Globus tour, June 17 - Sunday in Sicily

Just as the ferry entered Palermo harbor at sunrise, we were up to see the dawn.  We left our cabin, exited the ferry, and waited for the bus to drive off.  From the bus we went to our hotel but for breakfast only, not for checking in.  Then off to Mondello, a beach town near Mont Pellegrino, and then back to visit the 12th century Norman cathedral - well, we just looked at it from the large square in front. 

Archbishop's Palace (left of photo)
Norman cathedral (right of photo)

The Norman cathedral

We visited instead the Cappella Paletina, built by another Norman, King Robert II.  The chapel incorporated Arabic and Islamic designs on the floor and lower walls, and Byzantine Old and New Testament scenes on the upper walls.  this is all in brilliantly colored mosaic, with gold mosaic background.

Cappella Palatina (the Palatine Chapel)

We also saw -- and this by accident - - a special exhibit on Sicily's history as shown through art and artifacts.  It commemorated the 60th anniversary of the first meeting of Sicily's parliament in June 1947.  It seems that this antedated the Italian parliament, resulting in Sicily having some special rules - like being able to control its own industry and education.

North toward Palermo and the sea

The town of Monreale is on a mountain top not far South from Palermo. It is mostly famous for its 12th century cathedral and cloister, also built by Normans, this time William I and II. 

Like the Capella Palestrina, the interior is covered with mosaics, Islamic geometric and arabesque designs on lower walls and the entire Old and New testament stories on the upper, from Genesis through the life and death of Jesus.  It is rather spectacular, what I could see of it.  The church is not well illuminated and Mass was being said while we were there.  So I could not manage a decent photograph.  However, it has an enormous 1500-pipe organ whose triumphant sounds at the conclusion of the Mass made every molecule in my body tingle.

There is a sweet little square next to the cathedral, with fountain, benches, shrubs, and palm trees. 

Lovely square in Monreale

Up the street is a great pastry shop for canolli.  And around the cathedral from the fountain is the Benedictine cloister.  Elisabeta, the guide, told me about it, and I am so glad I visited it.  The interior of the cloister is a large open grassy square surrounded by a loggia whose slim double columns and capitals are each carved differently, with stripes or vines, animals or birds, faces or odd and imaginary creatures.

Beautiful cloister, with carved double columns

 I enjoyed it immensely, such that Joe had to come in and haul me out because the group was heading toward the parking area.

Liborio is such a good driver.  As we were about to leave the parking lot, the exit was blocked by a minor car crash.  He maneuvered the great bus around 180 degrees and we left the parking lot through its entrance.

Harbor-side park in Palermo

Palermo remains mostly a blur.  What I learned is that next to our hotel is a botanic garden of sorts, with large areas of shade trees.  In front of our hotel is a harbor-side park that runs for several city blocks.  In it we saw no "Inglese" or other tourists, but lots of local people enjoyed a quiet Sunday afternoon, fishing, kicking a soccer ball, bicycling, flying kites, napping beneath trees.

I swam a bit in the hotel's pool.  The others there were three or four  men, fully clothed, napping on chaises beneath shady trees.  And thanks to the hotel's internet, I could confirm that we could stay at our favorite hotel in Paris on our return.  I hate not knowing that I have a place to lay my head.

Globus tour, June 16 - South and West to Pompeii

As usual, I was up early and talked through the empty town. I saw a cat and an old woman well dressed, going somewhere down a lane. I like this town - much that is up and much that is down, elevation-wide. Saw four nuns descending a long long stair that connected one street with another. The only other place I know that is remotely like this is Edinburgh, where long stairs connect the High Street with places lower down.

A stone staircase in Assissi.

A long drive to Naples was broken by a lunch stop at the AutoGrill. That chain was on all the autostrada that we drove. It has "self service" section and a bar that serves drinks, pizza, sandwiches, all on order. The self service is more like a US cafeteria line, and much faster and easier than the other. I now know that the pasta is usually good, regardless of the kind of sauce: seafood with little octopi and calamari or bolognese sause or red sauce with tuna ("tonne", I think).

