Perugia

The sleeping little town of Perugia is located about a three hour train ride from Rome (people might tell you its only two, but in my experience train times are always underestimated). The city is located atop various hills and gives you a beautiful view of most of Umbria, and the views are incredible. The architecture of old town Perugia is different than much of Rome and feels more fairy tale-like, in part because its more uniform and feels less chaotic. On many buildings you will find carved Griffins, the symbol of Perugia, and this adds to the medieval ambiance. The city itself also moves with a little less speed; more areas are dedicated to pedestrians and while there are certainly other visitors to the city, one doesn't have to compete with the crowds. If you are looking for a quiet getaway, check out Perugia.

Tricked by a Macroglossum Stellatarum

This weekend, Mia, my folks, and I went to a flower show in Perugia. The show itself was nice and had plants from all over the world, including an extensive collection of citrus trees that seemed local, and orchids and carnivorous plants from around the world. Being unable to take any of the plants with us made the show a little harder to enjoy. We did, however, see what seemed to be the smallest hummingbird in the world! Several of them fluttered among the flowers. We were so excited by our sighting we told everyone, including a friend who informed us the truth about our sighting. We had seen a hummingbird hawk--a creature who cleverly looks, hums, and hovers just like a hummingbird but is nothing more than a weird little moth. I have been duped by nature before, but the discovery was a little disappointing--insects are just not as exciting as animals. You can read more about the Macroglossum here, which is where I also found this photograph.

The Foutains of Rome

Rome is known for its beautiful fountains, and in the summer they become particularly valuable. Some have become the stuff of legends, such as the Trevi fountain, pictured here in a less dramatic state than its infamous appearances in films. It's nice to remember that even the ancient wonders of Rome need a little upkeep. The Trevi fountain and the three main fountains in Piazza Nuvona are sites of constant tourist involvement. At night, lit up, they are rather charming, but I also enjoy the more forgotten pieces of the city. While Fontana delle Tartarughe is not carved by the famous Bernini, nor does it have the same quality, it's a nice little piece. The original fountain only included the dolphins and the youths and a later sculptor added the turtles. It's a clever addition and gives a sense of kindheartedness to the piece.

Hot Town, Summer in the City

It may not be officially summer in Rome, but it officially feels like it. On this muggy, uncomfortable day, I have decided to blog about the some of "cooler" elements of Rome. The city has several quiet spots and parks (like the Protestant Cemetery, where I photographed this flower) that are shaded by trees and other vegetation. Not only do these places feel literally cooler because of the grass and trees, they are also places that can remind you what warm climates can provide. Unless indoors, this Amaryllis won't grow in State College. And while they're elusive, the parrots that are housed in the park on Monte Celio (which also contains this arched chapel-like space) aren't found in more temperate places.

Rome is also a place for great, chilled wines, and I specifically enjoy the frizzantes. Frizzantes, according to "Life in Italy" and in my personal experience, are less carbonated than Spumantes. Sparking wine can be found in both reds and whites. I am not sure why frizzantes are not found in the United States (at least, that I have seen). They may be merely unpopular or they are regulated so as not to be exported. But on a hot day, a nice class of chilled slightly sparkling red wine is refreshing and helps combat the heat.

Peace and Rest in Rome

The Protestant Cemetery packs a lot into a small space. Hidden behind the busy Pyramide train station, it is a cat sanctuary, botanical garden, park, and cemetery combined. It is also a tourist site. While endless Roman churches have prepared me to see sacred spaces as also places of spectacle for visitors, taking pictures in a place of grief created some discomfort for me. That being said, it's also one of my favorite places in Rome. It's significantly cooler, quieter, and more beautiful than much of the city. The kitties tend to be more friendly than the feral cats at most sanctuaries and the volunteer staff is also very friendly. The space also helps remind one just how many Catholics really live in Rome, as the "Protestant Cemetery" serves all non-Catholics, including many of the visiting population and the city's Jewish population. Certain graves are considered of special interest, including Keats, Shelley, and Gramsci. In my opinion, it's the overall ambiance that makes the space special.

Italian Neighbors

While I am pretty sure that getting stuck in an elevator is one of the worst ways to fully realize the extent of the language barrier, it is a decent opportunity to meet your neighbors. Matt and I spend a solid hour stuck between floor three and four yesterday afternoon, accompanied by a bag of garbage and perhaps fifty sugar ants. With Mia and our neighbors' help, the elevator repairman was called, and showed up in decent time. For the half-dozen or so people who happened to walk down the stairs during our stint in the elevator, we did our best to convey that we were ok, yes, it was stuck, and that someone was supposedly helping us. I pride myself on my nonverbal skills, but this adventure proved their limit. The majority of our neighbors seemed mostly annoyed to have to walk up the stairs, but we left at least one poor young woman slightly panicked and she (and her ancient grandmother) did their best to free us. Matt may be of a different opinion, but I think getting stuck in an Italian elevator is preferable to an American. While it seems a little flimsy and you are perhaps more scared of falling to your death, it was also made primarily out of wire, which made it easier to communicate to the outside, easier to get air (although it was still caldo!), and pretty easy to force the doors open and climb out of when we were finally rescued.

Baygon!

