Italy 2: Florence 1

Only an hour and a half train ride apart are these two historical and cultural giants, Roma and Firenze. Italian trains are remarkably reliable (except when there is a strike). And the ubiquitous ticket machines are so convenient to use. The train station in Florence is just a 10 minute walk from where we are staying but we use a taxi because of our luggage despite the warning that taxi drivers here can cheat. The taxi pulls up on the edge of Piazza San Giovanni, which is where the Duomo is located. And our B&B as well.

 A view outside the room window: the name of this B&B is Florence Cathedral View and they are not kidding. We walk up to our suite, put the luggage down, and open the window; voila, this is the view. It is truly "A Room with a View."

Florence: walking down to the square and snap a shot like so many are doing - Baptistry, Duomo, and the Giotto Tower, with the Dome sneaking in.

Palazzo Vecchio: after downing some gelato at a Grom branch near the Duomo, we walk to Piazza delle Signoria. This Renaissance Town Hall (then a palace, then City Hall again) is the first site we use the pricy but mighty Firenze card. Other than the capacious Grand Hall, this palace is underwhelming esthetically.

As the evening approaches, we cross Arno River and start climbing a small hill to Piazzale Michelangelo, a prime spot for gathering at sunset. We arrive at our destination with plenty time to spare, so we go up a little further up to ...

San Miniato Church: situated above Piazzale Michelangelo, this is a good spot to watch the sunset. (Actually this photo of the 12th century facade was taken after the sunset).

San Miniato Church: drop two Euros into the digital info station, then the light comes on. At 6:30pm we catch the daily chants by the monks in the cozy cove below. We cut the serene experience short to make sure we don't miss the sunset.

The sun soon disappears into the clouds near the Tuscan horizon.

Florence: a view of the Duomo complex from San Miniato Church as the sun goes down

A few of Florence after sunset from San Miniato Church

Piazzale Michelangelo: on the way down, we do stop here and witness the raucous young crowd lingering after the sunset. 

Now that the soul has been fed, it is time to feed the body. Walking down in the dark, we successfully find a short cut to our dinner reservation at the bottom of the hill (thanks, offline Googlemap! I probably look like I am playing Pokemon Go all the time. Surprisingly there are a lot of tourists who still cling to to a paper map.)

La Bottega del Buon Caffe: an upscale restaurant despite what the interesting name may suggest (House of Good Coffee). The staff are super cheerful and the intense chef with a shaven head does his work right in front of most tables in an open kitchen. This risotto dish with goat cheese and pieces of eel on top is quite good. The oversized wine glass contains Chianti Classico which along with Leccino olive oil we feel obligated to try.

Breakfast delivered to our room at our B&B, well partly because there is no dining room as such in this 17th Century building on the Duomo square

Baptistry: Right in front of our B&B is this 11th century octogonal structure. This picture of the mosaic ceiling is taken with the neck in extreme hyperextension.

Baptistry: this famous bronze door by Ghiberti, "Gates of Paradise" deservedly attracts huge crowds. But does everyone know that it is a copy? (installed since our last visit).

A couple of blocks north is the building that houses the world-famous statue of David by Michelangelo. There is a very long line moving very slowly. Is this single statue, which everyone has seen a picture of, really worth this much trouble? Fortunately we have the Firenze card.

Accademia: there he is, full frontal.The marvelous marble looks age-less compared to the weather-worn outdoor copies elsewhere in Florence. That should be a warning to all the sun-worshipers who care about their skin. On the right is one of La Pieta's by Michelangelo.

Museum of San Marco: just a block away is a tranquil oasis welcomed after the bustle at Accademia. This is no ordinary museum but a former monastery which is decorated with a great set of  frescoes by Fra Angelica, early Renaissance monk and one of my favorite painters.

Museum of San Marco: Annunciation by Fra Angelica. Each of the monastic cells here (like those on left) has a fresco (and pretty much nothing else) by the master or one of his disciples.

Museum of San Marco: a cell given to Cosimo di Medici which has a Fra Angelico original.

Museum San Marco: Savonarola's cell. The spot on which the fanatic moral reformer and dictator was burned is marked on the pavement of Piazza delle Signoria in front of Palazzo Vecchio. It is a sad irony if your cell is decorated by a painting depicting your death.

'Ino: this popular panini shop near the Uffizi is surprisingly empty. The hard crust is to my liking! My choice is mortadella with gorgonzola.

Uffizi: not as overwhelming as say Louvre or Hermitage. Many of the important works are in the rooms off these corridors.

