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Rome, October 14, 2022
Did I mention… There was also a Philp Colbert art pop-up this month in Rome. His Lobster Empire is spread around Rome, but we had several great pieces around our hotel on Via Vittorio Veneto. The Marriott Grand Flora is perfectly situated to access most all of the famous sites and is next door to Borghese Park, the Embassy of Uruguay, and the US Embassy. Along this popular street, were several of Colbert’s pieces.
October 14, 2022
We came back to Rome just for a couple of days so Randy could visit the Galleria Borghese. This museum was too crowded in 2019 to visit. At that time, reservations were booked-up several months in advance and we missed it. The Galleria Borghese is home to the largest collection of Gian Lorenzo Bernini marbles and a large number of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio paintings and a few from Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (known simply as Michelangelo). It really is amazing! It’s also located in a rather large park in Rome and provides quite a nice break from the chaotic, bustling life of the Eternal City. Apologies for the “stacked” format, but I am struggling with size differences in pictures and this seems to work best for actually seeing the print.
So let’s take a look at some marbles starting with what is probably the most famous in the Borghese - Apollo and Daphne. The marble statue expresses the climax of Ovid’s Metamorphoses and captures in stunning detail that very moment that Daphne turns into a tree to escape the ravages of Apollo. You’ll see a painting overhead of almost every statue in the Borghese. Most of the carvings all have a corresponding painting above to help further relay the story of what you are seeing.
Take a look at the following. We have the Rape of Proserpina, another David, this one by Bernini (not to be confused with Michelangelo’s famous David in Florence), and Pauline Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon, reclining. Note that she sinks slightly into the sedan, and the wrinkle and sheen of the fabric. All sculpted marble!
We did also see some great paintings. There were several from Caravaggio, and other painters, including Da Vinci. You’ll note in Caravaggio’s paintings that he painted darker and darker over time: both in theme and actual paint! Once Caravaggio started dark backgrounds, others copied.
Sacred & Profane Love - One of Italy’s cherished paintings. Note the balance in many aspects.
Not a painting - a micro mosaic.
We didn’t do much more exploring in Rome this trip, but I did sneak out for a twilight walk while Randy managed a long nap. The Roman ruins light up at sunset and you can see detail that normally is in shadow or blinding sunlight during the day. It was a nice time to be out. I highly recommend a sunset visit to the Forum and Colosseum if you get a chance.
Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi. Sited in the ruins of the Forum of Augustus, built by the Knights Hospitaller at the end of the 13th century, used since 1946 by their successors, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Apartment from Roman times still in use.
Modern apartments nestled against the ancient Forum.
After Rome, we made our way to Napoli in early October, or Naples, for the home crowd. Napoli is quite different from Rome. For starters, it’s a little grittier and looks well-worn. Napoli is located beside the Bay of Naples, and in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius. You can see Vesuvius from almost everywhere. Sound familiar? In 79 A.D., Mt. Vesuvius ended life for thousands of people and buried several towns. Most notably, Ercolano (Herculaneum), and its more famous neighbor, Pompeii.
I actually enjoyed Napoli a lot. It’s the birthplace of pizza (reportedly at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, the world’s oldest pizzeria), has been continuously inhabited since the Greeks settled in the area in the second millennium B.C., and is the third largest city in Italy. Many refer to Napoli as the New York City of Italy and it does have some of that vibe.
When Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., it ended a lifestyle along the Italian coast we can only dream of today. Imagine if Santa Barbara or Pacific Palisades was suddenly consumed and buried within a matter of a few short days. Romans and their slaves who did not heed the evacuation warnings were buried alive and captured for eternity in their final pose. Unlike the Hollywood version, the mountain rumbled to life and the Romans did issue evacuation orders. Unfortunately, many stayed behind thinking prayer would save them. Along with those who lost their lives, entire towns were buried and frozen in time. Pompeii is the most famous, but Herculaneum is where some of the most intimate, well-preserved items were recovered. Jewelry that one could wear today, glassware, statuary, mosaics, wall paintings - all of it preserved instantly.
Herculaneum was rediscovered later than Pompeii, and is a much smaller archaeological site than Pompeii. Much more of Pompeii has been excavated. Locals sometimes hope the archaeologists don’t take an interest in a particular area. We were visiting Bosco de Medici Winery and along our tour I noticed a very large pit. In the pit you could see ruins of buildings and mosaics. When I asked our guide, she said that Pompeii was still buried under their ranch! Their property line was right against the famous stadium at Pompeii (the amphitheatre) on which most modern sports arenas base their design to this day.
