May 1 Spanish Steps, Anglo American Writers, Trastevere

On May 1, we began the day with a van ride to the Spanish Steps.  The driver let us off at the top;  it must be closed to most vehicle traffic at the bottom.  I was glad as it was easier for me to go down.  It is truly beautiful and the reason they are called Spanish Steps is because they link the church at the top with the Spanish Embassy, which is still the Spanish Embassy today though it is a few doors to the left in the picture below.  There is a fountain with a boat sculpture (la barca) at the  bottom. It is said to be the work of Pietro Bernini, father of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and the son may have completed it when his father died.  The son is the famous sculptor.  Construction was 1627-1629.  The boat is meant to be a reminder of a flood in 1598 when a little boat was deposited at the foot of the Spanish Steps.

We were there early in the day, so it wasn't too crowded.  I expect it was very crowded later because May 1 is a holiday in Italy.  We then had a coffee break at the Caffe Greco.

Many famous people have hung out there and it was a favorite place, for instance, of Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemons.  Here's a bust of him that is in the caffe:

There is a long list of other famous patrons, but we were particularly interested in John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley.  They lived very close, at the bottom right of the Spanish Steps, our next stop was the Keats-Shelley house, which is now a museum dedicated to second-generation Romantic poets.  Lord Byron is also associated with that residence.  Keats died in a room that is restored to how it was then. He could hear the La Barca fountain from his bed and see the Spanish Steps. This is the view from his room:

We then independently ate lunch and explored the neighborhood.  We got together back at the hotel for a briefing on the Vatican Museums in preparation for the next day.  We also took a tram to go to dinner in the Trastevere neighborhood.   Busy, good day, and aren't the flowers on the steps lovely?

In Rome April 30

I have fallen a little behind on making my posts about the trip to Rome, but am hoping to catch up now.  Last week was just a very busy week and I needed to learn how to move photos from the "cloud" to this blog.  My phone was either lost or stolen my last day in Rome.  I have a new phone now and am relieved that the photos were in the cloud.  They automatically came to my new phone.

Okay, back at La Dolce Vita....we began with a tour of the Colosseum.  This is an exterior view:

Our guide was able to get us an entry through the gates where the gladiators entered.  That was pretty spectacular.  Of course, it is very different now (there is a lot of excavation and restoration work going on and it was built about 2000 years ago).  A lot of it is permanently lost, including a statue of Nero.  This is what I saw:

One of the other major sites was the Arch of Constantine.  Constantine defeated Maxentius in A.D. 312 and became the sole ruler of Rome.  The story goes that he had a vision of a cross the night before the battle and attributed Christianity for his success.  He then legalized Christianity and forbid torturing Christians.  It is interesting to me that he decorated it with carvings that were taken from previous rulers such as Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius.  Talk about appropriation!

Here is a view of how it looks from an an overview on the Palatine Hill that also shows many of the sights of the Roman Forum including (in the foreground) the three columns remaining from the Temple of Castor and Pollux: 

Here is another view from the Palatine Hill showing the Temple of Antonius Plus and Faustina.  Ir is now a church.  That seems to have happened a lot and I will post more about it later.  Romans scavenged existing structures for new ones or sometimes just modified the structure for use as a church.  

There was much more, but this is enough for this post.  Later that day, we had a lecture on this history of Rome from small huts to the glory of the Roman empire.  Of course we had some wonderful meals--lunch near the Colosseum and dinner in the neighborhood.  It was a beautiful day with great weather.

ROMA!!! April 29 2019

Jan and I arrived on schedule in Rome on April 29.  We were met at the airport by a Road Scholar representative and connected with some other Road Scholars before being taken to the Hotel Pace Helvetia.  There we were met by the group leader, Fabio, and more of our fellow Road Scholars.  We were there fairly early in the day and so there was time to go to the rooftop of the hotel and to take a short walk in the neighborhood.  The picture above is from the roof of the hotel.  The imposing structure behind the dome is the Monumento Victor Emmanuel II and it commemorates the first king of Italy, which I was surprised to realize was only unified in 1861.

On our walk, we went through the ancient Fora of Rome.  No, that isn't a typo...Fora is the plural of Forum..  There were actually many Fora in this area.  I am just beginning to realize how much I don't know....and hope I will learn more.  Here's some pictures that I took on the walk:

The column is Trajan's column.  He was Emperor from 98-117 AD.  The column has detailed carvings that tell the story of his conquests. There was also a huge Trajan Market and he expanded the Roman Forum to the extent that it became the largest forum ever.  I could go on and on about him.  This column used to have a statue of Trajan on top, but it was replaced by a statue of St. Peter.  My apologies that my photo doesn't show that.

Nearby there is a statue of Julius Caesar:

...and then there was this statue:

which isn't a statue at all.  It is an actor and I had to give him a tip for taking this photo.  When I took the picture, he paused and pointed at his basket, which isn't shown in the photo and I hadn't noticed before.

We went to dinner and then were ready for bed.  I didn't sleep well, even though I hadn't slept on the train.  Too excited to be in Rome!

