We finally have another update, this time from Italy! We took the ferry from Corfu overnight to Bari Italy then took the train to Napoli (thats Naples) got in late, with nowhere to stay but Grace used her reservation wizardry and found an amazing deal on a hotel walking distance from a train station. She is amazing.
The next day we took the train into the middle of Naples, and then took the funicular up to the top of the hill for the view and the Certosa di San Martino; an old monastery converted to a museum at the top of the hill near the Castel Sant'elmo.
The view was worth it.
The chapel in the museum was amazing. Such vibrant colors.
The ceiling was particularly amazing. It is impressive to see how well the building was designed to use the natural light to show off the ceiling and yet at the same time illuminate the whole church. We don't decorate like this anymore...
They had extensive collections of nativity scene figures in one of the galleries...
Also a couple very large carriages that were immaculately preserved. The leather harnesses were still intact, and the gold details on the body of the carriage were impressive.
They also had several boats there. This one was for royalty.
Its really the little details that matter...
The next day we took a trip to Pompeii which is only about a 30 min train ride. We found it odd that you could see Mount Vesuvius from Naples, but was relatively unharmed while Pompeii was almost completely obliterated.
We saw the famous mural tile floor warning "beware of dog"
As well as the large floor mural depicting Alexander the Great, who was a visitor in this house.
Sadly due to it being off-season a good many places were closed for renovation or preservation, but I am not sure the sign was very clear...
We got to sit where Pomeiian citizens sat to watch a play. Odd to think about being in a place with so much history, that people we know so much, and yet so little about were right were we were, so long ago, seeing the same thing. I wish I could see what it was like before it was a crumbling ruin that a volcano half destroyed, but yet I am awed by the fact that it is still here for us to enjoy.
After spending a few days in Naples, we took a train north to Rome. We were walking distance from the Colosseum, so after checking in we walked down there to get some pictures, see the sights, and of course... Gelato.
Also, our building had an elevator, but it was really old. We enjoyed it a lot. Too much perhaps.
Then with a fresh day ahead of us we went down and got into the Colosseum. Grace might have gotten a little carried away with the spirit of things watching people vie for the best photo spots...
The amount of information posted about what we were seeing was very scant and what there was, was in Italian. However that didn't stop us from enjoying the scenery.
Grace was a huge fan of this ancient stone flower as you can see...
We went and found the Trevi Fountain, but as it was off season it was covered in scaffolding while it was kept clean and in good shape. Kind of a bummer for us though...
The architecture is still beautiful, even if it isn't the famous stuff you have seen pictures of before.
The next day we had reserved tickets to go see the vatican so as to avoid the two hour long line, but on the way to vatican I got my wallet stollen, and so we got to spend the day filing a police report and canceling credit cards, and trying to get new ones. However CapitalOne really came through and got us a new card the NEXT DAY.
So we went the next day and stood in line for two hours (our tickets had a time limit on them). It didn't bother me at all to be surrounded by a zillion potential pickpockets... (I have my eye on you big guy...)
Two hours later (yes it literally took that long) we were in! Worth it!
A lot of the ceilings were painted to look like inset stone-carvings. The attention to the lighting and shading was impressive, and the colors were really unique. A picture will never capture it; you just have to go see it for yourself.
here is a little closer picture...
Here are some real sculptures... There were so many, but for having such a strictly modest dress code, there was an awful lot of nudity in the Vatican, even if it was lifeless nudity.
I've heard that this painting is pretty famous...
Even the floors were decorated...
And the archways... (sorry for the blurriness)
Sadly we were not able to take pictures of the Sistine Chapel (people did it anyway) Photography is strictly forbidden; as are hats, sleeveless tops and dresses shorter than the knee (on anyone, not just the ladies... nobody wants to see that guys... wear some pants!) However, the ceilings and domes were all beautifully painted.
After seeing the vatican, we picked up our bags, and headed north towards Tuscany.
These pictures can never convey how amazing these sights and sounds and smells are. In short... you need to some see these things for yourself.
(but more pictures will be coming soon)
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