They do thunder storms well in Rome. The day began slowly, hoping it would pass before I ventured out, which it did. Breakfast followed by an Aunty Anne guided walk over a lot of terrain, adding to my supply of landmarks making negotiations later in the day again much easier. Lots of amazing back alleys and experience of real Rome, away from the tourist trail. Also my third visit to the Pantheon! Morning this time so different light again.
Rome is a big city, though you wouldn't think so, as this morning again I ran into Anne and Mark! It would also appear we only missed each other by 15-20 minutes this afternoon at the Vatican. I didn't feel the need to do more than the basilica, having seen the Sistine in '95. Leaving it til later in the day, as I did, was suppose to eliminate the wait in cues. This morning's rain may have delayed the crowds as it still took 45 minutes to get through the security check. The Basilica is so amazing it was well worth it. Such an incredible building.
This evening was a final dinner with Anne and Mark, just round the corner, which was delightful. They are off to the Amalfi coast, and continuing travels through Italy, Switzerland and France returning early November. Lucky them. We will enjoy reliving the Roman experience as we sip coffee in Kogarah!
A huge walking day to end the Italian adventure. It has been wonderful and I feel so fortunate to have been able to enjoy these incredible experiences. Things have worked out so well ... the pre planning, the weather, I have been 100% healthy (those of you who read Easter in Springtime will remember how my dental issues at the time did make the journey very challenging) and of course the perfection which was the "main event", Mary and Mark's spectacular wedding.
To those who have shared the journey by reading Bella Italia, I hope you have relived your own memories and/or been inspired to visit this beautiful country, with its fascinating ancient history and its incredible natural beauty.
I have attempted, quite unsuccessfully I'm sure, to paint a picture through my simple words that will help me to remember this experience for many years to come. But as a picture does paint a thousands words, I will be adding photos here to really do justice to this amazing journey. I'll be disappointed if I'm not finished by Sunday night, before I hit the ground running on Monday! So feel free to come back any time and see what I have tried hard to describe.
Plane departs tomorrow afternoon and I arrived late Thursday in Sydney. A few days to wash, sleep, get my head around school and add photos here.
Arrivederci
Ciao!
I'm glad the weather forecasters again got it wrong. There have been moments of rain, the best part of which is watching the umbrella and poncho sellers appear, on cue, right out of nowhere! I resorted to my umbrella only once and took the other as a sign that it was time for lunch.
Have walked and walked. Vatican to Spanish Steps, to Trevi Fountain and Pantheon (again). Pre-Dinner drinks in Piazza Navona followed by a lovely dinner in a ristorante not far from there with Sue, Tim, Anne and Mark. Sharing stories of our day's adventures and also finding ourselves doing the reality check of 'Is this real? Are we really here? Did we just attend a most amazing wedding in a Roman castle?!'
One more day to explorer the eternal city. Comforting to know it's 'eternal' so what you can't see in four days will still be here when you come back, which you will, if you made your donation to the 'Trevi Fountain Return Tourist Fund'!
School tomorrow ... or actually right now Sydney time! Hope the short week makes it a little easier.
A brief (or maybe not so brief!) synopsis of the last three days ...
Friday ... Communication has been difficult between we Aussies. Easy wifi access is tricky. Texts not arriving is common. As a result I waited for Anne and Mark who didn't arrive...still waiting for their text. Hit the walking trail to the Vatican at about 12, aiming to join a hop on, hop off bus to get my head round Roman geography. This I did just down from St Peter's.
Between there and the next stop, as I sat on top of the bus, who should I see on the footpath but Anne and Mark! Not knowing I didn't get the text they had been thinking I would join them in Piazza Navona. We had a very short loud conversation, which must have entertained both those on the bus and on the footpath!
I then got home with enough time to get ready before Sue and Tim picked me up from my hotel and we then had a pre dinner drink on Piazza Navona to catch up with each others travels since arriving. Then onto the pre-wedding dinner, where all wedding guests were dining. It was a wonderful evening. So fantastic to see Mary and Mark, meet family and friends and get into celebration mode. It was grand!
Friday morning I had planned to play tourist for a few hours but a furious electrical storm made that idea suddenly unappealing. A sleep in, late breakfast on Campo Fiori and a wander in my local area was a much better idea. Even found a hairdresser a three minute walk from here and made an appointment for 1. So with hair done and glad rags on Sue, Tim and I arrived at 'wedding central' to join other guests on a coach, organised by Mary and Mark, to get to the castle, about 40 minutes out of central Rome.
So hard to put into words the amazing experience which was the wedding. In short ... The castle was incredible, the chapel intimate and perfect, the bride stunning and gloriously happy, the ceremony - meaningful, personal and an 'experience' (to quote Father Michael),
the sense of unity and communal witness was palpable, the musical talents of family and friends enhanced the liturgy perfectly. The pre dinner drinks and antipasto on the terrace, over looking Roman countryside, with live music, set the scene beautifully for the rest of the evening. The dining room was elegant with wonderful personal touches alluding to Mary and Mark's love of music, as well as beautifully formal table settings and glorious red and white roses everywhere.
The wine flowed, the food, which was fantastic, kept coming! The formal proceedings were very Mary and Mark, honouring family and friends (those present and absent) and making it very clear to all, blessed to be present, what a perfect union we were witnessing.
The dancing was enthusiastic and great fun. What followed was, for the Aussie contingent, a most incredible experience of Irish tradition. As the castle staff packed up around us, the extremely musical members of both families and it seemed like all their friends, played and
sang for, it must have been, close to two hours. The sound of probably close to 20 Irishmen singing with passion traditional Irish songs was spine tingling. Some Neil Diamond was thrown in for good measure. Around the piano was Mark with his wonderful vocals who was joined by brothers, cousins, brother in law, friends and then the bride joined in on the fiddle! It was such an amazing way to end a magic night.
