Italy - Day 6: Rome

I decided I wanted to do a bit more exploring in Rome, so I took the underground to the Colosseum and bought a "hop on/hop off" ticket.

There were a number of sites I wanted to see, the first being the Castel San't Angelo:

Castel San't Angelo...

Completed in 139AD, the Castel San't Angelo was commissioned by Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for him and his family. As time went on, however, it was used by Popes as both a castle and a fortress. In fact, there's a once-secret passageway that leads from the Vatican to the Castel San't Angelo. Once the tallest building in all of Rome, it's now a museum.

The bridge leading to the Castel is adorned with ten statues of angels, but there's so much more to see than just statues of angels:

Mounted police at the Castel San't Angelo. A police presence is everywhere in Rome...

The stature entitled Angel with the Garment and Dice by Paolo Naldini at the Castel...

Along with the preceding photo, street performers at the Castel San't Angelo...

The Castel San't Angelo...

The sun seen from behind the stature "Angel with Superscription"...

As much as I would've liked to have gotten to go around the city, I fell victim to a guy selling "beat the line" tours at the Vatican. I knew I would be visiting the Vatican while in Rome, so I didn't see much reason not to go now.

St. Peter's Square in The Vatican...

The Vatican is the smallest city-state in the world. Its total area is only about 109 acres and the population, currently, is less than 900 people. Since 1377, the palace has been been the home of 55 Popes, and it's the third largest palace in the world. It has 1,400 rooms, 200 of which serve as apartments for the Pope, the Secretary of State and the highest church officials. Want to live there? Super! You just need to be a Cardinal, a Vatican diplomat, or work in a position which requires that you live within the walls of the Vatican.

The Vatican Museums are among the world's most famous, and it's easy to see why. If you can see past the incredible crowds which traverse through the museums every day, the collection of artwork which awaits you is mind boggling.

Of course, out of all of the artwork people flock to the Vatican to see, the most popular is Michaelangelo's masterpiece: the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling is covered in frescoes by and is over 8,200 square feet is size. It took Michaelangelo over four years to complete it. 

Over 20,000 visitors cram into the Sistine Chapel every day.

Michaelangelo's masterpiece, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel...

Michaelangelo's masterpiece, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel...

Michaelangelo's masterpiece, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel...

Now, I feel the need to be very clear about something: Photography is forbidden inside the Sistine Chapel. 

"Well, Steve", I hear you ask, "How did you get photos if photography is forbidden?"

Fair question.

I was disappointed when I first heard about the ban on photography, but when I discovered why it was banned I became a bit angry. See, I generally take a rather dim view of a "no photography" rule which is driven solely by a financial motive, and that's exactly what has occurred here. When Vatican officials decided it was time to restore Michaelangelo's art inside the chapel, the price tag was more than they bargained for, so they decided to seek outside help. Well, the Nippon Television Network Corporation of Japan offered up $4.2 million in exchange for exclusive photography and video rights inside the Chapel. 

Had the policy been in place because it's a profound place of reverence and devotion, I could've gotten on board with that and I'd have turned my camera off. But to not let someone take non-flash photos (and, to be fair, flash can damage ancient artwork) simply because you want to sell them your postcards in the gift shop?

Yeah, not so much.

I'm the kind of person who normally follows rules to a fault, but I wasn't about to let myself be screwed out of a once in a lifetime opportunity because some Japanese company said I should be screwed out of that once in a lifetime opportunity.

So, after traipsing though the museums and breaking the rules ('cause I'm a rebel and stuff), it was time to head onto what every visitor to the Vatican yearns to experience: St. Peter's Basilica.

Inside the unimaginably huge St. Peter's Basilica...

St. Peter's Basilica (or, formally, the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican) is the centerpiece of the Vatican, and is the largest church building in the world. The original building was built in the 4th century over the tomb of St. Peter (which I saw but was not permitted to photograph). The massive dome was designed by Michaelangelo (and did anyone ever call him "Mike" or "Mikey"?). Construction of the current Basilica was started in April of 1506, but wasn't completed until November of 1626.

Michaelangelo took over the task of overseeing the construction in 1547, and he wasn't all too happy about it. He is now, however, regarded as the principal designer of the majority of the building. Said Michaelangelo at the time: "I undertake this only for the love of God and in honour of the Apostle." The Apostle he was referring to was Peter.

St. Peter's Basilica...

Sitting directly below the dome, inside the chapel and directly above the tomb of St. Peter, is Bernini's Baldacchino (canopy), said to be the largest piece of bronze in the world. The high altar of the basilica sits beneath the canopy. Commissioned by Pope Urban VIII in 1623, it was completed in 1634.

