Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Blues, Rome, Tivoli, Villa Adrianna , and Ostia Antica for a 70th birthday extravaganza

in museum at Ostia Antica
Those who know Tom will not be surprised that he picked visiting archaeological sites and listening to music for his birthday celebration.  While D.C. was digging itself out of a blizzard, we were enjoying bright sunshine in Rome and Tivoli, site of Villa d'este and Villa Adriana, Hadrian's summer palace.

This fountain has a concealed organ operated by the water, which is played several times a day



View of garden from villa d'este terrace



One of 850 km of waterways supplying the fountains

Path lined by mini fountains




Tom picking a snack inside thevilla

We stayed two nights in Tivoli, which is an ancient and charming town that has served as a week-end getaway for Romans for over 2000 years.  In addition to Villa d'este, which was formerly a convent, turned pleasure palace by Cardinal Ippolito in the 16th century, there are other historic spots (Villa Gregoriana and a castle), as well as a pretty, winding main street and some excellent restaurants where we enjoyed a fabulous lunch.


Next day, on to nearby Villa Adrianna.  We planned to take the bus, but when we asked a local to point out the bus stop, he responded "Porto io" (I'll take you). Turns out he lives in the town Villa Adrianna, and he dropped us off at the entrance to the Villa, which is a UNESCO world heritage  site.  It was Hadrian's summer palace and has over 30 buildings covering at least 250 acres. dating back to the second century.   Much of the site has still not been excavated, but there is more there than could possibly be seen in a single visit.  Although it is now in ruins, it is still possible to see the scope and grandeur of Hadrian's humble home.



One of several pools at Adrianna






Many  people visit both villas as a day trip from Rome, it is a half hour trip from Rome to Tivoli, only 2.60 euro, but that would make for a very long day.  It's great if you are short on time, but if you are in Rome for a while, make it an overnight trip and enjoy the quiet of the countryside after boisterous Rome.

After two days in Tivoli, we took the train to the Tiburtina station, in Rome, then headed to  Hotel Navona, Dimora Storico, a great bargain in the center of 'tourist' Rome.  Only 2 blocks from Piazza Navona , the Pantheon, and Campo dei Fiori, it is also walking distance to the Colosseum, the Forum, the Capitoline Museums, many churches, even Trastevere if you feel like hiking over one of the many bridges.  We explored the neighborhood on foot, seeing places we hadn't visited in previous trips such as the Doris Pahmpilj museum, which was a chance to see how the 1% lived in the 18-19th centuries, while listening to an audioguide narrated by a count who still lives in the palazzo.  The audioguide is included in the admission--definitely listen to it as it is quite entertaining.


 breakfast at the bar followed by the train to Rome--
we had to walk across the tracks to get to the train

lunch at Il Piccolo in Rome
near Piazza Navona
Bernini's Elefanto in from of
Chiesa di Maria Sopra Minerva

Who knew we would have a chance
to stop at Trinity, Kelly's old stomping grounds?


The Trevi Fountain cleaned and without
scaffolding!  But with the ubiquitous selfie
stick users.

 
Inside the Pantheon


At the Pahmphilj museum

Trevi Fountain senza selfie sticks (major cropping necessary)
To finish the trifecta of archeological visits, we headed to Ostia Antica, another short bus or train trip from Rome, you can even use the standard 1.50 bus/metro ticket.  Take the B line metro to the Pyramide stop, then use the same ticket to take the train to Ostia, a Roman port town now in ruins and 4 km from the river due to the accumulation of silt which has changed the river course.

Ostia Antica is a chance to take a look at how regular people lived.  It is not all temples and theaters--although there are temples and theaters--there are barracks, the roman equivalent of apartments, market places, and an amazing nurmber of public baths.  Not surprisingly, the largest and most opulent was reserved for men!  As with other sites, the marble, statues, and other materials were looted and/or resused, but the site is still an incredible chance to get a feel for life 2000 years ago.

4000 seat theater at Ostia 







 Tom on Via del Tom(ba)




Tom on a pedestal for his birthday

Tom adds to the 231 pictures he took on this trip
Back to town for dinner and live blues at "Big Mama's"--a great group from Naples called "I blue stuff."  Then back to Arezzo, with a last look at a frew landmarks en route.  Happy 70th birthday Tom!




Plaza del Argentina, ruins in the middle
of Rome


Common couples in Rome:  poliziotti and nuns
(although not generallywith each other!)


Sunday, January 3, 2016

Seattle vs. Arezzo Round Two: Thanksgiving and Christmas 2015

Seattle skyline from West Seattle

 For the second year we returned to Seattle for the holidays, this time early enough for Thanksgiving with family.  Once again, the most common questions asked were what we missed about living in the US and whether we like Italy, and Arezzo in particular, more than Seattle.

Other than family and friends, there is nothing that we miss so much about the US that it would be a deal breaker for staying in Italy permanently, but we have pretty much decided to move back this June because we don't want to be 5000 miles from our daughter on a permanent basis, and if we spend less than 183 days in Italy this year, we will not be liable for the huge Italian income tax (50 to 60 percent last year, on capital gains and interest compared to a maximum of around 25% in the US).  So I guess we 'miss' the lower US tax rates.  Italians not only pay a high income tax, they pay a 22% VAT  on everything (value added tax, basically sales tax) and property taxes.  It would be less expensive to rent an apartment year round in Italy and spend only 182 days here, than to pay the higher tax.

