Pizza Tower part XI

We are following the guide with direction to the Duomo a magnificent church dedicated to Saint Mary of Fiore is the largest cathedral in the Christian world, essentially gothic style it was the manifestation of power and wealth, the façade has decorations of statues of marble, relief’s, and arches, it is the most elaborated work of the art and architecture. The interior is rather simple the predominant detail is the balustrade pulpit and the fresco of the Last Judgment.
In front of the Duomo is the Baptistery that also has an impressive exterior facade marble, of green, black, brown, and white color quarried from different parts of Italy, a masterpiece of harmony and intricate designs.
By the afternoon we’re giving the choice of going to a two different museums, the Uffizi (the Office) and the Academy, the Academy houses the original work of Michaelangelo the statue of David.
I choose to go to the Uffizi next to the Palazzo Vechio, the museum has three levels in a U-shape with several galleries of paintings, statues, and old manuscripts. There are hundreds of works on display of the most known artist such as Michaelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Boticelli, Rembrant, and others.

Friday morning we are traveling with direction to the coast side, but first we have to stop at the town of Piza where the leaning Tower of Piza. The tower is located at the Miracle Square, also is the Duomo and the Baptistery. The leaning tower had this name because of a faulty soil beneath the structure of white marble, constructed by Pissano in a cylindrical shape, Byzantine style is leaning one to two centimeters a year, the tower was closed for fear of collapse, but engineering restoration replaced the defective soil with 600 tons of lead to compensate the tower weight.

Travel to Firenze part XI

We are following the guide with direction to the Duomo a magnificent church dedicated to Saint Mary of Fiore is the largest cathedral in the Christian world, essentially gothic style it was the manifestation of power and wealth, the façade has decorations of statues of marble, relief’s, and arches, it is the most elaborated work of the art and architecture. The interior is rather simple the predominant detail is the balustrade pulpit and the fresco of the Last Judgment.
In front of the Duomo is the Baptistery that also has an impressive exterior facade marble, of green, black, brown, and white color quarried from different parts of Italy, a masterpiece of harmony and intricate designs.
By the afternoon we’re giving the choice of going to a two different museums, the Uffizi (the Office) and the Academy, the Academy houses the original work of Michaelangelo the statue of David.
I choose to go to the Uffizi next to the Palazzo Vechio, the museum has three levels in a U-shape with several galleries of paintings, statues, and old manuscripts. There are hundreds of works on display of the most known artist such as Michaelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Boticelli, Rembrant, and others.

Traveling to Firenze, Italy part X

Thursday we already walking to the Plaza dela Signoria the main square of Firenze (Square of the Lords). Prominent at the corner of the Palazzo Vechio (beauty palace) is a water fountain to the God Zeus, which has perpetual running water from a nearby mountain of a natural spring. The Palazzo Bechio at the entrance has two statues, copies of David, in front are the statue of Teseus decapitating to Medusa the mitological goddess who has her hair of snakes it is made of bronze, and the rapt of the Sabines.
Firenze (Florence) is the cradle of the arts in Italy, through the times was the house for famous artist like Dante Alligiery, Machiavelli, Francisco Guiordini, Boticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatelo, Michealangelo, and others. One block away runs the river Arno splitting the city that is linked by several bridges, there is one bridge more elaborated construction is called the Ponte Vechio (Beauty Bridge) it was built to link the Pitty Palace and the Palazzo Vechio, the bridge has two levels, the top is used by peasantry and the lower part for vehicles and at the sides it has stores of jewelry and artisan works, souvenirs, and leather apparel.

Travel to Rome part IX (Nightmare!!!!)

I was very exhausted and after a hot shower, I dive into my bed, no turning, no tossing, I just succumbed to sleep. Suddenly I had the most frightening experience ever, my roommate had his bed beside mine only two feet away, then he jumped over my bed, screaming, yelling, kicking, and throwing punches; all at the same time, he was in top of me, obviously he had a nightmare.