The Baldacchino by Gian Lorenzo Bernini...
 

The tomb of St. Peter (photo sourced from Wikipedia)...

Jesus Christ and St. Peter...

St.Longinus, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini...

Most of the sculptures in St. Peter's Basilica are accessible to the public, save one. Michaelangelo's Pieta is now displayed behind a panel of acrylic, bullet proof glass. This was done after Lazlo Toth, a deranged Hungarian geologist, set upon the statue with a hammer on May 21, 1972 screaming "I am Jesus Christ; I have risen from the dead!". He damaged the left arm, Mary's nose and one of her eyelids. It has since been restored.

Interestingly, it's the only piece that Michaelangelo ever signed.

Michaelangelo's Pieta (photo sourced from the web)...

From the main floor of the Basilica I found my way into the Vatican Grottoes. This is where Popes, Kings and Queens are interred. There were only a few I'd hoped to see. Unfortunately, John Paul II wasn't made accessible the day I was there, but others were, including Pope Paul VI. His tomb, however, differs from others in the Grottoes because he asked to be buried in "the true ground". Consequently, his remain were not placed in a sarcophagus as other Popes were. Rather, his body was buried in the ground beneath the marker.

The final resting place of Pope Paul VI

The tomb of Pope John Paul I. He was the first Pope born in the 20th century and served as Pontiff for only 33 days...

To truly explore the entirety of the Vatican, I think, would take weeks. It's just so unbelievably huge that a single day, or even several days, would not be sufficient. Add to that the fact that there are enormous crowds to deal with and, well, you'll understand why it would take a protracted amount of time. And, with regards to the crowds, skip the "guided tours" of the Vatican which are offered all over Rome. Frankly, I was a bit put off by how inefficient the Vatican's procedures were for groups. It's like a cattle drive with art. It may take a little longer to do it on your own, but I think it would end up being a bit more enjoyable.

After I finished exploring St. Peter's Basilica, I made my way back over the the Castel San't Angelo to catch the "hop on/hop off" bus. I made it to the last bus and got off at their final stop, where I found the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, a titular basilica church. Like pretty much every other church in Rome, it's rather plain on the outside.

The rather austere exterior of the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri...

Inside the Basilica is a completely different story, though. It's true that most churches in Rome are very plain on the outside, but it's also true that they're quite ornate on the inside. The Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri is no different:

A replica of the Shroud Of Turin is displayed at the altar inside the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri...

 

After spending an hour or so exploring, I decided it was dinner time. So, I walked back towards the underground station and grabbed some really good pizza (as if there was such a thing as bad pizza?) at one of the bajillion pizza joints in Rome.

No secret what they're selling here...

As I sat there eating, it started to dawn on me that my trip was winding down. There were only two days left before I'd be flying back to the States. In one way I felt like I'd seen such a tremendous amount and, in another, I felt like I hadn't even begun to scratch the surface of what there was to see here.

Maybe that means a second trip is in order...

Italy - Day 5 (Part Deux): Pompeii

Everyone has that place they believe they'll never actually visit. For me, there were two which were just too legendary and too far away that there's no way the stars would ever align properly for me to visit. Atlantis was one of those places. Pompeii was another.

Of course, unlike Atlantis, Pompeii is very real.

In 78AD. this bustling ancient city was home to some 20,000 people who really wanted nothing more out of their days than to go to work, go home, play with their kids and live their lives.

That all changed the year after. In 79AD. Mount Vesuvius erupted violently, spewing over 1.5 million tons of molten rock, pulverized pumice and hot ash every second. In total, it released the thermal equivalent of over 100,000 Hiroshima/Nagasaki atomic bombs combined.

The culprit: Mount Vesuvius, which last erupted in 1944...

For many years, people believed that those who died in Pompeii (some 1,500 victims were unearthed) died due to asphyxiation. Recent studies, however, have determined that it's far more likely that these victims died of the sudden increase in heat. Basically, the victims didn't have time to suffocate. Temperatures soared to over 300° Celsius (540° Fahrenheit) in a fraction of a second.

One of the results of such a quick death was that people were covered in volcanic ash which, after molding itself to the bodies, then solidified. Volcanic ash doesn't dissolve in water so, as the bodies inside the ash deteriorated, a sort of mold of the body was created. In the mid-1800's, archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli developed a method of revealing the victims by pouring plaster of Paris into the molds created in the volcanic ash:

A plaster casting of an actual victim in Pompeii...

