch a bus to Camaiore and from there walk about 5 km uphill to www.peraltatuscany.com. With a bit of luck Chris and Pip will pick me up in a taxi as they go past.
I have no idea what the internet connection will be like.
I’ve also walked miles this morning looking at other piazzas. In the main piazza there is some gathering of old racing cars. They are all lined up with no appearance of order. I walked up and down the rows taking photos of MG’s and Jaguars. The place was crowded with men peering at cars. The only other women I saw were apparently young ,decorative , very scantily attired ( it is very hot here) appendages of men. Maybe it was too early for real women.
This afternoon I visited a few churches. See previous post.
I leave here tomorrow. I will walk to Mantova station, get 3 or maybe 4 trains depending on the connections, ending up at Viareggio at 1.30ish, then I walk to the bus stop and catch a bus to Camaiore and from there walk about 5 km uphill to www.peraltatuscany.com. With a bit of luck Chris and Pip will pick me up in a taxi as they go past.
I have no idea what the internet connection will be like.
A whinge
I am seriously displeased with my defunct husband. He is adversely affecting my trip. For those of you non-Italian speakers, the Italian for ‘my late husband’ is ‘mio defunto marito’ . I usually try and remember the Italian after thinking of an English word with the same root. Hence defunct John. He would smile at me thinking of him as ‘defunct’ – but he is not here for me to see him smile. I seem incapable of going into a church without thinking of him with great sadness – more than the last 12 months or so. I’ve tried every positive thinking trick I can think of - ‘He’s here with me in spirit’ - so what his body is not here, I have to eat and sleep on my own. Or ‘he’d be really pleased I am here’ – another so what – John would accept whatever I decide to do. Or ‘Isn’t it great I have enough oomph and money to be here” – another ‘so what’.
I'm fine if I'm not in a church.
I can think of 2 options – skip churches from now on, or make an opportunity some time during the next week while I am with people to go into a church with a relative I am comfortable with. I’ll see.
This is not one of the things that, before I left, I thought could go wrong – OK , I can hear you, K, not ‘wrong’ just different.
I'm fine if I'm not in a church.
I can think of 2 options – skip churches from now on, or make an opportunity some time during the next week while I am with people to go into a church with a relative I am comfortable with. I’ll see.
This is not one of the things that, before I left, I thought could go wrong – OK , I can hear you, K, not ‘wrong’ just different.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Hotel in Mantova
My window is the top left one facing to the right. Around the corner is the window from the bathroom. The first picture is the view from the loo. I image who painted the frescoes.
Hotel in Ravenna
I l0oked out of the left hand 2 little windows on the 3rd floor. A bit different to the hotel in Urbino
Wednesday and Thursday in Mantova
I arrived here on Tuesday, very tired and decided Wednesday was to be a ‘day off’ . The historic centre of Mantova is an interconnected maze of little streets going at different angles, linking a whole series of different size piazzas – impossible on Tuesday to get my head around. On Wednesday I caught up with some emails and posts. This hotel has a wireless network, but the signal is not strong enough on the third floor, like the hotel in Urbino, so I sat in the tiny lobby for part of the day. Several times I ventured out for food or a drink or for more stamps – yes, I’ve actually posted a few postcards. On one occasion I was looking for something for dinner, did not want yet another piece of pizza, nor did I have the energy required to go into a fancy place and found an interesting looking fish shop. They had a range of salads so I asked for a small container of this prawn and calamari stuff - €9.20 – oops. ( a piece of pizza costs between about €1 and €2.50)
I did sit down at a little bar around the corner run by a polite and helpful young man named Daniele and have a spritz and watched the world go past for half an hour or so. Maybe a spritz is well known to some of you, but I am not in the habit of going into bars in Aust for an aperitiv – so I had no clue. I had just watched people the night before ( while I drank my glass of white wine) and many people were drinking this spritz. It is part aperol, part white wine and part soda. Very nice.
The down side of living in a hotel right in the centre is the noise. People sitting around drinking at all hours of the night in little streets – the noise has nowhere to go but up. This morning was different – it was market day and the clang of metal awning posts on cobbled pavements very early in the morning was quite loud! Another noise I have noticed each morning while I have been in Italy is the early morning garbage collection. On many street corners there seem to be communal industrial sized garbage bins. I have seen housewives and office people and café people putting garbage into the same bins. Anyway, the truck seems to come around each morning between about 5 and 6 am.
This morning I went for a 11/2 hour cruise on what is called a lake but is really a small bit of dammed river. The water is a putrid shade of green with lots of stuff growing on it. I had difficulty understanding the commentary, but at 1 point I was sure she was describing all the delicious fish that can be caught in the lake. There were a few locals and a large bus load of elderly Italian tourists and a few stray people like me– about 40 in all – all sitting outside from 11.30. Apart from another ‘stray’ lady of Asian appearance, 2 old men, and 2 local young men , I was the only person wearing a hat. Most of the women had to have been in their late 60’s and most stripped down to their coloured singlet tops. It was very hot.
Earlier in the day I had negotiated the tricky business of buying some fruit at the supermarket ( I could find no fruit stalls at the markets) . You get a glove ( nobody else’s germs on my fruit thank you) , choose your fruit ( excessive poking and prodding seem allowed) , take note of the number attached to the description, go to a central place and weigh the fruit, press the number and attach the sticker which gets printed to the bag. I bought 3 apples advertised as being on special from 13th to 20th ( Today is the 13th) . When the sticker got printed it was a higher price. I found a person and asked why - Dopo , dopo ( after, after) she kept saying in a loud voice ( I should find out the Italian for ‘I’m not deaf’) After what I thought – ah well!
