Home now for a good month. Finally found my rhythm back. The jet lag lasted a solid 2 weeks after crossing 3 time zones. Then we had some guests and visiting friends so we got busy organizing meet-ups and reunions. Plus, being home after 2 months of travel required some sprucing up, health-wise and grooming-wise. Trips to the doctors, dental clinics, lab tests, spas, beauty parlor, and other wellness-related stuff.
Meditation Garden near the Adoration Chapel
The rhythm of church duties and meditation sessions put me back to normalcy. On top of the simple and regular mundane stuff we do, I yearn for the spiritual and emotional tranquility following a hectic and physically-challenged routine imposed by traveling. You can say that “in between trips”, we yearn for solitude and calmness . A perfect reminder too to celebrate the blessings and express gratitude that we’re back without any major mishap or misadventure. After all, I bet our daily pace when traveling must be at least triple, if not way way more than our regular load.
Visiting Friends
It’s also time to apply or renew expiring/ expired visas to prep for future travels. I have a load here: UK, Schengen, Australian and New Zealand visas. Kinda tiring but one’s got to do what one’s got to do. This is when I get truly jealous of friends and kin holding stronger passports! Poor me had to submit bank certificates, travel itineraries, flight and hotel reservations, etc. And it really bugs me that some embassies issue only one year-visas after all the trouble.
But it’s good to find one’s rhythm. After all, life has many chapters and like a good book, we put it down to pause. Even reflect on what’s been and how things are. It’s being present. And being well. 👍
If I had my way, I’d either go to Lake Como or head south to Sicily. Perhaps even jump off from there to visit Malta, which has been in my bucket list for sometime. But this is an unplanned trip and the principal destination is Venezia for nieta’s participation in an art exhibit there. Met up with them, spent just another night in Venice and hopped on a train the next day to Firenze. Having based ourselves there for 7 days and 6 nights, we spent 3 whole days doing excursions to explore Tuscany and the Italian Riviera. After a week, off we went to the Eternal City. Not enough time to cover as much ground in historic Rome but we managed quite well. Nothing rushed. We skipped some but enjoyed whatever we managed to visit. This blog summary lists all the cities and neighborhoods we ticked off in about 2 weeks. Just click the links for more photos and details. Ciao!
After a visit to Maxxi Museum of Contemporary Art, we took a cab to Trastevere for dinner. Tourists and locals alike seemed to be all here, lining up for dinner. We’ve chosen to try Tonarello, in the Piazza Della Scala. We each ordered pasta as our “primi” and then shared a bowl of mussels. I know, we didn’t want to disappoint the Italians by making a meal out of our pasta dishes — Cacio y Pepe, Carbonara and Amatriciana — but those carbs served in their pans can be very filling. We love the moules, as well as the Prosecco. We even love the chaos and the noise you get when eating al fresco in some corner in Trastevere. The “shouts” to those in line when a table is vacated is a practiced skill. For desserts of gelato and tiramisu, we tried another barwithin the same area. As in somewhere more quiet. 😉
TrastevereChurch of Santa Maria Della Scala
Because traffic is banned from some sections like the piazzas, outdoor dining especially when it’s near-summer is truly delightful. Just around the block, tables under huge umbrellas were laid out with handicrafts, artisan jewellery, art pieces, and other curios. There was also an abundance of antique bric-a-brac in the outdoor stalls as well as in tiny vintage shops. The good coffee shops — called bars here — are easy to spot. There is almost always a line. Same goes for gelaterias which are spread all over Rome.
Al fresco Dining in TrastevereSant’ Eustachio Coffee on the go
Not sure if it’s because of the time of day we visited, but Monti seems less crowded. We had breakfast in one of the bars here. A breakfast which may well be a post-meal dessert as we ordered tiramisu and cannolis to go with our coffee. Well, we’re in Rome! The busker music then drew us out of the bar and into these cutesy, tiny vintage shops and record bars which of course took some of our precious time. All’s well, we’re having a good time. Not rushing, just browsing. At mid-morning, some activities have just began. Like bread deliveries to trattorias, shop openings, street-sweeping, etc. You can tell these Italians start their days late. And enjoy their coffee under the morning sun. (We took our breakfast table INSIDE).