Uffizi: the Botticelli Room is probably the most popular. Birth of Venus on left (nearly full frontal, as if to match David) and Primavera on right.

Uffizi: Primavera is one of my favorite paintings. The smaller painting on left is also by Botticelli, which is like a visual who's who for the Medici family.

Uffizi: in contrast to Botticelli's famous duo, Michelangelo's Holy Family seems almost ignored by most visitors. In front is a version of Sleeping Ariadne from antiquity. 

Uffizi: Da Vinci's Annunciation is another crowd favorite.

Uffizi: Caravaggio's Medusa. Supposedly represents the moment of her self-recognition. Perhaps others can benefit from such a moment.

Galileo Museum: Next door to Uffizi, we made a quick dash through all the scientific instruments on display. It feels like the scientist himself is giving me a middle finger.

Casa di Dante: the macabre continue at the house where Dante was born. Probably the most intriguing item in this small museum is the death mask which has garnered more attention thanks to Dan Brown's "Inferno." Will definitely see the movie version when it opens.

A view of Ponte Vecchio during a pre-dinner stroll along Arno River

L'Osteria di Giovanni: I am not (or no longer) a steak person, but I am curious about Bisteca alla Fiorentina, a local specialty. It is sold by the weight, and despite my plea for the smallest portion size, they give me a two-pounder. The wife jokingly states that gout was prevalent in the Medici family because they ate so much meat.
This is a large traditional restaurant with friendly service. I surely appreciate the nice gesture of complimentary prosecco and Italian fried bread at the beginning and biscotti at the end. But I am not too impressed with the food. Missing Armando's in Rome!

Florence: Duomo complex at night

Italy 1: Rome

October 1986 - whoa, three decades ago - is when I was in Rome last. Nothing much would have changed because this is, after all, the Eternal City, right? We embark on the well-trodden Rome-Florence-Venice axis, this being the daughter's first trip in Italy. We only have a little over two and a half days in Rome, but hey, we can devote a full day each to the splendor of the Roman Empire and to the grandeur of the seat of Catholicism that is the Vatican. All figured out.

Pantheon, Rome: a short stroll from the hotel brings us to a rare late evening opening of this 19th century old structure. The inscription credits M Agrippa, a friend and son-in-law of Augustus, for its creation, although Hadrian rebuilt it.

Pantheon in the daylight:  the mother of all domes, testing the limits of wide-angle lenses. Light comes in through the "oculus" on top. Raphael's grave on the left. 

Terre e Domus: This modest restaurant, run by the city of Rome, is practically in the shadow of Trajan's Column (seen through the window) in today's blinding sun.

Amatriciana: for my first pasta dish on this trip, I pay tribute to the victims of a recent devastating earthquake in the town the sauce is named after. Although Amatrice is two hours away by car, this dish has come to be known as a Roman specialty. The pasta is mezze maniche, sort of a shortened rigatoni with ridges which hold the sauce.

Am I the first one to notice that some of these ubiquitous Roman column remnants bear canny resemblance to certain pasta, in particular the mezze maniche I am having? But this is from the visit later today of the Roman forum (with Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina in the background), and I am getting ahead of myself.

Before we finish lunch, a familiar figure walks in and his party sit at the next table. Wait, could it be? yes it is. Rick Steves! I show him my copy of his Italy guidebook and he poses for a photo with a smile. After lunch we walk to the meeting point for our guided tour of the standard Colosseum - Palatine Hill - Forum variety. So we move from Trajan's Column to Arch of Constantine. How about that.

Near the Colosseum, looking for our tour group, we hear recorded messages repeatedly urging visitors to be wary of pickpockets. Just then, two men appear out of nowhere running at full speed, seemingly being chased by the police. They knock over the wife, who is fortunately not hurt seriously but left with a bruise. 

It was a good decision to sign up for a guided tour and avoid long lines. However, there is a period of confusion regarding our entry site, and amidst the chaos (without which it wouldn't be Italy!) somehow our group manages to find the entrance at the arena level which usually is granted to special tours.

Colosseum: how many photos of this structure are taken everyday? One of the fascinating features is its textbook display of Greek columns on different layers - Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.

Colosseum: Our group lucks out and enters via the gladiators' entrance onto the arena level, which is now reserved for special groups. I soon gain the gladiator's perspective and start imagining the crazed spectators rising to their feet to chant "Lock her up! Lock her up!" 

Walking up Via Scala, we reach Arch of Pius which is of historic and architectural importance and has spawned many arches including Arc de Triomphe in Paris. We veer left from here to enter Palatine Hill first.

