Liguria 12th - 16th October 2023

 

There's a train which runs along the west coast of Italy from Rome to La Spezia. It takes in several of the major towns along its journey: Grosseto, Viareggio and Livorno. The beauty of it is that you can relax and take in the views of the sea as you head north. With the fast train, it takes a little over 4 hours; time to read and enjoy the scenery.

Ostensibly, I had gone to La Spezia to visit the Cinque Terre; five little towns in the national park of the same name. However, La Spezia is, in itself a nice place to visit with a good mix between sea and city. The Cinque Terre towns are: Riomaggiore (the biggest), Manarola, Coniglia (the only one not on the sea), Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. There are many ways to "do" the Cinque Terre: the entire walk supposedly takes approximately 6 hours; or you can buy a train pass which you can use to travel to each of the towns. We chose a boat. So, on the occasion of my 66th birthday, I embarked on a nautical adventure on the Lord Byron (more of him later).

Porto Venere

Actually the first place we stopped at isn't technically in the Cinque Terre but it is worth visiting! Pretty much like most of the towns around here, it is built on a hill which runs down to the sea. Tall houses in different pastels hues dominate the sea front while the church and castle sit atop the promontory. From the top of the Church of San Pietro, you get the most spectacular views of the Ligurian coast and the Gulf of Poets. The place has inspired poets and artists for centuries: Dante, Petrarch and even Botticelli is supposed to have painted The Birth of Venus after visiting here. It was also here that in 1822, Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned after getting caught in a storm. One of Shelley's neighbours was mad, bad Lord George Byron who apparently used to swim over to see him and his wife (It's about 1,000 metres if you are curious). Near the church and castle, there is an area called Cala dell’Arpaia or Byron's Grotto. And probably for this reason, the boat we sailed on was called The Lord Byron.

Monterosso al Mare

From Porto Venere, we chugged along the coast to the last of the Cinque Terre towns, Monterosso al Mare. It was such a nice and peaceful way to pass the time and take in the other towns of the Cinque Terre. We decided we would visit Riomaggiore and Manarola by train the following day since our boat only stopped at Monterosso and Vernazza.

One of the things I had wanted to see was the Giant/Neptune which straddles a promontory at the end of the town. As you walk through the tunnel which leads to the promenade, there is a photo of the statue as it was before being damaged by bombing during the Second World War. Even now, in its diminished form, it is still very impressive. It forms part of the decoration of the Villa Pastine.

Vernazza

Named as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Vernazza is also, according to Lorenzo, our guide, the richest of the Cinque Terre towns. We only had an hour in the town but like most of the other places in this part of Italy, you can buy focaccia. The Italians are fussy about their food and perhaps with good reason. I once had pizza in Venice which seemed to have been dipped in a canal. Here, focaccia is just on another level. The locals have local knowhow. and almost without exception, wherever I bought it, it tasted heavenly. Vernazza is also home to the Gelateria di Vernazza - which thankfully has a branch in La Spezia. Let's just say it was better than good.

Riomaggiore and Manarola

Having missed out on them on the boat trip, we went by train to Riomaggiore and Manarola. I think Riomaggiore is the first place I have ever queued to get out of a train station. The place was absolutely packed with tourists (including us). And, like all the other towns of the Cinque Terre, you have to walk uphill to see the sights. Equally, it's as pretty as the other villages with red and pink houses (and all shades in between) dotted along the hillside. 

Riomaggiore

Manarola

Back to La Spezia

It was a reasonably short walk from the hotel to the town centre and with a bout of mid October sunshine, it was really pleasant to stroll through the streets and engage in a bit of window shopping. Of course, such strenuous activity means a constant requirement of food and drink. La Spezia didn't disappoint. Of course, we had focaccia and we had ice-cream (see previous Vernazza reference) but we also indulged in all sorts of foodstuffs which necessitated long walks. 

La Spezia is a good town for idling in. It's elegant and well-ordered and with plenty of things to see. the local council, obviously aware that everything is uphill, have installed lifts to take you to the upper echelons of the city. Very sensible. Another commendable feature is seating. If I think of other Italian cities I have visited, public seating always seems to be at a premium; not so in La Spezia. If I have any complaints at all about this gem of the Ligurian coast, it's flies. I can't remember which biblical plague was the plague of flies but certainly there were a lot of them and really annoying ones that don't leave you alone or fly in your ears. Small detail really since they never really bothered people if they were sitting in bars.

