Tag: Italy

Roma Sum Up

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Vera Wang Jacket, Zara Top, Top Shop Skirt, Ugg Shezbie, Celine Trapeze Handbag, Juicy Couture Necklace, Tiffany Bangle & Ted Baker Gloves.

I know, I know…it’s been over 3 weeks since I’ve been to Rome and 1 week since I’ve been to Brussels and I still haven’t posted any updates. With all the French monuments to visit and Parisian festivities going on, I’ve been really, really busy. My feet ache every day, I can barely type, let alone keep myself still without my nerves causing me agony.  But you know what? I’m going to keep on trekking the best I can.

I found some really comfy Ugg Shezbie Booties lined with wool fur. The thicker sole makes for walking along cobbled streets easier and all without sacrificing my fashion need for high heels.  For those who know first hand the styles and fashions in and around France & Italy, woman dress in their best (whatever that is) and love wearing blue and black hues with heels. I wore my Uggies to Rome but on the 2nd and 3rd day, I was back to my studded black Geox Modesty Hi-Tops that I ended up leaving behind by accident, in Brussels, Belgium last week. UG(G)H!  Beware travelers, try to forget the excitement of the moment and focus on your belongings before leaving every destination. Not only did I  leave behind my shoes but also my friends, Cole Haan.

Here’s a recap of my time in Rome. You can click on each picture for a larger view with brief description of that location.

Basilica Aemilia
Temple of Castor & Pollux
Basilica Aemilia 179 BC
Forum Romanum

As mentioned in my earlier post, my iPhone’s battery gave out just minutes into entering the Palatine Archeological Hill, one of the 7 hills of Rome. I recommend devoting hours wandering this site. This expansive historical land provides an array of monuments, archaic houses, and garden like settings perfect for photography or general relaxation. I spent my last hour watching the sun set over the ruins of Palatine Stadium. Whew! To take in such beautiful memories. I had a lasting sense of appreciation as I viewed the gleaming stream of sunshine colors bouncing with centuries old warmth among the monuments.

Roma! Salute!

Basilica di San Giovanni
Trevi Fountain
Exciting the Vatican Museum via winding spiral staircase
Wood model of Vatican & St. Peters square. where my hotel, the Hotel Columbus was nearly 2 blocks away.
Hallway within the Vatican Museum. No photos are allowed within the Sistine Chapel.
Vatican Museum of Greek Antiquities.
The Pantheon
Roman Antiquities within the Vatican Museum.
Where all of Rome began…Palatine Hill
Ah! Claire de Lune painting. A favorite. What a moment!
Minimalist
Parco di Traino above the Rome Colloseum.
Tiber River
St. Peters
on the Green Line hop on hop off tour bus. TIP: bring your own headphones.
Palatine
Comfy Geox D Modesty Studded Hi-Top & Rebecca Minkoff purse.
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St Peters Square. Spectacular! The Pope held a speech within the square with thousands of attendees sitting on folding chairs I watched setting up on my 3rd day and just before visiting the Vatican Museum.

Baths, wine & sex….

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The Carcalla bath house was built in Rome (212AD-216AD) during the reign of Roman Emperor, Carcalla. (Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus)  Now surrounded by a park, this expansive landmark was the 2nd largest bath house in Rome. Water was brought by way of the Aqua Marcia aqueduct. The central bath house rose 4 stories high with stairwells and windows overlooking the multi-purposed grounds used for exercise and as an underground temple of worship. Other uses have been disputed by many historians.

Still visible today are beautiful mosaic tiles made from natural materials such as Egyptian granite, Numidia marble, and Sparta porphyry (just to name a few). Each day, hundreds of stokes burned ten tons of wood which tempered the bath waters warm. Amazing!  I can imagine a very dense land without the lushness of trees.

So, did I fuel your curiosity with the title of my blog?  Here is how I came up with it:

“Balnea, vina, Venus corrumpunt corpora nostra; sed vitam faciunt balnea, vina, Venus.”

~Meaning~

“Baths, wine and sex spoil our bodies, but baths, wine and sex make up life.”  Right?

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Salute! 

(All photos are property of jentendesigns and may not be used without permission)

Roma Colosseum Roars

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During my stay here in Paris, I spent a lot of time reminiscing about my life in Sicily. My greatest wish I had while living on the island was to travel throughout the  country and spend time in Rome, Tuscany, Milan and the Almalfi coast. So on a whim a couple of weeks ago, I decided on a three-day mini trip to Rome. I took in the spectacular bath houses of Carcalla, listened to the imaginative roars the Roman Colosseum, and felt the turquoise mist off of the Trevi fountain. I climbed the Spanish steps two at a time and wandered through the Palatines where all of Rome began. These impressive archaeological sites deeply affected me and I’ll share more with you on my next post.

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I was only able to absorb the richness of the Italian heritage through memory because my iPhone continued to lose its battery by the end of the day. But that’s really the whole point, isn’t it.  To take life in, absorb the richness of what history offers and keep those memories in your heart than capturing the experience through a camera lens. I need to remember this, as I tend to focus on my perpetual need to the capture moments through photographs. (Or in this case, through my iPhone. Hah!)

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My experiences within the walls of the Roman Colosseum were oddly  felt with the fears of a gladiator but with the courage of an animal! I imagined the events which engrossed so much of this period where brutality was at it highest form as regular entertainment.  It was far beyond what I could truly comprehend. The challenges that both men and animals had to contend with gilded me with such angst that I felt guilty for wanting to tour such a historical site which held terror and excitement. Everyone knows the events which took place here. There is no need in my providing a historical account for all of you to read as Google and schooling does its fair share.  Would I revisit the Roman Colosseum? NO. I’ve been there, done that and as I write this, goosebumps pierce through my skin like the memory of all those ill-fated.

Jeni Roman Colosseum