Monti Neighborhood Monti
We’re glad we spent time in this neighborhood. The vibrant scene has such a local flavor that’s missing in many tourist traps. Of course, The tourists have already discovered these bohemian spots but somehow, that old character remains. Was trying to figure out what changed — and I’m guessing the tourists are here “on their own”, taking less photos, and NOT herded around in groups with a tour guide. No umbrellas! No pushing for that impossible “sans crowd” posterity shot before a fountain, a building, a Bernini sculpture. No cam whores! Why? Besides, the visitors seem to be more interested in the trattorias and osterias here. They must be hungry like us too, so the concerns and priorities differ. What do you think? 🤔
I’m praying I still have some leftover energy for this last stop in Italy before heading home. With 4 more nights in the Eternal City, we needed to decide which spots TO MISS. Easier to decide on which to give up, rather than which are the must-sees. There are just too many. As it turned out, the basilica interiors can wait. The walk-through the Roman Forum and the Colloseo interiors are struck off the list. The Vatican Museum and other museos can wait another day. And so it happened so naturally that the must-see spots were narrowed down to Saint Peter’s Square, the Vittorio Emmanuel and Piazza Venezia, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Colloseo and the Roman and Imperial Forum from the roadside.
Fontana Di TreviSaint Peter’s SquareVittorio Emmanuel
It was a struggle to maintain one’s sanity given the flux of tourists in ALL the “must-tick- off” list in Rome. Unless you get there real early — as in the break of dawn — expect tourist traps. Even museum visits can be an ordeal when one pushes or gets pushed by the thick crowd. It was hot and humid when we reached Rome, and people around aren’t in the best of moods. We saw many gelato scoops on the ground — must have been dropped there by tourists angling for snapshots while navigating the crowds. We joined a walking tour “for context” as my apos would say. But we DIY’d the Vittorio Emmanuel, Saint Peter’s Square and Piazza Venezia. We made time to visit a museum of contemporary art, and lingered in 2 bohemian neighborhoods in Rome.
ColloseoPiazza NavonaPantheon
I think we did pretty well. The apos can always visit the spots they missed next time around. I remember renting a room in Rome with my niece in 2006 for 11 days. Thought that gives us much time to cover more ground but naaahhh, one should always be willing to pass up some good spots. On this trip, we only had 4 days. Ergo, we decided on a core list of mandatory visits if only so we can roam freely in some of the neighborhoods we found more interesting. Besides, the heat, the crowd, the sun were beginning to bother us. We have also been hailing cabs or booking Uber rides. All energy sapped to even take the bus or train. Thank goodness we’ve been eating real well here and elsewhere in Italy. We are adequately “nourished” and that kept our sanity intact.
Spanish StepsAltar of Fatherland
Next and final blog will be on the neighbourhoods we spent more time in. Monti and Trastevere charmed us. We liked the bohemian vibe and the dining scene we found very interesting. Watch this page 🙂
“I’m a big believer in winging it. I’m a big believer that you’re never going to find perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one. Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss, I think, and I’m always trying to push people to allow those things to happen rather than stick to some rigid itinerary.”
It’s been on my bucket list for the longest time. Oh well, there’s a lot more in that list and I’m just thinking Italy here. Italy draws me back time and again. It’s always been my happy place and I’m not just thinking food. And since I’m showing first-timer apos around, we did the holy triangle (Venice, Florence, Rome) but I made sure I squeezed in a destination that’s a first visit for all 3 of us. And Cinque Terre it is. Would have loved staying a few nights to explore all 5 villages but time was against us. We did just a day trip and covered only 4 towns: Manarola, Monterosso, Riomaggiore and Vernazza. We’ll check out Corniglia another time. Frankly, I would have been happy with just 2, but doing 2 more is a pleasant bonus.
VernazzaManarola
Our tour bus took us on an easy (but early) ride from Florence to La Spezia. Upon arrival, we took brief train rides going from one village to the next. In Manarola, there was a short hike if one were to get a magnificent view of the colorful houses built along the slope of the hill. Many tourists hiked up along a rocky path with railings and some spots presented photo opps . We spent some time here and yes, snapped a lot of photos. Our first set of posterity shots in Cinque Terre! Along the rocky path, we spotted doors presumably leading to residences. I imagined myself coming out of one of those doors opening up to these awesome scenes especially the sunset views.
Monterosso Riomaggiore
Manarola was our “introduction” to this fabulous place. Can’t believe I missed this place in all my visits to Italy. It’s less than 3 hours from Florence, even nearer than Venice. We love the vibe of all coastal villages. My “beach bum” dream comes into gear whenever we get near any body of water. There is something very relaxing watching the sun rise or set against an ocean or sea view. Or sipping your coffee as the sea breeze wafts through your hair. Gelato stops became the order of the day, and since we are in the Ligurian region, it’s trofie pasta with pesto sauce for lunch. Too bad we failed to try their anchovies! But the seafood salad appetizers made up for it. 😘
You need good strong legs to do this again.