Last Day in Valencia

On my last day in Valencia, I put a priority on seeing the famous Mercato Central.  It was just a few blocks from my apartment.  The above picture is how it looks from the outside.  It opened in 1928 and is said to have about 900 food stalls.  I have never seen anything quite like it.  One of the most interesting stalls to me was one selling valuable smoked meats with the actual cure dates showing:

These are apparently beef-vaca.  They're in a glass case, so a little hard to read and I truly was not thinking of that at the time.   There is a whole area devoted to fish, a special stall selling only saffron, amazing displays of fruit and so much more.  If humans eat it, I think you could find it here.

I then went to nearby area where I had seen some department stores as I was thinking about shopping.  I didn't find what I was looking for, so headed back toward my apartment.  Along the way, I saw  a restaurant called 100 Montaditos.   There is a 100 Montaditos a few blocks from my home back in DC, so I was interested.  It was still too early for lunch, but I had a coffee.  Back home, I did a little research and 100 Montaditos is a Spanish chain.  In the United States, they are in DC and Florida!   Comparison of logos is in order:

District of Columbia-Yards Park

Valencia--in the Ciutat Vella (Old City)

I would love to have put those side-by-side, but couldn't get them to do it.  The geography is just too far apart, I guess.

I continued on to a museum I had read about, called "L'Almoina."  I had looked for it a few days earlier, but it was closed.  I am so glad I persisted.  It is an archeological dig site and provides an historical review of the city of Valencia.  I have to admit that I should have done some research before going because it was hard to put what I was seeing into context.  Also, most of the signs were in Spanish; actually, Valencian.  As an art object, my favorite thing was a terra cotta mask from the second or third centuries AD.   

I was overwhelmed by the history which covered Visigothic, Roman, Moorish, and Christian eras.  One particularly compelling part of the site was a well which I think is considered Visigothic:

It was a nice finale to my "Trip to Spain."  Actually, the real finale was a late lunch at a nice restaurant on the plaza.  It was siesta time for most people, so not too busy!  My glass of wine while I waited:

Back to my apartment and getting ready for plane trip tomorrow.  All went well on the trip back home.

Art Museum Day in Valencia September 19, 2017

Of course I had to visit the Museu de Belles Arts!   I was particularly interested in works by Joaquin Sorolla, who was born in Valencia, though the actual Sorolla Museum is in Madrid. 

The Valencia Museum was well worth the visit.  The main feature is an extensive display of altar pieces, as shown above.  They were very Spanish, in my opinion, in that they were very dramatic.  Most of them dealt with the life of Christ and had depictions showing him from conception to resurrection.  There is lots of blood and gore, and also veneration of Mary.  I took no pictures in the museum, so this one is from the internet.  I don't like to take pictures in museums for a few reasons--they don't turn out well, they are intrusive of others, and I just like to look at the art.  I had been thinking I could buy postcards at the gift shop, but it was being remodeled.

The Sorolla exhibit was amazing.  There is this very dramatic painting of his daughter, Maria, who was recovering from tuberculosis:

There were also lighter themes, such as garden parties and children at the beach:

Sorolla was truly a great painter.  I also enjoyed a room devoted to works by Goya.  Very dark in mood, but beautifully done.

I was surprised to find works by Hieronymous Bosch.  This triptych is an example:

It was time for lunch in a lovely courtyard where I got a typical lunch that was appetizers, entree and dessert.  This time, it was asparagas in a light sauce and an olive salad with corn; beef on skewers wrapped with Spanish ham;  and chocolate ice cream.  Oh, also a glass of wine, and all for 12 euros.  

I took the bus back to my neighborhood and went to the old market (Mercat Centro).  The main market was closed, but there were some stalls outside for browsing, and that was fun.  I also went to a shop across the street from my apartment that was run by some young people who specialized in postcards of graffiti.  In Spain, graffiti is respected as art....street art.  I wanted to support these young artists.

When I was back in my apartment, I settled in and watched news about the Catalonian vote for independence, which was coming up on October 1.  I heard some murmering on the street and looked out and was surprised to see there was a line for the nightclub that was a couple of doors down.  They were peacefully waiting for opening time:

This is looking the other way up the street.  I love the street lamps and the general ambiance of the street, Calle Court.  So beautiful.  Another good day in Valencia.

City of Arts and Sciences

On my second full day in Valencia I was determined to go to an area they call the City of Arts and Sciences.  It is an architectural complex that is built on what used to be a riverbed.  I learned that Valencia used to be flooded every year by the River Turia.  Eventually, the river was re-routed and the riverbed was turned into a cluster of very modern buildings.  They are controversial because, although they are amazing and are a huge tourist attraction, they were very expensive and some have had to be repaired after being open only a short while.  The first buildings were opened in 1998, and others were later.  Above is a view of a building called L'Hemisferic (IMAX, planetarium, etc.) and the Palau de les Arts (theater, music, dance) is in the background.  I didn't go into either of those....there just wasn't enough time, and there were no performances scheduled.  The clear balls in the foreground above are part of some water amusement activities.  They are big enough for a person to get into.  There are also small clear boats and other small watercraft, as in the picture below.  Isn't the water beautiful?

