Category: Lazio

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Snow in Rome

This is an older post that got forgotten– because it’s not all that interesting. I’m putting it up now with a back-dated post-time. Since this blog is, primarily, my own travel diary.

Sometimes people are surprised to hear that it can snow in Rome. It can and most winters it does. In my experience it seems typical to get two to three snow storms a year. We do not get that storm on top of storm weather that you get in the North-East United States, where the old storm has not had a chance to melt before the next one is piling on top of it.

In the North and East of Italy, they can get, and have gotten, crazy amounts of snow– like 5 feet or even more. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise when you think the Alps and Alpenini are over there. Here in Rome, we are very close to the sea, which probably protects us from getting too much. But we all know that how serious a snow emergency is has nothing to do with how much snow, and everything to do with how much snow there is compared to what a place is used to receiving.

The first storm we had, the mayor closed schools for two days just on the weather report. It snowed all night and the next day. However, it didn’t actually start sticking for hours. In the end I think we had about 5-inches. Now in general, the Italian people will stay inside if the weather is less than perfect, but obviously some people were out and about. Daniele, for example, is an ER nurse and had to go to work. So many people fell in the ice or got in car or motorbike accidents that it was an emergency at the hospital and he worked 24-hours straight. He fell in the ice too, and is now home for 20-days with a broken rib.

The second storm was even less, but again they closed the schools and even government offices this time. Also the mayor put out an ordinance that you can’t enter the city by car without snow chains in your car, which we don’t have. So we were basically trapped at home since we weren’t sure if the buses/trains were running normally. This was a day *after* the snow had finished. Then he extended the ordinance *another* day. I was rather annoyed, cause I had shit to do. But I guess he had to because Rome basically has no plows so streets still weren’t cleared. Private property, like apartment buildings or grocery stores never got plowed out. At all. Ours melted, but Daniele’s parent’s building is taller, so there is more shade, their lot still had snow in it yesterday.

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Palazzo Doria Pamphilj

A little while back I noticed a museum on Via del Corso, here in Rome, that I had never visited. It is the historical home of the Doria-Pamphilj family, one of the great noble families of Italy. Peeking inside from the entrance, you can see a beautiful garden courtyard. While I was curious about the art collections inside, I mostly just wanted to wander inside this beautiful huge palace. It basically takes up an entire block right in the heart of the historical district.

I knew from Daniele that the palace was still owned by the Doria Pamphilj family. They used part of the palace as their residence and the other as a museum.

Today I was free with nothing better to do than pay a prince 10 euros to see his house. My ticket included a lovely audio guide, which I took in English, recorded by the prince himself. Among many other things I was about to learn about this family, they all speak English so well and have strong historical ties with England because of several English marriages. Familiarity with the noble families seems to be common knowledge among Italians. I assume this is because they are intertwined with their history. I, however, know nothing about any of them and being an American, find it all a bit romantic.

During my visit I learned about the rise of the Pomphilj family with the first member of importance, Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who reigned as Pope Innocent X from 1644–1655. During that time he was strongly influenced by his sister-in-law, Olimpia Maidalchini, who acted as adviser until she became too powerful and was eventually banished. While she was in favor with the Pope, she convinced him it was unethical for the church to tax brothels and had him sell this right to her, expanding the family fortune significantly. Her son, Innocent X’s nephew Camillo Pamphili was offered the highly regarded post of Cardinal-nephew, or “nipote”. At the time it was customary for Popes to give a Cardinal position to a relative. This is where the English word “nepotism” comes. Innocent X appointed four of his and Olimpia’s relatives.

Camillo Pamphili turned down the cardinal position to get married. Initially, this upset his uncle and he was banished, but he was soon forgiven and was made a prince. Upon returning to Rome, Camillo built and decorated the Palazzo I visited today.

The Pamphilj family would then join with the Doria line. The Pamphilj family had been in Rome since the late 1400s. Before then they were originally from Gubbio, Umbria. The Doria family is from Genova (English: Genoa), where they have another palace set up like this one. Most of the palace furnishings are in a Roman style or an obvious Roman interpretation of another style. There are also some velvet wall coverings which are traditional in Genova. Then may have come from the palace there. At the time, velvet wall coverings were considered precious enough that they did not need to be covered with art; the Pamphilj family covered them with paintings anyway.