After Manarola, we came upon Vernazza. Easily my favorite town. I love how the “busyness” of the town with bustling street vendors and the lively church by the shore with many small boats not so neatly “parked”side by side, make up a vibrant village replete with al fresco cafes and fruit stalls. It’s like a scene from a movie. The same tourist crowd seems to be charmed by the next 2 lively towns of Monterosso and Riomaggiore. But Monterossoboasts of a longer shoreline, attracting a beach crowd. It was a cold day when we visited but the sun is out so the low temps didn’t deter the younger ones to lay out beach towels and strip to their swimsuits and hit the water. Oh, the recklessness and energy of youth!
Our trip took a solid 12 hours, about 5-6 hours accounted for by the time spent on the bus. It’s like spending just slightly more than an hour in each village. It would be nice to revisit and spend nights in one of the towns. Dilemna is, which town? I’d likely choose Vernazza but one vote went to Monterosso. We all agreed we’d hike up to Corniglia next visit. So there. Ciao!
We came for the leaning tower, that iconic landmark of Pisa. But found more. “Tuttomondo” (All World) is one of Keith Haring’s last artworks before he passed away in 1990. The mural is on the rear wall of the Sant’ Antonio Abate church in Pisa, a short distance from the train station. Haring’s famous quote still resonates to this day: “Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.”Keith has a penchant for street art and graffiti art, as if searching for an audience that is more akin to the average Joe. In the 80’s, his career yielded 50 “public” artworks bearing social and political undertones. His vibrant works evoke motion and even seem cartoon-ish, a flash of energy represented in colorful and fun symbols, with messages bordering on activism.
We took our time viewing the mural. Huge as it is, we surmised we’d likely spend more minutes just staring at it. Finding this burger place just across it, we decided almost mindlessly to have our lunch there. The glass panels offered an unobstructed view of the mural and so that really worked for us. On full stomachs, we were ready to hop on a bus in search for the iconic tower. There was a big crowd! My first time here was in 1986, and bursting with energy then, I didn’t pass up the chance to climb up. At the time, I think the tower was leaning at a slightly sharper angle. Just a few years after my 1986 visit, experts came to “stabilise” the tower so it was closed to the public for some time. By the time I returned in 2000, it was open again. I visited a few more times: in 2009 and in 2016. So this visit is my 5th!
Art Burger across the Keith Haring Mural
In all of the 5 visits, I lament that I only did day trips from Firenze rather than spending more time to explore the town. I am sure there is more to see. But the tourist crowd turns me off. Also there were so many pickpockets. Apo caught a young girl pulling her bag during the short bus ride. While shopping around the stalls just outside the square, I can sense we weren’t so safe and held on to my purse. While buying train tickets at the machine in the station, there were teens in line ahead of us, trying to chat us up. I would have found that charming under “safer” circumstances but my mood didn’t take me there. A pity. But my radar was up and we simply opted to be more wary.
On an excursion from Firenze, we visited Monteriggioni and Chianti and was delighted to receive wine lessons from AGRICOLA POGGIO AI LAGHI where we tasted 4 kinds of wine, oils and balsamic vinegar. It was a wonderful, fun-filled session and everyone in the group thoroughly enjoyed the wine and oil tasting as much as the humorous spiels by the host. They even served us a good pasta dish. It was a penne pasta dish where we were all encouraged to spice it up with their chili pepper olive oil. Not bad. I actually like it despite the fact that the penne came from a box. (Seems we’ve been spoiled, feasting on homemade pasta all our days here in Italy) But I particularly enjoyed their thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar from Modena. Served with toast, but I can imagine it pairing well with some fresh strawberries. Hmmm. But back to wine, we found the winery so warm and welcoming. Quite a sensory experience just by being there, savouring every drop, every sniff, every swirl, every gulp. So very pleasant, indeed!
Cheers!2 kinds of balsamic vinegar. Gold spoon or Silver spoon?
The winery caters to special events and parties. I can imagine big birthday and wedding celebrations here. Or corporate events, like a product launch. Must be equipped with a good kitchen, I presume. The set-up is quite impressive. The vineyards extend to the Monteriggioni area, a small commune with an interesting walled settlement dotted with tiny stores and cafes. A small chapel inside must have welcomed some pilgrims doing the Via Francigena as Chianti and Monteriggioni are along the Tuscan parts of the camino. When I saw the brown markers — as contrasted with the yellow and blue markers of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela — I was reminded of my pilgrimage walk some 8 years earlier from Viterbo to the Vatican/Rome.