Mantova’s most powerful family , the Gonzagas’ ruled from about 1328 to the early 18th century. They had lots of buildings built and paintings painted. The main building that Mantova is known for is the Palazzo Ducale ( on tomorrow’s list) . Sometime in the 1400’s Frederico Gonzaga had a place, the Palazzo Te, built as a retreat from palace life and to entertain his mistress, a 20 min walk away from his wife in the palace. I went there this afternoon. It’s huge, with lots of rooms with all sorts of frescoes, paintings, etc. Apart from entertaining his mistress, he was interested in horses and astrology. The decorations reflect these interests!
I walked a very long way home past assorted other buildings on the tourist list of things to see. I did pass a church which was apparently the first Renaissance church built on a central Greek cross plan (whatever that might be) . Nobody seemed to like it and some noteworthy person said he was ‘ unsure whether it was meant to be a church, synagogue or mosque’. I smiled on reading that and would have liked to have been able to go in. Needless to say it was deconsecrated long ago.
I did sit down at a little bar around the corner run by a polite and helpful young man named Daniele and have a spritz and watched the world go past for half an hour or so. Maybe a spritz is well known to some of you, but I am not in the habit of going into bars in Aust for an aperitiv – so I had no clue. I had just watched people the night before ( while I drank my glass of white wine) and many people were drinking this spritz. It is part aperol, part white wine and part soda. Very nice.
The down side of living in a hotel right in the centre is the noise. People sitting around drinking at all hours of the night in little streets – the noise has nowhere to go but up. This morning was different – it was market day and the clang of metal awning posts on cobbled pavements very early in the morning was quite loud! Another noise I have noticed each morning while I have been in Italy is the early morning garbage collection. On many street corners there seem to be communal industrial sized garbage bins. I have seen housewives and office people and café people putting garbage into the same bins. Anyway, the truck seems to come around each morning between about 5 and 6 am.
This morning I went for a 11/2 hour cruise on what is called a lake but is really a small bit of dammed river. The water is a putrid shade of green with lots of stuff growing on it. I had difficulty understanding the commentary, but at 1 point I was sure she was describing all the delicious fish that can be caught in the lake. There were a few locals and a large bus load of elderly Italian tourists and a few stray people like me– about 40 in all – all sitting outside from 11.30. Apart from another ‘stray’ lady of Asian appearance, 2 old men, and 2 local young men , I was the only person wearing a hat. Most of the women had to have been in their late 60’s and most stripped down to their coloured singlet tops. It was very hot.
Earlier in the day I had negotiated the tricky business of buying some fruit at the supermarket ( I could find no fruit stalls at the markets) . You get a glove ( nobody else’s germs on my fruit thank you) , choose your fruit ( excessive poking and prodding seem allowed) , take note of the number attached to the description, go to a central place and weigh the fruit, press the number and attach the sticker which gets printed to the bag. I bought 3 apples advertised as being on special from 13th to 20th ( Today is the 13th) . When the sticker got printed it was a higher price. I found a person and asked why - Dopo , dopo ( after, after) she kept saying in a loud voice ( I should find out the Italian for ‘I’m not deaf’) After what I thought – ah well!
Mantova’s most powerful family , the Gonzagas’ ruled from about 1328 to the early 18th century. They had lots of buildings built and paintings painted. The main building that Mantova is known for is the Palazzo Ducale ( on tomorrow’s list) . Sometime in the 1400’s Frederico Gonzaga had a place, the Palazzo Te, built as a retreat from palace life and to entertain his mistress, a 20 min walk away from his wife in the palace. I went there this afternoon. It’s huge, with lots of rooms with all sorts of frescoes, paintings, etc. Apart from entertaining his mistress, he was interested in horses and astrology. The decorations reflect these interests!
I walked a very long way home past assorted other buildings on the tourist list of things to see. I did pass a church which was apparently the first Renaissance church built on a central Greek cross plan (whatever that might be) . Nobody seemed to like it and some noteworthy person said he was ‘ unsure whether it was meant to be a church, synagogue or mosque’. I smiled on reading that and would have liked to have been able to go in. Needless to say it was deconsecrated long ago.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Observations in no particular order
I have only seen 2 Italians wearing a hat – and they were at the beach. I have only seen 1 shop selling hats – and that was at the beach.
In the places I have been, there have been as many groups of Italian tourists as every other group.
I have yet to see a grey haired Italian woman in her 50s or 60s although the lady at the hotel in Urbino ( umbrella man’s wife) said it was changing and becoming more acceptable to have grey hair.
There is a thing called caffe d’orzo quite often on menus – made of barley. Fancy , Italians drinking Eco (?spelling). I have seen 2 shops selling only teas and teapots etc
Zebra crossings seem to be just white lines painted on the street, although a police car did stop for me once. I don’t remember seeing them in the south – zebra crossings I mean, not police cars – we saw plenty of them.
Getting across roundabouts on foot is a challenge.
4 Years ago in the south, everyone second or third person who was out in the evening for a stroll – passegiata – would be licking a gelato. I am fairly sure that the only people I have seen wandering licking icecream are tourists.
Wandering around the streets last Sunday I heard several elderly local people wishing each other ‘Buon domenica’ – Good Sunday.
Italian TV has not improved. I have seen dubbed Nanny, dubbed Inspector Rex ( more than once per week) , several old dubbed Tom Cruise movies, several dubbed American daytime soaps , many inane game shows that make no sense whatsoever to me.
In both Ravenna and Mantova ( flat cities) many people ride around on bikes. So far I have not seen any helmets. In Ravenna on Sunday, there were many families out for a ride. No helmets. I have seen many people in their 70s at least and well dressed women wearing stilettos – though it is probably easier for them to ride than walk on the cobble stones of Mantova.
