Primi Piatti

Friday, 29 September 2017 
After a long 20 hour flight (Melbourne – Abu Dhabi – Roma) we finally arrived early afternoon on a beautiful sunny day in Rome. We had a little drama with our taxi driver who told us he could not drop us off in the old town, so dropped us off 10 minute walk away from our apartment. No problem normally but we had all our luggage on the uneven cobblestone streets, it was a bit of a nuisance.
Found our apartment which was beautiful, right in the heart of the old city, very close to a lot of the attractions.

We arrived on a Friday and during our research we found out that the Vatican Museum is open Friday nights over the summer and into October, so thought it might be good to do that. Our apartment was in such an excellent location, that the Vatican was only 10-15 minute walk away. We got a Happy Hour ticket which included some food and a glass of wine – yes at the Vatican! Then having refreshed ourselves, we were onto the Museum.

This is the statue of Laocoön and His Sons excavated in Rome in 1506. The figures are near life-size and the group is a little over 2 m in height, showing the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons Antiphantes and Thymbraeus being attacked by sea serpents.  

Here is the Gallery of Maps, which takes it’s name of 40 maps frescoed on the walls representing the Italian regions and Papal properties at the time of Gregory XIX (1572-1585). This is just one little bit. It went on and on and on.

The Museum was excellent, but after an hour or so we were really hitting the wall. Decided we would finish with the Sistine Chapel and then head home. It was another twenty minutes before we reached the Sistine Chapel – that’s how big it is! Unfortunately, they don’t let you take photos in the Chapel which was a shame because it was really excellent (as you would imagine).  Here is one of the most famous paintings which we took from the internet.

Then a walk home along the Saint Angelo Ponte.  This was the view of the river on the way back to our apartment.

St Pauls and St Peter's Square at night.  

Us on the Saint Angelo Ponte Bridge.

Secondi with a Caravaggio Chaser

Saturday, 30 September 2017 

Up early on our second day in Roma, another beautiful day and much, much warmer (dare I say actually hot) than we expected. Here is Michelle on our street via Coronari which is part of the old town. It used to be the road the pilgrims would take to go to the Vatican.

Took a picture of the window of this awesome looking butcher; Italians know good food. Would like to put that happy little piggy in my oven.  

We were off to the Trevi Fountain. It was only just after 9:00am on a Saturday morning but there were already some of those pesky touristicos hanging about. Nevetheless, managed to get some nice shots.

Breakfast of café and croissant which cost us €15. Next day we did the same and costs us €14. Next day (Monday morning) did the same, cost us €5 – what!! First two days got ripped off in tourist cafés. Third day went to a normal local’s café and discovered what it really costs.

 

Anyway, after breakfast went to the Spanish Steps (as you do).

After walking up the Spanish Steps, we continued uphill and through the Borghese Gardens until we came across a fantastic view over the Piazza Di Popolo and the City.

Found a church, Santa Maria del Popolo, that had two Caravaggios in it. The Crucifixion of Saint Peter (1601) and the Conversion of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus (1601). They were totally awesome to see in real life.

 

Obelisk in the Piazza di Popolo “Flaminio Obelisk” Dated from Ramses II 13C BCE. Brought to Rome in 10BC by command of Augustus. 24 metres high. It was rediscovered in 1587 amongst the Roman rubble (as you do), broken into three pieces.

Us in front of the Fontana del Nettuno Fountain.  Then had a leisurely lunch at a lovely little trattoria we found in the up market shopping district.

On our way back we came back via the Tiber overlooking views to the Vatican and the San Angelo Castle. Ah Rome. 

Some gelato at the famous Giolatti finished our day off nicely.

Piazza Navona, Domus Romane and Trajan's Column

Sunday, 1 October 2017
When we arrived on the Friday afternoon, we passed through the Piazza Navona which is famous for its fountains. At that time it was absolutely full of tourists. So we got up early on Sunday morning and headed back to the Piazza and had it almost entirely to ourselves.

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Here's us at the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers 1651, by Bernini.  

Then we were off to the Piazza Valentini, where underneath they discovered a wealthy Roman Patrician’s home called the Domus Romane. In the underground area opposite Trajan's Column are the remains of bricked rooms with vaulted ceilings, dating from the early years of the emperor Hadrian, according to stamps on the bricks. The remains of the patrician "Domus" of imperial Rome, belonging to powerful families, with mosaics, wall decorations, polychrome floors, paving blocks, and other remains. It had been buried and forgotten and rediscovered in the nineteenth century and they’ve done more excavations recently. When it was lived in, overlooked Trajan’s Column. The Domus Romane had glass covered walkways so you could look down into the old excavated house and the museum had a projector that displayed what the house probably looked like during it’s heyday onto the walls. It was really cool. They also found evidence underneath of a nearby temple that had granite pillars larger than the ones at the Pantheon. They think the temple must have been massive.

They also explained what Trajan’s column was about. Firstly, it was built to show where the hill had been before it was excavated to make the space for Trajan's Forum and secondly the images were to commemorate Trajan’s victory over the Dacians (modern day Romania). It is 40 metres high and carved into the structure 2,662 figures in 155 scenes.  If you look closely here you can see Trajan watches a battle, while two Roman auxiliaries present him with severed enemy heads.  Also, one of the Roman soldiers is holding the head of his enemy by the hair from his mouth (close up of that underneath).

Then onto the wedding cake. The Vittorio Emanuele Monument was completed in 1925 to commemorate the unification of Italy. Seems Italians think it’s a little over blown and they call it things such as the Wedding Cake and the Typewriter. We found it surprisingly cool.

What to have for lunch? Had heard about this excellent new dining experience in Rome called Retrobottega. 

The recommendation was sit at the bar and watch the chefs, which we did. Food did not disappoint.

Found a church, San Luigi dei Francesi, that had three Caravaggios in it (Rome is simply crawling with them). The Martyrdom of St. Matthew , St. Matthew and the Angel and Vocation of St. Matthew.

Booked a lovely restaurant called Marzapane for our Sunday night dinner. Had the tasting menu with matching wines. Yum!

This is their famous Spaghetti Carbonara which they won a prize for the best one in the city. No small fete given how awesome the food in Rome is.