This was the day our Globus driver left the autostrada because of construction and we rode on a beautiful old road with many hairpin turns, across the mountains.  We bypassed Naples in heavy traffic to Pompeii and met Alfonso, our guide for the next hour and a half.

Pompeii, grey and grim.

Pompeii is a very gray place, barely restored after 2 millenia. The most beautiful frescoes, statues,and mosaics had all been removed in the 18th and 19th centuries to the palace of the king in Naples - - where apparently they are still. However, a few remnants remain, and I have a few photos.

tiny dining room fresco

a sweet mosaic

Two things struck me here.  There was a large number of sleeping dogs. And a quite large open storage area full of large ceramic pieces: wine jugs, and bowls, and pieces of sculpture.

dozing dog protects his water bottle

2000-year-old storage

Beyond the exit were many souvenir sellers. I looked and looked but could not find a reproduction of the little dancing faun I'd seen in a garden pool. All I bought was one granita, a sort of semi-frozen fruit juice (blackberrty). It was very good, very cold, very refreshing.

Why isn't the dancing faun reproduced for sale?

In late afternoon we boarded a huge ferry, along with many many cars and trucks and our Globus bus.

Not a building - a ferry boat.

Once again Nicolas warned us with lowered expectations, Contrary to his description our cabin was an outside one with a small porthole. It was small, clean, modern, tidy, on the 8th deck - - counting up and not down. Down one deck to the self service dining room - some caprese, some eggplant parmesan, and some white wine.

We left the port of Naples in the glow of twilight, heading for Palermo.

The afterglow of sunset over Naples

Globus tour, June 15 - On to Assisi.

So:  Our shirts did dry out, our luggage was put out at 7 am, breakfast was gobbled quickly.  We were on the Globus bus by 7:45.  Of course the "Raouls" were late because the elevator was stuck.  Why them?  A long drive along the Adriatic coast side of Italy to just outside Ravenna where we had a very brief break.  The locale was another basilica, Sant' Apollinare in Classe.  Inside were beautiful arabic-patterned mosaics on the lower walls and religious scenes and figures above.   Behind the altar in the apse, the mosaic depicts a green meadow with rows of sheep, birds, flowers, ducks, trees, and Christ in the center beneath a large golden cross in a deep blue circle. 

Childlike lovely composition

The simple linear composition reminds me of a Grandma Moses painting.  I hoped that my photos would turn out well.  I liked this place very much, so I bought a tee-shirt showing a little bird.  It was intended for someone else, but it is small so I may have to keep it.

Over the mountains we went, into Umbria to find Assissi, a tiny hilltop jewel of a town.  

Assissi on its hilltop

creating a venue for a papal Mass

This was the home of St. Francis and has a basilica in his honor - - actually a Lower and an Upper Basilica, with very lively frescoes in both places.  Those in the Upper tell the story of the saint's life, including an endearing painting of the smiling saint preaching to birds - all different kinds of birds.  A papal visit is expected in a few days, so the town is cleaned up, the streets newly paved, red and blue flags wave from many buildings, and some fly the white and yellow flag of the Vatican. The piazza at the basilica was full of TV trucks, an altar being completed, and rows and rows of chairs for the chosen few who will attend the papal Mass.

Baroque interior

Classic Greek exterior

I walked round and round (and up and down - this being a hilly place) and found the Piazza Communale, on which is the Chiesa di Santa Maria sopra Minerva.  What was originally (and still looks like) a Greek temple was totally Baroque inside - exuberantly so.  A huge surprise when I opened the doors and entered the church.

Public transportation here

Few cars, only little buses and taxis and motorscooters on the narrow, sometimes steep lanes.  Lots of flowers in window boxes, and stores and shops interspersed with private residences.  I found a cafe with internet and read KS email that our software had been reinstalled, that part of our settlement system worked but another part did not.  Also read family emails regarding the end of TV's "Sopranos" and the small part that Henry O'Neill had at the finale.  Hmm.

modern pastries

Hotel Giotto [the St. Francis frescoes are attributed to Giotto] is our home for tonight.  A beautiful view to the South or Southwest over a valley, but at night it was just lights. 

from the hotel at night

This is a lovely medieval town that copes well with the modern world.  The buildings are mainly limestone, which is lovely.  But the stone walls greatly amplify the sound of the little buses and motorscooters labor up the lane beyond our window.  So the night was a little noisy.  Dinner was good:  penne pasta, some flavorful chicken, salad, a kind of apple pie.  We are getting to know the other travellers by name now - not all, but most.  Joe seems reluctant (again, an understatement) to get to know them.