The rooms in the palace are set up like most royal residencies, a series of rooms that led into each other where guests would be kept waiting for entrance into the next. I found it interesting that while as in the French style the rooms each get bigger and grander as you get farther in, here the first room is the grandest. Along the side were smaller rooms that were private apartments used as living space or for intimate entertaining. The last two rooms had been converted into a ballroom for a party. If I remember from the audio guide, the occasion was my prince guide’s grandmother’s Debutante Ball. There was also a throne room to the side. When this palace was made the official residency of the family, the Pope could come here. Remember at the time, the Pope was King of Rome. The purpose was to quickly bring him to this room where he would receive visitors, never the other way around. All of these rooms have their original furnishings and wall hangings. They are quite stunning.

At the end of these rooms is the Gallery, a square of hallway above the beautiful courtyard where I started. This is a beautiful space with every corner filled with paintings, that is except the decorative moldings and Hall of Mirrors where there are sculptures, or course. I haven’t been able to find out more about this, but apparently when Innocent X started the collection he bought the pieces in such a way that his descendants could not sell them off. I don’t know how one could do that, but it kept the collection intact while other similar collections of noble families have been dispersed.

There are a few other rooms beyond the gallery. One large room that has a plain ceiling that had to be quickly put up when the original collapsed. Another smaller room that holds some of the art work that was added later to the collection. Some of the oldest art in the collection was added most recently. My princely guide points out the crude, pre-renaissance techniques and how he could not imagine his earlier ancestors being attracted to this style. There is also a smaller set of rooms used for alternating exhibitions.

On my way out, I go downstairs and linger in an area between the courtyard and the staircase. I can’t guess what this area was originally meant to be but now it is used as a garage that could easily fit 10 cars. This is a 10 car private garage about a 3 minute walk from each the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Piazza Venezia. I think if Daniele was with me, this would be his favorite part! I go to peek through a door window to see what is around me, and see another whole giant courtyard like where I came in. I could see the palace was huge from the street, but it just doesn’t scale looking at it from outside. They must keep an entire half of the palace for their private home, so everything I just saw was only half the palace. It is clear this other side is a home. This royal looking courtyard has a child play slide and across from me upstairs is a man working on a computer. I only creepily spied on them for a second, but I did just pay a prince 10 euros, I think I can indulge my curiosity a little.

I looked up a little about the family today. My (audio-) guide, Jonathan Pamphilj, said he lived much of his life in England. That makes sense since his parents were Princess Orietta Doria-Pamphilj and Royal Navy Commander Frank George Wignall Pogson. Princess Orietta was the last direct descendant of the Doria Pamphilj line and died in 2000. She and her husband adopted Gesine Margaret Orietta Mary Pogson Doria Pamphilj, known as Gesine Doria, born 1964 and Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, born 1963. They were raised as siblings but are not blood related. Today Gesine Doria is married to Massimiliano Floridi with four children. Jonathan Doria Pamphilj has formed a civil partnership with Brazilian, Elson Edeno Braga, and has two children by surrogacy. His sister has challenged his children’s right to inherit after his death under an Italian law that prevents sperm downers from claiming parentage to a child.

Story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8305238.stm

I was not allowed to take pictures inside, but they have many on their website:
http://www.dopart.it/roma/

Additional Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamphilj
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doria-Pamphili-Landi

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Water Park

Daniele has fallen in love with an Italain Groupon called Groupalia, at first I actually thought it was the same company. After enduring night after night of hearing about all you can eat pizza offers for 5 euros (one pizza typically cost 5 euros and that’s all I can eat), I got something good out of this new obsession– a trip to the water park!

This water park called Aquapiper. It has tube and no-tube water slides and two of those steep drop slides. There is also a wave pool and several other pools and acres of lounge chairs so all those Italians can get their tanning done. We normally go to the beach on his day off, this was a super fun way to mix it up.

