Cinque Terra
Sometimes we just stumble upon stuff.
Fran saw a small sentence or two in our Guide Book on the
Cinque Terre on the coast of Italy .
It didn't say much but sounded intriguing. While writing up this page, I looked
online and found the following description of it that is quite good (http://www.5terre.com/FrameSet.php?LeftPriMenu=001&LeftSecMenu=001&LeftFile=index.php):
"The Cinque Terre form one of the most unspoilt areas
of the Mediterranean and one of the most extended areas
in Liguria . They are a kingdom of
nature and wild scents maintained as in the past.
"To visit the Cinque Terre means to visit five villages
suspended between sea and earth, clinging on to cliffs and surrounded by green
hills; it means to know the history of whom, for centuries, has fought against
difficult land but it also means to taste the results of this millenarian
struggle and in particular wine and produce.
"To visit these villages means to learn about the
culture of the dry-stone walls and of the vineyard, of the fishermen and of
their fishing nets, of the steep valleys and of their paths.
"Who visits Cinque Terre can choose between a dive in
the sea or a hike on the hills, between a walk in the narrow alleys called
"carruggi" or a boat trip, a pilgrimage to a sanctuary or a seafood
lunch. It is a landscape unique in the world in which man and nature live
together in harmony since the beginning of time."
The area is one of great natural beauty, with cliffs
overlooking the Mediterranean . The natural oak
forest cover is long broken, and the area has been
terraced and planted to grapes and olives. It is unusual, in that it is a
National Park, but is not a natural area. It reminds us of Sichuan
province in China ,
where the beauty is stunning even though heavily modified by man.
The area consists of five farming and fishing villages
plastered onto the rocky hills. For hundreds of years, these people have worked
a rough life against the elements, as there is no flat ground and all farm area
has been cut from the rock and developed into arable land. Even the fishing is
difficult --one village has such a small harbor that the boats cannot be stored
in the water and instead are hoisted up the cliff and stored on the street when
not in use. The charm of the cities is magical. Many of the places are now Bed
and Breakfast places, and it doesn't get much more romantic than this. This
could easily be a honeymoon destination, or anniversary (that's right, this
trip started on our 25th anniversary!).
The Cinque Terra has become quite a tourist attraction
recently. We see more Americans here than we have seen since leaving Los
Angeles . But then we saw very few in Asia ...
Some of the outlying trails are a bit rugged, but the main paths have been
paved and are very simple hiking. We laugh at the number of tourists outfitted
with fancy hiking boots, walking sticks, and expensive day packs. The hike is
really more like a walk in a city park, albeit somewhat longer and steeper. The
wealth of Europeans and Americans is still a bit shocking to us, as these
travelers spent more to outfit themselves for this simply walk than most Asians
hope to earn in a year.
We stay just north of the park in Levanto (no camping is
allowed in the park). A convenient train runs between the cities, and we buy a
pass so that we can hop off and on anywhere, and hike as we wish. We hike from
Riomagiorre to Manarola, ride the train to Corniglia (the trail is closed for
upgrade), and hike on to Vernazza. We hike up and down the trails, the sun
shines and the wind gently blows, we eat a Gelato (Italian ice cream).
Ah, life
could be worse....
Florence
Fran wanted to go to Florence .
Rod wasn't really sure why, since it had to do with all of that cultural
stuff...
We arrived in Florence
to the sound of blaring horns and people cheering and waving Italian flags as
they drove by. We thought they were happy to see us until we found that the
football (soccer) team had just won a match in the world cup. (Unfortunately it
would be their last). We checked into a campground right across the river from
the heart of town. The partying went on in the nearby Michelangelo
Plaza
The dome of the Duomo, the fourth largest cathedral in the
world, dominates the center of the city. Its colored marble facade and carved
figures are amazing in their detail. The interior is plain in comparison.
We visit plazas with dozens of masterpiece statues in one
area. Michelangelo’s David is just one of the many.
We visit the Uffizi museum...here's the link to their main
page: http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/welcomeE.html.
Even those of you who are not interested in art will have seen reproductions of
these paintings. Here's one to check out: http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/Dipinti/botveneE10.html.
Even Rod enjoyed learning about the development of Renaissance art, because it
all could be seen in one place!
