Saturday at the Lake

Last Saturday we drove to Lake Albano,

nestled in the hills below Castel Gondolfo.

Lake Albano (Lago Albano or Lago di Castel Gandolfo) is a volcanic crater lake in the Alban Hills of Lazio, 15 miles southeast of Rome. Overlooking it is Castel Gandolfo, which has been the papal summer retreat since the early 1600's. It is also the site of the Vatican observatory.

Lake Albano hosted the canoeing and rowing events of the

1960 Summer Olympic Games that were held at Rome.

Kyack novices and serious fishermen enjoy the lake.

SPQR: Free Water

Today was very hot in Rome and the "B Line" of the subway system is not air conditioned. The city was distributing free bottles of water to help all of the riders stay cool. Of course, the city's coat of arms with SPQR was proudly displayed on the bottles of sparkling water.

I got my free bottle of water as I left the Piramide station,

near the Porta San Paolo.

SPQR are the first letters of the words in the Latin phrase Senatus Populusque Romanus, "The Senate and the People of Rome." It originally referred to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official signature of the government, appearing on coins, stone and metal inscriptions, and on the standards of the Roman legions. SPQR is the motto of the city of Rome and appears in the city's coat of arms, as well as on many of the city's civic buildings, public fountains, manhole covers and water bottles!

Nuns visiting Rome

These sisters were standing in Piazza della Rotonda, outside the Pantheon, last Sunday afternoon.

Villa Farnesina

Last Saturday I went with members of my Italian langage class to visit the 16th century Villa Farnesina, with a guided tour in Italian! It is located in Trastevere, near the Regina Coeli Prison. The villa was dsigned by Baldassare Peruzzi for the Sienese banker Agostino Chigi. It was decorated with non religious themes by famous paintes of teh time, including Raphael. Agostino Chigi entertained popes, cardinals, diplomats, writers and artists in a most lavish fashion. He often hosted dinners in the gardens facing the Tiber River.

Photography was not allowed in the villa, but I have taken some images from the inernet to share with you.

On the walls and ceiling on the garden loggia of the Villa are scenes from the myth of Cupid and Psche, painted by Raphael and his pupils.
Inside the villa on the ground floor is a fresco of Rafael's fomous Galatea. (The ceiling of the room is frescoed with the constellations as they appeared in the sky on the birth date of Agostino Chigi.)
One upstairs room, the Salone della Prospectiva there are frescoes showing he panorama of Rome in different directions. This room is filled with frescoes retelling many different mytholigical love storues.
The Chigi bedroom has a fresco of the marriage of Alexander the Great and Roxana.

Pizza on Friday the 17th

Friday the 17th is an "unlucky day," the Italian version of the North American Friday the 13th. This last Friday we used the "unlucky day" as an excuse to get together with some friends for dinner in a hillside cottage in the Alban Hills, just outside the town of Genzano, near Castel Gondolfo.

Our host Giampiero made delicious pizza in his outside oven.

The oil came from olive trees

in Giampiero's yard.

Here is a pizza ready for me to eat.

Roman Wedding: Magdalena and Stefano

On Saturday, July 18, we had the honor to witness and celebrate the marriage of Magda Hutck and Stefano Folini. The civil cermony was held in the 19th century chapel of the Villa Lais, part of a public park in Rome.

The bride and groom are seated before the city magistrate

for the marriage ceremony.

These men playing cards in the park paid no attention to the bride and groom. They are probably "witnesses" to more than a dozen weddings every week!

Vincenzo taking a picture of Magda and Stefano.

Before the wedding ceremony started there were photographers that reminded us of window washers who approach your car at intersections. They were ready to be hired to take pictures.

Immediately after the ceremony it was a surprise to find an enterprising woman (in white) selling pictures of the bride and groom that had obviously been taken before the ceremony and printed during the 20 minute wedding service.

After the ceremony, we feasted the bride and groom at the groom's family home in the countryside outside the center of Rome towards the sea.

These were my favorite shoes at the wedding.