Small things we miss while in Italy include electric dryers and clothes and linens that don't feel like tree bark from being dried outside, ethnic food (especially Mexican and Asian), and cheap, readily available OTC medicine for colds, headaches, allergies, etc.  A tisane of vitamin C just doesn't knock out those cold symptoms like a dose of NyQuil, and 11 euro for 12 ibuprofen feels like highway robbery, plus these things can only be purchased at a pharmacy in Italy,  On the other hand, healthcare and prescription drugs are almost free under the national healthcare system.  We pay only 2 euro for a prescription drug, no matter what it is.

The only things we brought back with us this time were cold medicine, fish oil, vitamins D, and our favorite shampoo. Big, big savings over Italian prices.  And gas is incredibly cheap in the US, in fact it  should probably be higher to discourage over consumption of fossil fuel.



But we have also noticed a number of things we definitely prefer in Italy.  The limits on political campaigning prevent the multi-year media blitz of the US presidential elections.  There is very limited campaigning which is a refreshing change.  Italians may elect a leader as clownish as Trump, but at least we don't have to hear and read about it for two years beforehand.

We have also become very accustomed to the late, leisurely mealtimes.  We had numerous invitations to dinner out (and enjoyed them all) but were constantly surprised to be invited at 5:30 or 6 pm, and to have the meal over in a half hour.  At the annual Christmas party for my old firm, I was surprised to look up and see that plates were being cleared before I had taken more than 3 bites!  Usually I am not behind in the hunger games.


Dim sum with Karen (left)
Sushi (above)

we stayed in an apartment for  weeks--above,
Tom & Kelly toast before an American meal of
meatloaf, brussels sprouts, and baked sweet potatoes

Post Christmas dinner at Ruth's house
We were also struck by the incredible frequency of gun violence in the US--not that we haven't seen it reported in the Italian press and in the Washington Post which we read online, but somehow it was more immediate seeing it on the news and in the daily papers.  More than 32,000 people are killed by guns in the US every year.  The  number is imprecise because the CDC does not include all gun deaths in the total for a variety of reasons.  This is 29.7 per 100,000 compared to .7 per 100,000 in England.  And, these numbers are 2 years old, based on what has been happening, they are probably higher for the US in 2015.  Many Americans ask whether it is safe to travel in Sicily or Naples.  All I can say is that you are far  more likely to be shot and killed at the movies or at school in the US than you are in the allegedly 'mafia infested' island of Sicily.  We felt perfectly safe in Sicily  and everywhere else we have traveled in Europe.

 But on to cheerier subjects!  In addition to catching up with friends and family, we had a chance to see our alma mater, University of Washington, beat our cross state rivals, Washington State University, in the annual Apple cup game, went to a couple of off beat Christmas shows, Ham for the Holidays, and Jinx Monsoon, as well as going to our first "cupping":  like a wine tasting, but for coffee.  If you are in Seattle, go to the Victrola Roastery near the convention center for their weekly, free, open to the public cupping.  You will find there is way more to coffee than you ever realized and have the chance to taste several different and unusual coffees.  They are serious about coffee at Victrola!



At the cupping


dragon in the international district (left)
seahawks color christmas lights (above)



At Wade & Carol's annual Christmas party
Who are those masked men?


Of course Thanksgiving and Christmas are the main events this time of year.  We had great fun finding and decorating a tree with Kelly and Claire and we had the opportunity to attend many fine family and friend dinners, including Wade and Carol's annual family pre-Christmas get together with the world's best mashed potatoes (still waiting to find that recipe in my stocking), to Thanksgiving AND Christmas Eve dinner at Jeff & Kathleen's beautiful home with incredible food, to our own Christmas breakfast and Christmas day dinner.

Our gracious hosts, Jeff & Kathleen (rocking her special imported chef's hat from Italy)



It is much easier to decorate the tree with Claire's help--no ladders needed!  All four 'girls' including Pepper, pose in front of the tree after the decorating is done (below).


 

Kelly shows off her big girl heels above, Kathleen, Kelly and Peyton at Christmas Eve dinner, left.

Opening presents Christmas Day was fun, especially seeing Kelly's excitement at getting a ticket to the last home game of the year for her beloved Seahawks.  Of course, getting a new ipad from Kelly to replace the one I foolishly lost was also a highlight!  We had a great Christmas brunch and a delicious dinner with friends.





Thanks mom, my annual red Christmas
panties!


An uninvited guest joins  us at the table (above), Tom and Kelly at the Seahawks game (below)

The weather was cold and wet, but we had enough clear skies to see the ferries and the mountains.

And we had time to catch one of Claire's performances and actually had american pizza--which wasn't bad!  The performance, however, was great.


All in all it was a very busy trip, no wonder Tom was so exhausted!  Next trip--Rome to celebrate Tom's 70th birthday!

Arrivederci a tutti!

Kelly on her motoguzzi.