All in all it was like an American water park (except maybe cuter lifeguards). I only made one major social observation this day. So. Most of the water slides all boarded on this one platform. One level down were some tube slides and one level up were three of those drop straight down slides. This middle platform was the busiest with the most and best slides. I’m sure anyone who has every been to Italy (or even an Italian bakery) can imagine the neat organized lines everyone formed, right? Of course it was just a big mob of people, everyone just kinda standing, or pushing, the kids running up to the front.

One time I get up to the platform and it was completely full (people are touching each other crowded) so I was standing at entrance and I put my foot and arm over the doorway so no one can get past me. I am at the end of the line, for any of the slides. Some kids try to get past me, to push to the front of the line for one of the slides, and I stop them, which I feel it the fair thing to do. They are not toddlers, they are like 12 years old. Then who shows me whats what– one of the lifequards comes over, he’s making rounds looking for kids to bring to the front.

So, apparently children, even older children in Italy don’t have to wait in lines. Which makes it easy to see why adults in Italy never learn the simple skill. I asked Daniele about this and he confirmed it. Guess I was in the wrong blocking the little brats from cutting. Though he added that in a place like this, were it is more than half kids, it normally wouldn’t apply. It’s more for when there is just one kid, you let them go to the front.

These children seemed so obnoxious to me, as do their grown up counterparts. For example, when they place a basket in line at the supermarket and then go about their shopping, expecting the rest of us to scoot it forward, rather than just step around it (which I’ve done and gotten a nasty look for). Or when someone walked up next to me (rather than behind) in a line and when asked who was here first, she can’t remember, but she only has one thing (same as me) do I mind?

This observation really drilled home for me the significance of having children follow the same rules as adults. It was also a reminder that while I may drink the coffee, speak the lingo, and hopefully soon have the papers to say I’m Italian, I’ll always be American.


(Daniele coming down the slide at Aquapiper)

More photos are in my Summer Rome Album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111221349198606775660/20110608Roma

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Corrine’s Visit

My cousin Corrine, her daughter Celina, husband Anthony, and Anthony’s father recently made a trip to Italy. They spent most of the time with Anthony’s family and attending a wedding but we did get to spend one day together in Rome. They arrived late the night before and had an early flight the next day, so it really was just one day. Also it was at the end of their trip, so they were a bit tired. I met up with them to walk around a few of Rome’s sites. Once he finished work, Daniele joined us too, and we all had a good time. It was the first time Daniele got to meet them, so it was extra nice. I was hoping to bring them to one of the great restaurants around here, but they wanted to be back at there hotel near the airport by 9 PM and were sick of walking. Since Italians don’t eat dinner before 8PM (“only the waiters eat at this hour”) we just ate at the first touristy place we saw right by the Trevi Fountain; while they told us how much cheaper/better things are by Anthony’s family. What’s that? Things are cheaper in the countryside than they are in the city? Food isn’t that good at touristy restaurants? You don’t say, I had no idea!

I wasn’t caring a camera, giving it a rest after all the shooting Fabs and I had just done. So I didn’t get a picture of the group of us. I think one of them did, but I’ll probable never see it, like that wedding photo of Corrine and I have been asking about since May…

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Fabienne’s Visit to Rome

My friend from high school, Fabienne made a special trip to Rome to visit me. We had lots of adventures in the center and area around Rome. We also took a trip to Florence and Venice.

Originally I had misread her flight itinerary and thought she was coming in the day before. That day Daniele was off work so I figured we would have a fun beach day and break into the touristy thing gently, shake the jet lag, also Rome’s airport is like a five-minute drive from the beach. But the actual day she came in he worked, so I couldn’t pick her up by car. It’s easy to take the train to the center. So I sent updated instructions once I realized. She saw the email, but did not open it. It was a pretty stressful morning for both of us waiting and not knowing where the other was. We found each other eventually.

At that point Daniele was actually done with his morning shift. So we stashed her luggage in his car and were able to drive to some of the parts of the city less famous than the Colosseum. We went to Gianicolo Hill, one of the original hills of Rome. More of a residential area now, but the top is a park with fountains and great views. We also hit up Aventino hill which also has a great view from its gorgeous orange garden. I think that night we had diner at home, but I can’t put the pieces together perfectly now.