In Ravenna there were several places from where you could borrow a bike for free.
There was a building where for €1.5 you could park your bike for the day. There was an attendant..
I have seen a rental DVD dispenser in the wall of shop – maybe they exist in Australian cities, I don’t wander around them
On the trains I have seen twice a young man come along and put a piece of paper on the seat next to you saying he has no job, 3 sisters, no parents etc, please give money and God will reward you. A few minutes later he comes back, collecting the piece of paper with his hand outstretched.
I saw a sign for a concert of South American salsa dancers. The presenter was a man named Andrea Damonte and he was described as ‘ il ginecologa della salsa’. The only translation my dictionary has for gineecologa is the obvious one. The mind boggles.
In the places I have been, there have been as many groups of Italian tourists as every other group.
I have yet to see a grey haired Italian woman in her 50s or 60s although the lady at the hotel in Urbino ( umbrella man’s wife) said it was changing and becoming more acceptable to have grey hair.
There is a thing called caffe d’orzo quite often on menus – made of barley. Fancy , Italians drinking Eco (?spelling). I have seen 2 shops selling only teas and teapots etc
Zebra crossings seem to be just white lines painted on the street, although a police car did stop for me once. I don’t remember seeing them in the south – zebra crossings I mean, not police cars – we saw plenty of them.
Getting across roundabouts on foot is a challenge.
4 Years ago in the south, everyone second or third person who was out in the evening for a stroll – passegiata – would be licking a gelato. I am fairly sure that the only people I have seen wandering licking icecream are tourists.
Wandering around the streets last Sunday I heard several elderly local people wishing each other ‘Buon domenica’ – Good Sunday.
Italian TV has not improved. I have seen dubbed Nanny, dubbed Inspector Rex ( more than once per week) , several old dubbed Tom Cruise movies, several dubbed American daytime soaps , many inane game shows that make no sense whatsoever to me.
In both Ravenna and Mantova ( flat cities) many people ride around on bikes. So far I have not seen any helmets. In Ravenna on Sunday, there were many families out for a ride. No helmets. I have seen many people in their 70s at least and well dressed women wearing stilettos – though it is probably easier for them to ride than walk on the cobble stones of Mantova.
In Ravenna there were several places from where you could borrow a bike for free.
There was a building where for €1.5 you could park your bike for the day. There was an attendant..
I have seen a rental DVD dispenser in the wall of shop – maybe they exist in Australian cities, I don’t wander around them
On the trains I have seen twice a young man come along and put a piece of paper on the seat next to you saying he has no job, 3 sisters, no parents etc, please give money and God will reward you. A few minutes later he comes back, collecting the piece of paper with his hand outstretched.
I saw a sign for a concert of South American salsa dancers. The presenter was a man named Andrea Damonte and he was described as ‘ il ginecologa della salsa’. The only translation my dictionary has for gineecologa is the obvious one. The mind boggles.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tuesday – arrived in Mantova
Today has been uneventful but tiring. Ravenna is not on a main train line, nor is Mantova so I had 3 trains today – all Regionals – the lowest of the hierarchy of trains. They stop at most stations and frequently stop between stations to wait for other trains to pass. They are also poorly air-conditioned if at all. It is very hot here.
I had an hour and a half to wait at a small place 30 km East of Mantova. I found a bar for lunch – the lady behind the bar was nice – made me a cheese roll because all the prepared ones had meat and I did not want meat. There were many road workers in the bar having their liquid lunch, but I did not see any of the 15 or so eating. They were drinking wine or spirits mostly. Only a few had beers. I found a sporting newspaper and buried, well and truly, was news of the Rugby word cup.
The hotel in Mantova seems nice – I have a corner room, so my bathroom has a window – good for clothes drying. 3rd hotel and 3rd time I’m on the 3rd floor. The room is a single and quite small but it has a biggish window looking down onto the little street below or across to another building and feels OK.
I had an hour and a half to wait at a small place 30 km East of Mantova. I found a bar for lunch – the lady behind the bar was nice – made me a cheese roll because all the prepared ones had meat and I did not want meat. There were many road workers in the bar having their liquid lunch, but I did not see any of the 15 or so eating. They were drinking wine or spirits mostly. Only a few had beers. I found a sporting newspaper and buried, well and truly, was news of the Rugby word cup.
The hotel in Mantova seems nice – I have a corner room, so my bathroom has a window – good for clothes drying. 3rd hotel and 3rd time I’m on the 3rd floor. The room is a single and quite small but it has a biggish window looking down onto the little street below or across to another building and feels OK.
Monday’s minor challenges
Today I went to see the final mosaic-note worthy church a bus ride south of Ravenna. I was looking forward to it because it is the one I remember from when John and I were here in 1976. I am still muddling left and right and where cars and buses drive. Most places the books say, and certainly in the south 4 years ago, you cannot get your bus ticket on the bus. I asked the reception lady on my way out and she told me where the bus stop was, pointing to the map. I said something really intelligent like ’Are you sure?’ I thought it was on the other side of the road. I knew the bus was going south, I just got muddled what side of the road the bus drove on.
I arrived at the church just as a group of German tourists arrived, but it did not matter as it is a huge place. ( see notes) I caught the bus back and then went to a wool shop that I had seen before but it had always been closed when I passed. I talked to the 2 ladies in the shop– told them that we get Italian wool, but it is expensive etc, etc . They had a huge range of beautiful colours. But they did not seem to have any patterns. They had 2 piles of quarterly magazines, but most were several years old and fairly thumbed through. Just as well or I may have been tempted.