Globus tour, June 14 - more of Venice

This man just turned red-hot glass into a blue vase!

[My blog's days are mixed up.  June 12, Breaking Away, is out of order and I don't know how to fix it.] 
June 14:  No luggage out today!  Globus bus to boat to the island of Murano for a tour of a glass-blowing factory.  We settled into some bleachers in the workroom (evidently this demonstration is a common practice), and watched an old man who has worked there since he was 11 years old.  He turned a red-hot blob into a vase that was cobalt blule, with a fluted huge lip, and long slim neck, and a bulbous base. 

Another man took a small amount of molten glass, also red-hot, and created a little horse that was aqua-colored inside and clear crystal outside.  Both of them were older men, but beyond them were younger men working individually.  So this strange craft does not seem in danger of dying.

This was followed, of course, by a visit to the sales room.  This large room was full of glass shelves with a multitude of brilliantly colored decanters, vases, pitchers, coffee services. 

Sales pitch in the glass-blowing factory

Multi-colored glass

The shelves were backed by mirrors, and large chandeliers hung over the table that ran down the center of the room.  Very pretty and colorful.  Some people bought sets with decanters or coffee service, for shipment home.   We have little or  no space for such in our small house, and we do not entertain on a grand scale.  I looked at the individual art pieces and then at the jewelry room   I could not resist a small bracelet made of glass and gold beads.  But I can only take so much of overpriced frou-frous.  So I went outside for a little walk along a canal.

Nicolas directed me down the quai, across a little canal on a sweet bridge, and into San Donato Church to see the mosaics.  The church seems to be notable for the mosaic stone floor - -

mosaic floor

covered in very geometric patterns in many-colored triangles, squares, rectangles, with a few that depicted something more material - - like a rooster.  It was lovely to be in this quiet and empty church, by myself for a few moments.  I just needed to stretch my legs, but also to rest my mind.

Ceiling of a staircase.

Back on the boat toward Piazza San Marco, where we met the local guide, Loradona.  She guided us through the Doge's Palace.  This palace is full of staircases of great magnificence, many rooms with wonderful paintings on the walls and ceilings by Veronese and Tintoretto, no place to sit, huge number of other tours all with "whisper" devices round their necks.  It was a little overwhelming.  And from the Great Hall of the Doge, we then headed down a tiny narrow low-ceiling stair to the claustrophobic passage leading across the Bridge of Sighs.   This is the place where prisoners were led from the court where they were sentenced to the prison from which, if they were very fortunate, they might someday return. We walked through that prison, a horrible place with narrow corridors, huge bars and heavy small wooden doors to the cells.  I did not like it at all.   One fellow, Fred, I think, was so overcome that he pushed through ahead of all of us to escape.  Finally, we crossed back over the Bridge to the Doge's Palace, down a very lovely spacious staircase, and exited.  This put us in a small courtyard next to the Basilica of San Marco, next stop on the tour.

A courtyard next to the Basilica

Once inside the Basilica, I found again beautiful floors of small colored stones in geometric patterns, like those I'd seen before on Murano.  The building is centuries old and its floor so worn by centuries of footsteps that the floor is no longer level but sort of wavy and uneven.  Loradona was very happy to see that the lights were on; on for thirty minutes and off for thirty minutes, I believe she said.  With illumination we could see the gold-highlighted mosaics that cover the ceilings, the domes and the walls.  However, no stopping at all, ropes to keep us in the aisles, just go, go, go.  To be rushed through a magnificent church of the size and fame of San Marco, with entry restricted only to thosse who pay an admission fee, was disappointing in the extreme.  Not at all like France, where entry to churches is not restricted.