Secret tip- Florence
also has superb gelato (Italian ice cream), well worth a trip to Europe
just for that! The gellaterias are especially beautiful. It seems that they
also take seriously the art of displaying their wares. Each flavor has a piece
of the fruit artistically placed on top. I even saw one flavor with marzipan
lizards on it!
Rome
We only planned on a couple of days in Rome ,
but we were waiting for a package to arrive (which never did) and stayed seven
days. That was nice; we began to feel more familiar with the place as we saw
the same thing repeat itself day after day, and we could relax and enjoy Rome
rather than just spend time on the tourist route.
We stayed at a campground north of town, and bought the city
metro pass that gives unlimited access to trains, trams and buses. We got our
money's worth!
Roman Forum, Coliseum
The Roman Forum is now an archeological site downtown. To
the naked eye (meaning before you buy the guidebook), it looks largely like a
rubble pile. But with a little help, you can find the Senate building, where
the Romans met to decide matters of law, temples, churches and arches.
One troubling sight is the monument to the Diaspora,
celebrating the destruction of Jerusalem
and the scattering of the Jews. The monument dates from the Roman Empire
and is still intact. At first it troubled me that it is still there, since it
is so offensive, but on reflection it is important to keep such things so that
we hopefully do not repeat the past. Sometimes politically incorrect can also
be very important and educational.
The Coliseum stands at one end of the Roman Forum ruins.
With continual restoration in process, the building is stable. It is perhaps
less impressive simply because everyone has already seen it. However, inside it
is easy to imagine 20,000 people shouting and screaming during the
entertainment --it seems to come alive. It is massive, but also quite compact.
I expected that the seats would be quite distant from the central floor, but
with very steep sides and four levels of seating, even the worst seats were
pretty close. You can look at the barren rock and still imagine the pulse of
the place. Ignoring the type of entertainment, it is quite remarkable.
You do not get to ignore the type of entertainment for long,
however. The floor of the Coliseum is open, revealing the system of tunnels and
passageways underneath, through which the beasts and slaves were forced on
their way out to the Coliseum floor for savage entertainment.
Considering the Coliseum and the nearby horse racing track,
Circus Maximus, which could seat 100,000 people, it is interesting to think
about the politics. Certainly these were events for the masses, not just the
nobility or wealthy. Both were provided by the officials for the purpose of
keeping the masses happy. This is quite different from the approach of many
later European leaders (such as the French Kings) who relied on pure power to
maintain control, and keeping people happy didn't really seem important.
Above the Forum ruins is a museum with a nice plaza
overlooking the city. We had a nice quiet moment, sipping a beer....
The Pantheon
The Pantheon is a stone building that is 2000 years old and
still stands! Unlike the other ruins, it is still intact and in use today!
The Pantheon is considered a revolutionary building because
of the enormous dome structure. Such a large stone dome had previously been
thought impossible, and part of the fascination of the Pantheon is the
engineering behind the architecture. The dome is over 130 feet across, and is
open at the top, with a sky light 30 feet across. (This cannot be closed, so
the marble floor below has small drain holes for the rain.) The Pantheon has
great visual tricks to hide the construction details. For example, the sides
have numerous niches, which lead us to believe that the wall is further out
than it is. In between the niches are stone walls 25 feet thick! And some of
the niches are not openings at all, but just the doorway arch, again hiding the
supporting detail of the building. Likewise the ceiling has a nice patterning
to it, which is in reality a structure of stone ribs that provides the strength
for the roof but allows the spaces in between to be much thinner and lighter.
Spanish steps, Trastevere, walking in Rome
Tivoli Gardens
We are not great lovers of the European gardens, which are
quite formal, or have large expanses of grass or shaped hedges. We like more
natural gardens, and moving water. We heard that Tivoli
Gardens Rome
has great fountains, so we headed out.
The Villa d'Este is interesting in itself, but the gardens
are the main draw. They are a great mix of formal and informal. In one setting,
there will be formal archways, and a series of regular water fountain, combined
with moss, ferns, and informal water flows. And it works!
The gardens include over 500 fountains, on a hillside in a
park like setting. Check out our pictures.
Italian Beach
Well, camping in Rome
was okay, but at some point you just can't be this close to a beach and not get
in the water. We spent two nights at the beach, getting up early the next
morning for yoga on the beach and a swim. The beaches fill fast by mid-day, but
the early morning swim was great.