The next day Fab’s and I had a jam-packed sight seeing day in the center. After we all had breakfast together at home, Daniele dropped us off near the Vatican before heading to work. First I had us pick up some slices of pizza and mini-pizzas from my favorite baker/pizzeria. For about 3-euros a piece we each had a bag of yummy goodies. We checked out the Vatican after that. Checked out the square and then got in line for St. Peter’s Cathedral; it was the perfect amount of time to eat our lunch. We stayed a really long time in the cathedral. It’s just so beautiful. Took most of our day and it was too late to go to the Vatican Museums after. Fabs was also on the border about doing that anyway. From here we grabbed a snack at Mondo Arrancini and brought it to Castel Sant’ Angelo to sit by the water and eat them. We took some pictures of the castle and bridge of angels before crossing over the river to the other side of the city. We walked along the river, stopping briefly at the Ara Pacis, on our way to Piazza del Popolo. From Piazza del Popolo, you can follow Via del Corso through the historical center and hit most the sights. Unfortunately it was late in the day. We quickly stopped by the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain when Daniele called saying he was waiting for us at Piazza del Popolo. I made Fabienne through 3 quick coins over her shoulder and we hurried back. That night we walked around the San Lorenzo area and had dinner at my favorite pizzaria, Marotoneta.

UPDATE:
Fabs has a italian-speaking opera-siniging bf now. They met in the US, but I have to give some credit to those Trevi Fountain coins.

There is more after all these pictures…


(Inside the Vatican)


(The Bridge of Angels in front of Castle Sant’Angelo)


(The fountain Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna)


(Fabienne tossing her coins in the Trevi Fountain)

The next day we went to Lake Bracciano. We visited two towns on the lake: Bracciano and Anguillara, both medieval hill towns. First we went to Bracciano. It is set farther back from the lake and has a castle. In between we went to a restaurant that serves fish from the lake where Daniele’s family always goes when they are here. I’ve mentioned Italians prefer going to the same restaurants over trying new ones. After we walked through Angulara, which is small and still elevated but set closer to the lake. We took a path down to the lake and walked along the path there. There are houses along the cliff edge between the old center and lake; many were covered in flowers. Farther down the river road there were sun bathers on the narrow lake beach. Some of the swimmers harassed the swans that were there.


(Castle of Bracciano)

(Lake Bracciano and surrounding area)

The next day we spent in the center doing the sights we still hadn’t seen. We started with the Roman Forum which was awesome. It was actually my first time going inside, too. Then we hit up the Colosseum. From there we went to Piazza Venezia, then the Pantheon. There we got some of the original frozen espresso at Tazza D’Oro– delicious! After we passed by the statue of Pasquino. This statue was unearthed in the 15th century and in the 16th century became the first talking statue. People would attach poems written in the Roman dialect to the statue criticizing the Pope or denouncing injustice. The tradition continues today. Then we went to Piazza Navona where we took lots of pictures and bought some small original paintings. Then wondered to Campo dei Fiori and eventually Tibertina Island, where we met up with my friend Ben who is on a trip around the world now that he finished school before he enters the working world and just happens to be in Rome now, as well as Daniele who’s birthday it was! Daniele picked my favorite place for dinner: Momo. When we got there we found that they had little baby bunnies in the front lawn area, for no reason just hopping around being cute.


(Roman Forum)


(The Roman Forum. I’m waving in this picture. Can you see me?)


(Piazza Venezia with Altare della Patria)


(Street artists in Piazza Navona )

The following day was our beach day. I took Fabs to Ostia because I think it is a great experience and has a great culture. Ostia is “Rome’s Beach”. There are several beaches near by, but this one is actually considered a suburb of Rome and the trains come here from the center. It’s the most crowded, but that’s some great people watching. Every woman in Italy wears a bikini. Size or age has no restrictions. The modesty bar is wayyyy over from were you are used to it being. Tops are optional all over the Mediterranean, you don’t need to be at a special nude beach. Tops are optional for young girls any age young enough were she is not developed, so 10 year olds with out tops sometimes. Butt coverage? I don’t really want to get into it, but there is not much there to describe. Men are not exempt. Sure smaller bathing suits are much more common; we all already know about that. Those who do where the style of swim trunks common in the US hike up the legs to make sure their thighs tan. Then there are the vendors. Vendors are so much more common all over Italy, but at the beach you really notice them. You are a captive audience. They just walk around offering their goods, from clothing to inflatables to coconut, normally kicking some sand on you or your towel as they pass. I hate the vendors. Anyway, Ostia is Italy at it’s most guido. We took lots of pictures of cute boys, because that seemed funny to us at the time. Fab’s and I had a lot of fun this day.


