Rome, Day Two

PHOTOS: Two views of the beautifully restored Sistine Chaple, and the Castel Sant’Angelo

On the morning of our second day in Rome, we had reservations to see the Vatican Museums. The most magnificent part of them include the Sistine Chapel and the Stanze (gigantic rooms) decorated by Raphael. It was a revelation to see Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling, since its restoration. The frescoes of such famous episodes from the Book of Genesis as “The Creation of Adam” and “The Temptation and Expulsion are notable not only for their renewed brightness, but also their greater visibility. In the 1990s Michelangelo’s later fresco “The Last Judgment” was also restored. Its much darker story is also fascinating, and it occupies the wall over the main altar in the Chapel. On the Sistine Chapel’s side walls are further, earlier frescoes done by the predecessors of Michelangelo, including Perugino and Botticelli.

Luckily, because of our reservations, our party were the first ones into the Chapel, and it was good to converse about the masterpieces while not people swamped by crowds.

After the Sistine Chapel we devoted some time to the four Stanze, decorated by frescoes of Raphael and his followers. Though I’ve taught such masterpieces as “The School of Athens” for many years in college classrooms, it never fails to impress me. Now that the great fresco has been cleaned, it too glows with vivid color. In the Pinacoteca, or Picture Gallery, we saw masterpieces by Melozzo da Forli, Raphael, Caravaggio and many others.

After a rest stop for sodas, we took a cab to the Villa Farnesina, also on the same side of Rome. I had always wanted to see Raphael’s fresco of “Galatea” and was not disappointed by that graceful masterpiece or his frescoes about Psyche and Cupid. Our last stop before lunch was the Palazzo Corsini.

After lunch we returned to St. Peter’s, but decided the line waiting to enter the basilica was too long, particularly in such bright sun. So we walked onward to the Castel Sant’Angelo, the mammoth fortress of the Popes, originally built as the tomb of the ancient Emperor Hadrian. The view from the top terrace is spectacular. But after that attraction we took a taxi ride back to the Hotel Quirinale, and a rest before dinner. Dinner on the Via Rasella took place at a typical Roman hosteria.

Dan

Dan Writes: Our Return To Rome

A RETURN TO ROME

On our first day back in Rome—after twenty-five years(!)—several things stuck me about the Eternal City. First of all, is the city’s scale. The buildings and streets are grand, and laid out in a grandiose manner. It doesn’t matter whether it was ancient Rome, Renaissance Rome or the city of the Baroque era in the 17th century. All were heights of architecture, art and living, and reached their apogee in Roma.

Even the vast throngs of tourists and the heat of August cannot dim one’s love and appreciation of this incredible city. Though our plane left Philadelphia late, we summoned up enough energy, after a short nap, to visit our first four attractions. While Borromini’s church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane was closed, its façade is worth while studying, for its undulating Baroque curves, in the late afternoon Roman light. The masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini was the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Its theatrical grandeur combines painted interiors, rich marbles and painted ceilings. Yet all these elements are in the service of the mystical, ultra sensual statue of Saint Teresa and the Angel who pierces her heart with a golden arrow. On a return to the Palazzo Barberini we saw the Holbein portrait of Henry VIII, the imperious Tudor monarch, along with three Caravaggio paintings, including Judith dispatching Holofernes.

Down from the subtle Renaissance façade of the Palazzo Barberini runs the street called Via Rasella, where we stayed at the small Hotel Julia 25 years ago. Jim was delighted to return to the area, though we both enjoy our current hotel, the huge, late 19th century Hotel Quirinale on the Via Nazionale. Our last attraction at the start of the afternoon was the gigantic, ancient church of Santa Maria Maggiore—a combination of Early Christian, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

After showering and resting, we met shipmates Wayne and Steve, to have dinner near the Piazza Navona. On the way there we again passed the church of San Carlo, the Palazzo Quirinale, and wound up at the Trevi Fountain. Though jammed with tourists, it’s impossible not to appreciate the vigor of that great Baroque delight. We still had time to visit the interior of the Pantheon and then dine at a fine restaurant, La Scaletta, near the Piazza Navona.

Enjoying Rome!

It's been 25 years since we were last in Rome. Here we are at the romantic Trevi Fountain. The top photo is of the Pantheon. We had a good flight over. We took a nap then went sightseeing. In the evening we met two new friends, Wayne and Steve, who will be on our cruise next week to Egypt and the Greek Isles. We did some more sightseeing then we had dinner at a really fine restuarant near the Piazza Navona. We can still pack a lot into a day! Tomorrow we take a tour of the Vatican. We'll get to see the beautiful Sistene Chapel.

Jim & Dan

Afghanistan - Vietnam

NO!

No more troops for the war in Afghanistan.

The answer has to come from the Afghan people. The war is yet another example of misguided U.S. policy. When will we ever learn? Their are other options...regional powers need to be involved with peacekeeping forces. But we cannot nation buiild or force our values down the throats of the people there.

End the war now.

Jim

What's Important

I came upon a child of god
He was walking along the road
And I asked him, where are you going
And this he told me
Im going on down to Yasgurs farm
Im going to join in a rock n roll band
Im going to camp out on the land
Im going to try an get my soul free
We are stardust
We are golden
And weve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden

Then can I walk beside you
I have come here to lose the smog
And I feel to be a cog in something turning
Well maybe it is just the time of year
Or maybe its the time of man
I dont know who l am
But you know life is for learning
We are stardust
We are golden
And weve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden

By the time we got to woodstock
We were half a million strong
And everywhere there was song and celebration
And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky
And they were turning into butterflies
Above our nation
We are stardust
Billion year old carbon
We are golden
Caught in the devils bargain
And weve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden

- Joni Mitchell

TRAILER: Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story'

Michael Moore Knows What's Wrong

Here Is What's Wrong

Part of our problem is Obama, who does not have the temperamant of a leader, and the pols and hacks (e.g. Rahm) that he has surrounded himself with. Obama has turned out to be just another garden variety politician. "Change you can believe in" has turned out to be triangulation and betrayal.

But the real problem is systemic. As Larry Flynt and Michal Moore point out today over at Huffington, our political system is totally corrupt. The control of American politics by the uber wealthy, corporations, and the military-industrial complex is complete. That's why having a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress has meant just about nothing in the overall sceme of things. It doesn't matter which of the two major parties is in control. They are both bought and paid for. Nothing will change without political reforms that are not even being suggested let alone seriously considered.

Post Political?

I think I'm finally burnt out, or bummed out, or both. My Woodstock generation values are out of sync with post 1970 American values. I watched a documentary a few days ago that tried to make the point that the crowds massed at the Obama inaugural were like the peace and music crowd at Woodstock. I don't think so. Well, maybe the crowds were hopeful..."change" and all that, but Obama has turned out to be just another garden variety politician. "Change you can believe in" has turned out to be triangulation and betrayal. Progressives are miffed. I don't think I care much anymore.

Jim

Julie and Julia and Yuppies

We went to see "Julie and Julia" yesterday. It was good. Meryl Streep is just fantastic as always. The way that Yuppies are portrayed in the movie (as self absorbed) is not flattering. Last weekend I was reminded of the unselfishness of the young at Woodstock 40 years ago. What a difference in generations!

Jim

Holland Tunnel Graffitti

I saw this on my way into the Holland Tunnel yesterday. I thought it was very prophetic...

M