US Consulate
We had stopped in a couple of US Consulates in other
countries, and found them to be pretty useless for a traveler. But we had a
problem in Rome . Fran was out of
her thyroid medication, and the new shipment from the US
was lost in the Italian post. We kept getting "come back tomorrow"
day after day. Finally, the day her prescription ran out we happened past the
consulate, and Fran immediately veered inside. A very helpful chap spent
literally hours over the next couple of days on the phone with the Italian
post. Ultimately the shipment turned up back in the US ,
after the Italian post stamped it undeliverable. In the meantime, the Consulate
connected us with a local English speaking doctor who wrote up another
prescription (and charged $80 for the privilege) and we found a pharmacy and
were back in good shape. Kudos to the Consulate!
I have to also describe the guard at the Consulate. The US
Consulates are always very heavily guarded, even more so after the embassy
bombings in Africa and then 9/11. This Consulate had the
usual fencing, barb wire, and soldiers armed with machine guns. But the most
impressive obstruction was one unarmed guard. Muscles bulging through his tight
T-shirt, this body builder could have been Mr. Universe. His quietly forceful
demeanor also gave the aura of a master martial arts champion, and instructor
in the Special Forces. If I were a terrorist, I'd rather take on the armed
guards!
Vatican City
Canonization of Pedre Pio
We planned to visit Vatican City
on Sunday, to attend mass. However, we inadvertently picked a very special
Sunday. This was the feast celebration for the Canonization of Pedre Pio.
Instead of a mass within the Basilica, the mass was held outside in the massive
St Peters Square . Hundreds
of thousands of people crowded the square, and overflowed through adjacent
blocks to nearby plazas where the mass was broadcast on large video screens.
Watching the mass, we couldn't help but be moved by the
Pope. Here was a man who has arguably been one of the best communicators of the
past century, spreading his word through ambitious tour schedules to all parts
of the world. But today he is very frail, as Parkinson’s disease reduces his
words to mumbles. His presence is still very powerful. We already know the
words to the mass, and we fill in the words he cannot say. The man really does
touch your heart, and when the time comes he will be a very difficult Pope to
follow.
The mass is so large I expect communion will be reserved
just for a few. But instead, at the proper time hundreds and hundreds of
priests all appear from behind the altar, each with ready to serve communion.
Hundreds of thousands of people get the very special moment of receiving
communion in St Peters Square .
We have bypassed the very central rituals of religious temples in Asia
out of respect, and do so here also.
The heat and the crowds are stifling. At first I am
impressed with the foresight of the Italians --there are first responders and
Ambulances available on site for anyone who overheats. But after I watch them
respond to one older man who feels faint, I get worried. They arrive quickly,
but do not seem to know what to do. The man is still wobbling on his feet, but
they talk with him for several minutes rather than laying him down immediately.
They do not check his pulse. Eventually, they get him water and take him off to
the medical area. We really are spoiled with the level of training in Emergency
Responders in the US .
To cool the crowd, huge water cannons are aimed above the
crowd. The water is just a mist as it lands, providing a welcome relief to
those in the corner that the water reaches.
We had not heard of Pedre Pio, so we look it up later. We
also look up the Beatification and Canonization process. It turns out that
Canonization (officially, the process of writing a saint’s name in the Cannons
of the Church) was much less common before Pope John Paul II, who has canonized
nearly 400 people. The requirement for canonization is proof that a person had
supernatural powers, for example providing miracle cures, which cannot be
explained by normal means. The most recent group of saints performed a variety
of unexplained actions. By doctrine, followers are not to worship anyone unless
they are officially declared a saint, and no photos or relics are to be
displayed or sold. In practice this means that when a saint is canonized, a
huge pent-up demand for such trinkets is released, and we can report that there
were trinkets and photos of Pedre Pio for sale everywhere.
Pedre Pio was an Italian of the past century, so quite
important locally. His fame had produced a cult-like following. As a youth, he
was known to have had fainting and dizzy spells, which continued after he joined
the priesthood at 31. He would fall into a trance-like state, and was a severe
ascetic. He had wounds on his chest that cynics say were self-mutilation, but
were deemed by the church to be supernatural wounds reflecting Christ's chest
wound (the doubting Thomas story).
I read a little on what is considered mystical in the
Catholic Church, and how the Church decides what is supernatural. I am taken
back by the similarity to Buddhist mysticism. Here's a synopsis of one treatise
on the mystics, outlining some of what the Catholic Church looks for in
evaluating a saint.
