I see myself as a person of many talents. But two areas that I lack most, I would say in the English language and history. Just a few months before coming to Italy, Rod was surprised that I called the chapel in Italy, "The sixteen chapel". My friend Evan, nicknamed my tongue of english as Traceyisms.
I wish I had studied more of Italy and what I was to experience here with more understanding. I'm not one who enjoys walking and site-seeing in large cities, with the noise of cars, crowds and mass tourism.
Italy is a country that understood art and protecting it.
Rome, what a city.
The Colleseaum was huge. We did an interesting tour around it, understanding the old Rome of which so much has been preserved. It was fascinating seeing people sitting on old columns, lying around - that hey, are only 2000 years old. One just walks from here through old Rome into the city center. There is just statues, piazzas, fountains, everywhere.
Off to the Vatican we went, to find the Sisteen chapel. We got stuck in the que of St Peters, only to find out we were in the wrong place. I was fascinated that there was still a huge crowd of people queing to visit the late Pope Paul grave.
At the Sisteen, we walked through room after room of frescos. I just love frescos. I was attracted to Raephellas work. Finally the Sisteen chapel. Thank goodness I found a seat, as we had to stand staring up at the ceiling. We were expecting something much bigger in size, but it was high. The Last Judgement really touched me. Michaelangelo had a deep understanding, that I had never thought that deeply about. He had a vivid imagination, that I found so intriguing.
Off to Florence, or Firenze as they call it here, for a week. A city that has just too much art. We found a book called 'Agony and Ectasy', a fictional biography of Michaelangelo. David, the statue, was just amazingly beautiful. Michaelangelo just knew, with a bit of extravagance how to create a human body from marble. His art was all about being original. Where other's had drawn David as a wimpy character, he took the scripture where David said that with his own bare hands he had killed a lion and bear. Michaelangelo gave his David an incredible sense of strength. My favourite part was the hands.
Rod and I just enjoyed being in Florence, walking through the streets, eating icecreams, and oh the shopping. Italy the capital of leather goods and good clothes and shoes. We walked through the palace gardens, up the hill that overlooks Florence. Our favourite was we found a piazza that was playing music every night, with food stands, where we found great, delicious, cheap burgers.
The walk between 5 villages along the Tuscan coast. Oh, this was the most beautiful place. And yet, classically, we spent too short a time there. The coast line reminded me so much of Cape Town's - sea and then mountain. They make a lovely white wine here and a delicious desert wine. I'm not a desert wine fan, but this has given me a new perspective of desert wine.