The last day, we decided to visit the Castello di San Giorgio. And having achieved OAP status, I got a reduction on the cost of my ticket! To get there, I took a lift from the high street, followed by a funicular railway to the castle. It's a very well organised little museum containing some beautiful pieces from the Bronze age right up to Roman times. There's a wonderful mosaic of a woman riding a sea monster (as you do). It's definitely worth a visit and not least because from the top of the castle, you get the most spectacular views right across the bay.

So, it's time to head back home but I really enjoyed my time in this place; it has given me so many delightful memories which I shall cherish. Not only the Cinque Terre but also Porto Venere and the town of La Spezia itself.

All the photos that were taken can be viewed here.

Piemonte: January 14th-16th 2023

So, in the same way that London is not England, Milan is not Lombardia - Torino is not Piemonte - you get the picture....

It's a two hour bus ride from Milano to Torino. This is nearly five times cheaper than taking the train! I have no idea why this service is so expensive. 

I get to my hotel which, is a bit weird. I had booked a twin bedroom (because that's what was available) and I got bunk beds. Technically, it is a twin bed but just not what I was expecting. It puts a whole new meaning on who wants to be on top! It's also a bit bizarre  - there's a sink the size of a small swimming pool in the room but the bathroom is external. Again, not what I was expecting but my own fault for not checking thoroughly. It's OK though because there are only a couple of guests staying. I later discover that there is one in the room next to me. How do I know this? Because the first night I am trying to go to sleep, the man in the room next door is talking to his friend, Antonio about what they are going to be doing at the weekend. This includes cycling and then going out for a meal. The walls were not only sparkly yellow, they were also paper thin.

However, whatever drawbacks the hotel has, it is within walking distance of La Mole Antonelliana. It is the definitive symbol of Torino. I went to the National Cinema Museum which is housed in the building. That will come later. The first night was spent wandering around the Mole and around the main piazza, Piazza San Carlo. I like cities at night and especially when they are well lit. And Turin is a sumptuous and elegant city. It seems calmer and less frenetic than Milan. And today's factoid is: Turin was once the capital of Italy before they decided to move it to Florence and then later to Rome. This so aggrieved the citizens of the city that there were riots in which 52 people were killed and more than 100 injured.

La Mole Antonelliana

Not unlike the Duomo which is a focal point for Milan, La Mole dominates the city skyline (gosh, it sounds like a travel brochure!). It's an unusual building and, like the Duomo, changes mood with the light. It was originally intended to be a synagogue but ran into financial difficulties and so was never used as such. It is named after the architect, Alessandro Antonelli. Mole just means it's big.

The National Cinema Museum

For a few euros more, you can take a lift to the viewing gallery at the top of the spire. Well, you can forget that because it's a long way up and seems to be suspended on a couple of very thin wires. On terra firma,  (George Kaufman remarked: I like terra firma; the more firma, the less terra) you can trace the origins of the cinema from the early days of camera obscura through to the magic lanterns and zoetropes to the Lumiere brothers and projectors. At the time of writing, the museum was hosting a retrospective on the work of the king of horror schlock, Dario Argento. I suppose my only minor disappointment was that there wasn't a particularly great selection of posters and photos available in the bookshop. That said, it was a truly pleasurable time well-spent.

The Lavazza Museum

I hesitated about going to this museum but in the end, I am really glad I did. That cup of Joe that you imbibe every morning is just so much more than a few ground up beans that flavour the water. 

At the entrance, you are given an espresso cup attached to a lanyard. As you take the tour there are a number of coffee cup icons near the display which, when you place your cup on them, activates the information. So cool!

Lavazza started in 1895 and the museum takes through the company's early beginnings to its current business ventures which include things like coffee popcorn, nitrocoffee and even coffee cookie cups which are edible. You can practise creating your own blend and admire the coffee machines from turn of the 19th century exhibitions as well as some of the advertising which has made the brand so famous.

They also commissioned a set of murals around the city linked to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (I will be writing to  them to demand an app!) And, at the end of the tour, you get a free cup of coffee - how good is that? 

Style and elegance

Having been the capital of Italy from 1861 to 1865, it's easy to see why it would have made a good capital. It has gorgeous architecture with grandiose buildings everywhere. Piazza San Carlo is stunning, especially at night and the porticoes are home to small businesses selling everything from traditional men's clothing (the sort of thing you'd see in an old James Bond movie) to chocolate and pastry shops. It is, as one friend said, a reminder of the pomp and glory of the city. 

