Pretty quiet day today here in Rome. This post is going to be open ended, as I need some feedback on my summer. I'm going to be in Rome a lot this Fall, and through the Centro (name of the program I am participating in, here's a link for more info) I will be able to visit some of the greatest monuments and museums Rome has to offer. We take week long trips to Campania and Sicily, as well as an excursion to Ostia, but other than that we stay mostly in the city. With that in mind, I'm aiming to travel in Italy and see some of the things I won't get to see this Fall. I'm hoping to travel as long as my parents, money, and health permit it, but in order to begin planning I need some suggestions. Here are my thoughts so far:
Weekends:
June 14th-15th=In Rome due to Rain
June 21st-22nd=Assisi
June 28th-29th=In Rome, friends are visiting from ND
July 4th-5th=Pompeii to visit friend doing excavations
July 11th-12th=Rome
July 19th-20th=Ravenna or Meet Austin in Milan/Northern Italy
July 25th-26th=Ravenna or meet Austin in Milan/Northern Italy
August 2nd-3rd= Bologna/Florence
August 9th-10th= In Rome for Last weekend
What are your thoughts or opinions on these? I haven't asked any of my friends whether these weekends work for them (or my parents! love you guys!), so this is just a very preliminary sketch, but I thought I might get opinions on places "you have to visit" while spending time in Italy. Everyone of these dates is flexible except the June 14th-15th, the June 28th-29th, and August 9th and 10th. Shoot me an email (tinmantom@gmail.com) or drop me a comment of your thoughts and opinions about my plans.
Thanks and happy weekend!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Thursday Stories
Thought I might run down the past couple of days.
Monday-
Arrive at work for the first time, work for an hour, head down to the Museum library for a render-vous with the Patrons of the Arts from Belgium. Ushered them for a private tour of the Marble restoration lab, including the hall of sarcophagi, a part of the museum currently being renovated. They then had lunch on the rooftop terrace of the Vatican museum, followed afterwards by a tour of the Vatican archives.
Tuesday-
The Patrons of Belgium had a special mass, celebrated by HE Cardinal Bertello, aka the governor of Rome, aka second in command to the Pope. Just so happened that a server was needed for the mass, and it just so happens that one of the interns has 12 years of service under his belt, and was eager to use his gifts to help the Cardinal. We were all a little shell shocked by the importance of Cardinal Bertello, but he was extremely soft spoken and seemed a very gentle man. The day that you are star struck on the altar is the day you make a mistake, and having learned from my father (many things, but some have stuck more than others) that all men put their pants on the same way, I was able to serve the mass efficiently and without messing up. Other than the paten. I've served hundreds of masses, and have done every mass there is to do (Vigil, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Baptism, Funeral, First Communion, Wedding) and helped with incense, sprinkling and everything in between. However, when Fr. Mark, the leader of the Patrons in Rome handed me the paten and told me to assist the Cardinal with Communion. Now we Maine Hites are not high society kind of folks and I have never, in my 12 years, served a mass or recall seeing a mass in which the paten was used. I kind of assumed it was to be used as a precaution in case the Holy Eucharist fell, but not knowing for sure I didn't want to just thrust it right under the governor of Rome's nose and risk offense. Wound up confusing the Belgians, the Cardinal and myself, but that's life. Live and learn I suppose.
After mass we had a private tour of the after hours Vatican museum, devoid of visitors. We got to see a lot of the art up close and personal, without being disturbed by jostling or people talking. One such work of art is the Sistine chapel, which we had a semi private tour of and were able to spend some time in. I can honestly say I have never seen anything as beautiful as that work of art. I just kind of melted into the floor and tried (but failed) to take it all in. Every little aspect of the painting tells a story. On the outside, it's the Biblical stories of Moses (Old Testament) and Jesus (New Testament) sandwiched by the Last Judgement and the Creation story. On a deeper level, all the minute decisions of the various artists tells a story of politics, history, and personal expression. Fr. Mark was a spectacular tour guide, and he pointed out a lot of details I would have overlooked. One such detail was the recurrence of a little white dog in many of the scenes. This was Michelangelo's dog, and like many pet owners he loved to "take pictures" of it to "post on his wall." Only difference is his wall was the Sistine chapel. Really a mind boggling experience.
We ended the evening with a private dinner in the Greek and Roman antiquities section, at which was served steak and potatoes (a little finer quality than what my mother makes, but still steak and potatoes) which was delicious and provided some much needed energy after the tour. We were also served champagne and white and red wines, straight from the Vatican museums storage. Truly a magical night, which I was honored to be able to attend and help out in any way possible.