An afternoon at leisure in  Venice.  So off we went, Joe and I, to find the Dalmatian Scuola, officially called the Scuola San Giorgio degli Schivoni.  This took a long time, with many wrong turns, especially one that was less than 100 feet from the building.   We finally got it right, waited a bit for the 2:45 pm re-opening (after lunch).  A woman with keys opened four locks; two were antique with great large keys; two more were modern.  Inside the walls had paintings that each told a story.  St. George battled his dragon.  Next painting, he led the dragon into town on a bridle.Then my favorite:  St. Jerome who had tamed a lion by removing a painful thorn from the lion's paw.  The painting depicted the saint leading his lion into town and all the monks in their blue and white robes were fleeing in terror, climbing trees and stairs to escape the beast.  

St. Jerome and the lion, painted by Carpaccio

A wonderful painting - a bit like a modern-day graphic novel in one frame.   I think we spent maybe a half an hour looking at and talking about them all.

Before we found the Scuola, we passed a Chinese restaurant.  It smelled good.  It was half-full with Asian diners.  It was not expensive.  We were hungry.  So we had  soup and eggrolls and spicy cabbage in the heart of Venice.  And they had lemon soda and ice to pour the soda over.

At some point I left Joe and went looking for the little park I'd seen from the lagoon, with trees, shrubs, benches.   It was full of young teens taking up most of the red benches.  Italian teens act much like those at home:  travel in groups,  mostly boys with boys, girls with girls; and with cellphones everywhere. 

There are no benches along the quai.

The entire quai along this part of the  Grand  Canal is crowded with kiosks that sell all sorts of souvenirs:  teeshirts, hats, Carnival masks, keychains, mugs, beaded bracelets and earrings and necklaces, umbrellas of lace, umbrellas with images of Venice.  And lots of people, young, not-so-young, and old.  It reminded me of the Midway at a county fair, but without the yelling and noise.  What would it be like in November, without all the summer visitors?

At the boat dock we were to meet Nicolas beneath the green clock.  It was a funny sight.  Everyone was there, but they were all crammed down a narrow, shady, breezy passageway.  The wide quay was too exposed, very hot, very crowded.  While some had bought glass back on Murano, the older West Virginia daughter was proud of her negotiation with an African streetvendor for purchase of a purse.  Bev from Australia had a white teeshirt that spelled "Venezia" in rhinestones.  I had bought amber glass earrings from one of the kiosks.

Another boat ride back to the bus, then a bus ride back to the hotel.  If I ever visit Venice again, I'm staying in Venice.  Too much travel time otherwise.  After dinner, Joe and I took a short walk through the neighborhood.  We washed some shirts and hoped they'be be dry by morning when the luggage was put out for another motor trip.

Globus tour, June 12 - breaking away

The River Arno, from the Ponte Vecchio.

Joe and I walked away from the group rather than spend time in a gold merchant's shop.  At the Ponte Vecchio we walked across slowly, paused at the little mid-bridge plaza for some photos. 

It was awfully hot and awfully crowded.  Across the river we found a little cafe in the shade, sat down, and had a most refreshing iced tea with lemon, for 4 euro.  While we were doing that, most of the others followed Nicolas into a large goldseller's store.  Absolutely the last thing I wanted to do.

We'd determined the meeting place before our escape:  the Piazza San Croce.  The church of San Croche is another lovely white and green marble building, which we just looked at, didn't go into.

As we sat in the shade of an enormous fountain, a woman sitting behind Joe asked if he'd had a good shave today.   She and her companion had been in the restaurant last night - different tour group - and they recognized Joe.  We engaged in conversation and were joined by a number of others who knew an Asian man who may have videoed Joe's operative debut in the barber's chair.  We made sure to leave Joe's email address before we rejoined Nicolas and our group back on the Globus bus again to our home for the night.

On the Via Lorenzo il Magnifico was our hotel of the same name, a palazzo converted to modern hotel.  At first I was apprehensive about our room being on the top floor with no other rooms there.  We had to take the elevator with a special key for our floor.  But it was a spacious, magnificent room with windows on three sides.  Once I figured out how to open the outside shutters, we had a marvellous breeze.  In the hotel's garden is a large magnolia tree; its top was just beyond one of our windows.  I was delighted, and very tired.  I lay down for a quick nap.  Very nice.

