Final day in Rome and just some last minute running around. Our internet is still out so we are at Internet Point doing the blog. Our tv also went out. They switched from analog to digital overnight and the apartment owner (and most of Rome it sounds like) did not upgrade their tvs or get the converter boxes.
Inside the Chiesa di Santa Susanna which is the American Church in Rome
Inside the Chiesa Santa Maria della Vittoria
Inside the Chiesa Santa Maria della Vittoria
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday November 15
Today was our day in Trastevere area mainly..on the other side of the river
Crossing the Tiber. From here we went to Porta Portese which is the BIG flea market on Sundays. Tons of stuff and very inexpensive. This was the only time we were accosted by anyone on this trip. As we were walking through the crowds, 3 girls came up and started putting their hands all over Clemente saying Sayonara. Not sure why they were saying goodbye to him but probably saying goodbye to his wallet if he did not slap them all off and get away quickly.
No pictures in the flea market as it was too crowded but we sure needed some lunch afterwords. We stopped for a Doner Kebap at Mondial Pizza Rosticceria. It was quite inexpensive and good.
Chiesa San Franciso a Ripa (no inside pics as mass was going on)
Chiesa di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Inside Chiesa di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.
Santa Maria in Trastevere Church and Square
Inside Santa Maria in Trastevere
Inside Santa Maria in Trastevere
Drinks in the Piazza. Nice afternoon
Crossing the Tiber. From here we went to Porta Portese which is the BIG flea market on Sundays. Tons of stuff and very inexpensive. This was the only time we were accosted by anyone on this trip. As we were walking through the crowds, 3 girls came up and started putting their hands all over Clemente saying Sayonara. Not sure why they were saying goodbye to him but probably saying goodbye to his wallet if he did not slap them all off and get away quickly.
No pictures in the flea market as it was too crowded but we sure needed some lunch afterwords. We stopped for a Doner Kebap at Mondial Pizza Rosticceria. It was quite inexpensive and good.
Chiesa San Franciso a Ripa (no inside pics as mass was going on)
Chiesa di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Inside Chiesa di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.
Santa Maria in Trastevere Church and Square
Inside Santa Maria in Trastevere
Inside Santa Maria in Trastevere
Drinks in the Piazza. Nice afternoon
Saturday November 14
Well, our internet stopped working at the apartment on Saturday so it hampered our blog but I am going to try to quickly put 3 days online from this internet station, so do not expect lots of info...sorry.
Clemente and Pinocchio...now, does the right one have the long nose?
Parish of Santa Maria in Aquiro
Inside Santa Maria in Aquiro
Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena (by the way if you have not figured it out, Chiesa means Church)
Above the altar at Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena
Dome of Chiesa di Sant' Agostino
Grave of Santa Monica inside Chiesa di Sant' Agostino
Inside Chiesa di Sant' Agostino
Religious experience walking by the Pantheon (sneaking in to use the toilette) across the street
Inside Chiesa S. Luigi dei Francesi
Angels holding up choir loft in Chiesa S. Luigi dei Francesi
Courtyard of Chiesa di Sant' Ivo Alla Sapienza
Look at them buns!
Inside Chiesa di N. Signora del S. Cuore
Green man shakes his leaves for you if you put money in his can.
Clemente and Pinocchio...now, does the right one have the long nose?
Parish of Santa Maria in Aquiro
Inside Santa Maria in Aquiro
Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena (by the way if you have not figured it out, Chiesa means Church)
Above the altar at Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena
Dome of Chiesa di Sant' Agostino
Grave of Santa Monica inside Chiesa di Sant' Agostino
Inside Chiesa di Sant' Agostino
Religious experience walking by the Pantheon (sneaking in to use the toilette) across the street
Inside Chiesa S. Luigi dei Francesi
Angels holding up choir loft in Chiesa S. Luigi dei Francesi
Courtyard of Chiesa di Sant' Ivo Alla Sapienza
Look at them buns!