SPQR: Ponte Mazzini

SPQR on the base of a lamp post on the Ponte Mazzini.

The Ponte Mazzini was built between 1904-1908 crossing the Tiber River from the Historic Center into Trastevere, near the Regina Coeli Prison.

SPQR are the first letters of the words in the Latin phrase Senatus Populusque Romanus, "The Senate and the People of Rome." It originally referred to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official signature of the government, appearing on coins, stone and metal inscriptions, and on the standards of the Roman legions. SPQR is the motto of the city of Rome and appears in the city's coat of arms, as well as on many of the city's civic buildings, public fountains, and manhole covers.

Thursday in Rome: GNOCCHI

Yes, Thursday is gnocchi day in Rome. You can find this dish served in restaurants and cafeterias throughout the city on Thursdays. Gnocchi, meaning "lumps" or "knots," are Italian dumplings, usually prepared with potatoes and flour. All week long, this sign in a pizzaria near our home announces that they will have gnocchi on Thursday. (They have fried zucchini flowers every day!)

This afternoon, after my Italian language class in Piazza Bologna, we headed to a nearby cafeteria and, yes, they had a pesto gnocchi as the special of day. It was delicious and only €3.50. (That's less than $5.)

EUR

The Roman neighborhood of EUR started in 1938 as a bedroom community, part of Mussolini's plan to extend Rome to the sea. The plan changed when Mussolini decided to have a "Universal Exposition of Rome" in 1942 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fascism. Because of World War II it never happened, and the project was abandoned. In 1951 the structures that were wrecked by German occupation and then by war refugees were repaired and construction began again. Buildings were added to EUR in the 1950's and 1960's. The neighborhood continues to expand today. It is a major government center and the number of private residences is continually growing. One year ago a large shopping mall was opened. (See my blog posting for EUROMA2.)

Last week I went to a SPORTELLO AMICO (Friend Window) at the Post Office in EUR. I had to sign a couple of documents that are part of the process of obtaining my permesso di soggiorno, the permission to stay in Italy. This gave me an opportunity to take some photos of some of EUR's buildings.

The center of EUR is the Piazza Marconi, dominated by a modern obelisk commemorating Gugliemo Marconi, the inventor of the radio. It was sculpted by Arturo Dazzi in 1959.
This is one of the two symmetrical buildings with large semi-circular porticos inspired by the Market of Trajan in the historic center of Rome. It was designed by Giovanni Muzio, Mario Paniconi and Giulio Pediconi and built in 1937.

One of the most famous buildings in EUR is sometimes called the Square Coliseum. It can be seen when driving from Leonardo da Vinci Airport to the center of Rome. It is the Palazzo della Cività del Lavoro by Giovanni Giurrini, Ernesto Bruno La Padula and Mario Romano (1939).
The Palazzo dei Congressi by Adalberto Libera (1939) is a favorite of many architects. Libera also desiged the Post Office building at the Porta San Paolo. See the entry of April 30, 2008 on my blog for information about the Post Office.

G8 Summit in Italy

This week leaders of the world are meeting in L'Aquila, the capital of the earthquake devastated  region of Abruzzo, about 50 miles from Rome. When I returned to Rome from New York on June 28th there was extra security at the airport. As one can expect, there have been various demonstrations at important points in Rome. Here are some posters I go past each day as I commute to language classes. They are calling attention to the issue of world poverty.

Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy

Barak Obama, President of the United States

First Ladies at the Vatican

The Vatican press office released this photo showing Pope Benedict XVI posing with some of the First Ladies and ministers taking part in a G8 summit in L'Aquila on July 8, 2009. President Obama will be meeting with the Pope on Friday.

Storms in Rome

Wild storms hit Rome last Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Strong winds and heavy rains (with hail - frozen rain) pelted much of the city. In our neighborhood of Garbatella many trees were uprooted.

The largest tree in the courtyard of our condominium complex was uprooted.

Here it is leaning against one of the buildings.

On Friday workers were busy cutting it up and hauling it away.