Of course, no trip to Rome is complete without visiting the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica (we couldn't get in as there was a very long queue for a scheduled mass), and Trevi
Fountain (this one's just for the fun of it).
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
Florence/Rome/Paris May2013 - 2
It was a short stay in Tuscany and we drove back to
Rome on the 3rd day. Arrived at a B&B called Feliz
in Roma based on raving reviews on the net. Indeed another highly recommended accommodation with its cleanliness, coziness and reasonable location. Late afternoon when we got there and just in time to return the car (it's real easy to get around Rome by foot and bus). From the Rome Terminal Station we wandered to a small charming wine place off-the-tracks recommended by a friend who had lived in Rome for awhile. I Colori del Vino. Love it. Nice to be treated to such a great selection of Italian wines.
Next day activity: The Colosseum. Within walking distance from our B&B. You should probably buy tickets the evening before (no queue at all) and download the free audio guide before your visit. The previous time I was in Rome on a packaged tour they only allowed us 15mins to take photo on the outside! So I was quite pleased this time to be able to soak it all in.
Rome is extra-ordinary in that everywhere you go, you find pieces of history. Here and there..with stories behind or not..you see it. Little treasures of what was once..
"The Chiesa Il Gesù (Church of the Gesù), a 16th-century late Renaissance church in Rome, is the mother church of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. Originally very austere, Il Gesù's interior was opulently decorated starting in the 17th century. Now its frescoes, sculptures and shrines make it one of the foremost examples of Roman Baroque art." "Baroque fresco of The Triumph of the Holy Name of Jesus on the ceiling
of the nave by Giovanni Battista.
Truly the most extraordinary painting in the church, and perhaps in all
of Rome after the Sistine Chapel."
- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-il-gesu
"Seat of the cardinal of Paris in Rome and the heart of the city's French community, San Luigi dei Francesi houses three outstanding paintings by Michelango de Merisi, known as Caravaggio. It is also a riot of Roman baroque art."
Here are 2 of them: "The painting on the left, The Calling of St Matthew, takes place indoors where Saint Matthew, then a finely dressed moneychanger, sits with a group of common types. Jesus has just entered the dark room, raised his arm, and uttered the words "Follow me," (Matthew 9:9). The saint looks up, incredulous with an expression as if to say, "Who, me?" The composition contributes to the drama of the scene. A source of light above and behind Jesus' head slashes the darkness and slants down to illuminate the saint's face. As in many of his religious works, Caravaggio's subjects are depicted at the moment of a miraculous event. However, the contrast between the light of the illumined figures and their surroundings, which become almost indistinguishable as they recede into the dark, increases the dramatic tension of the work. This play of light and dark in painting is called chiaroscuro, and Caravaggio's particular form became known as tenebrism (tenebre meaning "shadow" in French.)"
On the right: "Two figures appear in the painting - St Matthew, at his table poised with pen in hand, and an angel hovering above him, inspiring him to write. Matthew is looking up and over his left shoulder at the angel. He is not seated. Instead one knee rests on a seat and his bare foot dangles. It looks as if he just ran to the table eager and awestruck to complete his gospel. The angel, encircled by floating, heavenly garments, is looking down, enumerating with his fingers the points he wants the saint to record in the gospel. The indistinct background is so dark the figures seem three-dimensional. It's a beautiful painting, and one's eye follows the lines from the angel's garments to the saint's forehead and then down along his robes to the ground."
"These three paintings, Caravaggio's first major church commission, cemented his reputation, and he continued to work constantly until his death in 1610 at the age of 38."
- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-luigi-dei-francesi
The Pantheon and The Spanish Steps. Then finally drinks at Hotel Hassler Roma and dinner at Hassler/Hostaria Romana with 2 very special friends – Anne & Roger
- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-il-gesu
Piazza Navona. Touristic (most places in Rome are anyway)
but with a light wispy atmosphere.
"Seat of the cardinal of Paris in Rome and the heart of the city's French community, San Luigi dei Francesi houses three outstanding paintings by Michelango de Merisi, known as Caravaggio. It is also a riot of Roman baroque art."
Here are 2 of them: "The painting on the left, The Calling of St Matthew, takes place indoors where Saint Matthew, then a finely dressed moneychanger, sits with a group of common types. Jesus has just entered the dark room, raised his arm, and uttered the words "Follow me," (Matthew 9:9). The saint looks up, incredulous with an expression as if to say, "Who, me?" The composition contributes to the drama of the scene. A source of light above and behind Jesus' head slashes the darkness and slants down to illuminate the saint's face. As in many of his religious works, Caravaggio's subjects are depicted at the moment of a miraculous event. However, the contrast between the light of the illumined figures and their surroundings, which become almost indistinguishable as they recede into the dark, increases the dramatic tension of the work. This play of light and dark in painting is called chiaroscuro, and Caravaggio's particular form became known as tenebrism (tenebre meaning "shadow" in French.)"
On the right: "Two figures appear in the painting - St Matthew, at his table poised with pen in hand, and an angel hovering above him, inspiring him to write. Matthew is looking up and over his left shoulder at the angel. He is not seated. Instead one knee rests on a seat and his bare foot dangles. It looks as if he just ran to the table eager and awestruck to complete his gospel. The angel, encircled by floating, heavenly garments, is looking down, enumerating with his fingers the points he wants the saint to record in the gospel. The indistinct background is so dark the figures seem three-dimensional. It's a beautiful painting, and one's eye follows the lines from the angel's garments to the saint's forehead and then down along his robes to the ground."
