Back home and ‘best of’ Italy list
Back in Colorado, back to work, back to a routine of days… but Italy (Rome especially) keeps popping up in my head. So here’s a random list of what has stuck in my memory:
Best outdoor vista: The view from our agriturismo terrace at La Selva. (The ruins of Pompeii are a close second.)
Nancy takes in the view from our terrace at the farm.
Best indoor space: The Pantheon. As mathematically perfect as humanly possible. A perfect spherical space with only one light source. And built 2,000 years ago.
The Pantheon oculus with afternoon light.
Best ruins: A toss-up between the Forum and the Diocletian Baths. Both are charged with history and prey on my imagination (“How did they really look? Am I really standing here?”).
Shirley creates her own shade against the relentless Roman sun.
These baths covered many thousand square meters.
Best art: I am still trying to absorb everything I saw. Any opinions out there? (Here’s a picture of the Libyan Sybil from the Sistine Chapel — one of my favorites. Her foot is as long as one’s forearm.)
The Libyan Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel.
Best umbrella: Cathe’s “dome”.
Cathe poses with her best find — “Il Duomo” as an umbrella.
Best on-the-fly supper in Rome: On the Pantheon Piazza… notice the different strategies for eating.
Stormy’s supper.
Shirley’s supper.
Best pasta: Fresh made in Giula’s kitchen.
Giulia places the pasta through the ‘wringer’ as Nancy watches.
Nancy and Cathe prepare the pasta for cutting.
I’ll add more things to this list as they occur to me. Thanks to everyone for the positive feedback and comments!
About stormy
RSS - Posts
Stormy – it was fun to go on the trip with you! Thanks for taking the time to comment and post so many things that you did.
I’ve enjoyed your journey so very much and thanks for sharing with us all. I would love to go back to Italy some day and you have inspired me to do so. Have you made your home made noodles/pasta yet? Love cooking classes! My daughter Heather took me to Peru for my 60th. and we took a Peruvian Cooking class in Lima. What fun.
Trip of a lifetime, fershur. <*;O) X:.:
Val and I love the fact that you explored the areas you visited in such depth. It is obvious that you and your fellow travelers did your homework, and that you made the most of your time. We both thought your comments on The Pantheon were fascinating – Val for the photo of the light falling on mathematics, and I for the geometric repetitions of the sphere. We identified with your enjoyment of the agriturismo experience, as we’ve had similar positivism in Italy and New Zealand with beautiful settings and helpful and friendly hosts who end up seeming like family. And we had a good chuckle re. your dinner choices, too. Thanks for your overall instructional and enjoyable entertainment!
Love the list of favorites and the review of you wonderful trip that you were so generous (and diligent) in sharing with us. I definitely vote for your supper strategy. And I’m sure no one could choose which artworks were the favorite, though I am still tickled that you got to see the Sistine chapel.
Yes, the Sistine is incredible. The sibyl figures are huge and seem to be ready to fall out of their places. The Libyan Sibyl is toward one corner and her thigh is probably as wide as an NFL player’s torso. Since the ceiling was cleaned, we can now see that her garment is bright bright yellow. I’ll see if I can find one to post…
Dear Stormy,
Many thanks for asking Shirley to go with you to Italy. She’s been very busy with family since your return but she’ll be in Boulder soon so we hope to hear more about it.
Wil and I, Shirley’s parents, were in Italy coming along the French & Italian Riviiera from Spain in 1973. We went only as far as Florence, deciding to go north as far as Sweden, but not to Rome.
Continue your travels of the World!
Lorna Bernthal