the adventures of Chris and Joe in Italy: 2013

Monday, April 8, 2013

...an affair to remember...

Italy has seduced us with her charms...

She is vibrant, chaotic, unpretentious, and unpredictable. Her ancient ruins and gorgeous churches have fueled our imaginations and left us wanting to see and learn more. Just when you think you have her mysteries solved, she reveals another glimpse of her many facets to tantalize and tease you.

Her stunning beauty has left us breathless...her colors, landscapes, aromas, and tastes have been an assault on our senses and left our minds reeling.

Her people are warm, welcoming, proud and, above all, passionate. They have embraced us, kissed us on both cheeks, and called us friends.

She has bewitched us to the point where we lie awake at night reliving the adventures of that day and anticipating those of the next.

We are overwhelmed, exhilarated, exhausted and utterly in love with this country and its people...

Arrividerci e grazie, Italia...ci vediamo presto !

Con amore, a couple of infatuated, thankful travelers, Chris and Joe

...a few pics of St. Peter's....

Michelangelo's Pieta...

sunlight streaming through the window...

massive paintings...

Bernini's canopy where the Pope preaches....

the beautiful dove window....

the massive dome....

Swiss guard....

one serious guy !

someone's got to clean up after the pigeons !!!

Beautiful St. Peter's...

...when in Rome...

We saved the Vatican and Sistine Chapel for today...our last day in Rome. We were dreading the crowds, but there was not even a line to get in ! (another benefit of traveling off season...). Needless-to-say, the Vatican Museums were stunning, and St. Peter's is amazing...again, pictures do not do them justice...we loved the Raphael frescoes: most people skip those rooms in order to hurry to the Sistine Chapel, but they are well worth a visit. (you can't take photos in the Sistine Chapel, so there are none here of that beautiful space...)

There is also a section of contemporary art before you get to the chapel...we stumbled across a Burchfield - of the Burchfield Penney Museum (small world...wonder if the Pope shops at Johnny's when he's in Buffalo !!)

Here are just a few of the many, many pictures we took...
Hugs, Chris and her "there had better not be a line to wait in !" husband

Apollo...

this arm was held on with velcro ??

this sculpture's pose inspired Michelangelo's Adam in the Sistine chapel...

a hungry animal...

bronze Hercules...

another hungry animal...

huge tapestries...designed by Raphael and made in Brussels...

the map room and the long corridor to the Sistine Chapel...

lovely mosaics from Nero's golden palace...

what a ceiling !

from Nero's palace...quite the marble birdbath !

another beautiful ceiling...

three guys named Joe...

Raphael frescoes...wow...he was only 25 when he was commissioned to paint these Papal apartments !

Right from Buffalo to the Pope....

AAK !!! Not another church !!!

...how to fund the next trip...

We spent Sunday browsing flea markets in Rome...what fun ! Antiques here are REALLY antiques...Joe had found a couple of things (worth several millions, I'm sure...) at a flea market in Orvieto, but nothing here. I bought a lovely Chanel scarf, which I'm certain is genuine because the woman said it was "elegant" on me....

One of the markets went for about 1/2 mile along the Tiber River...it was warm, sunny, and a day made for walking, pizza and gelato. As we wandered into the Piazza del Popolo, we saw a huge canvas spread in the square...finger-painting for family day !

Time to start our packing, then an afternoon trip to the Vatican...how quickly 10 weeks has flown by !

It's been a fun challenge keeping up with the trash in our little apartment...and I thought California's rules were confusing !

Hugs, Chris and her "what day is it and which bag goes where?" husband

beautiful silver...