(Vendor at Ostia Beach selling hats and other things)


(In case you didn’t believe me about those shorts…)

The next three days we spent in Florence and Venice. I’ll write about them separately.

After that it was basically time to say goodbye.

All the pictures I took of Rome during Fab’s visit are in my “Fabienne’s Visit -Rome” album
https://picasaweb.google.com/111221349198606775660/20110704FabienneSVisitRoma#

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Arrivaderci Roma

I am heading back to New Jersey after 2+ months in Rome. It’s just for a short visit (I hope) and then I’ll be back here. It will be nice to see everyone back home, but I’ll miss it here. I wanted to go through a few of the things that I did but never made it into blog posts but I want to remember.

Typically I upload a blog post together with a photo album. So it’s not a coincidence that these are all things that went into my “Rome and Monterotondo” album. I’ll just walk through the whole album.

2/27/2011 We went to Villa Ada. This is another park in Rome. The palace is now used as the Egyptian embassy. This was our first first little outing.

3/3/2011 Daniele makes me some sacchettini or “little sacs” along with the rest of a complete Italian dinner, featuring homemade fresh sauce. I picked them out at the store. They are so cute!

3/6/2011 Carnevale in Monterotundo. This one does have a post.
http://blog.kait.us/test/?p=88

3/26/2011 Parco della Cervelletta. This park is near Daniele’s parents’ house. It has a castle.

3/29/2011 Walking around the center taking pictures, mostly of Tiberina Island.

4/3/2011 We planted our tomatoes. There are more random pictures of them in this album as they grow.
UPDATE: As well as in the Rome album from when I came back for the summer.

4/4/2011 Walk along Via Venito, one of Rome’s more hip streets and the setting for La Dolce Vita (recommended iconic Italian film). Followed by a walk through Villa Borghese.

4/14/2011 Daniele brought me to the important churches in Rome that I still had not seen: San Giovanni Cathedral and Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.

4/17/2011 An Amici di Roma Event. This also has it’s own post:
http://blog.kait.us/test/?p=79

4/20/2011 Walk in park and in Spaninsh Steps. Spanish Steps were decorated with flowers for Rome’s anniversary, April 21st.

4/21/2011 There are lots of whores at night on Via Salaria (the road that takes us home). I have tried lots of times to get pictures, but it is really hard in the dark with us moving in the car. Luckily there are so many. I get lots of tries.

4/24/2011 I spent Easter with Daniele’s family. We went to the beach town of Torvajanica and met some other friends. Then ate the biggest meal ever, of all time. Fun Italian Easter facts: There is no Easter Bunny, but they understand if you compare to La Befana, a witch who gives candy on the eve of the Epiphany – January 5th. They don’t have chocolate bunnies, they have chocolate eggs. The traditional treat is a giant chocolate egg with a prize inside (illegal in US). Story: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/11/surprise-woman-has-illegal-chocolate-egg-confiscated-at-u-s-border/

4/27/2011 Another walk through the center. We hit up the Colosseum, Rose Gardens and a few other spots.

Ahh, Rome, so many good times. Arrivederci (Literally, “until we see each other again”)

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Italian Labor Day

(Man with tri-color beard for Italian Labor Day)

Today was a very hectic and crowded day in Rome. May 1st is the Italian equivalent of Labor Day. Every year the three biggest unions in Italy hold a free outdoor concert in the center of Rome. Also in honor of this holiday, all of the museums owned by the City of Rome (opposed to those owned by the State of Italy) are only one euro today and tomorrow. To top it all off, the Vatican chose to hold the Beatification (first step in becoming a saint) of the late Pope John Paul II this same day. Most Italians thought I was crazy for wanting to be anywhere near the center (think someone from NJ’s reaction to the idea of going to NYC for NYE), but how could I miss all of this?