The hotel's bar was like an elegant drawing room with twenty-foot ceiling that was coffered and carved wood.  Several large chairs and sofas upholstered in pale striped fabric, and french doors leading out to a small terrace and the garden.  A small bar area in one corner had some hors d'oeuvres set out.  No one approached them until the older noisy woman decided that it was all for us.  Well, she was very wrong.  Nicolas entered the room laughing.  He told us the food was for bar guests only and that the hotel manager was upset with us for gobbling it up. 

Dinner this night was in a small family-run place a few doors from the hotel.  Its name is Il Cavaliere, and a sandpiper-like bird was painted next to the name.

  This was a very pleasant dinner, with time for conversation without lots of distraction, and Joe engaged in conversation with the six-person family all night long.  I mainly saw his back.  But I chatted with Bev and Trish, who are from Australia.  This restaurant had the best pork I've ever eaten - large juicy chop, really delicious.   The two women and I split a bottle of prosecco that was quite good and not so very dry.  Dessert was creme caramel.  I think Joe was remembering how he got sick in Paris at Christmas, so he just tasted his.

Although the room was so beautiful, it didn't put me to sleep.  I had a restless night - perhaps some sort of odd exhaustion kept me from sleeping well.

Globus tour June 13 - From Florence to Venice via Pisa

I think I'd always known that there would be days spent mainly on the bus.  This was the first.  We drove west from Florence to Pisa, which, in addition to the cathedral, the baptistry, and the tower,
is chock-full of schlocky tourist shops.  We duly photographed each other holding up the Leaning Tower,

and  Joe lingered over an old motorized bicycle that fascinated him.  Then another drive eastward past Florence toward Venice. 

Actually, toward Mestre - which is on the mainland.  We did not stay in Venice.  The hotel in Mestre is fairly large and its lobby needs some refreshing - it is shopworn.  However, the pool area is very very nice.  We got sort of unpacked (two nights here - yea!) and we definitely refreshed outselves in the pool, then cleaned up and rested, and pretty soon it was time to get back on the Globus bus.  Joe and I had signed up for a special dinner boat cruise on the lagoon.  The bus ride to the boat dock was long, not because of distance but because of heavy traffic.

Once on the boat we all had a very welcome glass of prosecco - different from what I'd had the night before.  Another tour group shared the boat with us.  They were boisterous and happy and full of prosecco.  Sunset on Venice's lagoon is something I am glad I experienced. 

I'd never seen sunset from a boat before, and so far had not seen an Italian sunset at all - perhaps because they are hard to see from the middle of a city. 

Dinner:  the appetizer was a seafood salad; next course was canellonni with salmon, followed by salmon steak and some veggies.  Dessert was a washed-out tiramisu.  Food on this tour has not been exceptional [large understatement] other than the pork dinner last night.  Tonight only the seafood salad is worth mentioning.  The table, however, was lovely, and our companions were fun.

The sole musician on board the boat began to play dance music.  Pretty soon the West Virginia grandparents got up to dance. It was very apparent that they were enjoying themselves and that they like swing dancing.  They put on a good show. 

Someone started a conga line that snaked through the lower deck where we were dining and headed for the narrow corridor that led to the narrow stairs up to the open deck.  No room to turn the line and double back.  What will they do?  Everyone just reversed so that the tail became the head and the line reappeared from the narrow corridor.





We docked near the Piazza San Marco and walked the short distance there.  The evening was very wet with rather large puddles in the pavement, an orchestra was playing in an arcade, little cafe tables and chairs out in the rain were empty. 

Rain was sprinkling, kiosk vendors hastily closing up and trying to push through the tourists, but the tourists were all trying to cluster on the tiny areas of dry, un-puddled pavement.  I was fascinated to realize that the sea was bubbling up from the drains in the piazza because of both high tide and a strong wind that blew off the lagoon toward San Marco.  And the Piazza San Marco would soon be all shallow water.  A unique and nice experience really, because night had come on and the rain was very light and the crowd was sparse.   The entire scene was very unusual.  I fear I may never see the like again.