Entrance to the WineryThe Wine Tasting Room
We may all be familiar with Chianti as a region and as a wine, but not Monteriggioni. When the guide gave us an hour to freely roam around, I thought that wasn’t enough time. Turns out it was really such a small compact commune that an hour is all you need. Yet it presents itself with a decent square, a tiny church, a cafe and a few stores selling local handicraft around the square or from the narrow alleys. Actually I felt I was in one of those Disney “lands”. Except that we had to hike up a decent distance to reach the piazza. Only needed a choo choo train to ferry us around and save some breath. 😩
Tuscany’s landscapes are a feast to the eyes. Coming from Firenze where art permeated the city’s soul, it was nice to breath in fresh air while sipping wine sourced from the vineyards right in front of you. The landscapes framed in the walled commune’s huge, arched gates are so pretty. Imagine this same scenery just before the grapes are harvested. Or when spring flowers are in bloom. Or even the tall, thin cypress trees swaying as the wind blows. Bellissima!
Most tourists take this excursion out of Florence to visit Siena and San Gimignano. Did it in 2009; did it again this 2024 with “apos”. Like me, I’m sure they’d enjoy this part of Tuscany. If Florence is a Renaissance city, then it’s all medieval as you reach Siena and San Gimignano. All 3 teeming in art, history and culture. If only for these 3, Tuscany is truly a dream destination. For people like Frances Mayes (author: Under The Tuscan Sun), it even is home. Tuscany. Rolling hills, medieval buildings, breathtaking sceneries. Then throw in the vineyards and good food, and staying is no longer an option but a wonderful decision.
Siena’s Piazza del CampoSiena Cathedral
The Siena Cathedral is hailed as the prettiest among Italy’s Gothic Cathedrals. The alternating black and white marbles present a unique striped exterior while the interiors hold even more jaw-dropping elegance and beauty, while continuing with the black and white band-striped theme. Che magnifico! I love that this heritage site is devoid of motor vehicles but that can only mean that visitors should be prepared to walk. Somehow, being closed to traffic gives Siena that “frozen in time” charm. Just like Venezia and many parts of Firenze.
Siena’s Lovely Cityscape Michelin Guide Had This Listed
Our local guide calmly narrated the significance of the piazza and how it is used for horse races called “Palio”. Quite insane, this centuries old race. It’s a horse race, so the winner is the horse, not the jockey. I mean, the unsaddled horse that first crosses the finishing line may be without a jockey and still win. Just 3 laps around the fan-shaped piazza. 10 horses. Approximately, the race lasts 90 seconds. And they hold this pageant twice a year every July 2 and August 16 since the 15th century!
So MedievalWorld’s Best Gelato (2024)?
Our luck held out in Siena. The guide recommended where we can enjoy good Cacio y Pepe — Papei Trattoria. Pici Cardinale, and Pappardelle al Cinghiale were likewise excellent! And more luck with our gelato. The ones we had in Siena were good. But the gelato in San Gimignano even better. A sign claims it’s named most popular gelateria in 2024. But 2024 isn’t over yet. Whatever. Not complaining about the gelato though. And over the moon with our lunch at Papei.
San Gimignano’s medieval towers from the 12th to the 13th centuries now count over a dozen. A big drop from the more than 70 towers centuries ago when they adorned this Tuscan hill town. The 12th century Collegiata is often mistaken for a cathedral or duomo with its treasure of dramatic frescoes of the New Testament. The towers, the “duomo” , the piazzaand the medieval architecture should paint a beautiful silhouette against the skyline at sundown, the way I viewed it back in 2009. No such luck this time. But the elves are happy with their gelato!
We had all of 7 days and 6 nights here in Florence. Minus 2 whole days for out-of-town excursions. I stayed in to recharge for 2 whole days while apos visited more museums and met up with friends. I made sure I sent them off to Uffizi Art Gallery and the Medici Museum but interestingly, they also visited the Ferragamo Museum and the Gucci Garden Museum. I remember they enjoyed the Dior Museum in Paris last year. After all, the lines are blurred between art and fashion. On Day 1 here, I joined them viewing Kiefer’s exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi and the oldest pharmacy in the world. We also passed the piazza where the Duomo is, and we had meals at the Mercato Centrale. Beyond that, their interests seem to lie elsewhere. Just off Palazzo Strozzi is an impressive theater cum bookshop. Cinema Odeon is housed in a Renaissance palace with an amphitheater-like structure where you can claim a seat among stacks of books. We spent a lot of time here, and I’m told they went back the next day without me.
