As you can see, I finally did have my date with David on my last day in Florence. The line was only 45 minutes long and the weather was mild so it definitely was worth the wait to see the original. Since two churches had already been viewed previous to my encounter with this masterpiece, I had reached my beauty limit for the day and just headed home on the train instead of viewing any other possible piece of art.
The next day, Saturday, was filled with packing and last minute finishing touches to our stay in Pistoia. That included an early bus into town and visit to the big market – a girl has to have chocolate on a 3 hour bus ride. I also took photos and sketched around the property. Three weeks ago I arrived at this place and now my brain is full, the suitcase is fuller, and I have a better sense of place about the Renaissance and its art.
OMG. Rome. We arrived at the hotel about 4 and at 6 John Pack, the director, took us on a walking tour of the area. Walking might be a gentile term for hike or trek. We got back to the hotel at 7:30, having been to the Patheon, Victor Emmanuel monument, forum, Piazza Novona, the Campo de Fiori, Teatro Marcello, and the Jewish Ghetto.
We were told to not stay out too late since the buses were to leave for the Vatican at 7 the next morning. It was all I could do to stay up until 8 to eat a slice of pizza and wearily flop onto the bed. Lights were out at 8:15 – along with a big dose of vitamin C to counter the attack of yuck that has started to go around the group. It was wonderful – no roosters, screens on the windows to keep out the flies and mosqitoes, and a bed that was a bed and not a cot! 10 hours later I was a new woman! Yes to sleep and Yes to the power of positive thinking.
One of the highlights of the trip will be that early morning visit to the vatican. We had special tickets that allowed us into the museum and environs before anyone else. No people besides our group in the Sistine Chapel for 15 minutes. What an incredible blessing. Silence. Time to really study the work of Michaelangelo. Time to just be. And slowly the magic was broken as group after group started arriving. We rushed through corridors miles long, saw paintings, sculpture, and people and people and people. After 4 hours we finally declared our mission at the museum completed. Ah, lunch and a glass of wine. Actually a great lunch at an outdoor cafe on a side street between the museum and St. Peter’s.
We stood in line. We went through security. We spent 2 hours getting into this blessed building. As we started to work our way around the outer aisles I looked up at the gold mosaic running frieze. Some intelligent worker was brilliant enough to inlay the message by breaking a word badly – but giving truth to the building. Yup, IS EGO, is all I need to say about this church. Still don’t like it, won’t come back.
After the tour was over it seemed like a wonderful cleansing to walk back to the hotel, even though it was about 45 minutes away. Being with normal people and contemplating a quiet cafe for dinner started to restore calm as well as bring back to mind the quiet of the morning.
Our last morning in Italy dawned clear and cool. Mahalia, who has been my excursion mate since almost the beginning, and I dashed off early to the local market. Sun dried tomatoes from Sicily, Milano dried peppers, and Faro have gone into my grocery stash for the time in Paros. We then went into the Pantheon just as it opened and had the place to ourselves before heading back to the group at the hotel. I love this place of worship. I am grateful to the Roman church for declaring it as a church dedicated to Mary, thus preservng it from the destruction it would have faced as a pagan building. However, it is most definitely not a shrine to Mary – you can feel God in all of God’s aspects in this place of perfect symmetry and solemn vibes.
The public bus took us to the Massimo Museum of antique sculpture and painting. Amazing. Greek and Roman sculpture found in Rome as well as beautiful Roman frescos and mosaics. The Renaissance is behind us and now I get to commune with what feeds my soul the best – classical beauty. Yes!
Although I took one last baroque hit by going to the Borghese Gallery in the afternoon. This was our free afternoon and I had made this reservation when we first arrived at the Villa. Only 100 people at a time are allowed in this restored villa of the Borghese family – with all of the art they acquired through all sorts of means including removal from the vatican by their illustrious popes and cardinals. Much of what they had is now in the Louvre. The Bernini sculptures were amazing. But ever square inch of surface was decorated to the max. Eyes were never given a chance to relax as there was so much overload one could not even comprehend the artistry that must have been somewhere. I was glad to be released.
We toasted farewell to Italy with pasta and local Roman white wine. What an adventure it has been. Now the next phase we have all been eagerly waiting for Greece.
Lisa Oberreuter 