Down by the Royal Palace, there is a good looking church as well as the Palatine Castle. From there, it's a short walk to the central market area where you can pick up fresh fruit and veg. All pleasing on the eye. And then there's the area by the Piazza del Risorgimento where the nascent nation of Italy was dreamed up by Cavour and Mazzini and fought for by Garibaldi.

But if you think it's all huge edifices marking out the city's status as the keeper of traditions, you'd be wrong. There is a vibrant street art scene - in addition to those paid for by Lavazza. Equally, there hip, fab and trendy bars and restaurants where you can sample bicerin (a sort of lethal Bailey's liqueur.) Yes, there is so much to like about this place.

Down by the station

Time to go home and time to kill. Like much of the town, the Stazione Porta Nuova is an elegant piece of architecture. Some days, it's quietly reading a book or sipping a coffee - today was none of those.

The station is possessed of an upright piano in the food terrace and a young man came and played a repertoire of classical pieces - no music, all from memory and absolutely fab.

Later, I am approached by two policemen who seem to be checking up on the clandestini - I must get a haircut and stop looking like a member of some terrorist organisation - they check my ID and proclaim "you're from London". I guess the fact that it's written as such on my identity card must have been a giveaway - "but you live in Arpino" (ditto). Checks over and I am left in peace until a very tall gentleman begins circuits of the terrace singing at the top of his lungs - actually singing is perhaps too kind, they are sounds which vaguely relate to something musical.

And then it's on the train where the kid next to me coughs every 30 seconds, the small, blonde haired child is left to run riot by her nonna and the guy behind me is on the phone for nearly an hour. Note to self: next time, bring headphones

A good time was had nonetheless.

Two kindnesses

I pop into a bar for a bathroom break. Going in the doors are automatic. However, going out is a different story. Where you think the doors should open automatically, they don't. So while I am figuring out what the correct protocol here is, a bright faced woman dressed all in black and wearing white porthole glasses and presses a button near the door - "they should fix that" she says with a smile that makes me laugh.

Trams are great and you will find them both in Milan as well as Turin. Obviously, they need to come quite close to the kerb so passengers can get on and off. While standing at a set of traffic lights waiting to cross the road, I got quite close to the edge of the road. Thinking I was in danger, a youngish woman pulled me back just a little so as not to be mown down by the oncoming tram. There is hope.

All photos from Turin can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Xv48iA3F4Sui86d9

Lombardia 12th - 14th January 2023

So if London isn’t England then Milan isn’t Lombardy - but it’s a good place to start. From Rome, I take the Italo high speed train to Milano (about three hours, I think). It seems odd to think we are hitting speeds of 300kph. I have no real preconceptions of this city. I think the whole point of travel is to discover new things. Of course that doesn't stop images of the Duomo from flashing through my head. However, it's also a chance to catch up with some friends and share the love!

So, the first thing I notice is just how much colder it is. All those years in Saudi Arabia have spoiled me. Arpino feels positively tropical compared to this. My hotel is out at Maciachini which is 4 stops on the yellow line (M3). And that's another noticeable difference, they have an underground system which is clean and efficient. My destination is obviously ....

The Duomo (Well, where else would you start?)

It's beautiful - and huge! I mean really huge. I am not going to bore you with the history of it. If you want to know all the facts and figures about it, click here. For me, it's about the artistry. Everything from the incredible stained glass windows to the intricate details of the carvings in stone is just a labour of love. There's a weird looking statue of Saint Bartholomew who, depending on which story you believe, was skinned alive!

I visited the Duomo and surrounding piazza at different times of the day (and night). It reminds me of Monet's series of paintings of the cathedral at Rouen. It is fascinating to see how the light changes. Close to the cathedral is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll. It was the first shopping centre built in this style and was the model for the Galleria in Naples. Of course, unless you have a wheelbarrow full of euros, this place is look but don't touch. It's Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton but it's nice to hobnob with the fashionistas and see immaculately (and expensively dressed men and women. It's another observation - the people around here seem to be taller (remember, I am average height for Arpino).

What to do?

And all that said, there are homeless people on the streets of Milan. I think the most shocking thing I have seen in a while was in Via Torino.  Next to a bus stop, lying on the ground was a man. He had no shoes and his feet were ingrained with dirt. His trousers were rolled up to his knees and he had on only a light jumper and a woollen hat. He was lying there with people walking around him. To all intents and purposes, he could have just been a pile of rags left in the street. I have seen similar things in India and Sri Lanka but it still comes as a shock. I honestly don't understand this. Later, in Turin, I saw quite a few people sleeping on the streets but at least they were under porticoes and had blankets. It's not ideal but this was just unfathomable.

