My trip to Venice was truly life changing. Yes many people say that, but mine really was. Traveling alone for the first time placed something permanent in my soul and in my brain. It seems that now when I think of destinations the sky is the limit. I did learn that finding the right hotel also helps with logistics when traveling alone.
If you are looking for a mid range price on the Grand Canal this hotel has all the amenities and amazing views. Foscari Palace is located in the Canneragio neighborhood of Venice on the Grand Canal, just across from the Rialto market.
This gem of a boutique hotel is just off the Strada Nova, a thoroughfare that spans from Canneragio neighborhood to the Jewish Ghetto. The Strada Nova has many cafe's, restaurants, local shops, and a passagiata (evening stroll) will find you rubbing elbows with local Venetians.
There is a pattern that has been forming for some time in my life. I seem to find kindred spirits where ever I go, even as far off as Italy. You know what I mean don't you, the kind of person you connect with instantly, and feel as though you've been friends for decades ? I was so very fortunate, through a former colleague of mine, to be introduced to just such a person in Venice. It is a stunning story really. Young American woman on vacation in Venice, meets and falls in love with a gondolier, leaves her home country behind to marry her love and live in a foreign land, just like a movie.
Of course none of this was known to me before we met, although, we had the chance to exchange small conversations on social media and attempt to plan a meeting face to face, I knew nothing about this delightful woman. I felt so fortunate to know someone who lived in this city I had never been to and to have the opportunity to see this magical place through the eyes of a true Venetian.
We had decided a lunch and walk in the city would be the perfect first meeting and made arrangements for the day. Then my dear friend became ill, quite ill actually, and found herself in the hospital when I arrived in Venice. Now you must understand the personality I was about to meet, determined is not a strong enough word for this tiny dynamo. I was very concerned that she should rest and she was just as determined to keep our date.
Looking back over some photos from last years trip to Italy I came across some photos and video from one of our most favorite days at St. Peter's Basilica. As a fallen catholic being at the epicenter of the faith I was raised on was quite similar in feeling to running into an old lover unexpectedly. Of course there was no animosity, but most certainly a deep longing for what was, and flashes of wonderful memories long forgotten.
I did find, as I walked through the Basilica surrounded by the icons of my faith, a deep ache rising within me. I missed the ritual, I missed the icons, I missed the prayers, and dearly missed that feeling of lightness after an inspiring homily.
My experience ,in comparison ,was completely different from my husbands. Brian was raised in the Lutheran faith, actually a Missouri Sinead Lutheran, for anyone that is familiar with that you will understand how strict his church was. In the Lutheran faith there are no icons, no statues, no stations of the cross, no paintings, no medallions, and amazingly enough no Mary. Well, they believe there was a Jewish girl that gave birth to Jesus but she is not celebrated, or venerated like she is in the Catholic faith.
So was it divine providence that during the time we would be spending in Rome, the Vatican would be celebrating one of the most important days for the faithful that hold the Madonna so dear ? Oct 13 1917 marks the day of the final visitation of Our Lady of Fatima to three small children in Portugal, and the day when "The miracle of the sun" took place. You see it was Marian Day at the Vatican, and we would be there to hear Pope Francis speak.
We arrived two hours early knowing the crowds would be massive, a brilliant plan actually because when we arrived there was still seating left. There were several areas barricaded off closer to the front of the crowd with hundreds of empty chairs, I just assumed they were being held for someone of great importance and I was happy to sit much further back in the crowd. Not the Lutheran, he grabbed me by the hand and led me through the crowded square right up to the empty seats, and surprise, surprise they were open to the public. We sat for some time in a St Peter's Square awaiting the start of the day, surrounded by contingencies of the faithful from every corner of the globe. Looking up at the stage we could see microphones and several chairs, one in particular was deep crimson velvet with a tall regal back, Brian asked "Is that where the Pope sits ?" This being my first event at St Peter's I told him I wasn't sure but most likely.
All of a sudden there was a restlessness that swept through the crowd, a buzz from the back of the 80,000 strong confluence. She was here. It started slowly but grew quickly to the recognizable song I remember as a child, Ave Ave Ave Maria. There deep in the back of the crowd on a platform covered in flowers and carried on the shoulders of the Swiss Guard was Our Lady of Fatima. The procession had begun and all bets were off, anyone and everyone that could climb up and stand on their chair did so. As the singing grew greater the handkerchiefs appeared, and once again the curious Lutheran, who must have by now been blown away to see the love that Catholics have for Mary, asked yet another question, "why are they waving hankies?"
I will be the first to admit that I was moved to tears that day in St Peter's Square. I have loved the Virgin Mary all my life, but to be a part of that wave of love and adoration was epic, a memory one could not meausure in dollars, a moment I will cherish forever. Even more importantly, I had been with Brian as he witnessed just what The Virgin Mary means to so many across the globe. Brian too showed signs of deep emotion, although it must have been so foreign to him to see this display, deep down I believe he fell a little bit in love with Mary that day.
The Madonna proceeded to the front and was greeted by the Pope, who had waited patiently for her as she made her way around the entire square, he escorted her and the Swiss Guard up to the top of the stairs. Once again the Lutheran watched as Mary and not Pope Francis was placed in the most important chair on the dais. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Mary got the big chair !"
Yes Brian, she did.
At the end of this post I have included the link to the homily given that day by Pope Francis, I am not trying to convert anyone, but would offer you a chance to see how his mind works. There is a reason his fellow priests have put him where he is, have a look if you like.
During our recent trip to Rome there was so much to see, of course the iconic "Roman ruins"are right up there at the top of the list. Oh, there were churches on every corner that held magnificent treasures by Bernini, Raphael and Michelangelo, but there is just something about the crumbled city of a fallen empire that draws you in. Or so I thought……………..