This time I didn’t understood what he was saying, some how I managed to hold him by one of his arms and a leg, I believe so, because it was black dark, that took me by total surprise. Finally he wake up and lain on the floor, his legs over my bed yet, he couldn’t understand what was going, neither I. In the darkness he says that he feels sorry, again, and again. My hearth was hitting my chest walls, running very fast, I felt a sharp pounding on my head, and fine sweat began running on my face. I noticed next that I was shacking by the violent wake up, so I rose up, and I did grab my jacket and got out of the room. My thoughts were not clear, after a while I regain control on myself, did smoke a cigarette and in the hall I found the guide director, and I told the frighten episode just happened, I told her that for anything will go back to the same room, so she pull my bed out after speaking to my roommate about. I stay the night with one of the professors in the group.

Travel to Rome part VIII

Then the group was moving toward the Roman Forum through the Via Sacra, the first monument we saw was the Arch of Titus, built to commemorate the victory over the Pharthians, the Forum has also temples, columns, the temple of Saturn, the Temple of Vesperiano, the column of Phocos, the Basilica of Guilla, and other ruins. All buildings were the enourmeous dimenssions. Then we exit the Forum and now we were seeing the Trajan Column, outside the Forum, it has a spiral narration of battles and conquests made by this Roman Emperor.

After a short rest we already on the bus traveling to the town of Sienna, Tuscany to the north of Rome an hour trip. Sienna is in the hearth of the countryside of Italy with a population of 15,000 people, its rich in art and architecture.



The town itself has very narrow streets, about nine feet wide, some less than that and houses towering along the sides of the streets, which are stone paved, very clean and a beautiful ornate town, a site of great pleasure to walk on. Its narrow streets lead to the main square; “The Square of the Campo” were on July once a year is held a horse contest; with the participation of all the surroundings villages. Dominant over the square is the Bell Tower that has 500 steps to reach the top of it, at the side is the Chapel, and at the front is a water fountain. Anywhere I look at I saw a postal like view. This small town has taken my attention, for its harmony and simplicity. After wards we continue the journey to Firenze. The panoramic scenery is breath taking with its multitude of gardens, palaces, fortresses, and villas on top of hills, a combination of gothic and renascence architecture.

Soon before the sunset we were in the town of Firenze we did have dinner at the hotel “The Moulin” in which we stayed for the night. Once again I have had a taste of the Italian cuisine, in Firenze the flavor of the food has its peculiar aroma, special spice mixtures and a variation of the tomato marinara, the generosity in the use of cheese, herbs, and all kind of condiments, gave the difference on flavoring, a festival for the sensation, of course complement mandatory a good wine.

Travel to Rome part VII

The structure itself radiate from the elliptical center, the weight is carried on travertine piers and vaults, a stone barrel vault construction provides substructure needed for the exterior decoration. The outer ring of piers and barrel vaults acted as buttress and crowd route. Lower tiers were made of marble and the top wood was used.
It’s said that the Colosseum could hold 50,000 spectators to be entertained by gladiator fights, naval battles, wild animal hunt, and rebels executions.

Under the arena was a gallery of corridors, deposits, elevator shafts, and passageways to facilitate the emerging into the center stage, for all the elements necessary for the spectacle. A 15 feet high wall protected the spectators from being attacked by the wild animals.
In the year 423 AD the Colosseum was restricted to continue the bloody display.
It is say about the Colosseum: “While stands the Colosseum, Rome shall stand. When falls the Colosseum, Rome shall fall, and when Rome fall the world fall up on them.”

Rome TRAVEL part VI

It was almost the night closing in, when we decided to head to the meeting point at the Spagnia Square, it is situated at the foot steps of a hill, in the top is a church. We began the descend of the 136 steps to the square, there is several terraces with trees, gardens, and flowers arrangements a really nice for gathering. Once everyone from the group was account for, we took a twenty minutes walk to a restaurant to have dinner.
I am not a picky person, but the breakfast at the hotel was very lousy, it was one piece of bread, coffee, orange juice, and strawberry jelly.
Now is Tuesday, March 12, it was a sunny afternoon after my visit to the Vatican city I was standing in front of this huge construction impressive and magnificent, for most of the people known as the Colosseum. These ruins are well preserved throughout the pass of the years surviving: wars, vandalism, earthquakes, and modifications made to these splendid building. The original name was the Flavian Amphitheater, inaugurated on 80 AD during the reign of Emperor Vesperiano dedicated to his son Titus. These building were known as the Colosseum because a statue of Nero situated next to the building, the statue was of colossal dimensions. As today none of the statue remains.
It has an oval shape over 160 feet high, also has 80 entrances below the respective arches, 76 of the entrances are number, and the other four were entrances for the noble people. These entrances gave easy access and exit to the Colosseum, through several staircases and passages to the four levels inside. Once inside most of the people had seats assigned, the noble man had seats of marble, and wood benches for the lower class.
Outside the façade was made of limestone, brick, and concrete, it has marble in the facing. It has three orders superimposed (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.)

