Rome city sightseeing 1 on Nov 1, 2018
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Posted:Dec 1, 2018 5:07 pm
Last Updated:Dec 4, 2018 1:05 am 18079 Views
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On Nov 1st, 2018 is the last day in Rome with group #2 (4 days). The trip leader took us to the street for sightseeing. It was drizzling.
Photo 1: The only round shape of "Temple" called "Hercules Victor temple".
Photo 2: A church near the hotel we stayed in Rome for 4 days. Forgot the name of that church.
Photo 3: The altar inside of the church (there are nuns pray for 24 hours take turn)
Photo 4: A small pray area for people and nuns who volunteered to pray 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Photo 5: Special floor in the church. (each sign on floor has messages)
Photo 6: I put my hand into the famous "Mouth of Truth". All my fingers are still with me, so I am an honest person. If you ever saw the movie "Roman Holiday" acted by Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. You know Gregory Peck put his hand into the hole and pretended his hand had been eaten by the mouth of truth. The princess and an American news journalist had brief romance together. I saw that movie many times, the first time when I was 5 and rerun many times in Taiwan. Every girl dreams to have a romance. People lined up to put hand in the mouth of truth and taking pictures.
Photo 7: The church has the "Mouth of Truth" outside.
Farewell dinner at a Jewish restaurant in Rome, said goodbye to Group #2 people. During the farewell dinner, the trip leader talked about how Italians saved Jewish to hide in their houses to avoid German searching house by house in WWII (1943 - 1945). The German bombings were very intensive.
Each of us paid the trip leader #2 tip money in EURO.
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Joke - Who invented Sex?
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Posted:Nov 30, 2018 2:10 pm
Last Updated:Dec 1, 2018 10:58 am 15582 Views
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A Greek and an Italian were talking one day, discussing who had the superior culture.
Over coffee, the Greek says,
"Well, we built the Parthenon.希臘女神雅典娜的神廟"
The Italian replies,
"We built the Colosseum 古羅馬圓形大競技場.
The Greek retorts,
"We Greeks gave birth to mathematics."
The Italian, nodding, says,
"But we built the Roman Empire."
And so on and so on until the Greek comes up with what he thinks will end the discussion.
With a flourish of finality he says,
"We invented sex!"
The Italian replies,
"That is true, but it was the Italians who included women."
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The Pantheon and Piazza Navona on Oct 31, 2018
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Posted:Nov 30, 2018 9:19 am
Last Updated:Dec 4, 2018 5:03 pm 17405 Views
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Photo 1: The altar inside of The Pantheon. Pantheon kept in very good shape in compare of Roman Forum and Colosseum.
Photo 2, 3, and 4: Piazza Navona (or called Navona Square). Many artists were there.
Photo 5: Group photo in front of Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy (group #2).
Photo 6: I stood in front of Piazza Navona.
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Piazza del Quirinale, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona
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Posted:Nov 30, 2018 6:08 am
Last Updated:Dec 5, 2018 10:47 am 15385 Views
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On Oct 31, 2018, the local tour guide took us to Piazza del Quirinale (or called Quirinal Palace), 2nd stop at famous Trevi Fountain 許願池 (to toss a coin), 3rd stop is Pantheon 諸神殿; 偉人祠堂；眾神之廟, the 4th stop is Piazza Navona.
Photo 1, 2 and 3: Piazza del Quirinale (Quirinal Palace) in Rome, Italy.
Photo 4, 5, and 6: Trevi Fountain 許願池- The famous Trevi Fountain actually is not big, but always crowded by tourist. According to the local tour guide, the correct way to toss a coin is holding a coin in your right hand and toss it over your left shoulder (as I demonstrated).
Photo 7, 8, 9 and 10: The Pantheon 諸神殿
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The most famous landmark in Italy - Colosseum
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Posted:Nov 29, 2018 6:44 am
Last Updated:Dec 1, 2018 10:00 am 15460 Views
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The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete, it is the largest amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum.
Colosseum is an iconic landmark, the most popular location that tourists wouldn't want to miss it. Of course, I was there. Even Oct - Nov are slow season, but the waiting lines to enter Colosseum are very long. There are "security check" at entrance that slow down the crowd to get in. (The local tour guide said the crowd was even worse in Summer time)
Located just east of the Roman Forum, the massive stone amphitheater known as the Colosseum was commissioned around A.D. 70-72 by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty as a gift to the Roman people. In A.D. 80, Vespasian’s Titus opened the Colosseum–officially known as the Flavian Amphitheater–with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights. After four centuries of active use, the magnificent arena fell into neglect, and up until the 18th century it was used as a source of building materials. Though 2/3 of the original Colosseum has been destroyed over time, the amphitheater remains a popular tourist destination, as well as an iconic symbol of Rome and its long, tumultuous history.