Most mystics go through the same stages. First, there is a
rejection of the material world. The mystic withdraws in order to purify their spirit,
rejecting the entire material world as a distraction from the spiritual, and
accepting only the barest of sustenance to keep alive. Then typically comes a
trial phase, where it appears that both the world and God have abandoned the
mystic. There is often very genuine suffering at this stage, and the mystics
have both doubts about themselves and about their faith. Eventually, the mystic
has transcended the material world and no longer suffers, and is able to
receive God. At that point, miraculous powers are attained. This rejection of
all things material to be united with the spiritual is very similar to
Buddhism.
I must admit to being a skeptic --this level of withdrawal from the
world followed by incomprehensible actions also all sounds a bit like a mental
illness to me.
Saint Peters Basilica, Sistine Chapel ,
Vatican
We returned the next day to see the buildings, since we
couldn't even get close to them yesterday.
The Basilica is the largest Catholic Church in the world
(maybe the largest of any church?). It takes your breath away. We experience it
on many levels. We look at the architecture and the art. We feel the power the
place has on the faithful. We think about the role of such places in
individual’s lives, and also in supporting the church. We spend time in a small
chapel within the Basilica for personal reflection. We both quietly say prayers
for loved ones in need, unsure if there really is a personal nature of God to
hear them but sure that there is a need to say them.
The centerpiece of the Basilica is St
John's tomb. A huge altar stands above his crypt.
While it is massive and ornate, it is in balance and harmony with the size of
the Basilica. It is at the center of the great cross.
The Basilica is very much a living place. Unlike temples in
China (and even Japan) where the structure remains but the religious people
seems to be missing or at least tempered, here in the Basilica you see the
active heart of Catholicism. People have come from around the world. Small
prayer chapels are filled with people. Older men and women pray reverently,
middle-aged people go in for a few minutes, and teenagers try to hang around
outside waiting for their parents before reluctantly following them inside to
pray. Confessionals are abundant and busy, with every language available. It
reminds me of the story of the Tower
of Babble
The Basilica also is a mausoleum for important Catholic
figures. It seems that all of the Popes are here, as well as saints and notables.
The most recent Pope is displayed in a special area with a lighted, glass
casket. I can't help but think that he will be replaced soon by John Paul II.
We take the elevator up the Basilica Capula (the dome) to
see the art. Once up there, it still seems a long ways up to the ceiling, but
the people below are now just ants. Again we stare off at the crowds, watching as
each person fulfills their personal mission, whether that is an
once-in-a-lifetime religious experience for the faithful, or a quick snapshot
for the tourist. The ceilings are mosaics. Up close, you can see each little
tile. These blend into arms, faces and figures, which make up a collection of
images, each telling part of a story. Most are stories of the Old Testament.
Most of them are unrecognizable to us, much like in the temples and shrines of Asia .
We visit the Sistine Chapel, expecting to just bop in and
see the frescoes. Instead, we go through room after room of fascinating art
works. We tag along with a tour group because the guide has such deep
knowledge, and brings things to life. She also has a loud voice so we can hear
her!
The riches of the Catholic Church are quite amazing. I knew
that the Church was rich. But I didn't realize that over the centuries the
Church has also been a collector of art (through purchases, gifts, and in the
old days through war and pilferage). The Vatican
has one of the most complete art collections in the world. The Vatican Museums
are unable to display it all, and what is displayed is still too large to view
in one day. We skip through the museums and finally enter the Sistine Chapel.
Again I think of the current Pope. It won't be long before
this room serves one of its most critical functions. It is in the Sistine
Chapel that a new Pope is selected, signaled with the puff of white smoke from
the chimney.
Michelangelo was a professional artist from the age of 13,
and lived until 78, allowing him to be incredibly prolific. Sometimes it seems
that everything we see is attributed to Michelangelo. But the Sistine Chapel is
special. It is the work that Michelangelo most hated and agonized over. He had
not done painting before, and preferred sculpture. He originally refused the
commission, and only took it after persistent requests from the King. He
quickly got in over his head. The original contract was to paint the ceiling
using dozens of assistants, but Michelangelo was not satisfied with their work.
He fired them all and insisted on painting it completely himself, which took
several years. It is incredible to think that he learned to paint, and mastered
painting on plaster, with this being his first major work. He complained the
rest of his life that standing and painting overhead, and the dripping of
plaster in his eyes, had permanently disabled him.