Rome travel part V

Following was the Sistine Chapel an astonishing painting work done by the most recognized artists of the epoch; among them: Boticelli, Domenico Roselli, Luca Signorelle, Domenico del Ghirlandaio, and others. The frescoes were done in rich colors an in a proportionate scale, amid the scenes were: “Life of Christ”, “Burning Bush”, “Baptism of Christ”, and many more, but the most remarkable work was the ceiling because of the most difficult to complete, reason was the elevation and the curvature of the ceiling vault. Michelangelo was invited by the Pope Julius II to work on this masterpiece. Scenes were about the “Genesis”, “The Last Judgment”, “The Apostles”, and others. There is not enough time to go through neither all the galleries, nor the libraries rich in history and holly manuscripts.
At around noon we exit the Saint Peter Plaza meeting point for all Christians, it has two circular shape colonnades, that frames the Basilica façade, at the top of the colonnades are 140 statues of saints facing the plaza, they are made of marble in a baroque style, the plaza has also a water fountain and an obelisk from Egypt set at center of the plaza.
We had lunch and we were giving the afternoon free to see Rome for ourselves and do some shopping. I join a couple for the rest of the afternoon and together we went to see stores, also we visited the Pantheon, an ancient building the almost in perfect preservation, it was originally a temple for the Roman Goddesses, then was used as a church. The entrance has a porch supported by 16 single granite columns, inside the dome has at the top an opening to allow light to come through, the dome houses several king dead bodies, also is known that the painter Raphael rests here. At that moment, we had coffee at the nearby coffee shop at the front of the Pantheon. Next we walk with direction to the Trevi Fountain, which was made in a baroque style, it does resemble the Sea God Poseidon riding a chariot, pulled by two sea horses and two tritons. I did throw some coins to grant my return to the place and also granting me a wish, according to a legend believed by the Romans.

Rome travel part IV

Warm water running down from the shower made a pleasant and relaxing effect that I fell sleep sooner that I thought. I was sharing the room with another student, he does speak while sleeping, did so the first night and I didn’t pay too much attention to it, but this night he stood beside my bed and call me by my name, asking me to wake him up at 6:00 in the morning; I was surprised and just replied that I will do that. He went back to bed and fell sleep instantaneously. I stay awake unable to sleep all night long, as the morning I did wake him up at the hour he told me, but because he ask me so; I was so and because I couldn’t rest and feel so tired. I spoke to him and asked to do not wake me up in such bizarre way, he said that he feels sorry. Perhaps it was because he was tired or some flashbacks from the time he was in the Navy. The worst of this episode is that he did not remember it.
Around 9:00 AM we were steeping into the Vatican City an independent city state inside Rome, housing the leader of Christianity the Pope Paul VI. The Vatican City has the Castle of Saint Angelo, Saint Peter Basilica, The Saint Peter Plaza, the Sistine Chapel, museums, and libraries. There is a X-ray screening on all packages and body scan before the admission to the city, also a dress code should be observed, shoulders and knees must be covered, all kind of recordings are prohibited. Once inside the first we saw was the tapestry gallery, covering most of the walls, tapestries were the enormous dimensions about 15 by 30 feet on size. Scenes from the Bible, battles, and processions all were fabricated by hand craftsmanship, colorful and perfect detailed, representing people, castles, houses, and animals. A very rich display of color, some include treads of gold and silver.

Rome Travel part III

Once concluded the walk for these ancient ruins I purchased a book about the history and architecture of this town and their peculiar inhabitants, they were lovers of the arts manifested on their wall paint, with variety of motives of the life of the town. The city had several palaces, temples, and houses decorated with colonnades, staircases, and wells.