"These three paintings, Caravaggio's first major church commission, cemented his reputation, and he continued to work constantly until his death in 1610 at the age of 38."
- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-san-luigi-dei-francesi
The Pantheon and The Spanish Steps. Then finally drinks at Hotel Hassler Roma and dinner at Hassler/Hostaria Romana with 2 very special friends – Anne & Roger
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Florence/Rome/Paris May2013 - 1
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It has only been a year since the Europe trip but things are
already a bit blurry. Imagine if I hadn’t kept a blog, what little trace would there be left 20 30 years down the road?
Day 1: Arrived at Rome airport, picked up car and began
driving straight towards Tuscany. A bit of a drama there as we brought our own
GPS but it didn’t quite work as I totally forgot about the memory card. The satellite was still
frantically searching for us in Singapore -_- S started to drive as she didn't think it'd be that hard to follow the signs. …. It WAS hard. As the one not
driving, I was doubly stressed. As we drove blindly on the Italian highway, we
stopped by a few petrol stations in search of a helpful map but none of them
had! *pulls hair* Fortunately with some stroke of luck, we found one with WI-FI. YESSSS.
Hail the internet. So I started charting our journey on Google map (why didn’t
I do that beforehand??? Tsktsk) Made another stop, chart again, and voila!
Hotel Villa Il
Palagio. Lovely place. I remember the restaurant there was really good too.
Our first meal did not disappoint :) Highly recommended if
you’re heading to THE MALL in Tuscany.
Spent a couple of days at the luxury outlet centre, which
honestly was underwhelming. I guess it's unlike those usual outlet shopping
where you could just spree. D&G's worth a visit, and so is the restaurant
above. Excellent grilled pork neck.
We also drove to Florence city centre and walked about the Piazza
del Duomo, went to the original
Officine Panerai boutique at Firenze San Giovanni, and had THE BEST
butter roast chicken breast in a pan!! At Cipolla Rossa Osteria. Sorry about the empty pan though :p Food in
Tuscany is amazing.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
48 hours in Milan (2)
16/10
8.30pm: Dinner at Trip Advisor's #1 restaurant. Pleeease make reservation in advance. We were expecting less people because of the heavy rain but everyone else were as enthusiastic as us. I totally recommend this place as the prices are extremely reasonable (~8eur for a pizza). Go for their mussels & the lobster pasta (15eur)! You won't be disappointed..at least for the price you're paying. Packed with locals as well & conveniently located next to the subway.
17/10
10.15am: Duomo Cathedral. Bought tix in advance (there wasn't a queue when we reached but you never know) for a walk on the roof top - literally on the roof! Which was definitely not what I had expected. Rather fun as the rain meant less visitors which meant less crowded, but a little precarious because of the wet surface. We forgot about going into the main church though. Darn.
1.30pm: Viewed Leonardo da Vinci's famous mural painting "The Last Supper". A little surprised to find the Santa Maria delle Grazie a small unassuming church. The pre-booked tour (also highly advised, like 1-2 mths before) ended in exactly 15mins as stated. Apparently only 25 people can be in the room at any one time because the humidity affects the painting (which is falling apart). So yes, been there done that. Photo on the right is of a replica since no photo-taking in the room was allowed.
2.30pm: Dropped by an area called Garibaldi which is supposed to be the nightspot (hence the quietness in the day). Decided to come here on a Sunday only because of a store called "10 Corso Como" which I forgot how I chanced upon online. It turned out to be really rewarding! They carry limited but numerous high-end brands that are very carefully chosen by the store designers I must say. Best spot for window shopping. There's also a small section by Comme Des Garcons called "Black", an art gallery, and a garden-y cafe. A must-visit if you're in Milan.
8.30pm: Dinner at Trip Advisor's #1 restaurant. Pleeease make reservation in advance. We were expecting less people because of the heavy rain but everyone else were as enthusiastic as us. I totally recommend this place as the prices are extremely reasonable (~8eur for a pizza). Go for their mussels & the lobster pasta (15eur)! You won't be disappointed..at least for the price you're paying. Packed with locals as well & conveniently located next to the subway.
Name: Da Maruzzella
Location: Piazza Oberdan, Milan, Italy
Expenditure: 58€ with wine
17/10
10.15am: Duomo Cathedral. Bought tix in advance (there wasn't a queue when we reached but you never know) for a walk on the roof top - literally on the roof! Which was definitely not what I had expected. Rather fun as the rain meant less visitors which meant less crowded, but a little precarious because of the wet surface. We forgot about going into the main church though. Darn.
1.30pm: Viewed Leonardo da Vinci's famous mural painting "The Last Supper". A little surprised to find the Santa Maria delle Grazie a small unassuming church. The pre-booked tour (also highly advised, like 1-2 mths before) ended in exactly 15mins as stated. Apparently only 25 people can be in the room at any one time because the humidity affects the painting (which is falling apart). So yes, been there done that. Photo on the right is of a replica since no photo-taking in the room was allowed.
2.30pm: Dropped by an area called Garibaldi which is supposed to be the nightspot (hence the quietness in the day). Decided to come here on a Sunday only because of a store called "10 Corso Como" which I forgot how I chanced upon online. It turned out to be really rewarding! They carry limited but numerous high-end brands that are very carefully chosen by the store designers I must say. Best spot for window shopping. There's also a small section by Comme Des Garcons called "Black", an art gallery, and a garden-y cafe. A must-visit if you're in Milan.
Name: 10 Corso Como
Website: http://www.10corsocomo.com/
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