Globus tour, June 12 - - On the road again

Luggage call at 7 am, hearty breakfast, on the bus by 8 am.  Joe has developed a dislike for a certain woman.  She is loud, always doing her own thing, is usually late, and sort of sucks the oxygen out of a room.   She travels with her husband (who has bad knees and a sweet attitude) and her grandson (just about college age, and not always very patient with gran).

Nicolas took advantage of the three-hour ride to Florence to explain optional excursions; we signed up for so many that I lost track.  Probably about 8.  Nicolas is very persuasive, good-natured, compassionate, but forceful.  I figure it will cost $900 to $1000 for the extras.

Liborio loads the bus.

David - - in the parking lot

Our  Globus driver is Liborio.  He drove so fast toward Florence that we arrived about half hour early, so we drove up a hill called Piazalle Michangelino.  It gives a good view over the city, dominated by the "Duomo" - - the cathedral, named Santa Maria del Fiore but always referred to as simply "the Duomo".  At the same time, up on that hill, a stage was being erected for "Total Recall Live" and hundreds of young teens, mostly girls, were waiting.  There were also tourist souvenir stands and a very big parking lot that surrounded - get this - a large bronze reproduction of Michelangelo's "David".

Then into the city to a little park called Piazza San Marco, very near the Academia.  But first:  lunch.  I lost Joe but found a good lunch of bruschetta with tomato and mozarella.  Outside the Academia in a goodly long line down a narrow street next to a fellow selling prints.  He lay them down on the street; if anyone dared step on a print, he whipped out his big eraser and cleaned off the marks.  Once again we had the Whisper audioguides, but the sound here was never very good.  We thought turning down the volune would help but it did not.  Likely it was the pitch of the guide's voice that was wrong, or so one of us surmised.  Inside the building the static was so bad, I took off the earpiece.

We wait with our Whisper audio guides.

There were several sculptures in the room that preceded Michaelangelo's David:  his unfinished Prisoners - five or six marble pieces originally intended for the tomb of Pope Julian II.  Why were they unfinished?  Why were they not at his tomb?  Finally, at the end of a short hall, big old David with his finely muscled naked body, his great huge hands, curly hair, big veins in his right hand - the one that holds the stone.  The Academia has a lot of religious art by painters unknown to me;  It also has a really lovely exhibit of Renaissance musucal instruments, like harpsichord, ivory recorder, and stradifarius violin, carved or painted string instruments (violas, lutes, a 10-string guitar - 5 double strings).  No photos allowed, though.

When we left the building it was obvious someone was missing, but the guide didn't want to make a fuss.  It was the vague Aussie man and his wife.  The local guide phoned Nicolas, who showed up to take the situation in hand and to locate the missing persons.  And so we continued walking toward the Duomo.

White and green and pink marble . . .

Big big surprise to me:  The Duomo is not a black and white building.  It is green and pink and white stone!!  Really lovely up close.  I walked round to see as much as I could, which is difficult because the place around it is not wide open and the Baptistry stands right in front.  Lots of folks took photos in front of the "fake" Ghiberti doors. 

Walking past many lovely shops selling many lovely things; tour guide talking all the while; not understanding a word.  We reached the Piazza del Signoria, the "town hall" here being called Palazzo Vecchio.  The piazza is a huge place where Savanarola burned the books, and where he later was himself burned at the stake.  There's a circular marker in the pavement in front of the Palazzo "commemorating" the event. 

Palazzo Vecchio

Lorenzo di Medici

A large-than-life equestrian statue of Lorenzo di Medici stands near one corner of the Palazzo.

Next door is the famous Uffizzi Gallery.  I never got inside because one must have a reservation, apparently months in advance of one's visit.  I had to be content with walking along the famous and graceful loggia to the river bank.  The Arno River's "lungo" is lined with street vendors selling toys, scarves, bracelets, etc, and with cars that whiz along the narrow roadway.  And Joe and I escaped - - stay tuned..