Category: Italy 2011
-
Cappella Sistina
It’s sometimes reported that Michelangelo resented the four years he spent painting the 1000+ metres of the Sistine Chapel’s roof, sneaking away to work on other consignments while Pope Julius II stepped out to fight the French. But for any visitor, it was clearly a worthwhile endeavor. Trying to do it justice with words is…
-
Gelati
A whole post on ice cream? Yep. You cannot travel to Italy and not sample – extensively – the gelati. We probably tried around twenty flavours in three weeks and now that it’s so long ago I can’t recall them all, but I do remember a few. Vividly. The ‘panna cotta’ for instance, was earth-shakingly…
-
three pompeii haiku
. flecks of limestone dogs curl up by the pizzeria . Mt. Vesuvius recedes – shamefaced in the blue mist . cameras jostle for position Pompeii plaster cast .
-
Consecration
Consecration by Pope Boniface IV (the name ‘Boniface’ meaning approximately ‘one who does good’) saved the Pantheon from the worst of the pillage and plunder in medieval times, “after the pagan filth was removed” of course. Easily one of the more spectacular and complete historical buildings in Rome, the Pantheon’s dome is a work of…
-
Begging in Rome
Obviously a 24 or so hour flight from Australia to Rome is going to be a bit of a haul. As a direct flight, there’s still a four hour stopover two thirds of the way there, which is a mixed blessing. Getting in to Dubai at 5am was nice to stretch the legs, but with…
-
Italy 2011
So my wife and I have recently returned from 3 weeks in Italy and after the jet lag wears off I’d like to inflict my thoughts, ramblings, writing and a few photos upon you. It may be that I can manage semi-regular posts on the trip too (we shall see how I go getting back…
ashley capes 