Navigli

One of the things I had promised myself to do was to visit the Pop Air Balloon Museum (more of that later). Our first attempt ended in disaster because the museum was holding a private event. So with my companions, we ended up in the area around Navigli - the canals added to by Leonardo Da Vinci. And a good time was had by all!

Sforzesco Castle and Sempione Park

History buffs click here! Built by Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milan, it was at one time threatened with demolition. It was saved from this fate thanks to the intervention of Luca Beltrami who insisted it be restored - to whom we are grateful. It's an impressive, solid looking building and backs onto Sempione Park. As you exit the castle, you can see the Arch of Peace at the far end of the park. There's also a small lake in the park and also a statue called Mysterious Bathers by Giorgio de Chirico. Weird.

The Pinacoteca di Brera

I think this one is one that slipped through the net. There is just so much anyone can do in a few days in Milan. It's a stylish building but the real gem is what is inside. It houses some really impressive paintings including Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus. Next time!

The Balloon Museum, Via Tortona

This was one of the things I really wanted to see when I decided I was going to Milan. It has already done some exhibitions in Paris and elsewhere in Europe. And of course, in spite of the images shown on the website, nothing can adequately prepare you for the spectacle. There were 20 something exhibits - some were fairly run of the mill, but others were just mind-blowingly good. As you go in, you enter through a mirrored room which gives the effect of infinite space. Then add Smarties or M&Ms! After you have had your fill, your next encounter is with magical mushrooms. After that, there is a swimming pool filled with plastic balls. It was funny to see grown men and women having such a good time - a reversion to childhood. At the end, there was a short series of presentations about the use of plastics which covered everything from Zeppelins, fake tanks and Yayoi Kusama. Brill.

Final thoughts

It's a chic city and flaunts that thing that Italy does so well, marrying the past with the future. It's ancient and modern, rich and all too obviously poor. It's a place that needs more than just the two and a half days I gave it. All that said, seeing friends was just the best!

All photos from this trip can be found here.

 

                 

Rome: Two or three things I know about her.

Roma: 1st -3rd December 2022

Rome: Ah! Such high hopes of seeing everything in 3 days. Well, not everything but a few of the more out of the way places in the city like the Monkey Tower, the skull of Saint Valentine and Via Rasella. In my defence, I did see loads of amazing stuff but quite a few things slipped through the net. So this part of the blog more or less follows the order in which I moved around the city.

N.B. A note about the photos: rather than the usual practice of putting them at the end of the blog, I have sectioned them out and put them at the end of each day.

Day 1: I check into my hotel the bizarrely named Termini Binario 1&2 complete with a sink made from the front end of an old Fiat 500 (and the lights worked too). If I were able to stick my head out of the window, I could see the station. The idea was to choose somewhere where I would have access to a travel hub: which it is but there was a transport strike on the Friday. So much for that idea. I ended up doing a lot of walking.

Before heading out to San Paolo Fuori Le Mura and catching up with a friend, I took a genteel stroll around the neighbourhood of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. It's an area I know reasonably well since I spent many years as the Director of Studies for a Rome based study tour company and the Indian Fast Food restaurant in Via Mamiani was my second office. That said, I wasn't aware of The Magic Door: it's a great story about alchemy, gold and disappearing people.

One of the things that makes this area so gritty and vibrant is that it is home to large immigrant populations, mainly Chinese, Bengalis and Indians. It evokes the part of SE London in which I grew up. 

San Paolo (Outside the walls)

While my friend is busy teaching some very unmotivated young men, I head up the road to the Basilica of St Paul.  I search in vain for three fountains which legend has it, sprung up after the saint's head bounced three times after his decapitation. I now realise that his execution supposedly took place at the Abbey of the Three Fountains. (Next time). 

Gianicolo or Janiculum

From the Gianicolo, you can get probably one of the best, if not the best, panoramas of the city. It's also a fascinating walk around a garden filled with Garibaliana - including a fantastic statue of Anita Garibaldi. The statue is of Anita Garibaldi, on a rearing horse, holding her baby son in her left arm while waving a pistol in her right hand. Why no one has made a film about this amazing woman remains a mystery!