Next we move down to the port city of Naples at the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the city wasn’t appealing to the eyes, but the Bay-side was nice because of the great architecture dating from the Medieval Period. The city of Naples has several castles, palaces, fortresses, churches, and houses built to defend and as dwellings, of this port town of the Sorrento peninsula that has a beautiful horizon in contrast with the chaotic traffic and industry of this busy port. It was already 4:00 PM when we began our journey back to Rome I fall sleep all the way to the eternal city.
We had a dinner a local Trattoria I had a lasagna and salad complemented with a house wine, right the dinner was over a cuartet of singers made their way to the diner room. One guitarist player, one accordionist, and two singers, they move into the room singing “Funiculi funicula” a classic of Italy repertory; this made an immediate relief in everyone because the place was a little tense, perhaps the setting was to small or maybe the day to long, anyway, the effect was magical almost a soothing effect we all start clapping at the rhythm of the song, it was like an ice breaker. These quartet save the night very soon the mood changed, I did asked for two songs that I remember my mother use to play, she was the daughter of an Italian immigrant, who settled near by the mountainside, some 20 miles from a city named Arequipa, in Peru. The songs were “O sole mio” and “Torna Sorrento” after the performance everyone applauded them; it was a really intense moment perhaps a climactic point on the dinner. Tips were offer and their CD’s purchased, after wards we went back to the hotel.

Travel to Rome photography and fun part II

In the way to the hotel as the tour guide was telling us about the city of Rome and other details of the tour, also to be aware of our belongings, the pick pockets, and other few street scams going on a big city like Rome. I saw once more signs of decay of this big and old city, cars parked on the side walk, even at the median of the street, an amount of scooters forming clusters and clusters in every spot possible, also every where I turned to, the street walls were covered with graffiti.

Gina our tour guide began to tell us the routine for the next day, wake up call will be at 6:00 am, then breakfast at 7:00 am. Immediately after will depart to Pompeii to the south of Rome, on a three-hour trip. Once in Pompeii we had a lunch at a local restaurant a typical pizza lunch, then we went to the Pompeii site, an ancient city destroyed by a violent eruption of the volcano Vesuvious in 79 AD, the city was buried with ashes up to twelve feet, killing all inhabitants caught by surprise. Excavations revealed the lost city surrounded by high walls, protecting it from invasions, the main entrance is lead by a ramp, most of the city was constructed with stone, streets, sidewalks, houses, temples, and also beds. The city was well organized in a very efficient layout. Some houses had two levels; the city also shows several courtyards, sauna house, wineries, bakery stores, and prostitution houses. The walls were painted on the outside, as well inside with different scenes of the daily life to include the ceilings, which were made of wood and timber, few remain standing. Also were found body castings beneath the ashes frozen on time, as they were before they sudden end. The stone paved streets shows the markings of the wheeled chariots, that once roamed there.

Rome Travel part I

My Travel to Rome, Tuscany, and The Riviera

It was the spring brake when I enroll to a tour travel to Italy along with students from different colleges of USA; there were students from Florida, Illinois, Virginia, and Texas, also of all ages.
We arrived at Rome airport around two in the afternoon it was raining and I was tired from the long fly connections and waiting for the transfers at the airports. All that I needed was a warm shower and at least one-hour sleep, to allow my body adjusts to the Jet Slag caused by the six-hour difference in this time zone, but instead, I have to wait along with other two students, Ryan and McKensey, young and anxious to see Rome for the first time, after a wait of almost three hours for the nest group tour to arrive. Finally they arrived and we board the tour bus named Ardolino driven by a Italian driver who’s name is Luigii, he took us to a meeting point in Rome near a metro station were we meet the rest of the group (total of fifty people.) Then we meet Gina the Tour Director also was there professor Marek immediately after we walk to a restaurant three blocks away, we had for dinner pasta and sliced chicken, I had a few glasses of wine.

Back to the bus, I saw by a doorsteps a person lain on the closed entrance, couldn’t identify the gender of the subject, was wearing a long, dirty, brown coat, it had spots all over. Obvious evidence of miscare and had also a black hat on, covering the face, all signs of a homeless person, that remind me of the poor people living in my country. The difference is that this unfortunate mortal was in Rome, the Eternal City. (will continue)