I went into the Museu de les Ciences (science museum) and then L'Oceanographic.  The science museum was amazing.  The building itself is a work of art.  This is an interior shot:

  

Seeing the people gives you a sense of scale, and this is just the upper part.  There is a variety of exhibits---biological science, physics, astronomy, dinosaurs, etc.  One that particularly caught my attention was one where you could observe chickens hatching.  They would hatch in a staggered pattern, so I guess a lot of care went into the incubation.  I am not sure this picture does it justice:

The chick is a little hard to see...it is toward the top center. It had just hatched and was floppy and tired.  I came back later, and there were more chicks hatched and that first one had pretty well fluffed out and actually looked like a chick.  This is all under glass, but was very interesting.  I had never seen chicks hatching before.  In another part, you can play tic-tac-toe with a computer, and I think the computer nearly always wins...even when you go first.  There was so much to see, but I didn't wasn to miss the "L'Oceanografic" complex.  

"L'Oceanografic" is several buildings and meant to replicate the world's main marine ecosystems.  It has some outdoor as well as indoor areas to provide a variety of habitats, and is the largest aquarium in Europe.  In case you wonder, the largest is in China.  One thing I really liked was a tunnel I walked through with an aquarium on both sides and the ceiling.

Again, the picture doesn't do it justice.  I also had lunch underground in an aquarium.  It was huge and very fancy.  

I also went to the Dolphinarium and saw a dophin show, which I normally would avoid because I think they are exploitative of the animals.  However, it seemed to be mild and the keepers were professional.  Plus, the weather was great and it was fun to sit outside for awhile. 

That night I found the supermarket I hadn't been able to find the first night.  It was great.  Everything inexpensive....wine was 1.20 euros for a liter!  A good variety of produce and meat and some snacks.   It was a good day and I learned those tourist hop on/hop off bus can be a good way to get around.  My bus ticket today is still good tomorrow and I will use it. 

On my own in Valencia

After a great watercolor workshop with Dalvaro Art Holidays, their driver took me from Las Orquedias to the city of Valencia.

I loved the air bnb apartment which was on Calle Quart in the old part of the city.  It was within walking distance of many of the sites I hoped to see.  I looked up the nearest grocery store and went out to find it and explore the neighborhood.  I never did find it, but I did get a good idea of the neighborhood and found a nice corner market.   Because the Spaniards eat so late--like 8:30 at the earliest, I thought I would have to fix my own dinner.  I'm not keen on eating by myself late at night.  I bought salmon, veggies and rice as a take-out that just needed to be warmed.  It was perfect, and nicely spiced.

Sunday was my first full day in Valencia.  I discovered that my apartment was very close to where I had painted last week with Francesco, Anne and Rita.  The above photo is in the square where we were, although it is a different angle.  It is a central spot and just a short walk from my apartment.  It was also on the way to the Valencia Cathedral, where I went to Mass, which I like to do when travelling.  I am not a Catholic, but love to see a Mass in a beautiful cathedral and hear it in another language.  This one was particularly nice because it seemed like the priest really was in tune with the local people--he was smiling and enjoying the occasion.  I also wanted to see the "holy grail" of Valencia, which is possibly a cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper.  It is an agate bowl and is mounted on a holder.  The agate bowl has been dated to 100-50 BC, so it is possible.

The handle and stem were added during the medieval ages.  Still later, an alabaster base that is apparently Islamic (because of writing on it) was added.   If you are interested in knowing more, here is a link to the cathedral's description:
http://www.catedraldevalencia.es/en/el-santo-caliz_historia.php
As you can tell, I found it very interesting.  Above is my picture, though I couldn't get close.  It is in the lighted alcove behind the altar.  Here's a picture from the website:

I also explored other artifacts and shrines in the Cathedral, including a rather disturbing one--the arm of Saint Vincent...all shriveled up.

Because I was in Spain and it was Sunday, I then had a two-hour lunch (three courses) at a restaurant on the plaza and returned to my room for a siesta.   After my siesta, it was about 4:30 pm!  A very relaxed day.  I studied my Lonely Planet Guide to Valencia and did a little more exploring in the neighborhood, including the Torres which were just up the street from my apartment.  They are Gothic, built in the 1400s and are very impressive.  They were part of a defensive wall around the central city.  This view is actually from the "new" side of the towers, not the ancient city where my apartment was.

I also discovered a whole new area of restaurants and shops.  It was too early for dinner in a Spanish restaurant, so I had leftovers from the night before and watched Spanish news on TV.  They were very interested in the Catalonian vote for independence, which was a week away.  Valencia is not part of Catalonia, but is just a little South, so interest was high.  I planned my next few days and drifted off to sleep.  Although my street was busy, and had many restaurants and a nightclub, it was not noisy because I had the European shutters that are on the outside of the windows and pretty much block sound as well as light.  My room was in the interior of the building, too, and off a cute little patio.