Incanto dei Luci (The Enchantment of the Lights)

 

Sometimes our friends are our better selves and push us to do the things we are not quite sure about. And so it was at the gentle nudging of a friend that I went to this light show organised at the Orto Botanico, just below the Gianicolo. It had all the makings of one of those cheesy shows which are offered to small children; the things that are described as "magic" turn out to be no more than a 100w bulb behind a painted scene. However, while the Incanto had some less than effective scenes, it was well done. It is hard to describe any one scene which was a favourite but the Japanese garden and the lasers in the bamboo forest are memorable, as is the arch. So yes, enchantment was dispensed and even for a cynic like me, I enjoyed it.

Going home was another trek since there are no metro stations nearby and so it was a choice of a series of buses which would have taken over an hour, or a walk of 48 minutes (huh?). The tiredness of the day was alleviated by meeting up at the "office" with another friend and some reminiscing over some samosas, pakoras and a couple of Kingfisher beers.

Photos from Day 1: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nzJSLFqwWV8BugX76

Day 2: Coppede and The Paolina 

Even had I wanted to use the public transport network to get to the Coppede' and Villa Borghese areas of Rome, I couldn't have because of the strike. At the recommendation of my friend, I breakfast at a pasticceria called Regoli which for some weird reason is divided into two non-joined sections: one side sells truly delicious cakes; the other sells the coffee. Suitably refreshed but still sore from yesterday's hiking, I start off at Coppede'. It's an area I discovered many years ago while working at ENEL. I won't bore you with the wiki entry about Gino Coppede, the architect after whom, the area is named. Most people who come to the city know nothing of this area. It centres on four buildings surrounding the Fountain of Frogs. When asked about its location, I got quite a few blanks and to be fair, I walked past it three times before another tourist found it on her Maps. The Palazzo del Ragno is for me, the most beautiful of the four buildings. What architectural style does it belong to? It has elements of Art Nouveau but it's more than that. Whatever it is, it's worth a visit.

La Paolina

The factual bit is that the statue of Venus Victrix was completed between 1805 and 1808 by Antonio Canova. the emotional bit is that it is without doubt one of the most beautiful (and erotic) statues in the world. It's official title is Venus Victrix but it's more commonly known as La Paolina since the woman sitting seductively on the couch is none other than Pauline Bonaparte, the sister of Napoleon. Apparently, she scandalised Rome and when asked how she could sit in the nude for the artist, she is supposed to have replied "well, he had a heater in the studio".

But the Villa Borghese isn't just La Paolina. It is so incredibly over the top for a cardinal's palace. It is simply bling on steroids. There are so many statues and paintings including some world famous paintings by Caravaggio which in themselves would be worth the entrance fee. Throw in some well-manicured gardens and a sumptuous building and you have a recipe for beauty. If you only see one museum in Rome, this is the one. Another long walk home but truly a happy bean.

Photos from Day 2:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/DubjqeKXQhHD9sew9

Day 3: Trastevere in the rain

A 30 minute or so bus ride from Termini gets you on the western side of the Tiber (or Tevere). It's on virtually every tourist description of the city. You can't find a webpage that doesn't show you quaint little streets bedecked with ivy and other climbing plants above picture postcard cafes.  Forget that! The heavens opened and the first port of call was the nearest bar for shelter. Even for an Englishman who is genetically disposed to precipitation, this was a bit too much. In addition, the drains don't work having been well clogged up by the autumn leaves so the pavements meant deciding how deep to your ankles you wanted to go.

The reason for this part of the trip was to find the skull of one of the Saint Valentine's. It's housed in the same church which has the Bocca della Verita'. Whether because of the rain playing havoc with my Google Maps, or my general ineptitude, I never found it. I did get to see the Jewish Quarter and the area near Portico d'Ottavia. On a wall is a commemorative plaque about the night of 16th October 1943 when the Nazis rounded up the Jews in Rome and deported them to the concentration camps.

The area is pretty and you can settle a while on the little island that sits in the Tiber. Because of the rain, the river was not its usual placid self but rather a mad rush - I don't think I have ever seen it like that!  

In the end, my coat was dripping wet and the humidity was getting the better of me so I called it a day and took a bus back to Termini and from there back to home. There are some parts of me that will never be dry again.

And Rome? The title of this part of the blog is Rome l so yes, there will be a sequel. And Saint Valentine and the other places missed off my list will be found. 

Photos from Day 3: https://photos.app.goo.gl/a7d2VazP8fFdsGZeA