After our few trips across the pond to see ancient and medieval marvels and masterpieces of artwork we have learned a thing or two, one: arrive early, two: learn a thing or two about the place you plan to visit, it makes the journey so much more interesting. Well we had done both of these things in Rome preparing to see the famous Roman Forum ruins. When we arrived the queue was substantially small, a minimum wait, excellent job Gretta's. Things went down hill from there.
I had read quite a bit about the Palantine Hill the place where the powerful and wealthy retreated to build their homes and relax. Among the ruins on the hill can be found, the Domus Flavia, the Domus Augustana, the Baths of Septimus Severus, and the House of Livia. I was eager to see this place where the evil plotting Livia, mother of emperor Augustus had once lived. Years ago I was captivated by the Masterpiece Theatre series "I Claudius" a fascinating take on the families that were once the seat of power in Rome, Claudius being portrayed by a very young Derek Jacobi.
Now this part of the ruins was uncrowded well marked, covered with trees and grass, very nice indeed. We had the chance to see frescoes in the House of Augustus and a wall in the house of Livia, depicting a beautiful olive tree. What we hadn't seen was while we meandered our way through the Palantine, masses of tourists had poured into the Forum area to see the ruins.
We had ahead of time rented the hand held audio tour guide you can carry with you throughout the ruins to get an idea of just what you are seeing. Ours did not work. Returning to the gate to exchange them we were told that we would have to go to the end of the queue to speak with someone, the queue now went all the way down the hill and around the corner to the Colosseum. Not happening !
Ok, rally! we'll find our own way around. Not an easy task, there really aren't any signs to speak of explaining just what you are looking at. As we walked on, the crowds became oppressive and the heat of the day began to rise. We did our best, or should I say Brian did his best. I on the other hand, I was on a slow burn, with each new nudge or crush on my toes by some overweight gawking hurried tourist, I became less and less inclined to "enjoy"the experience.
Temple of Antonius and Faustina, later the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda
For me the most interesting artifact. The tiled floor of the senate, marvelous !
That's me eagerly awaiting our exit, unable to even look at Brian, who continues to capture it all on camera. This is the Via Sacra, please note hurried rotund and gawking tourist to the left. By this point in time I was unreasonable to say the least, sweat covered beaten up and completely over the piles of rocks around me. When I shouted " RUINED !!!", meaning the same thing as uncle, Brian knew it was time to go. We proceeded to (what we thought was) the exit only to be told it was down that walkway, three quarters of a mile later in the hot sun we spilled out onto the sidewalk where there were no less than six buses unloading tourists eager to queue up for the ruins. AAAARRRGGGHHHH !!! After squeezing through a sea of people, moving against the tide I might add, we found some space to collect ourselves.
I try when I travel to never appear as the "ugly American", I make the effort to conform, and go with the flow, understanding that all cultures are different when it comes to personal space and personal hygiene, to understand that many countries think collectively as opposed to what is best for the individual. To this day there are moments when I remember my behavior in the ruins, and I will purposefully apologize to Brian again for being RUINED in the Ruins.
Nothing a little gelato and Papa Francescos favorite beverage won't fix. Where to next ???
I have talked of the food in Florence, yes the food was a life changing experience for us, we ouu'd and ahh'd our way through every single meal. The food was incredibly memorable, but you see the reason we traveled to Florence from the very beginning was because of the art. Oh the art !! I could write at least a dozen blog posts about the art in Florence. After all it was the birth place of the Renaissance, that is, thanks to a man unknown to me until a few years ago. Cosimo de Medici has been called the godfather of the Renaissance for good reason, he and his families contributions and patronage to countless artists in Europe created an industry of sorts that kept artists working and creating for over 3 generations. Cosimo is alone responsible for Filippo Brunelleschi's dome, but that is a story for later. The list of artists given patronage by the Medici's include, Bernini, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and Donatello to name just a few.
Cosimo de Medici
Of all the art of Florence, even above Michelangelo's David, my heart was stopped, no captured forever, by the frescoes of Benozzo Gozzoli's Chapel of the Magi. The Medici's power and wealth was vast and this chapel was created to show all who visited it that they were as close to God as one could come. Commissioned by Piero de Medici, the chapel in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was the families private chapel for prayer and service. The brilliant trick to these frescoes was that in the faces of the crowd proceeding with the magi and in fact the magi themselves are those of the Medici's and their most loyal friends. Brilliant !!
There is no natural light in this small family chapel perhaps that explains the vivid colors that remain in the frescoes. The queue begins in the courtyard of the palazzo and only 15 people are permitted in the room at time for a maximum of 10 minutes. Blessed beyond words, on the day we were visiting the queue was none existent ! On our first trip through we were with 5 other people, when we exited and arrived back in the courtyard the docent told us we were welcome to see the chapel again if we liked. Brian and I had a full 20 minutes to ourselves in this magnificent room, except for the attendant in a small nook keeping an eye on us. No pictures ! and as guests in this country we always followed the rules. Our answer to not having any photos to cherish was to buy several books in the gift shop, support the Palazzo and take some treasures home.
There is endless speculation regarding who the faces belong to in these frescoes, names long lost, perhaps the favorite gardener or cook, or the occasional illegitimate son, many have been identified beyond dispute including several of the Medici's and the artist Gozzoli himself. This was not an unusual practice for the artists of this era, Botticelli's image was added to several of his works and Raphael made it a major practice to honor outstanding figures of his time in his frescoes in the Vatican apartments (yet another wonderful tale to tell).
Can you find the corresponding faces in the fresco above ?
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