May 13 – Rome
Wow what a day we had. All of us were looking forward to the private tour we had scheduled for this beautiful Saturday. Thanks to our good friends Ken and Connie Kniffen, we booked a tour with “Rudy the Guide” in Rome. They have used Rudy a couple of times themselves and had also referred other friends to Rudy. Everyone that has used his services has had a great experience and we can now be added to the list. If you will be in Rome do check out www.Rome-car-tours.com.
Our guide today was not going to be Rudy, but instead we had the diminutive Roberta. Roberta speaks beautiful English and she has a real passion for the history, art and culture that is Rome. She was born, raised and educated in art history right here in Rome. When she isn’t giving private tours she is a art history teacher to high school aged kids.
Before we could get our tour started on this Saturday morning, We first had to navigate ourselves from our apartment located in the heart of Rome, just steps from the Pantheon to the front steps of the Vatican Museum. According to Google maps, the most direct route on foot would be a little less than 2 miles. Hoping to avoid some the the challenges we had yesterday navigating the narrow streets of Rome I studied the map carefully and to everyone’s surprise, (mine as well) I got us there without a single wrong turn.
Our tour was scheduled for 9:00 am, we were armed with our ticket voucher in hand and now all we had to do was find our guide. We left our apartment at 8:00 am, which would give us plenty of time to make the walk to the Vatican Museum and provide time for some picture taking along the way. The nicest thing about the walk was 1) the weather – it was a nice clear and cool morning with a nice cool breeze blowing, and 2) the fact that at 8:00am on a Saturday, much of Rome is still in bed, including the tourists; except for us that is. We felt like we had this beautiful city all to our selves.
Our walk took us down some small streets and lead us to the Tiber River, which we crossed at the Castello San Angelo, the ancient fortress that protected the Pope and the Vatican in ancient times.
We made our way down the main boulevard that leads into St. Peter’s Square. The sheer size and scale of the square and the Basilica belied how far we still had to walk. The only annoying thing we had to deal with was the myriad of hawkers that were out on the streets trying to sell guided tours. Since we were among the few people out on the streets on this nice morning, it seemed like everyone of them was determined to get us to book with them. We managed to make it past them all. As we approached the main entrance to the Vatican Museum, the crowd began to thicken as there were already a lot of people waiting in line for the 8:30 tours. We got to the entrance steps, where we were supposed to meet our guide, with 10 minutes to spare. After a brief wait, we spotted Roberta holding a sign with our name across the street.
With a quick round of introductions off we went. Armed with out ticket voucher in hand our petite leader lead us to the front of the line and took us through security and into the museum. Our first stop was the ticket window where we had to exchange our voucher for our tickets. We then entered the museum. Roberta lead us to a quiet area with some benches and she explained that she wanted to talk to us about the Sistine Chapel. Roberta explained that we would conclude our tour of the Museum with entry into the Sistine Chapel where she would not be allowed to speak to us about what we were seeing. Using her iPad she would show us very detailed photos of all the panels in the Chapel and explain the meaning of the art, but also the politics and social events surrounding the painting to the ceiling by a then young Michelangelo.. The story she told us was enthralling and with the images on her iPad, quite informative.
With our lecture concluded, she led her “willing students” through a tour of many of the highlights of the museum. We would be jostled by the many a other tourists that were in the museum. Roberta had told us that the museum averages over 25,000 visitors a day – over 3 million per year. The artwork that she showed us, the tapestries, the mosaic floors were amazing. She explained to us the collections that the various Popes had either acquired or commissioned by the finest artists across the land. It was fascinating. Although Elisa and I had been to Rome many time, we received a depth of information we had never gotten before. The other nice thing about our private tour,is that we were free to ask questions and steer the content to our interests.
Although we all thought the museum was crowded, Roberta tells us we are fortunate that it “isn’t busy” yet, as we are able to make our way into the Sistine Chapel in quick time. I’M always amazed when I walk into the Sistine Chapel. The first thing that I’m always impressed by is how small the Chapel is. Having recieved out tutorial earlier our viewing of the art there takes on much more meaning.
As we made our way out of the Chapel Roberta takes us on a tour of the Basilica. Again we are stunned by the scale and beauty of the Basilica. The La Pieta statue by Michelangelo is stunning. It is haorrifying to think that a crazed man would take a hammer to the beautiful artwork in 1972 severely damaging this priceless piece of art. The sculpture was lovingly restored and now sits safely behind glass. Michelangelo created this beautiful piece when he was only 23 years old. Artisans and scholars could not believe that such an amazing piece was sculpted by one so young. So as an indication of Michelangelo’s pride, it is the only sculpture that he has overtly signed. His signature can be seen discretely incorporated in the sash around the Virgin Mary. The walls of the apse and nave are adorned with huge pieces of art by artists such as Raphael. Roberta explains that the “paintings” we think we are looking at are not paintings at all. Instead they are tile mosaics that have been crafted to look exactly like the masterpieces that originally hung in the cathedral. It was discovered shortly after the art was originally hung in the 1500′s that the humidity present would destroy the artwork. So the then Pope had craftsmen duplicate the art as tile mosaics. The results were true lay amazing. We were unable to discern that we were looking at mosaics until we were able to get very close to one of the pieces by Raphael.