I went to the Museo di Roma – Palazzo Braschi with Daniele earlier in the morning. I liked it. It told a good story of the different periods of Rome, opposed to focusing on only one. Also it was not just room after room of “Madonna with Child” like so many Italian museums.

We avoided going too close to the Vatican and the Beatification of the late Pope John Paul II. I feel like they could have planned better and chosen a better day, but I’m sure the day has spiritual significance for this sacred ceremony that I am not aware. Most Italians I know chose not to attend and only commented on what a nuisance it was going to be having so many people coming to Rome. It may have been a cool thing to say I was there for, but I’m not that interested in Vatican affairs, so I skipped this to go to the one euro museums and free concert instead.

Daniele headed off to work and I spent the day at this outdoor concert. All of Italy’s biggest artists come to this. The lesser known or newer artists play in the day; the big names play at night. Italians pack into Piazza di Porta San Giovanni and all the space around it. Men from Africa and Bangladesh push through the crowds offering to sell beer, water, or umbrellas for the sun.

I saw almost the whole concert, I was there from about 1:30 PM until it ended at 1:30 AM. In hindsight I should have probably gone to another museum or something else instead of spending so much time there. I left for a little while when I got uncomfortable sitting on the ground. Daniele and I met back up at 10 PM, when he got out of work and we had dinner. When we came back enough people had left that we were able to go right up front. Woo!

The bands and the music were almost all Italian pop. In general each artist came on, performed maybe three numbers, then there was a ridiculously long pause where someone would talk before the next artist. I didn’t really listen, but I presume it was pro-union propaganda. I know very few of the artists, but I listen to enough radio that I recognized a fair amount of the songs, which was fun.

The crowd was largely composed of what I will refer to as European hippies. That is hippies in the modern sense of the word: slightly dirty, typically young people, with dread locks, who may or may not be fighting for a cause. And if you think the American version of these people are dirty, imagine for a moment their European counterparts (you don’t have to imagine, I took pictures). Many of these people had shirts promoting some political message. All of them and most of the “regular” people at the concert were wearing “Stop Nuclear” stickers.

(There were dirtier groups, but I try not to get too close to anyone that might have something contagious while I’m traveling.)

As a back story, as few years ago Italy voted to not allow the development of nuclear power plants and today there are none in the country. As such, they have to buy much of their energy from abroad. A great deal of that comes from France, who has plenty of nuclear power plants, a fair amount of which are right on the Italian boarder. So the risk is still there, but they pay more and to France at that. For to this reason there is a bill now to allow nuclear plants in Italy. However many oppose it and want to keep it out of Italy. End side note.

I always considered Europe ahead of the US in terms of environmental awareness. But I was shocked… SHOCKED at what I saw at this concert. These same people who were wearing “Stop Nuclear” stickers, where tossing the “Stop Nuclear” fliers on the ground; along with other political and environmental fliers and newspapers. All the beer and water that everyone was drinking, the bottles were left right were they were, at most they ended up at a curb. What angered me the most was hundreds of “RAI Radio 2” balloons were handed out to the crowd on only strings. They all quickly ended up in the sky, and soon they will all be in the ocean. Moments after the concert ended the area was filled with machinery and workers who would stay up all night cleaning the mess. They actually used plows to pile the beer and water bottles, effective, except when the tires go over the missed bottles and shoot broken glass to the side. I was taking some pictures after the last act, but literally had to run, yes run, from flying broken glass as the plows started the cleaning. I think every worker in Rome was out sweeping and hosing for miles around– I have never seen such a mess.

(These people must really, really care about the environment to hand out all those fliers)

Umm, guys, I think you forgot your trash…

Run for your lives!

All the pictures from the day:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111221349198606775660/20110501LaborDay#

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Amici di Roma Day: Palazzo Quirinale and Colosseo

Amici di Roma is a group of academics with interest in the archeology and art history. During Culture Week in Rome they hold a series of events for free or with a guide for 10 euros. Daniele and I made reservations to see the Palazzo Quirinale and Colosseo on a day Daniele was free.