Wednesday-
We visited the Holy steps with the Belgium chapter today. These steps are the same ones Jesus climbed after having been condemned by Pilate to death. One of the Pope's gave orders for the marble to be cut straight out of its fixtures in Jerusalem and brought to Rome. We climbed the steps together with the Patrons, and then were allowed into the Holy of Holies, an inner sanctuary, with an altar containing the head of one of the saints and a piece of the wood of the cross! We saw neither of these things (thankfully) but you could almost feel the aura. We finished this tour with a trip to the scaffolding. The Holy Steps are housed in a building with a beautiful mural, which is currently being restored by the Patrons, which we were allowed to go, climb the scaffolding, and see the restoration process up close and personal. On the subway back to my apartment, I happened to run into one of my buddies from ND, who is in Rome taking classes. It's a small world we all live in. More to come tomorrow!
Monday-
Arrive at work for the first time, work for an hour, head down to the Museum library for a render-vous with the Patrons of the Arts from Belgium. Ushered them for a private tour of the Marble restoration lab, including the hall of sarcophagi, a part of the museum currently being renovated. They then had lunch on the rooftop terrace of the Vatican museum, followed afterwards by a tour of the Vatican archives.
Tuesday-
The Patrons of Belgium had a special mass, celebrated by HE Cardinal Bertello, aka the governor of Rome, aka second in command to the Pope. Just so happened that a server was needed for the mass, and it just so happens that one of the interns has 12 years of service under his belt, and was eager to use his gifts to help the Cardinal. We were all a little shell shocked by the importance of Cardinal Bertello, but he was extremely soft spoken and seemed a very gentle man. The day that you are star struck on the altar is the day you make a mistake, and having learned from my father (many things, but some have stuck more than others) that all men put their pants on the same way, I was able to serve the mass efficiently and without messing up. Other than the paten. I've served hundreds of masses, and have done every mass there is to do (Vigil, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Baptism, Funeral, First Communion, Wedding) and helped with incense, sprinkling and everything in between. However, when Fr. Mark, the leader of the Patrons in Rome handed me the paten and told me to assist the Cardinal with Communion. Now we Maine Hites are not high society kind of folks and I have never, in my 12 years, served a mass or recall seeing a mass in which the paten was used. I kind of assumed it was to be used as a precaution in case the Holy Eucharist fell, but not knowing for sure I didn't want to just thrust it right under the governor of Rome's nose and risk offense. Wound up confusing the Belgians, the Cardinal and myself, but that's life. Live and learn I suppose.
After mass we had a private tour of the after hours Vatican museum, devoid of visitors. We got to see a lot of the art up close and personal, without being disturbed by jostling or people talking. One such work of art is the Sistine chapel, which we had a semi private tour of and were able to spend some time in. I can honestly say I have never seen anything as beautiful as that work of art. I just kind of melted into the floor and tried (but failed) to take it all in. Every little aspect of the painting tells a story. On the outside, it's the Biblical stories of Moses (Old Testament) and Jesus (New Testament) sandwiched by the Last Judgement and the Creation story. On a deeper level, all the minute decisions of the various artists tells a story of politics, history, and personal expression. Fr. Mark was a spectacular tour guide, and he pointed out a lot of details I would have overlooked. One such detail was the recurrence of a little white dog in many of the scenes. This was Michelangelo's dog, and like many pet owners he loved to "take pictures" of it to "post on his wall." Only difference is his wall was the Sistine chapel. Really a mind boggling experience.
We ended the evening with a private dinner in the Greek and Roman antiquities section, at which was served steak and potatoes (a little finer quality than what my mother makes, but still steak and potatoes) which was delicious and provided some much needed energy after the tour. We were also served champagne and white and red wines, straight from the Vatican museums storage. Truly a magical night, which I was honored to be able to attend and help out in any way possible.
Wednesday-
We visited the Holy steps with the Belgium chapter today. These steps are the same ones Jesus climbed after having been condemned by Pilate to death. One of the Pope's gave orders for the marble to be cut straight out of its fixtures in Jerusalem and brought to Rome. We climbed the steps together with the Patrons, and then were allowed into the Holy of Holies, an inner sanctuary, with an altar containing the head of one of the saints and a piece of the wood of the cross! We saw neither of these things (thankfully) but you could almost feel the aura. We finished this tour with a trip to the scaffolding. The Holy Steps are housed in a building with a beautiful mural, which is currently being restored by the Patrons, which we were allowed to go, climb the scaffolding, and see the restoration process up close and personal. On the subway back to my apartment, I happened to run into one of my buddies from ND, who is in Rome taking classes. It's a small world we all live in. More to come tomorrow!
#TBT
For those who aren't aware, TBT stands for Throwback Thursday, and is popular on social media sites. For those who may have missed it, I wanted to have a mini throwback (and shout out) to Albania. One of our group just posted some videos documenting our exploits, and I thought you all might get a kick out of seeing a less serious side of me. What can I say, I love to dance.