Palatine Hill: looking toward Domus Flavius. Unmistakable Roman pines.

The Roman Forum vista from Palatine Hill. (Victor Emanuel Monument in Piazza Venezia is seen in the distance on left.)

Santa Maria Maggiore: opening hours posted for Italian monuments are not to be totally trusted. Although we could not see the renowned mosaic in the interior today, a leisurely 1 km walk from the Colosseum is still worth it.

Spanish steps: if there is one place where people gather for no good reason other than everyone else being there, this is it. Well, there is some notable stuff around here, like Bernini's "Sinking Boat" fountain (in front) and the house John Keats died in at age 25 (on far right). (Too bad we won't have time to visit Protestant Cemetery where he and his fellow Romantic English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley are buried.)

A view of St Peter's Cathedral after sunset: from the dinner table at Giuda Ballerino!, a rooftop restaurant at the posh Bernini Hotel in Piazza Barberini. Seen far in the distance, St. Peter's is the tallest structure as no building is allowed to be higher. From their abridged weekend menu, I order amatriciana again, this time with bucatini.

Trevi Fountain: another place jampacked at all hours of the day. It underwent a recent makeover partially funded by Fendi, perhaps appropriately, as this place may be more style than substance.

Suppli: no, not supple supper supply but a Roman snack which is basically a rice ball with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, similar to Sicily's Arancino. Early lunch at Bonci Pizzareum of course includes pizza, which they have quite a creative variety of, including an eggplant (above). If this place was good for Anthony Bourdain, it's certainly good enough for me. 

Vatican Museum: A gallery of maps, like all the collections in the museum, is a testament to the purchasing power of the Catholic church. But I don't mean to be too cynical, as the works here also represent dedication of talented artists over the centuries. Shortly after walking through this impressively long hall (400 ft), we arrive at Sistine Chapel.

Sistine Chapel: Ceiling painting, the digital variety. The no-photo policy in this room is a little easier to stomach since our very capable guide used the digital media, newly available at the museum entrance, to go over the images beforehand. When we visited in 1987, the ceiling was still in the process of being restored and Last Judgment was covered in the dark grime. It's a privilege to be in the room to witness the brilliant colors of Michelangelo's priceless frescoes as if they were done yesterday.

St. Peter's Cathedral: not just the center of the Catholic universe but an artistic and architectural achievement of the highest order. A view of the nave seen from the spot (red circle) where Charlemagne supposedly was crowned in the year 800.

St Peter's Cathedral: Bernini's bronze canopy! The legendary dome! The colored marble floor!

St. Peter's Cathedral: this is a Jubilee year which usually comes around every 25 years. I picked this particular guided tour to ensure we get to go through the holy door (on right) but I find out that this is now the main entrance for everyone during this jubilee year! Anyway, by passing through it multiple times, I hope I am absolved of some of my considerable sin!  Oh, BTW, Michelangelo's La Pieta in left lower corner.

St Peter's Cathedral: after the elevator ride to the base of the dome, it is an additional 330 steps to the top.

St Peter's Cathedral: the claustrophobic path up to the top of the dome opens up to a nice perspective through the railings and at the eye level with the letters at the bottom of the dome where it is more believable that each letter is 3 meters tall.

St Peter's Cathedral; good exercise, a great view of St Peter's Square and beyond, a wise decision.

Armando al Pantheon: I am intent on trying most of the pastas associated with Roma, and this small traditional restaurant fits the bill. Cacio e pepe (foreground), carbonara, and gricia, all on the same table! And the spaghetti is quite al dente!

Piazza Navona: a post dinner stroll through one of the popular plazas in Rome. Of course the Bernini Fountain is still here, but so is Tre Scalani (left) which we sought out to  have the house specialt , Tartuffo ice cream 29 years ago, although it does not seem to be an in thing to do any more.

Final morning in Rome, we can take in one more sight. Too late to reserve tickets for the Borghese Gallery, and Basilica of St. John the Lateran is a bit too far, so we settle on Capitoline Hill and Museum. But no loss there, as we rediscover what I remember as a top pick by Mr. Arthur Frommer in an early edition of his guidebook that we used a generation ago.

Stairs leading up to Capitoline Hill designed by Michelangelo.

Capitoline Museum displays an impressive collection of works from the antiquity. Lupa Capitolina, appropriate for this collection in Rome, however, is now thought to be a lot newer than originally thought.

Capitoline Museum: a bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius from the second century, a copy of which sits just outside on Campidoglio Square. Waving good bye, we are leaving Rome for Florence, not galloping away, but by train.