We were thrown out on to the terrace, lemoncello was had and I think it was about 3.30 when I got to my room!
The party continued, sharing the table at breakfast with Mary and her parents before we all boarded the bus for a tour round some parts of Rome. Fr Michael had lived, studying in Rome for a number of years so was our translator and guide on the coach mic. It was fabulous. Two spots we ventured off the bus. One was near the Forum (where Anne had a very close encounter with a pick pocket. The thief was only stopped, after she had opened Anne's bag, by a very fast souvenir seller who yelled at the girl, who ran, saving Anne from what could have been an awful start to their month in Europe.
The second at the Trevi Fountain, which was where quite a few of us left as our hotels were that end of town, rather than going back to 'wedding central' to then have to make our way back across town. We bid farewell to the very happy couple, who leave tomorrow for three weeks of Italian adventures. And so the main event is over, but the magical memories will last a lifetime. I feel so blessed to have been able to be here and share such an amazing experience with them.
Returned 'home' to dump overnight bag and then headed to the Pantheon, which I didn't see when here in 1995. Just amazing.
Late lunch/early dinner in a cafe on Piazza Navona hit the spot before coming home for what will definitely be an early night once I've finished watching Roman Holiday!
Only two days left of my Italian exploration. Intend to see Sue, Tim, Anne and Mark before I/they leave. The weather was supposed to be awful yesterday and today but all was good.
The next two are also supposed to be wet. But hopefully they'll be wrong about them too.
I know this has been long but for St Patrick's friends and colleagues I know they are keen to know all about the wedding and I also wanted a record, so I can remember in the future how amazing this slice of life has been.
Let me just say this so I know it is real. I'm in a magnificent castle .... just outside of Rome ... with friends ... about to witness the wonderful union of two of my favourite people! This is definitely one of life's most memorable moments.
"Umm ... Hello ... It's past 7am Sydney time and my regular blog isn't up yet ... I hope you haven't been having too much fun with your friends! ,
I think Virginia wrote that almost 3 hours ago! Just back home from pre-wedding dinner! Sue and Tim walked me home, enroute to their hotel, through piazza Navona where we stopped for pics. It is almost 1 am and am keen to sleep and do some site seeing before serious pre wedding beauty routine. No time now to talk about Rome, sight seeing, bazaar friends sighting, 1 degree of separation with OS wedding guest or deep and meaningful state of the universal Catholic Church with tomorrow 's celebrant.
Just bizarre to be having drinks on piazza Navona with Sydney friends and dinner with ones held in such high Aussie esteem.
Too tired for more. Not dead Virginia, just high on nuptial celebratory bliss! More Sunday ... or maybe Monday depending how well I recover! Bring on the castle, wedding and Irish celebration big time!
Days that involve journeying to a new destination have always tended to be the most stressful when travelling. Was worried about this one. Train stations, crime, luggage, Roman taxi drivers with a bad reputation for ripping you off .... the unknown generally.
One really shouldn't worry until there is something to worry about! The day went perfectly smoothly. Arrived in my simple room about 2. Unpacked as I could with no drawers! Made brief contact with Sue, got the very helpful guy on the desk to mark in Mary and Sue's hotels and also the restaurant for tomorrow night on a map. A gelato lunch in Piazza Navona with entertaining buskers and impressive sculptures. Missed Sue with our restricted wifi and decided to see if I could find their hotel. Pretty direct and not too far away, I impressed myself. Sat in a bar on a nearby piazza enjoying a few drinks, nibbles and gravity defying performance art. I would NEVER do that in Australia. Have gone beyond a few of my previous boundaries. The challenges and achievements of solo travelling!
The aim was to get home before it was really dark, but kept getting distracted by markets, shops and lively piazzas. Probably just after 7.30 I finally walked in.
Anne and Mark fly in tomorrow and as they can't check in til the afternoon are planning on touching base here. Pre wedding dinner tomorrow night, not too far from here, which is handy. Won't play tourist until Monday. A very exciting three days ahead.
My final day in Firenze was divided into the first half of being a tourist and the second being a shopper! I did the extended route on the hop on hop off bus which took two hours. The furthest point, Fiesole, was recommended by my cycling expert of Sunday. This mountain was the final stage of the race and is a town, older than Florence. The views of the vine covered hills and their accompanying magnificent villas matched the wonderful vistas back over Florence. The bus audio was informative and being on the open top in glorious sunshine was a lovely way to spend a few hours.
On recommendation from my niece Virginia I went to San Lorenzo church and saw her favourite painting. Actually younger than me, just, which is a novelty in this town of ancient art. Very gorgeous painting of Jesus, about four years old I'm guessing, helping Joseph in the workshop. The bond between the two is clear and his use of light alludes to a cross. It is very beautiful and so different to anything I have seen. Thanks Virginia.
Markets kept me busy this afternoon. Finding things I wanted as well as a couple of unexpected and delightful additions to my luggage. I really enjoy using things I have brought on my travels. Brings it all back.
'Home' being in the centre of town is very handy. A free, clean bathroom as well as being able to deliver shopping and go out and do some more. It has been a perfect place to stay.
I had a 5 o'clock piazza lunch/dinner admiring the David copy. With three visits now to Florence I haven't seen the real thing! One day my eagerness to see it will outweigh my dislike of wasting time in cues.
Well tomorrow begins the main event. Mary and Mark have already arrived in Roma and by Friday morning all the St Pat's contingent will be assembled. I will be very happy once I have negotiated my second train and arrived at my hotel via cab, with all my belongings and myself intact. Bit nervous about Rome. Navigation and security are going to be harder than up til now. Specially when I have to be at particular places at appointed times. All part of the rich tapestry that is travelling!
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