Herculaneum may be a smaller excavation, but it is powerfully moving. If you are in Naples, it is worth your time to visit this site. One thing you notice right away, is that the modern city of Ercolano is literally on top of old Ercolano and right up to the edges of the dig site.
Note the laundry hanging from the modern apartments built atop the ancient city.
Painstaking restoration work.
A beautiful villa garden.
A mosaic family altar.
Well-preserved wall paintings.
Romans originated fast food. This is a “to go” counter.
Always evacuate when you are told to do so.
A beautiful, recovered pot greets you at the entrance of the dig site.
When the Romans went to their seaside villas, they really enjoyed the good life. Notably, in the local brothels. Both Herculaneum and Pompeii had notorious adult areas for men and women to partake of various sexual indulgences. These areas were very well marked, usually by a penis. From building markings, to interior goods and wall art, the penis ruled.
Pompeii is a full day’s excursion, or more, to really “dig” into the history and enjoy all it has to offer. The first thing you notice is the shear scale of the city. You really are traipsing through an unearthed city with streets, buildings, houses, parks - you name it! Pompeii was rediscovered in the 16th century, however, it wasn’t until 1748 that excavation and exploration began. For the most part, Pompeii was undisturbed for 1,669 years. There are numerous villas to see and a few that really stand out are the House of the Faun, the House of the Vettii (owned by two brothers), the Villa of Mysteries, and then of course the public spaces such as the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Apollo, and the very, very famous Amphitheatre of Pompeii. The football stadium at Yale is modeled after this amphitheatre, as are most sports complexes around the world to this day.
Entering Pompeii
The famous crossing stones at Pompeii. This is the only city in the Roman Empire where this was tested.
Compluvium above (to let in rain) and impluvium below (to catch the rain).
The amphitheatre!
Latin, anyone?
Inside the amphitheatre.
This villa had a Mt. Vesuvius view. Did their realtor disclose the potential danger?
Decorative bath ceiling.
Inside a bath
Lockers at the bath
This arch framed the mountain that destroyed the city.
Surviving statue (maybe House of Faun - I’m not sure).
Surviving table - still usable.
Rome, Urbs Aeterna, has an official founding date of 753 B.C., but the Eternal City has been around at least 28 centuries and is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in Europe. In fact, recent discoveries provide evidence of tools, human occupation, and archaeological finds dating back a whopping 14,000 years. One of our archaeologist told us, Rome is like a lasagna, many layers. Romulus and Remus are credited with being the twins born on the banks of the Tiber and giving rise to Rome. There is some disagreement as to which came first: Rome, named after Romulus, or Romulus named after Rome. I’ll let you explore the founding of Rome on your own. For now, all you need to know is that it is an amazing city and a must see!
Colosseum, Forum, the Seven Hills
There are seven main hills in Rome that date back to antiquity. The seat of power for the country is still located in Rome. The seven main hills are the Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, and Aventine. You can spend days exploring each hill area and it’s ancient ruins and modern shops, restaurants, and museums.
The Baths
The people of Rome had going to the spa down before it was ever a modern concept. These baths were enormous by any standard and provided bathing and entertainment for all Romans. We visited the baths of Diocletian (built by Emperor Diocletian). Diocletian’s baths could accommodate up to 3,000 people at a time. Much larger than the more famous baths of Caracalla.
Ara Pacis Augustae
The Ara Pacis Augustae, referred to as the Ara Pacis, is a fascinating, yet often overlooked monument in Rome. It is quite simply, stunning! The Ara Pacis was commissioned by the Roman Senate to honor the Emperor Augustus’ victorious return from Hispania and Gaul and dates to 9 B.C. Unfortunately, large pieces are missing and some still in the hands of private collectors.
Eternal Rome
Here are more photos of Rome. I took over 600 pictures during my trip to Italy. No, I am not uploading all of them. If you ever want to see more, just let me know. For now, enjoy several of the following.
As promised in an earlier post, I am going to give you a round-up of where Western Trekker has been over the past few weeks. I’ve also acquired a new Canon Rebel this year and I am still learning to use it so I’ve been taking it everywhere! We’ve visited Ano Nuevo on the coast above Santa Cruz, and we were off to the Sierra twice. Hopefully more next year. If you haven’t been, you need to go. As John Muir said, “the mountains are calling.”
Ano Nuevo State Park is a refuge for northern elephant seals along the California coast off of highway 1. Look for the town of Pescadero, CA and you can’t miss the park. It’s a beautiful stretch of coastline and it is a very refreshing stop on your way up or down highway 1.