I have read about Italian beaches, seen them in the south, but thought today I would go to the Marina di Ravenna and see a beach and the port. Sounded good on paper. The bus did not stop when it got to where I thought it was going and then, because of a series of one way streets did not initially retrace it’s path. Everything was almost deserted, even though it is school holidays. I could have asked, but instead I stayed on the bus a bit longer until I was sure it had gone past where I thought I wanted to go and then got off and walked back. At no time could you see the water from the bus – there was a strip of trees and just a whole series of paths and signs leading down to the individual sections of the long beach. Anyway, at the marina end , there finally was a public road that went to the ‘beach’ area. I went into one of the few that was open, had some food, watched the few people wander around. Mostly large old people very tanned. I was meant to pay to go further, but I asked if I could just have a look at the water and was allowed. The rows and rows of deck chairs were mostly deserted. They did have little moveable head shades though. The water was a putrid opaque shade of dark grey/brown. Some people were swimming in it! I walked back through the town – it felt a bit like Noosa without any people. I got back to the bus stop, saw a bus coming and suddenly realized I had done it again – I was on the wrong side of the road. He grinned at me when he returned 10 mins later and picked me up on the correct side of the road. I worked out what landmark I would look for to press the button to get off near the hotel but forgot about the oneway streets all through Ravenna. Just as well I don’t mind walking. An opportunity to see something different!
I arrived at the church just as a group of German tourists arrived, but it did not matter as it is a huge place. ( see notes) I caught the bus back and then went to a wool shop that I had seen before but it had always been closed when I passed. I talked to the 2 ladies in the shop– told them that we get Italian wool, but it is expensive etc, etc . They had a huge range of beautiful colours. But they did not seem to have any patterns. They had 2 piles of quarterly magazines, but most were several years old and fairly thumbed through. Just as well or I may have been tempted.
I have read about Italian beaches, seen them in the south, but thought today I would go to the Marina di Ravenna and see a beach and the port. Sounded good on paper. The bus did not stop when it got to where I thought it was going and then, because of a series of one way streets did not initially retrace it’s path. Everything was almost deserted, even though it is school holidays. I could have asked, but instead I stayed on the bus a bit longer until I was sure it had gone past where I thought I wanted to go and then got off and walked back. At no time could you see the water from the bus – there was a strip of trees and just a whole series of paths and signs leading down to the individual sections of the long beach. Anyway, at the marina end , there finally was a public road that went to the ‘beach’ area. I went into one of the few that was open, had some food, watched the few people wander around. Mostly large old people very tanned. I was meant to pay to go further, but I asked if I could just have a look at the water and was allowed. The rows and rows of deck chairs were mostly deserted. They did have little moveable head shades though. The water was a putrid opaque shade of dark grey/brown. Some people were swimming in it! I walked back through the town – it felt a bit like Noosa without any people. I got back to the bus stop, saw a bus coming and suddenly realized I had done it again – I was on the wrong side of the road. He grinned at me when he returned 10 mins later and picked me up on the correct side of the road. I worked out what landmark I would look for to press the button to get off near the hotel but forgot about the oneway streets all through Ravenna. Just as well I don’t mind walking. An opportunity to see something different!
Sunday - Ravenna’s mosaics
Yesterday I was very tired and the thought of the mind-blowing mosaics that fill this city ( the reason I have come) did nothing for me. I woke up after 10 hours ( I have been waking up at 4 or 5 for several days and thought I was hallucinating when the watch said 7.10 this morning) and felt really excited about all the things to see.
I figured that you could read about Urbino if you were interested in Wikipedia or similar, but I needed to put down on ‘paper’ to get clear in my head the history of Ravenna – part of the problem of multiple pieces of paper with info about the city , it’s all over the place. See previous post.
There are 8 sites in Ravenna that have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
I decided which order to see things in, had breakfast and set off for the furthest one first (it is quite hot ) – Theodoric’s mausoleum ( see notes)
I then walked to 2 and 3 on my list, only to be told that 2 was closed for mass ( it is , after all , Sunday) and so I a. could not get into 2 and the tickets for 3 were sold in 2. Ah well. Off I went to number 4 on my list . see notes of Baptistry of the Arians. Number 5 was closed for repair. Back to number 2 after a coffee ( I can now confidently walk into a bar, ask for a coffee and water, pay, respond appropriately to various questions, ask for the loo, etc, without a word of English – I’ve decided it’s all in the confidence – it doesn’t matter if it maybe a bit wrong) Anyway 2 was amazing. See notes of Basilica di San Vitale. Then 3 on my list. See notes of Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Time for some food and back to hotel to sort out thoughts of what I had seen. On the way got stopped by 2 kids who wanted directions. I pulled out my map and helped – they were genuine, not pickpockets. Could not find a caffe – did not want much, but most closed because Sunday. Got stopped by a guy and I was polite and stopped to talk to him – he wrote his name down for me and wanted to know my name and whether I was married. I talked on for a bit but when he grabbed my hand and held it to his heart I thought – oops - and told him sorry, but I had to go. He did not smell of alcohol, nor did he nick my wallet , but I then had to walk past my hotel and keep going for a while before I turned around to make sure he was not following, because I could hear him initially – he was wheezing. The block I went around turned out to be bigger than I expected. I gave up looking for something light and went to a restaurant near the hotel for some food. The elderly couple at the table next to me were lovely. Talked to me and invited me to sit with them. I declined - still a bit wary after short,fat Luciano. Yuk.