Painting on the ceiling was technically hard also because of
the angles of the ceiling and the viewing. The ceiling is not flat. Nor is it
curving continuously. Instead it consists of a series of arches. Viewed from
below however, all of this is not noticed. Michelangelo designed the paintings
to be viewed from below, so they are in fact distorted to match that viewing
angle. That means that he mastered perspective to the point that he could
subtract the effects of the ceiling shape, adapt to the viewing angles from
below, and then stand on scaffolding painting one little bit at a time and get
it right. Or better than right.
Michelangelo also suffers no fools. He was not only very
talented, but he knew it. We have heard stories where he told patrons and
sponsors that they could not have the work they commissioned because they were
not worthy. The Sistine Chapel includes one funny story about Michelangelo’s
eccentric personality. He was commissioned to paint the front wall of the
Chapel. When he included considerable nudity in the angels, many people were
upset. But the only person who really mattered was the Pope, and Michelangelo
cleverly drew him in the painting right next to God at the Pearly Gates,
helping decide who would enter and who would not. The Pope loved the painting.
Only after twenty years of criticism from one particular person, and a new
Pope, was Michelangelo forced to obscure the nudity. In spite, he took the face
of the critic and painted him into the area of hell, clothed with a serpent.
The critic was furious, and took his complaint to the Pope. The Pope cleverly
responded that he only was able to deal with things in heaven, not in hell, so
the painting remains, and Michelangelo got his petty revenge.
Venice
We arrived late at night and camped on a sand spit north of Venice .
The next morning we caught the ferry into Venice .
The sun was bright, the water crisp, the breeze gentle, ... We pulled up to the
main plaza, with the Dogge palace and the cathedral overlooking the plaza with
street musicians, outdoor cafes, ... This is a romantic city.
We start with a ferry ride that loops through and around the
whole city. It is hot (nearly 100F), so staying on the water sounds good, and
we get a great introduction to the city. We chuckle when another American on
the ferry comments about the large number of posters a local politician bought
(they are instead advertising an art exhibit of Jackson Pollock, a name even
Rod recognized as an artist). Then we wonder how many things we also have
interpreted totally wrong throughout our journey, with our limited knowledge of
places, cultures, and language....
I knew that Venice
had lots of canals, but, good grief, what were these people thinking? Unlike
the zillions of cities that claim to be like Venice ,
this isn't a city on the land with canals dug out. Instead, they built the city
out in the sea, in a marsh, to escape German invaders. The buildings are all on
foundations on the sea floor, and instead of streets there are waterways. Many
buildings have doorways opening only to the waterway, so the only access is by
gondola! Alleys and plazas are built from fill dirt, and the alleys are tiny.
No cars are allowed in Venice , and
some of the alleys are so narrow that it is difficult for two people to pass
walking. There are no straight streets, and the names change every block. It is
easy to be a few blocks from your destination, but to take an hour to find
it...
We camp near the beach, planning to swim and do yoga. We do
the yoga, but the water is a bit dirty for the swims, at least near our
campsite.
We use the ferries, and enjoy the rides. It is a bit long
back to our campground, but not bad. Except that somehow we manage to
repeatedly come to the ferry docks just as the ferry is leaving, and have to
wait for the next one. We have a ferry schedule in our pocket, but we are
pretty carefree and laid back, and don't look at it much. We just wait for the
next ferry. Hey, compared to Asia travel, what's a
30-minute wait?
We find an internet cafe with "bulk rates". If you
login non-stop for five hours, you get a big discount. They are surprised that
we actually want to do so. That was June 24, when most of the European web
pages appear on our site.
We attend a mass with Gregorian chant at San Gregorio
church. Again, it follows the same recipe as the US
masses of thirty years ago, and it is easy to know what is being said at each
stage, even though it is in Italian. (Except, of course, the sermon.) The
language and the Gregorian singing combine to create a mystical effect. We are
getting used to not understanding language, and are quite comfortable...
We continue to talk about spirituality between ourselves. We
intend to let this journey lead us wherever it may, and spirituality is a part
of it. We both were raised Christian, with some exposure to other religions in
the college years. In Pasadena , we
found a very comfortable place in the Unitarian church. The fundamental beliefs
there seemed to be the importance of living an ethical life and serving others.
Maybe the human compassion and service to others is what we found missing in
the sterility of Thailand Buddhism. On our journey, we continue to explore.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.