Post by Gloria Bolzoni.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Images
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Just Another Day in the Life of a Boy
Mi dispiace, but I'm going to bed. Private session in the Sistine chapel, dashing through St. Mark's cathedral, serving a Cardinal mass, dinner in the Greek and Roman antiquities session, 10+ miles walking and a 15 hour day have me exhausted. I have plenty of photos and stories to tell, but I have the joy of doing this all over again tomorrow starting at 7 am, so I'm going to catch some zs and save the story telling for tomorrow. Thanks for understanding and much love.
Monday, June 9, 2014
First Day of Work at the Vatican Museum
I started work at the Vatican Museum today. Let me just say that I apologize to all future visitors of the museum, because there are bits of my mind blown all over the place. I spent the entire day with my mouth hanging open like an idiot, as each room presents a masterpiece more precious than the next. Our office is really cool and the team is really friendly. I spent an hour working on some introductory computer work, and then one of the Patrons (I work for the Patrons of the Arts) called the interns to go meet members of the Belgian chapter of the Patrons of the Arts. We proceeded to show them around (including a member of the Belgian royal family) to places unavailable to normal tourists. One such place was lunch above the Vatican museum, which is pictured below:
Please note the Pantheon in the last photo. We then received a private tour of the Vatican archives, including an original letter from one Henry the 8th requesting an official annulment from the Pope so that he may marry another wife. The Pope refused, and Henry in a rage went on to found his own church and disengage England from the power of the Pope. To summarize:
The bad- was pickpocketed in the Vatican museum (I caught the guy before he grabbed anything, I just felt a tug on my bag, spun my bag around and found it hanging open) and it's hot and getting hoter.
The good- I'm killing it. Next goal is to meet his Holiness, but the way the chips are falling, I like my odds. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
The bad- was pickpocketed in the Vatican museum (I caught the guy before he grabbed anything, I just felt a tug on my bag, spun my bag around and found it hanging open) and it's hot and getting hoter.
The good- I'm killing it. Next goal is to meet his Holiness, but the way the chips are falling, I like my odds. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Travel Day
The travel from Albania to Greece was somewhat eventful, and it produced some pictures which you may enjoy. I happened to have a friend on the ferry from Albania to Corfu (it's a small world and I'm always making connections) so we chatted on the ride over. Here are those photos:
The trouble began when I landed on Corfu. I was the last one through customs (perks of being an American, don't worry I get karma pays me back later, just keep reading) and found the hotel alright. I, being a half way decent Catholic, thought that I would go explore the island in search of the Catholic church, so that Sunday morning I could attend mass before flying to Rome. I proceed to get lost (that makes two countries I've gotten lost in looking for churches, don't worry that count will increase) but in the process I took photos of the island.
I eventually found said church and returned to the hotel after chowing down on fresh calamari and french fries. I discovered via the internet that mass began at 10:30 on Sunday mornings, presenting me with a schedule issue, as my flight was set to take off at 1:10. If mass ended at 11:30, I determined I could return to the hotel, grab my bags, and make the airport by noon, giving me plenty of time to get through the tiny airport. This plan went off without a hitch; I packed up, walked the mile to mass and grabbed a morning photo of the harbor.
The church was fairly small, and remained empty till about 10 minutes before mass. I noticed some strange aspects to this church though. The first was an obnoxious tourist with a huge camera taking photos of literally everything. Next there were three children wearing white robes, who were joined by three more closer to mass time. I thought it strange that they used so many altar servers, but I thought that was the Greek way. The next individual threw off this perception. A little man wearing a pink skull cap entered the church, went to the altar, bowed and went to the sacristy. For those playing along, you realised what I soon found out: that the Bishop of Corfu had just entered the church and I was at a First Communion Mass. I gave it an hour, and when I realized I wasn't going to make both Communion and my flight, I took off, but not before grabbing this photo of the Bishop:
I am usually opposed to photos during mass, but I'm going to make an exception on this trip. When I meet the Pope, you best believe I'm taking a photo. Anyhow, I rushed off to the airport, only to be told that my two bags were two heavy, and that I would need to pay 100 euros to fly. This is no bueno, and I was in a pickle until one of the desk clerks realized I was an American. She changed her tone when she realized I play for the Stars and Stripes, worked some things on the computer, and found a way to fly one of my bags for free, so that I only paid 50 euros. I arrived in Rome, was picked up by the taxi my dad bought for me and had the drive to the apartment where I'm staying. I checked in, unpacked and went looking for food and a church (still hadn't received Communion). I upped my cllfc (country lost looking for church) count to three, as despite Rome having an infinite number of churches, I couldn't find a single one (except the Vatican, but I was in no mood to get suited up for a Vatican City mass). I eventually found one, received Communion, bought pizza and gelatto, got lost returning to my apartment, finally found it again, and then showered and prepared for work today. I leave you with this delightful photo of my leg, comparing three weeks in the sun and three weeks covered by socks.
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| Rocking the Mediterranean Tan |
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