This afternoon I went to Basilica San’Apollinare Nuovo and the Baptistry degli Ariani ( see notes) . Then I went to a place where they have excavated about 3 m under road level and found mosaic pavements of a 6th C Byzantine palace called Domus dei Trappeti di Pietra. I looked at a small museum, only because it was included in one of the entrance
I figured that you could read about Urbino if you were interested in Wikipedia or similar, but I needed to put down on ‘paper’ to get clear in my head the history of Ravenna – part of the problem of multiple pieces of paper with info about the city , it’s all over the place. See previous post.
There are 8 sites in Ravenna that have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
I decided which order to see things in, had breakfast and set off for the furthest one first (it is quite hot ) – Theodoric’s mausoleum ( see notes)
I then walked to 2 and 3 on my list, only to be told that 2 was closed for mass ( it is , after all , Sunday) and so I a. could not get into 2 and the tickets for 3 were sold in 2. Ah well. Off I went to number 4 on my list . see notes of Baptistry of the Arians. Number 5 was closed for repair. Back to number 2 after a coffee ( I can now confidently walk into a bar, ask for a coffee and water, pay, respond appropriately to various questions, ask for the loo, etc, without a word of English – I’ve decided it’s all in the confidence – it doesn’t matter if it maybe a bit wrong) Anyway 2 was amazing. See notes of Basilica di San Vitale. Then 3 on my list. See notes of Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Time for some food and back to hotel to sort out thoughts of what I had seen. On the way got stopped by 2 kids who wanted directions. I pulled out my map and helped – they were genuine, not pickpockets. Could not find a caffe – did not want much, but most closed because Sunday. Got stopped by a guy and I was polite and stopped to talk to him – he wrote his name down for me and wanted to know my name and whether I was married. I talked on for a bit but when he grabbed my hand and held it to his heart I thought – oops - and told him sorry, but I had to go. He did not smell of alcohol, nor did he nick my wallet , but I then had to walk past my hotel and keep going for a while before I turned around to make sure he was not following, because I could hear him initially – he was wheezing. The block I went around turned out to be bigger than I expected. I gave up looking for something light and went to a restaurant near the hotel for some food. The elderly couple at the table next to me were lovely. Talked to me and invited me to sit with them. I declined - still a bit wary after short,fat Luciano. Yuk.
This afternoon I went to Basilica San’Apollinare Nuovo and the Baptistry degli Ariani ( see notes) . Then I went to a place where they have excavated about 3 m under road level and found mosaic pavements of a 6th C Byzantine palace called Domus dei Trappeti di Pietra. I looked at a small museum, only because it was included in one of the entrance
History of Ravenna
Roman Emperor Honorius , alarmed by threatening armies from the north moved his court to Ravenna, then an obscure town on Romagna coast in 402AD, from Milan. Easy to defend because of marshland. Close to Port of Classis – biggest Roman naval base on Adriatic.
Lots of building under his reaign.
Conquered by Goths in 476. Also Christians and continued to lavishly adorn the city, particularly the Ostrogoth Theodoric.
Theodoric was a member of the Arian cult who believed that, while Christ was the Son of God, he retained his human nature.
Mid 6th century Byzantine forces annexed the city to the Eastern Empire under rule of Constantinople. Byzantine rulers tried to outdo neighbouring states with magnificent buildings.
16th century city sacked and absorbed into Papal states.
There are 8 sites in Ravenna that have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
Following are notes on the 7 that I saw
I have tried to put them in chronological order of construction
Baptistry Neoniano.
Built end 4th Century or beginning 5th. On dome mosaic of baptism of Christ surrounded by 12 apostles.. Bright mosaics highlight Helenistic-Roman influences.
Original floor level has sunk into the marsh.
Lots of building under his reaign.
Conquered by Goths in 476. Also Christians and continued to lavishly adorn the city, particularly the Ostrogoth Theodoric.
Theodoric was a member of the Arian cult who believed that, while Christ was the Son of God, he retained his human nature.
Mid 6th century Byzantine forces annexed the city to the Eastern Empire under rule of Constantinople. Byzantine rulers tried to outdo neighbouring states with magnificent buildings.
16th century city sacked and absorbed into Papal states.
There are 8 sites in Ravenna that have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
Following are notes on the 7 that I saw
I have tried to put them in chronological order of construction
Baptistry Neoniano.
Built end 4th Century or beginning 5th. On dome mosaic of baptism of Christ surrounded by 12 apostles.. Bright mosaics highlight Helenistic-Roman influences.
Original floor level has sunk into the marsh.
see 3rd and 4th photo above
Mausoleum of Galla Placida.
450AD
Galla Placida was the half sister of Honorius.
Galla was taken hostage when the Goths came. She married 1 of her kidnappers, Ataulf. Reigned jointly over Gothic kingdom. Ataulf murdered by Romans. She was obliged to marry a Roman general Constantius. Their son, Valentinian III became emperor at 6 and she was regent – ruler again!
.. Small. Light filters through alabaster windows. Mosaics all over walls. Gold stars in ceiling. Romam and naturalistic motifs
Battistero degli Ariani.
5th centuy. Similar to other Baptistry but less flash inside. Baptism of Christ and 12 apostles
Theodoric’s mausoleum
Built 520AD. 10 sided. Follows ancient Syrian funeral monument models. Roofed with 1 single block of Istria stone of 10m diameter. Inside there is a porphyry tub in which it is supposed that he was buried
Basilica di San Vitale.
One of most important monuments of early Christian art.
Started in 521 under Theodoric, finished in 547 under Byzantine Justinian
Eastern, Byzanine, influence dominant.