We had a tour of Palazzo Quirinale in the morning, which I believe is open once a month normally. Our guide was really good and I actually understood most of what she said (it was in Italian). The palace was amazing, just room after room with beautiful glass lamps and wall decorations. In roman times this hill was home to a complex of baths and statues. As the tallest hill in Rome it was a very desirable place for palaces. In 1583 Pope Gregory XIII build the Palazzo Quirinale here as a summer home to escape the humidity of the Tiber River. In 1870 when the papel state was overthrown, Rome joined the rest of united Italy. Immediately after in 1871 Rome became the capital and the palace became the home of the king. In 1946 the monarchy was abolished and the palace is now the official home and office of the president.

In the afternoon we went to the Colosseum or “Colosseo”. It was free for culture week, so it was super crowded. Luckily we were with the “Amici di Roma” group and didn’t have to wait in line. Unfortunately this guide (or more the other person “organizing”) was not very organized and lost half of our group. She was practically running through the crowds and our group split in half at some point. Luckily someone with us had the number of someone with them, so we got reunited after a little confusion.

The point of this tour was not to see the normal inside of the Colosseum, which you really only need to do once and I had already done. They brought us underneath and on top to areas normally restricted. In fact as we were let through locked gates I heard at least once “how come they get to go through?”.

First we went underneath. The area has only just been opened to anyone besides archeologists. The guide was difficult to understand, but she showed us where animals (or whatever) where brought to the stage level on pulleys. Also where water was brought in from the aqueducts to flood the Colosseum and stage naval battles.

Then we went up top. Like top top. I’m pretty sure were were right where Alberto Sordi threatened to jump if not brought to the US in “Un Americano A Roma” (recommended film). Up top our guide told us more about the history of the Colosseum. All the shows were free and they could load everyone in and out in a few minutes. The seats right up front were for the senators. The only woman allowed on the first floor was the emperor’s wife. All other women were on the higher seats because the shows were considered a thing for men. Not far we could see the field where the gladiators would have trained.

Before the Colosseum was build the valley was a swamp. The Ancient Romans lived in the hills. Nero drained the water from the swamp because he wanted to build a giant villa. He died before finishing it, and the Flavi family used the materials to start building the Colosseum.

After Constantine converted the empire to Catholicism, they started using the Colosseum less and less. It just wasn’t considered very Christian. Eventually everyone stopped caring about it and it fell to all different kind of uses over the years. The papacy even made it into its personal quarry, using its marble to build up the Vatican. That is why a whole chuck of the side is missing by the exit. The Romans, who invented cement, did not use any on the Colosseum, they held the stones together with bronze clamps, which were also taken, leaving those pock marks. For a while people even had apartments inside; if you look you can see the retrofitted windows.

The story ends well, in 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a secret site saying that martyrs had died there. He began reinforcement and excavation and more was done by Mussolini. Today, of course, it is one of the most popular tourist sights in the world.

Pictures from this fun day are in my Rome and Monterotundo Album: https://picasaweb.google.com/111221349198606775660/20110225RomaAndMonterotondo

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Latina

Daniele, Emanuele, and I went to a new (for me) beach: Circeo in the district of Latina. Latina is named so because it is a region where there are a lot of dairy farms. In fact we had some really good buffalo mozzarella with lunch.

We went to San Felice Circeo, to the beach as well as the center and port. After we went to Sabaudia.

Sabaudia is one of the newest towns in Italy. The area used to be a swamp that was one of five converted by Mussolini. There we are at a seafood restaurant and pizzeria called the Dollar that was really good.

Pictures:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111221349198606775660/20110409Latina

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Villa Pamphili

Villa Pamphili is a park in Rome and former estate of a noble family (like many Italian parks). The park is divided in two halves, one that is mostly wild and the other with the palace and all the fountains. The palace is used to host visiting dignitaries.

We stayed on the side with all the fountains; there are a lot of fountains. There is also a pond, chapel, and stream. We ran into some wild parrots or “pappagalli”. I was most amused by my discovery of a duck-chicken hybrid. These must have been the result of some abnormally aggressive specimens of ducks or chickens. I assume this because the hybrid was first brought to my attention because of some loud bird rape happening at the water’s edge. These seem like sexually aggressive birds.

Album from the day:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111221349198606775660/20110330VillaPamphili