Traveling tip: Should you decide to come live in Rome (which I recommend), consider bringing ant traps. Sugar ants, as it turns out, are not merely a North American species. Both times I have been here (which I know is a rather small 'n') we have shared our apartments with ant friends. Rome, of course, also sells ant poison. It's called "baygon" but either it is not very effective or I can't figure out how to use it correctly.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

My first real introduction to a Catholic church was a Gothic church in Cobh Ireland, and perhaps that has mad me particularly inclined toward Gothic churches in general. Despite the fact that Rome has more than its fair share of churches, Santa Maria sopra Minerva is considered the only Gothic example. Minerva was also one of my first introductions to the churches in Rome.

One element of Minerva that I find particularly striking is its elephant. Sculptured by Bernini, I don’t find it particularly representative of his other work, but I still find it a pretty good rendition of an elephant and indicative of the general quality of his art. In part because she reminds me of Lucy, a wooden elephant in Margate New Jersey, I enjoy the sculpture (even though she predates Lucy by several hundred years). Yet such is bound to be the case with any US comparison.

The second reason I enjoy the church is the lighting. Santa Maria sopra Minerva is decidedly darker than most Roman churches. The Gothic element includes dark colored stained glass rather than the high clear windows of most other churches one sees in Rome. Also the marble in the church is often shadowy; gold text shines from a deep grey background. The watchers of the church, whoever they may, play off these themes. The lighting and the closed main doors keep the interior dim compared to many other of the places of worship one might visit. Perhaps the ambiance also affects the mood of the visitor. I often find Minerva a little emptier and a little less frequented by tour groups then other destinations. I enjoy the solitude. Perhaps because of the ways that the church is an outlier of the experience of Rome, I find it particularly moving.

Rome and the "Natural World"

I have been a little surprised by the presence of nature in Rome. The swallows who swoop out over the terrace in the morning and evening are a pleasant surprise. The gull who cries outside my window during my nap is not. While I have always found gulls to be rather annoying, they seem worse here. First, they are unexpected. Rome is not far from the beach, but I don't normally see gulls in cities. Also, they are loud, and they are loud in various ways! Sometimes they seem to cry like a whinny cat (specifically, they sound like Siamese) and these cries will go on for several minutes. Other times they give short, loud, startling shouts that sound almost like someone laughing or a donkey baying. I'm not a fan of any of the noises they make.

More exciting than the gulls are the parrots that seem to live up in the park on Monte Celio. While I have seen some soaring above me up into the palms and pines, I more frequently hear them bickering with each other up in the trees. They appear to be on the smaller side and are mostly all green. The park also has a little fountain with huge koi and smallish turtles. Children (and me) flock around the fountain watching the fish and turtles. The turtles are so tame they even let you touch their shells (which is actually not as exciting as I had thought). I had not expected little natural treats in the city, but I intend to find more.

International City

Sometimes it can be easy to forget that Rome is an international city. Here is a photo of a protest we happened on. According to Adnkronos International "Hundreds of Sri Lankans living in the Italian capital Rome protested on Thursday against Tamil Tiger separatists who are currently engaged in conflict with Sri Lankan troops in the north of the country." To read more on the story visit Sri Lankan Community Hold Protest Against Tamil Tigers. It seems to me that the article offers a rather simplified account of the situation in Sri Lanka, but I find it particularly interesting that Rome would also be a site of protest against the conflict when one finds it so easy to forget that the city has more than just the ethnically Italian and tourists. But there seems to be communities that are constantly engaged in political activity, although most of the time I'm not sure their exact cause.

Living Quarters

Our apartment is both quaint and curious.

The layout is rather confusing. Upon entering the apartment there is a hallway off of which are four seemingly uniform rooms. Three are used as bedrooms, and one a dinning room. Across from these rooms is the kitchen, which is somewhat small but opens onto a balcony and the inner court yard. Making dinner with the doors open means you can watch all the other neighbors doing the same. We haven't gotten off of American time yet and while the Italians seem to be starting dinner preparations around the same time, they are eating much later.

At the end of the hallway from the rooms is the only bathroom. There is no living room. This to me is odd. Is the expectation for the design of the apartment generally that there would only be two bedrooms and one would be used for the living room and another the dining room? Three or four people using one bathroom seems reasonable. As it is, there are six of us. This set up for the bathroom is less than ideal, especially given the fact that water pressure and the limited water tank (although separate just for the bathroom) makes showering take awhile and the hot water rather limited.

The terrace is certainly the most romantic element of the apartment, although the rusted stairs up to it are extremely off-putting. It is only accessible by our apartment. Here is a photo of our view from the terrace at dawn. Considering that our apartment does not otherwise seem very luxurious, it's strange to me that we would have are own individual terrace. But I like it!

UPDATE: May 16th, 2009
Another "curiosity" is the laundry system. While my clothes seem clean now, I wouldn't say I have figured out how to make the washing machine actually work. When we run it, through the first 30 minutes of the cycle it is constantly tripping the breaker. Let me point out that it has already been an adventure learning how to use a European washer with all it's new symbols, dials, and soap dishes. Now we have also learned that our apartment can't handle the electricity output--even when we turn out the lights, unplug everything, and hold our breath and cross our fingers in the dark. At least Rome is a good place to buy candles. If anyone has any better ideas, please let me know...

Blogging in Rome

To check out more of our adventures, click here to explore CAS in Rome.

And it begins

I leave tomorrow for Rome! Continue to check in here for updates on my adventures.