Based on 2 concentric octagons. Central dome supported by 8 columns. 8 recesses extending from each side, 1 of which is a semi-circular apse covered in mosaics. Design basis for Aghia Sofia in Istanbul built 15 years later ( note those of you who are about to go to Istanbul)
Mosaics of OT guys, JC, apostles, Emperor Justinium and his wife, Theodora. Rivers, trees, animals. Apparently Theodora started life as a child prostitute and circus performer, became a courtesan and then lived with Justinian. He changed the laws so he could marry her. They were both quite ruthless and corrupt.
Basilica di San’Apollinare Nuovo
Named after Ravenna’s first bishop
6th Century church with Greek columns
Has a row of mosaics down each side of church – 22 virgins on the left and 26 male martyrs on the right bearing gifts for Mary and Jesus respectively.
A mosaic near the door shows Theodoric’s palace.
Basilica di San’Apollinare Classe
Built during first half of 6th century. Marvellous mosaics in apse. Marble sarcophagi of former archbishops along side naves. Greek columns. Dominating figure is San Apollinare. Christ represented by cross. Originally on coast, now about 8 km inland.
see first 2 photos above
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Le Marche food and wine
Le Marche specialities that I have tried that know about.
Casciotta – a delicate fresh cheese from Urbino. I had it baked with spinach.
Crescia sfogliata – unleavened bread filled with something ( I had cheese and spinach) and turned over and grilled.
Olive ripiene all’ascolano – green olives from another part of Le Marche…. stuffed and fried
Passatelli – egg pasta ( short spaghetti like shapes) sort of rolled in breadcrumbs with a veggie sauce.
Frittata con pecorino di fossa – It was baked, with spinach. The sheep’s cheese had been aged in a fossa or covered trench for 4 months. It was delicious – quite strong.
Crescia di pasca – a spicy yellow bread traditionally, in Le Marche and adjacent Umbria, served at Easter.
Bianchello del Metauro - a dry white from Urbino and surrounding area
Verdicchio – Fonte della luna – a dry white from different parts of Le Marche
Rosso Conero – made mainly from Montepulciano grapes grown near Ancona
Casciotta – a delicate fresh cheese from Urbino. I had it baked with spinach.
Crescia sfogliata – unleavened bread filled with something ( I had cheese and spinach) and turned over and grilled.
Olive ripiene all’ascolano – green olives from another part of Le Marche…. stuffed and fried
Passatelli – egg pasta ( short spaghetti like shapes) sort of rolled in breadcrumbs with a veggie sauce.
Frittata con pecorino di fossa – It was baked, with spinach. The sheep’s cheese had been aged in a fossa or covered trench for 4 months. It was delicious – quite strong.
Crescia di pasca – a spicy yellow bread traditionally, in Le Marche and adjacent Umbria, served at Easter.
Bianchello del Metauro - a dry white from Urbino and surrounding area
Verdicchio – Fonte della luna – a dry white from different parts of Le Marche
Rosso Conero – made mainly from Montepulciano grapes grown near Ancona
Monday, September 10, 2007
Ravenna in brief
Yesterday I visited 6 of the 8 Unesco world heritage listed sites with amazing mosaics plus a few other buildings. It is very hot and old churches are usually refreshingly cool.
Today I went by bus to see one of the remaining 2 sites ( the last is closed for renovation). It is the one that I remember visiting with John 31 years ago. I also went by a different bus to the seaside (not without it's challenges) and had a closeup look at a beach resort.
Tomorrow I go by train to Mantova. On Wednesday I plan a day off - catch up on more detailed posts, ( I think the hotel has a wireless network), maybe write some postcards and/ or send the few I've written ( don't hold your breathe though), read a book, do some embroidery etc.
Today I went by bus to see one of the remaining 2 sites ( the last is closed for renovation). It is the one that I remember visiting with John 31 years ago. I also went by a different bus to the seaside (not without it's challenges) and had a closeup look at a beach resort.
Tomorrow I go by train to Mantova. On Wednesday I plan a day off - catch up on more detailed posts, ( I think the hotel has a wireless network), maybe write some postcards and/ or send the few I've written ( don't hold your breathe though), read a book, do some embroidery etc.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Saturday - Ravenna
I have arrived at Ravenna. I had an 'almost problem' - On the way here, I wanted to access my backpack but could not undo the lock. After many many attempts on several different occassions it finally worked, but in the meantime I was a bit worried!
I will post a picture later of my hotel - and leave you to guess which is my window - a clue - it is not as good as the last one!
The hotel has no wireless connection, although ellebee can see a secure network. I have just walked far more metres than I wanted to asking at all the big internet places, tourist information etc and noone knows of a wifi hotspot in Ravenna.
This is a very dodgy keyboard and I am tired. The weekend staff appear to be on duty , so I wonùt try using their internet connection - which was suggested to me - until Monday. I will try and answer emails though ( and catch up on the few I havenot answered) later.
I will post a picture later of my hotel - and leave you to guess which is my window - a clue - it is not as good as the last one!
The hotel has no wireless connection, although ellebee can see a secure network. I have just walked far more metres than I wanted to asking at all the big internet places, tourist information etc and noone knows of a wifi hotspot in Ravenna.
This is a very dodgy keyboard and I am tired. The weekend staff appear to be on duty , so I wonùt try using their internet connection - which was suggested to me - until Monday. I will try and answer emails though ( and catch up on the few I havenot answered) later.
Friday, September 7, 2007
More photos
Chiesa di San Francesco in Urbania.The Italian method of getting rid of building rubble is in the foreground.
One corner of the Ducal Palace in Urbino.
The view from my window at 9.30pm.(My little basic camera does not do it justice.)
Must Do..
Remember that if I drink 1/4 l of good wine I cannot expect to speak any coherent Italian at all.
Walk on the right hand side of the footpath
Look Right, left, right when crossing a road.
