Italy - June 2011
By rottieto2001A little joke I want to share with you: Italians said they only use extra virgin olive oil. I asked what they did with the second or third pressings of the olives, they laughed and said they exported them to the U.S.! I wonder how much of that joke is true! J Our “journey” to San Gimignano, Italy was quite an adventure. We left the States for Rome in the afternoon of June 2nd. Our flight was connected in JFK New York. At JFK, when we arrived at the gate to board the plane, I saw a large group of people gathered there, looking like they were boarding as well. There was no line. I asked where the line ended, ...Read more.
Rome Attractions
By rottieto2001The Pantheon – built by the Romans with enormous solid granite columns from Egypt as a Roman temple and later consecrated as a Catholic Church. The original pantheon was built around 27 BC, but was destroyed in a huge fire in 80 AD. The current building dates from about 125 AD, during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, as date-stamps on the bricks reveal. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. More than a thousand years later, the Pantheon’s dome was the inspiration for St. Peter’s Basilica’s dome. Almost 1900 years after it was built, the Pantheon’s dome is still the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world. It was made possible by amazing architect and ...Read more.
The Colosseum - Underground and Third Tier Tour
By rottieto2001The Colosseum was the symbol of the power of Rome at one point: “Quandiu stabit coliseus, stabit et Roma; Quando cadit coliseus, cadet et Roma Quando cadet Roma, cadet et mundus.” -- by Bede, 8th century (meaning: As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; if the Colosseum falls, Rome shall fall. And when Rome falls, the world falls). The Colosseum is an amphitheatre in the center of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. Its construction started between 70 and 72 AD and was completed around 81 – 96 AD. Originally capable of seating around 50,000 to 80,000 spectators, the Colosseum ...Read more.
Rome, Italy
By rottieto2001Rome, the “Eternal City”, capital of Italy and the Catholic Church, is a modern, lively and fashionable city. According to legend, Romulus and Remus, twin sons of the War God – Mars and Rhea, a Vestal Virgin – were abandoned as babies and brought up by a She-Wolf. They grew up to lead a band of outlaws and adventurers before Romulus killed his brother and founded Rome in 753 B.C. Rome's history spans more than 2,700 years. It was the capital city of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, which was the dominant power in Western Europe and the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea for over seven hundred years from the 1st century BC until the ...Read more.
Where to eat in San Gimignano?
By rottieto2001If you like gelato, check out the excellent gelateria in Piazza Della Cisterna (it’ll be on your right after you pass the main cathedral in town. It's in the piazza with the well in the middle of it). Their orange cream, pistachio & white chocolate flavors are the best. 2 restaurants inside San G walls that I would highly recommend: 1. La Bettola del Grillo 2, Via Quercecchio, 33, San Gimignano, phone: +39 0577 907081. A cute place. They have very good Italian cold cuts (salame, prosciutto, etc.) & pizzas. Some of us (yes, you know who you are!) couldn’t get enough of their prosciutto. Their pizzas are brick-oven-baked thin crust, slightly burn, crunchy and perfect. I liked the one with ...Read more.
San Gimignano, Italy
By rottieto2001Vatican City
By rottieto2001Vatican City is the smallest independent state, with the Pope as the head of the country. Vatican Museums – originally served as the residence for Popes, later converted to a museum. It displays works from the immense collection built up by Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries. I really like all the 3D effect paintings on ceilings where the paintings look like sculptures, and the “moving” tapestry where Jesus Christ and the table “move”, to always face you as you change your positions. St Peter’s Basilica – the longest Catholic Church in the world, and will always be, as no other catholic church is allowed to be built longer. It was built in the Late Renaissance style and financed through ...Read more.
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