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Roman Forum and Coliseum on Oct 30, 2018
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Posted:Nov 28, 2018 11:08 pm
Last Updated:Nov 30, 2018 5:21 am 14520 Views
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Rome is not built in one day. We need to know Italy's history. I bought 3 books in Rome and I can briefly to introduce Rome history from the books.
Rome was founded on April 21, 753 B.C. Rome was first governed by Kings (753-510 B.C.); then as a Republic by Consuls （古羅馬的）執政官(510-30 B.C.) and finally by Emperors (30 B.C. to 476 A.D.)
I will skip the Kings and Republic in ancient time and jump to The Empire. The Emperor Octavian (27 B.C. - 14 A.D.) took the name of "Caesar Augustus". The birth of Jesus Christ. The reign of Augustus coincided with the golden age of Latin literature: this was the era of writers such as Cicero, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Livy and Tacitus.
61 A.D. St. Paul visited Rome, entering the city by the ancient Capena gate. During Nero's reign and the Christians were blamed for the great fire.
98-117 A.D. Under Trajan, the Roman Empire reached its maximum expansion.
117-138 A.D. During Hadrian's reign, Rom was at the peak of its architectural splendor. The Empire began to decline between the 2nd and 3rd centuries, as a result of internal crises and because of pressure from barbarian people.
272 A.D. Aurelius began to build the Aurelian Walls as protection against the threat of invasion.
313 A.D. Constantine the Great allowed the Christians freedom of religious practice. In 331 A.D. he transferred the capital of the Empire to Byzantium (Constantitople).
395 A.D. The Roman Empire was definitively divided between the East (Arcadius) and the West (Honorius).
404 A.D. Transfer of the Capital to Ravenna.
410 A.D. Rome sacked by the Goths.
476 A.D. Odoacer's conqueror of Rome put an end to the Roman Empire in the West.
The Forum of Julius Caesar, consecrated in 46 B.C. and later finished by Augustus, was the 1st of the Imperial Fora built with the spoils of victory from the Gallic Wars. Formed by a rectangular piazza surrounded on all sides by porticoes, it had at its center the Temple of Venus Genetrix.
Trajan's Forum and Trajan's Markets
The Forum of Augustus
The temple of Venus and Roma
The Colosseum
The Palatine
The Basilica of Maxentius
The House of the Vestal Virgins
The Temple of Julius Caesar and the Temple of Castor and Pollux
The Basilica Julia and the Basilica Emilia
The Temple of Saturn and the Temple of Vespasian
The Circus Maxiumus
Baths of Caracalla
Via Appia Antica
he Theatre of Marcellus
The Island on the Tiber
The Pantheon
The Hadrian's Mausoleum Castel Sant' Angelo
The Vatican City
St. Peter's Basilica
Sistine Chapel
The Vatican Hill and the Ancient Constantinian Basilica
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Rome, Italy on Oct 29, 2018
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Posted:Nov 28, 2018 5:33 am
Last Updated:Nov 29, 2018 5:36 am 14262 Views
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Rome, Italy’s capital, is a sprawling, cosmopolitan city with nearly 3,000 years of globally influential art, architecture and culture on display. Ancient ruins such as the Forum and the Colosseum evoke the power of the former Roman Empire. Vatican City, headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, has St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, which house masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes.
Photo 1: Rome's ancient Appian Way with group #2. Roman soldiers walked on those cobblestone roads to Rome.
Photo 2: Famous actress, Gina Lollobrigida's private home (villa) in Rome. She is age at 91.
Photo 3: I drank water from the water spout that Roman soldiers used to drink on Appian Way to Rome.
Photo 4: Catacombs of St. Sebastiano - Need to pay for entry ticket. Not allow to take pictures of underground tombs. It is spooky, I didn't want to be in underground tombs. But when we walked up to the 1st floor of the church, it has many beautiful oil paintings and sculptures.
Photo 5: Mother Teresa - She was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary.
Photo 6: Pope Saint John Paul II - papacy from Oct 16, 1978 to April 2, 2005.
Photo 7: Ceiling inside of St. Sebastiano church.
Photo 8: A sculpture of Saint Sebastiano who had been shot by 3 arrows and died.
Photo 9: St. Maria with baby Jesus sculpture.
Photo 10: I don't know who's foot print in St. Sebastiano church.
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The last day with first group in Ostia city
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Posted:Nov 27, 2018 12:52 pm
Last Updated:Nov 28, 2018 6:17 am 14411 Views
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Oct 28, 2018 is the last day with Group one. The bus took us to the village of Bomarzo, home to a Renaissance-era garden also known as "Parco dei Mostri", or Park of the Monsters. Begun in 1552, the garden features a series of bizarre and fascinating stone sculptures meant to shock, including a giant screaming face. We enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant.