Learn how to post photos properly. ( If I get it wrong, I cannot understand the Italian to know which button to press)
Walk on the right hand side of the footpath
Look Right, left, right when crossing a road.
Learn how to post photos properly. ( If I get it wrong, I cannot understand the Italian to know which button to press)
Fri - Urbania
Today I went to Urbania, a town 20km SE of Urbino by bus for 1/2 day.
Urbania is the town featured in the language book that my Italian teacher uses. Over the past few years I have been (rather intermittently) trying to learn the language by reading about the exploits of a group of students at the language school there.
Urbania is the town featured in the language book that my Italian teacher uses. Over the past few years I have been (rather intermittently) trying to learn the language by reading about the exploits of a group of students at the language school there.
The old part of the town is of a similar age to Urbino, with similar narrow streets and old buildings. Some of the surrounding wall remains. I saw no other obvious tourists. Several times I stopped to talk to locals – all very chatty. There were lots of churches, mostly quite small. During WW2 Urbino got badly bombed one day. There is a new church built as an anti war reminder. I found a nice café – cappuccino and croissant for morning tea (€1.90) – sitting outside - that’s the view in the photo – and later I had a sandwich and water there €2.10. As I was buying my food, a well-dressed young lady come in and bought a small piece of pizza and a medium glass of prosecco. Just as I had sat down another came in and did the same. “When in Rome ..” I thought. €2 for a glass mid way in size between a sherry and white wine glass. Sort of made up for the night before.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Thursday's downs and ups
Another street scene - this is one of the 3 or 4 main streets. Not only cars, but also buses drive around. The shop on the right hand side is called 'Koala’. It sells ‘artisan products from other country’I think umbrella man was the gentleman that looks after breakfast. I talked to him for a bit yesterday – there was an ad for Don Matteo on the TV and I told him I had watched it on TV in Australia. The conversation moved onto Inspectore Montalbano and then one of the other guests, an Italian, asked if I had heard of Berlusconi. He probably thinks kangaroos hop down the main streets in Australia. Anyway, if it was him, he would have recognized me and known where I was going.
Today I did a tour of Urbino’s churches. I started with the closest one, which had nothing of note according to the guide books. A diversion. In case you think I am carrying an assortment of guide books with me, I’m not. Before I left home, I scanned books I had borrowed or bought, reduced the images to smallish print and printed double-sided. The plan is to ditch the paper as I go. I could also read the info on Ellebee’s screen. Hopefully I can ditch more than I collect in each place. Back to Chiesa di San Francesca – I walked in and the first thing I saw in this fairly ordinary church ( by Italian old churches standard) was some people lighting a candle. I was suddenly reminded of the several people I know who were visiting Europe when John was sick and told me they had lit candles for him. It was quite moving. I thought, I need something to distract me, so I went to the notice board. Right in front of me was a prayer for people on holiday who were visiting the church. It was in simple Italian – stuff like hoping God would be with the travellers protecting them in their travels etc and then it prayed for the travelers to have renewed ‘il gusto di vivere’ – their zest for life. Eerie stuff. So I sat for a while.
The next place was the duomo where I looked at some paintings, a collection of fine clerical robes and mitres and some intricate old painted manuscripts. Looked at several other churches– mostly in a state of disrepair. Probably why they are not in the guide books.
Lunch was a modest bread roll, tomato (that tasted like a tomato) and a delicious peach sitting in my window alcove at a total cost of €0.90 – about $1.50
In the afternoon I went for a walk to see a church about 2 km outside the walls. It’s main claim to fame is the tombs of the Dukes of Urbino that it houses. I just felt like a walk in the countryside.
This evening I thought I would have an aperitivo before dinner, having decided not to have any wine with dinner. The sooner I get up courage to do a few things it will become easier ( in theory) . I asked the desk lady’s advice about what is a common aperitivo around here. The first few bars were too crowded with smart young things, then the first I tried did not have it then I walked around rehearsing my Italian sentence again and getting up more courage only to be told a second time they did not have it. That was it. I should have asked for something standard like aperol or campari. – not that I’ve had either since I was last in Italy. I went to the restaurant I’ve eaten at before only to find they were not yet open. So I walked around some more. I had a nice dish of passatelli , a local type of pasta.
Wednesday's activities
The main tourist attraction in Urbino, apart from the place itself, is the Palazzo Ducale, a Renaissance palace built for Duke Federico da Montefeltro, ruler of Urbino (1444-82). He was a soldier, but also interested in promoting the arts and learning. The palace now houses the National Gallery of the Marche, reputed to have one of the best collections of early Renaisssance art in Italy. I got there at 8.45, ¼ hour after it opened, and wandered around for ages. I had a list of about 8 paintings that various books I have read said were the highlights. I did not see another visitor – plenty of attendants in different rooms, sitting with bored expressions on their faces or reading books – and I went back and forwards a bit – till about 10am and that was a tour group of Italians. There was one particular painting Piero della Francesca ‘s Flagellation that was particularly interesting. Does anyone know or can someone ( that’s you K, pls) find out if I can put a photo of a postcard of a painting on this blog without breaking any rules? I’ll save my description till later.
I wandered around the streets till lunch and went back to the restaurant of the night before. John and I had a rule when we were traveling that we tried as many different restaurants in the one town as possible and as many different dishes, particularly local specialities as possible. I have decided that it is perfectly OK for me to only eat at the 1 place if I want. I did try 3 different things, though and a different white wine , a verdicchio.
I pottered in my room for a while then went for another wander. I went to a little church whose walls were covered with a series of frescoes depicting the life of John the Baptist.