After our 3-½ hour tour of the Vatican, we would now be shuttled to the Coleseum area. Since it was now approaching 1:00 we decided to stop at a sidewalk cafe very near the coliseum for a bite to eat. Although the dining experience was relatively quick by Italian standards, the fare was uninspired ant it was clear that this restaurant catered to the throngs of tourist that flood the area. In spite of the lackluster meal we all welcomed the rest and refreshment that was offered. It gave us a few moment to gather our strength for the walk we would be making through the Coliseum and the Roman Forum.
Again we were met with good fortune, the Coliseum on this day would not be very crowded. This gave us ample opportunity for Roberta to explain what we were seeing and the history of the structure using her iPad to enhance the discussion. The Coliseum is an amazing piece of ancient archtecture. Using photos she showed us that the site that it now occupies was once a private lake that Emperor Nero once had build atop the ruins of public housing that were destroyed in the great fire of Rome in the first century. Upon the passing of Nero the ensuing Emperor, who wanted to restore faith and adulation from the populace of Rome, razed the lake structure that Nero had build and erected this great amphitheater for the people.
Capable of accommodating over 70000 attendants, we were surprised to learn that it only took them only a few years to consruct the coliseum. We were also surprised to learn that the games were free for the people. The population of Rome at that time was over 1 million people so you were a lucky or well to do citizen to get one of the free tickets. Upon its opening the amphitheater was inaugurated with 100 consecutive days of “games”. The “games” would take place from morning and go through evening and were segmented into “3 acts”. The morning games would be animal hunts. Rome would exploit its many conquered lands by capturing exotic beast from Africa and beyond bringin them there to entertain the people with display gladiators hunting and killing the animals, occasionally one o the gladiators might become lunch for one of the animals, but unfortunately all the animals that entered the arena would be eventually slaughtered. Roberta showed us photos on how elaborate sets would be created inside the arena floor so that the hunts could take place.
After the first act, the arena would be cleared and it would give way to the second act, which was reserved for public executions. Those being executed would include common criminals but it would also include Christians, as the religion was illegal at this time, and it would also include the execution of other slaves that were no longer of use or who had committed some other infraction.
The evenings were reserved for the gladiatorial combat. Roberta showed us where another structure once stood that housed the gladiators and where the gladiators were trained. The training area was equipped with a smaller arena where patrons could watch the gladiators practice. Similar to a paddoc area for horses at a modern day race track, the practice arena gave patrons an opportunity to size up the gladiators that would be competing so that wagers could be placed. This in spite of the fact that gambling was prohibited at the time. The practice arena was connected to the main amphitheater through an undergournd tunnel. We were told that some victorious gladiators would have huge fan followings. But in the end virtually all gladiators would end up leaving the arena dead. This is because the gladiators were slaves and they had no choice but to fight. Even if they might win one day, they would have fight the next. Legend suggest that some victorious gladiators would be spared by the emperor.
After the 100 straight days of games, we were surprised to learn that the Coliseum would only be used for games on special occasions which meant that it was only used 7 to 10 times per year. Some 150- years after the coliseum was first built it would be abandoned and occupied by the poor that would use the undergournd structures for housing. The rich wold use the coliseum as a “quarry” where pieces of marble would removed to make build new palaces and sculpture. The metal clamps that were used to hold the large blocks together or to fasten other adornments would be forcibly removed so the metal could be reused for other purposes. It is amazing to think that any of the colesium remains at all, but fortunately we are able to experience it today.
From there, Roberta would lead us on a walk through the Forum, again using her iPad to help us understand what we were looking at. She explained how the forum we see here was once connected to the Imperial form, whose ruins lie across the large bouldvard that extends from the Coliseum into the heart of Rome. That construction of that boulevard by Mussolini in the 1930s would result in the loss of many ancient structures and would forever bisect the Roman Forum from the Imperial Foprum. I had asked Roberta about Julius Caesar’s reign and surprised to learn that he was not an actual emperor. She explained that during times of crisis, the Roman Senate could elect a dictator who was given broad powers. To get things straightened out Typically, these powers would only be in place for 60 days. However, when these powers were granted to Caesar, he was so beloved by the people he was able to retain his power and this is what likely lead to his demise. Roberta explained that history suggests that Caesar was slain on the steps of the senate, but the reality is that the building tha is suggesed was not yet contstucted at the time of his death. Consequently, it is not know for certain where he actually died. However she was able show us where his body was cremated and where the citizens erected a monument in his honor. The monument is now largely destroyed by time, but patrons of Caesar still to this day worship the site leaving offerings of coins, flowers and other mementos.
That concluded our busy day with Roberta and our driver retrieved us and returned us to our Apartment. All of us really liked Roberta and we learned so much. Although it can be a bit expensive, we found the private tour as the only way to go. We said our good byes to Roberta. it was another long day of walking – 17000 steps and once again we were happy to return to the comfort of the apartment. We all promptly napped for a couple of hours and then had an excellent dinner. We arrived for dinner at 7:45pm at Dai Tre Amici located very close to the Pantheon. Fortunately we arrived before the Roman dinner hour so we had no trouble finding a table. By 8:00 the restaurant was filled, largely with local residents, which gave testament to the excellent meal we all had. After a leisurely “slow food” meal that was contemplated by an excellent bottle of Nero d’Avola red wine from Sicily, delicious sorbetto to cleanse our palettes and an apertivo of hose made limoncello, we returned to the apartment by 10:30 pm and we all retired to bed shortly after than.
Tomorrow, we are off to see Pompeii and then on to the Amalfi. We will be in Positano for a few days.
More later – Ciao!
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