The city was moderately expansive for the day, and every inch of it was covered in ash. Today, it would take days to explore the site fully. Then again, much of the ruins look a lot like the ruins on the other side of town so, unless you're an obsessive Italian history buff, you could probably get by with visiting various parts of the ruins instead of everything.

This map shows what Pompeii is believed to have looked like the day of the eruption...

In the picture above, to the right, is the amphitheater in Pompeii. It's the earliest known permanent stone amphitheater in Italy.

As you find your way around the ruins, you'll likely find little tings here and there which offer a glimpse, as slight as it may be, into what Pompeii might've been like, whether it's a bath house, a storefront, or maybe even a vineyard:

This vineyard still produces grapes today for wine made in the region. Mount Vesuvius looms in the background...

 

A passageway near the amphitheater...

A sign, with 2,000 year old paint, on a building within the ruins...

Ruins in Pompeii...

Ruins in Pompeii...

  

Today, the ruins at Pompeii are a UNSECO World Heritage Site and receive over 2,000,000 visitors every year. Like I said, it would take you a while to do a full visit to every portion of the ruins, but a shorter visit will most certainly offer you some insight into what things were like in Pompeii in the first century...

Italy - Day 5: Amalfi

One of the first places I decided I'd visit when I was planning this trip was the Amalfi Coast. 

With a population of just over 5,000, you might think that Amalfi is some sleepy little seaside town and, at one time, it probably was. Not these days, though. These days it's a booming tourist mecca that could use a bit more parking.

If you're driving like I was, the trip to Amalfi from Rome will take a little under four hours. About half of the trip is on the autostrade and the other half is not. It's the "other half" that needs to be discussed.

Driving on the autostrade is simple enough. It's akin to driving on I-95 here in the States. However, once you get off the autostrade and onto "surface" roads to get you to Amalfi, it's a bit different. It was the windiest, twistiest road I've ever driven on, and I say this with 100% sincerity: If you are not absolutely almost annoyingly confident and competent in your driving abilities, you probably have no business making this drive. It can be downright treacherous. At one point, I was passing a Mercedes coming the other way, and I noticed his side view mirror was folded in. I erred on the side of caution and did the same.

Our cars passed, literally, within an inch of each other. Granted, we were crawling at that point, but it's still incredibly close.

Once you arrive in Amalfi, though, you forget about all of that, Amalfi is stunning:

A portion of Amalfi. The entire Amalfi coast is actually a 31 mile stretch of eye candy...

The centerpiece of Amalfi is its cathedral. Built in the 10th century, its bell tower was completed between the 12th and 13th centuries. The relics of St. Anthony are entombed here.

Looking up at Amalfi Cathedral from the Piazza del Duomo...

A view of the Cathedral from the entrance...

Now, one thing I didn't think of was the fact that it was Palm Sunday. As I stepped into the Cathedral I was surprised to see a standing room only crowd, and an Archbishop giving mass in Italian. I decided to stay. I'm not a devoutly religious guy by any stretch of the imagination, but when would I ever again have the chance to attend a Palm Sunday mass in Italy given by an Archishop in Italian?

Archbishop Orazio Soricelli at the conclusion of his Palm Sunday mass...

Looking down at the Piazza del Duomo from Amalfi Cathedral...

I've been all over the world, and Amalfi is one of the most target-rich photo op places I've ever been, From almost anywhere you are is a vista that takes your breath away.
  

The town of Amalfi, Italy...

 
There was no shortage of places to grab a drink or a bite for lunch, with lines of people waiting for tables, and almost all of them had signs like this out front:

For whatever reason, police and the military in Italy don't like having their photo taken. This cop obliged me though by saying "Solo una foto" (Just one picture"). As soon as I put my camera down, though, he starting hamming it up and making faces at the camera. As soon as I picked the camera back up he was instantly stoic.

A police officer in Amalfi...

I'd walked around Amalfi for what seemed like only a few minutes when I realized I had been exploring for a few hours. I also realized that I hadn't eaten for some time, so I decided to stop into Lo Smeraldino for a late lunch. I gotta' tell you, this was good; one of the best meals I had during the trip:

Every so often I like to "fancy it up" by going to a place with cloth napkins...

Despite the smaller portions in Italy, they don't lack for taste. The chicken/ricotta ravioli was mind-blowing...

I don't normally like to sit outside at a restaurant but, with a view like this, how could I not?

I finished lunch, paid my bill and headed for my car. Amalfi wasn't the only place I wanted to visit today, so I figured I had best get back on the road...