Dinner was going to be a tomato and a bread roll, but I settled for an apple – too much lunch. I thought I had walked far enough to justify the food, but maybe not.
Umbrella Man
5.9.07
I have no idea what time the bells stopped last night. I went to a restaurant nearby suggested by the helpful young woman at reception. It was really good. I felt quite comfortable and, apart from 1 other single male, was the only non Italian. Some of the Italians were tourists judging by the time the proprietor spent explaining the local specialities. I was asleep within a few minutes of walking in the door. The bells started with a long peel at 7.45 this morning.
Yesterday was not as quite as easy as I think the post made it sound. I miss John’s inate sense of direction ( even given the day or so it took him to adjust to the northern hemisphere he always seemed to know where north was). With a map, but without him or a compass or nearby street signs, several times I initially struggled to orient myself. Finding a loo is sometimes a challenge in Italy. Not having a traveling companion to watch your bag can be tiresome when you do find one. There were many times when I was pleased with my decision to take a back pack and to update my previous 30 year old one with a new one with a good harness. My pack with day pack attached was 12.5 kg and my handbag carrying ellebee ( Fujitsu Notebook) , dictionary, camera and water was 2kg.
Another problem with traveling on your own that I have been warned about is the sense of isolation that you can feel not having anyone to share the wondrous things around you and being surrounded by people who speak a different language. I think this blog may help me feel as though I have someone to ‘talk’ to. At the very least my typing speed will get better. It may become a big chore, I’ll see. I do not want to get blamed for any ‘deaths by boredom’ , so stop reading before that.
I am pleased with how my Italian is going. I seem to be able to ask questions with enough confidence and vaguely correct grammar and vocab that, so far, I have always been answered in Italian and I have usually been able to understand the response. I missed a golden opportunity this evening. I was walking back to the hotel and it had just started drizzling. A well dressed Italian male carrying an umbrella spoke to me quickly as he approached. I took a moment or 2 to take in what he said – would I like him to accompany me somewhere under his umbrella - and was so stunned ( would this happen in Australia – maybe in a downpour, but a light drizzle??) that I could not get any thing sensible out – like my hotel is just round the corner, which I am perfectly capable of - I just stuttered ‘no, grazie’. He then asked if I was sure ! I think I muddled my yes and no’s – there is something in my memory that in some situations Italians say the opposite to us – but then maybe that is in Turkish.
I have just heard the 9pm bells and am going to bed.
I have no idea what time the bells stopped last night. I went to a restaurant nearby suggested by the helpful young woman at reception. It was really good. I felt quite comfortable and, apart from 1 other single male, was the only non Italian. Some of the Italians were tourists judging by the time the proprietor spent explaining the local specialities. I was asleep within a few minutes of walking in the door. The bells started with a long peel at 7.45 this morning.
Yesterday was not as quite as easy as I think the post made it sound. I miss John’s inate sense of direction ( even given the day or so it took him to adjust to the northern hemisphere he always seemed to know where north was). With a map, but without him or a compass or nearby street signs, several times I initially struggled to orient myself. Finding a loo is sometimes a challenge in Italy. Not having a traveling companion to watch your bag can be tiresome when you do find one. There were many times when I was pleased with my decision to take a back pack and to update my previous 30 year old one with a new one with a good harness. My pack with day pack attached was 12.5 kg and my handbag carrying ellebee ( Fujitsu Notebook) , dictionary, camera and water was 2kg.
Another problem with traveling on your own that I have been warned about is the sense of isolation that you can feel not having anyone to share the wondrous things around you and being surrounded by people who speak a different language. I think this blog may help me feel as though I have someone to ‘talk’ to. At the very least my typing speed will get better. It may become a big chore, I’ll see. I do not want to get blamed for any ‘deaths by boredom’ , so stop reading before that.
I am pleased with how my Italian is going. I seem to be able to ask questions with enough confidence and vaguely correct grammar and vocab that, so far, I have always been answered in Italian and I have usually been able to understand the response. I missed a golden opportunity this evening. I was walking back to the hotel and it had just started drizzling. A well dressed Italian male carrying an umbrella spoke to me quickly as he approached. I took a moment or 2 to take in what he said – would I like him to accompany me somewhere under his umbrella - and was so stunned ( would this happen in Australia – maybe in a downpour, but a light drizzle??) that I could not get any thing sensible out – like my hotel is just round the corner, which I am perfectly capable of - I just stuttered ‘no, grazie’. He then asked if I was sure ! I think I muddled my yes and no’s – there is something in my memory that in some situations Italians say the opposite to us – but then maybe that is in Turkish.
I have just heard the 9pm bells and am going to bed.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
4.9.07 Urbino
I arrived safely. The view from my full length window is OK!
The plane trip was uneventful. The first Thai Airways plane was old but with more leg room than I’ve had in a while. I dozed most of the time. The new airport at Bangkok is, I think, a very sterile concoction of glass, steel and very uncomfortable plastic grey chairs. Fortunately I was able to use my second leg boarding pass to get into a lounge. From Bangkok to Milan I enjoyed 5 hours solid sleep and then off and on. I will decide later whether it was worth the extra money. The bus into the city, train to Rimini, change to another train to Pesaro, walk about 1 km to bus stop, bus to Urbino, walk about 1 km to hotel all went smoothly enough.
I am not sure how sound proof this room is – the bells of the church seem to chime the number on the hour and then at each quarter hour after they chime the number followed by a different sounding bell once at ¼ past, 2 times at ½ past and 3 times at ¾ past. That is a lot of bells every hour.
The site where I post this blog seems to know I am in Italy and thinks I want all the instructions in Italian. I wonder what it will do when I post it or when you come to read it?
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