There is ample space for the kids to romp and lots of trails to hike. This is also a good wildlife area in general and not just for the northern elephant seals. I saw a San Francisco garter snake; and there’s lots of deer, birds, and other critters. One forlorn looking view is of the old, 19th. century lighthouse that has long since been abandoned.
In our two trips to the Sierra this year, we covered a lot of ground. And yes, I've made galleries for each so you can check the Gallery page of this website to see the photos in large format if that works for you. The Sierra, especially the Mono Basin around Lee Vining, CA and south to Mammoth Lakes, CA is a particular favorite destination. You’ll probably see lots of posts and pictures over the years. If you ever need a recommendation on where to stay or what to see or do, feel free to reach out and ask.
My Kinsho bento box at 12,600 ft. No reservation required!
On challenge for this year was Mount Dana. This mountain is on the very eastern edge of Yosemite National Park and is the second highest peak in the park at 13,061 feet. Only Mount Lyell is taller at 13,120 feet. Both are stunning, as is the Tioga Pass area where Mount Dana is located.
We started out spur of the moment, but next time I will be more prepared. Still, we made it to the last snowfield near the top before we decided to have a well-earned lunch. Climbing Dana yields amazing views across Yosemite, over to Saddlebag Lake, and to Mono Lake to the east. I really wanted to see the Sky Pilots this year but we decided after lunch to head down instead of crossing our fourth snowfield for the day. Late in the season those snowfields and the suncups can be a huge challenge, not to mention tiring.
In another visit to the Sierra, we stayed in Mammoth Lakes with friends. Our adventures led us to Mack Lake in the Little Lakes Valley area (Rock Creek), Parker Lake, and rockhounding in Fletcher, Nevada. As an add-on, Randy and I visited Green Lake. More on Green Lake below.
Mammoth Lakes is a very convenient, year-round community for travelers. You’ll find the town is very scenic and provides for most all your creature comforts. Just don’t forget something like your laptop charging cord like I did. The lakes around Mammoth are full this year thanks to our heavy snowpack.
Mack Lake in Little Lakes Valley
Mack Lake is the first lake you come to in Little Lakes Valley along the Rock Creek trail. It’s one of many lakes. Little Lakes Valley is full of lakes and the lakes are full of trout so it’s a great place to hike and fish at the same time. Or, stop and lunch and fish as we did.
Fletcher, Nevada for rockhounding was a lot of fun. It stormed while we were out, but that only added to the drama. After the lightening, hail, rain, and wind the stones we had been looking for were easy to see. We were able to find lots of agate, carnelian, obsidian, and other fun stones. Some old glass from the 1930s was fun as well.
Parker Lake was particularly fun. It’s a mostly easy hike and you are rewarded with magnificent views and beautiful Parker Lake. If you like wildlife, mountains, waterfalls, lakes, fishing, hiking, and good access, this is the hike for you. The beginning of the trail is a little bit of an uphill grade, but not for long and then the trial levels off and it’s a pretty easy walk to the lake. We accessed the lake trail from Parker Lake road. You can also do a much longer hike or trail ride from Silver Lake over the Parker Bench for even more stunning views.
Randy and I also visited Green Lake. This was new to me but only his second time. Lots of maps say it is a 2.2 mile hike but it is not. We clocked just over 7 miles round trip from trailhead to lake. Be prepared for a longer hike than you think. It’s not difficult, but as with any of the trails in the Sierra, if you are not used to the altitude, you may need to slow your pace, take breaks, and have plenty of water with you.
Dunderberg Peak at 12,379 feet in elevation looms over the trail to your left as you are going to the lake. It makes for a very impressive guide. On this trail you can also visit East Lake and West Lake and even Gilman Lake at the base of Dunderberg if you are so inclined.
The Sierra is drop-dead gorgeous and offers endless picture postcard views. You will not run out of trails, streams, lakes, rivers, and mountains to occupy yourself. Whether you are hiker, into fishing, photography, running, painting, drawing, or just sight seeing, you’ll always have a surprise just around the bend. If you go, be prepared. We always have a lunch with us. In heavy snow years you need to have mosquito repellent with you in the summer. Lots of shady areas and along water sources are mosquito heavy. We also always take LOTS of water, a hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, our camera, and usually a lightweight rain jacket in our packs. The weather can change on a dime in the Sierra but it likely will not ruin your day if you are prepared. Many of the trails are at high elevation, so acclimate yourself before you head out. Get out there and go, ‘the mountains are calling'.