Inside Chiesa di N. Signora del S. Cuore
Green man shakes his leaves for you if you put money in his can.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday Nov 13
Another day of wonderful roaming of Rome. We concentrated on areas in a circle of a mile on all sides of our apartment today. By the way, if interested, you can checkout the apartment that we rented at this website: http://rentalinrome.com/artgalleryapt/artgalleryapt.htm These pictures are exactly how it looks except one room shows a small sofa where there is now a bed (my bedroom). The rest is exactly what we have. It's very nice and would definitely consider it on a return trip.
This is the exterior of our first stop today- Basilica di Santa Pudenziana which is another Filipino stronghold in Rome. This was one of our favorites as it is very much untouched inside. It has alot of restoration work that needs to be done and you feel like you've just discovered something from 500+ years ago. There are signs of many pieces of art and marble walls removed but many still remain. You do see a variety of marble used on the floors. It resembles a poor parish where they've only been able to do minimum work over the years but still looks magnificient.
Above the altar at S. Pudenziana
Further down the road you come across the exact opposite- a massive Basilica that appears quite wealthy in the upkeep and tourists galore. Oh, and before I forget, when you walk around some of these churches it is hard to figure out what door you are supposed to enter as there are many side and back doors but most only want you entering one way. All you have to do is look for the little bobbing kneeling gypsy woman in the doorway and you know you have the right one. Since this Church is so large, they had two gypsies. They leave you alone- just say something in Italian and many don't show their faces. Some though look like they are 20 though. As Clemente said, they must go to bobbing school to learn the proper position and how to bob up and down so perfectly. This is the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
Below the altar is this massive statue of a Pope praying. It is very hard to understand the writing on some of these. Even after 4 years in Catholic High School, Latin was not on my list of majors.
This is what the statue was praying to.
This is one of the side altars at Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
The ceiling of one of the other side chapels in same Basilica.
Then we proceeded another block to the Basilica di Santa Prassede. This mosaic ceiling was quite impressive.
Inside Basilica di Santa Prassede.
Another ceiling shot in same Basilica
Just a shot of one of the MANY souvenir carts on the street selling magnets and plastic Popes. We then walked to two other churches that had just closed for the afternoon- you've got to get an early start to catch them all at the right time. Then we headed to Via Veneto, that street of Dolce Vita fame of the 1950's. Now it is just a length about 6-7 blocks of extremely high priced hotels and restaurants. We were hungry but didn't want to spend our return flight funds on this one lunch so we got 2 blocks off the street for a wonderful meal.
Here along the Via Veneto you'll find the American Embassy.
The drivers are amazing here. It doesn't matter how or where you park. Now I know why these are called Smart cars. There are tiny cars and scooters everywhere and yes, you do take your life in your hands when crossing the street. Find a local, and walk with them as they cross as they seem to know how to read the drivers best.
After lunch, onward we went to the Borghese Museum. We did not do the tour today as our reservation was for an earlier time that didn't work with our schedule well. No loss as we have not been deprived of our quantity and quality of art seen so far. We then walked through the park back towards the apartment.
We stopped in at the Church of Immacolata Concezione. The interior is quite dark but did get a good shot here.
Same church. This church is best known for it's crypt of Cappucini monks underneath. They have taken the bones of 4000 monks and displayed them in all shapes and sizes of decorations in wall hangings, chandeliers, arches, stacks of skulls, etc. They would not allow pictures inside. There is no charge but a nun shaking a donation basket before entering is quite an incentive. You felt she was holding the ruler behind her back if you didn't throw something in.
We then finally went to the Palazzo Barberini across the street from our apartment that houses the Galeria Nazionale d'Arte Antica. Once again, no cameras allowed inside. You only get to see one floor on the self guided tour but impressive paintings all from 14th and 15th centuries. The final massive room had the most interesting ceiling fresco that was like 3D. You had to lie down and look up for 10-15 minutes as there was so much in the picture to take in. This is the exterior courtyard in the photo.