It was a raining day, sometimes, even raining hard when we were in bus. But when we arrived at the lunch restaurant, it stopped raining. When we were eating lunch, it raining a little bit.
Photo 1: Last lunch with Group one (15 persons and one trip leader)
Photo 2: Last lunch with Group 1.
The bus continued to take us to Ostia city, a beach area. During the driving, it rained "cats and dogs" on the way to Ostia. We checked-in a hotel in Ostia beach. The wind blow very hard but rain stopped. I went to an ATM machine to get EURO , prepare for tip money to trip leader.
Photo 3: Farewell dinner with the trip leader #1. He is an Italian, a gay (his boyfriend is a Canadian), an atheist. This trip is his 4th time, so he is an immature trip leader. His English is the worst among 3 trip leaders.
This farewell dinner is the first seafood I've had since Oct 15. Full of "mussel" on the plate.
I felt almost no meat in the first group trip. Every meal, served bread with olive oil, then come with salad with vinegar, then pasta with tomato sauce. I desire to have meat, but seldom had meat.
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The farmer family own 1,200+ acres of land and a villa
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Posted:Nov 27, 2018 11:37 am
Last Updated:Nov 30, 2018 9:27 am 14058 Views
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We visited a farmer family that own 1,200+ acres (both sides of high way, 3 mountains) and 500+ cows and 7 bulls (for reproduction), 27 donkeys, 5 houses and a villa and vineyard and "extra virgin olive oil", dogs, cats, ....., etc.
Each cow has numbers on its ear and the computer has the record of each cow's birthday and how many calves' mom. Sometimes, one or two bulls of 7 bulls have been rented for other farmer for few nights for reproduction. The farmer don't waste cow's dumping, they piled-up dumping for next Spring time to plant olive tree as fertilizer. Cow provide milk and raise calf and meat for sale. They said they don't sell cow under 2 for veal. They sell cows after 2 y/o, they call the butcher over to select the cows and sold to butchers and killed for meat (beef) for restaurants.
Photo 3: They have 27 donkeys. There are 5 donkeys for visitors to have donkey ride. I didn't have donkey ride but walked on rocky country road that hurt my feet and shoe. I walked too long distance, I should ride the donkey.
They built 5 houses in that vast land and a beautiful villa. Photo 4 is the ceiling painting of the villa and photo 5 is one of the villa paining on the wall. The villa has 8 bedrooms.
From 2nd week of October to first half of December (2 months) is "olive tree harvest time". They have 1,200 acre of land for vineyard and some olive tree. Photo 6 and 7: They have machine to squeeze out olive oil that been called "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" means "First Pressed Olive Oil".
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Truffle hunting experience in Trevi city, Umbria region
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Posted:Nov 27, 2018 10:02 am
Last Updated:Dec 2, 2018 7:13 am 17033 Views
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On Oct 27, 2018 we went to a farmer's house. When we arrived, they drove five 4-wheel-drive cars and took us to have "Truffle" hunting experience. They brought two special dogs to sniff where the "truffle" located. (They have 4 those dogs can sniff truffle, but only brought 2 dogs with them that day)
Do you know what "Truffle" is? 【植】塊菌（一種食用菌）It is fungus that near pine tree root. Truffle is very expensive at restaurants. Only fancy restaurants have truffles. Because truffles are very rare to find. When the 2 dogs found Truffle and ran back to the owner, they got reward of cookie. Photo 2 shows how many Truffle they found that morning. We walked to their sheep group where they have about 15 "sheep dogs" to watch for their 200+ sheep. Those "sheep dogs" gather sheep to eat grass and changing place. The owners trust those sheep dogs doing their jobs. Sheep dogs don't sniff Truffles. Different dogs have different jobs.
The owners cooked scramble eggs from a propane gas stove. Then he washed the Truffles and sprinkled Truffle pieces on scramble eggs for each of us. I didn't taste the Truffles favor. Truffle is not sweet, not spicy, not salty. The salt is on scramble eggs. Well, this is my first time eating "Truffle". Each of us got a cup of red wine and played with sheep dogs. See photo 3.
The husband was born and raised in New Zealand (speak English). I am the only one in 15 persons group #1 have been to New Zealand. The husband came to Italy without speak any Italian. He met his wife and fell in love with her and married the Italian wife. They went back to NZ for honeymoon. They have a and a . We saw their but he wasn't at kitchen when picture was taken (photo 4). His wife cooked lunch pasta that she made from flour mixed with eggs. I found out all farmer's wive make pasta themselves not cook from the dry pasta.
They have sheep, dogs, docks, chicken, and a Vietnamese pig, .... Any unfinished food will give to that pig. Another connection with local Italian farmer.
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