Palazzo StrozziUffizi Gallery
We were all fascinated by the art exhibit we viewed almost on a whim (Kiefer in Palazzo Strozzi) and Cinema Odeon — a very unique bookstore around Piazza Strozzi. So with our random dining finds for best gelato, best pizza, best bistecca, best paninis, best affogato and best rooftop bar. While we decided on our first bistecca at the Mercato, we chanced upon this gelateria which suggested we try this very local flavor called “buontalenti”, named after the inventor of the Italian gelato himself! The movie “Eat, Pray and Love” featured this pizza joint which now proudly hangs a photo of Julia Roberts — and we dare say it isn’t a hype. We actually enjoyed their Napoletania and Primavera pizzas, along with those Italian rice balls called arancino. Dining tips came in handy too from the hotel concierge and we’re glad we heeded Alex’s advice. Missed the ribollita and pasta I had years earlier in Trattoria ZaZa and Trattoria Garibaldi, but we totally enjoyed our dinners at Trattoria il Giardino (loved the Tuscan coccoli) and Trattoria Burrasca (best bistecca!). As for happy hours, nothing beats sipping rosé at sundown in Art on View Rooftop Bar. If this all sounds to you like a food trip, it seriously is. The same DNA runs in their veins, after all.
View on Art Rooftop bar. The Duomo
The days I wasn’t with them, they went for quick lunches at All’ Antico Vinaio. And ate more gelato. They also swore they had the best affogato in Vivoli and promised to take me there. And I swear they were not lying! I offered to take them around the historic center to check out spots they missed but these 2 had other interests. Told you 😜 A food trip in Italy? Not a bad idea. As for me, I’m ready for our out-of-town excursions. Makes life simpler just hopping in a bus to take us to touristy spots with a laid-out itinerary guided by a tour director. No bus or train tickets to buy. No lunch reservations to book. And I ensure these 2 learn some history outside of the dining scene. Ciao!
By noontime, we trooped to Mestre Train Station for our ride to Florence. Made sure our trip has 0 stops as I doubt we have the energy to switch trains and drag our big bags. We were famished by the time we reached Firenze SMN Station. Our apartment is just off the Basilica Di Santa Maria Novella but it took all of our energy to walk with our luggage in tow. Having checked in, we fell in love with our apartment. With 6 nights to spend here, I’ve decided to stay in for a much-needed rest to recover my sapped energy, do the laundry (3 weeks load!) and send off the apos to make other arrangements like meet some friends, hit more art galleries, do shopping or whatever else in the next 2 days. The NEXT couple of days. Today, some introductions are in order.
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella The oldest pharmacy — now perfumery — in the world.
As soon as we loaded the first batch of laundry into the washing machine, we took off. Very near our apartment is the oldest running pharmacy in Florence, and in the world: the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. It all started in 1221 with Dominican friars developing a botanical garden of plants and herbs to produce healing ointments, balms and other medicines. Over time, the concoctions produced perfumes which counted royalties and prominent families among its clients. We sniffed around — and liked the scents but didn’t end up buying any. From this pharmacy, we walked a few blocks to reach Palazzo Strozzi where we promptly bought tickets to view Anselm Kiefer’s exhibit “Fallen Angels”. Very impressive. Not our first impression though, but his art grows on you as you spend more time with the artworks.
Kiefer’s “Fallen Angels” in Palazzo Strozzi
On our first day in Florence, we passed the Piazza Di Santa Maria Novella, visited the world’s oldest pharmacy, viewed an art exhibit, admired the magnificent Duomo, chanced upon the Odeon Theater cum Bookshop, and ended up in Mercato Centrale for dinner. We wanted to eat in the nearby trattorias but we were so hungry that we found the long lines frustrating. And so, we had our first bistecca florentina at the Mercato. Rarely that we dined without any conversation, but this is one moment. We devoured the Chianina beef like there’s no tomorrow. Gelato for a good finish and we had the best flavor ever — buontalenti, named after Bernardo Buontalenti, the Florentine inventor of Gelato.
Bistecca alla Florentina GelatoMercato Centrale
Having crossed 3 timezones, I looked forward to the next 2 days of doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. Like a doting abuela, I did the laundry and even cooked dinner. I also managed to book excursions for the next 2 days : one to Cinque Terre and another day trip to visit Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti and Monteriggioni. Plus a dinner booking at a nearby Trattoria il Giardino. Nieto y Nieta were on their own the first 2 whole days in Firenze, meeting their Abuela only for dinner either at the apartment (for a home cooked meal) or in a nearby trattoria. We did return to the Mercato Centrale to buy dinner to eat in the apartment. Even the young get exhausted as they preferred to stay in in the apartment that became our cozy home for a week. And they’re only on their second week while their Abuela has already clocked 6 weeks. 😜
More to write about Firenze. Wait for the next blog.
Good pasta, osso buco and coccoliSoft music on a chilly night. I’m on holiday 💤
lifeisacelebration 