This is the exterior of our first stop today- Basilica di Santa Pudenziana which is another Filipino stronghold in Rome. This was one of our favorites as it is very much untouched inside. It has alot of restoration work that needs to be done and you feel like you've just discovered something from 500+ years ago. There are signs of many pieces of art and marble walls removed but many still remain. You do see a variety of marble used on the floors. It resembles a poor parish where they've only been able to do minimum work over the years but still looks magnificient.
Above the altar at S. Pudenziana
Further down the road you come across the exact opposite- a massive Basilica that appears quite wealthy in the upkeep and tourists galore. Oh, and before I forget, when you walk around some of these churches it is hard to figure out what door you are supposed to enter as there are many side and back doors but most only want you entering one way. All you have to do is look for the little bobbing kneeling gypsy woman in the doorway and you know you have the right one. Since this Church is so large, they had two gypsies. They leave you alone- just say something in Italian and many don't show their faces. Some though look like they are 20 though. As Clemente said, they must go to bobbing school to learn the proper position and how to bob up and down so perfectly. This is the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
Below the altar is this massive statue of a Pope praying. It is very hard to understand the writing on some of these. Even after 4 years in Catholic High School, Latin was not on my list of majors.
This is what the statue was praying to.
This is one of the side altars at Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
The ceiling of one of the other side chapels in same Basilica.
Then we proceeded another block to the Basilica di Santa Prassede. This mosaic ceiling was quite impressive.
Inside Basilica di Santa Prassede.
Another ceiling shot in same Basilica
Just a shot of one of the MANY souvenir carts on the street selling magnets and plastic Popes. We then walked to two other churches that had just closed for the afternoon- you've got to get an early start to catch them all at the right time. Then we headed to Via Veneto, that street of Dolce Vita fame of the 1950's. Now it is just a length about 6-7 blocks of extremely high priced hotels and restaurants. We were hungry but didn't want to spend our return flight funds on this one lunch so we got 2 blocks off the street for a wonderful meal.
Here along the Via Veneto you'll find the American Embassy.
Did someone say lunch? Pizza, salad with anchovies, and a carafe of house white wine...almost like we're in Rome. Hey, wait... This is at San Marco, where a lot of office workers stream into between 1:30 and 2:30 pm - all very well dressed. They seem to like this place so we followed them and were not disappointed.
The drivers are amazing here. It doesn't matter how or where you park. Now I know why these are called Smart cars. There are tiny cars and scooters everywhere and yes, you do take your life in your hands when crossing the street. Find a local, and walk with them as they cross as they seem to know how to read the drivers best.
After lunch, onward we went to the Borghese Museum. We did not do the tour today as our reservation was for an earlier time that didn't work with our schedule well. No loss as we have not been deprived of our quantity and quality of art seen so far. We then walked through the park back towards the apartment.
We stopped in at the Church of Immacolata Concezione. The interior is quite dark but did get a good shot here.
Same church. This church is best known for it's crypt of Cappucini monks underneath. They have taken the bones of 4000 monks and displayed them in all shapes and sizes of decorations in wall hangings, chandeliers, arches, stacks of skulls, etc. They would not allow pictures inside. There is no charge but a nun shaking a donation basket before entering is quite an incentive. You felt she was holding the ruler behind her back if you didn't throw something in.
We then finally went to the Palazzo Barberini across the street from our apartment that houses the Galeria Nazionale d'Arte Antica. Once again, no cameras allowed inside. You only get to see one floor on the self guided tour but impressive paintings all from 14th and 15th centuries. The final massive room had the most interesting ceiling fresco that was like 3D. You had to lie down and look up for 10-15 minutes as there was so much in the picture to take in. This is the exterior courtyard in the photo.
Quick video of the crypt below the altar at the Basilica di Santa Prassede
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