I am a tad bit of a Type-A perfectionist so it always takes me awhile to be satisfied with my videos. We had over 48 minutes of footage from our trip and I narrowed it down as much as I could to 14 minutes.
Now that you know the background and stories from our trip, I hope this movie makes you feel like you traveled in our carry on...Enjoy!
XO and HAPPY WEEKEND!
Abby
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Italy: My Treats
1. A bottle of Chianti Classico from our wine tour.
2. Homemade tomato paste from our second winery. It was her grandma's recipe ;)
3. Homemade/ home grown jam from our B&B in Tuscany.
4. A hand painted Christmas ornament from Siena.
5. Hand woven straw earrings from a market outside the Vatican.
6. LOVE this top from a store in the Campo de' Fiori.
7. Geek chic glasses from an outdoor market. Finally- tortoise shell rimmed - what I've been looking for!
8. A black beaded belt. The clasp is real wood- it is SO cute! (From same store as #6)
9. A much needed scarf from the outdoor market in Castellina in Chianti.
10 & 11. Original paintings bought in the Piazza Navona from the artist. (Top: Rome, Bottom: Mediterranean Coast)
*Not pictured: The survival shoes and the umbrellas. For obvious reasons!
THANKS TO MY DAD & KELLEY AND THE MISEAGDES / ISAAC CLAN FOR THE BIRTHDAY MONEY! As you can see, it went to GOOD USE :)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Italy: Our Roman Holiday Pt. 2
To see Rome in a day: First thing's first... buy a "Roma Pass" in advance. It gives you free entry to your first two sights and you get to skip the line! Make sure not to waste time buying this in the Forum/ Colosseum area... we had to wait in line for awhile and then Logan found a subway station nearby (no line) and was able to snatch up 2 passes! They are valid for 3 days and are also good for public transportation. You can also purchase these at the airport...wish we would have done that!
This was by FAR our best weather day- Praise God! We were actually WARM :) We started our day at Palantine Hill. This is central spot where all the Ancient Roman palaces were built. You can see the remains today...its also where the word "palace" originated from: Palantine Hill.
Next, we walked down to The Forum. Rick Steve's says its "arguably the most important piece of reasl estate in Western civilization." There are only a few ruins still standing today, but it was impressive to walk the streets where Julius Ceaser (among others) walked. We did the Rick Steve's Audio Guide for this tour and just listened to it on our iPhones. Technology is so cool, right?
Under that little roof is where Julius Ceasar was burned.
There are fresh flowers on this site every day of the year.
Unfortunately, we had to cut our visit short and zip over to the Vatican for our 2pm appointment. I HIGHLY recommend buying a ticket to the Vatican in advance. We did not have to wait in line for this one either.
Being inside Saint Peter's Basillica was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. It was massively huge and there was not a single surface that was not embellished with something exquisite.
Michaelangelo's famous dome.
Where Peter's remains are kept today. "Upon this rock, I will build my church."
The famous Peter statue- his foot is rubbed off from all the tourists kissing/ rubbing it for luck.
The front of the church.
One of the impressive statues inside.
This is a painting of Peter being hung on the cross upside down. It is allegedly placed in the very spot where he was executed. Kind of takes your breath away.
Michaelangelo's Pieta. It shows Mary holding her crucified son, Jesus. Unfortunately a crazy man broke in and started chiseling away at this statue in the 90's so its now surrounded by bulletproof glass. Still breathtaking though.
Sadly, you cannot take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel (also the Pope's personal chapel.) I will tell you though, I have never been so impressed by a piece of art. We listened to Rick Steves' audio tour with our necks craned upward for 30 minutes. I soaked up every detail in that painting and relished in the fact that Michaelangelo painted every single stroke, standing up, over the span of 4 years. To say it was impressive is an understatement. I was moved. I will never forget it.
Drinking fresh water.
Rome has these fountains all over the city.
We caught a cab back to the Colosseum to finish our tour.
I sound like a broken record, but again we did Rick Steves audio tour. They are ALL FREE and although at times cheesy, they are just the right amount of informative without dragging on for hours and hours. I was kind of sad to learn of everything this spot represented- basically a grand theater where the prisoners, the poor, and the Christians had to star in a PLAY and act out their death. I never knew they embellished these scenes with props, set designs and wild animals. I had seen the movie Gladiator, but wow... I never knew the extent the Romans went to "entertain." That being said, you cannot argue with how incredibly impressive the architecture is seeing as it was built 2000 years ago and is still standing today.
The inter-workings underneath the stage were really impressive and sad at the same time. These are the rooms where they kept the prisoners and wild animals. They used manmade elevators and trap doors to hoist them up from underground onto the stage.
After this we RAN (literally) over to the St. Peter-In-Chains Church. I had heard the famous "Moses" statue was impressive and that the chains that held Saint Peter were stored here as well. I have to admit, I think this is the most UNDERRATED church! I was almost more moved by seeing his chains than his burial site because it was physical... tangible. Whether or not you are a Christian, this is physical proof that Peter was a walking, living, person and these are the physical chains that bound him in prison. The man that walked with Jesus, learned from him, and brought Christianity to Rome. It knocked my socks off. (Although the way they are preserved seems a bit idolatrous and over-the-top)
And the amazing Moses statue by Michaelangelo.
After that we headed back to Campo de' Fiori for apertivo and over to Piazza Navona for dinner right beside its impressive Bernini fountain. It was so picturesque. I tried to soak up every single second of our last night and topped it all off by purchasing 2 original pieces of artwork from a local street artisan. I must have looked through 50 of his paintings and I chose my favorite 2. I can't wait to hang them in our home and be reminded of this magical experience.
Thanks for coming along for the ride. We sure did accomplish a lot in 7 days, rain OR shine! I absolutely love Italy. It is crazy how DIFFERENT Italy and France are when they are just next door neighbors. The culture, the architecture, the language, the landscape. It was the perfect way to start my 28th year! We really do hope to return someday...anyone want to join us? :)
This was by FAR our best weather day- Praise God! We were actually WARM :) We started our day at Palantine Hill. This is central spot where all the Ancient Roman palaces were built. You can see the remains today...its also where the word "palace" originated from: Palantine Hill.
Next, we walked down to The Forum. Rick Steve's says its "arguably the most important piece of reasl estate in Western civilization." There are only a few ruins still standing today, but it was impressive to walk the streets where Julius Ceaser (among others) walked. We did the Rick Steve's Audio Guide for this tour and just listened to it on our iPhones. Technology is so cool, right?
Under that little roof is where Julius Ceasar was burned.
There are fresh flowers on this site every day of the year.
Unfortunately, we had to cut our visit short and zip over to the Vatican for our 2pm appointment. I HIGHLY recommend buying a ticket to the Vatican in advance. We did not have to wait in line for this one either.
Being inside Saint Peter's Basillica was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. It was massively huge and there was not a single surface that was not embellished with something exquisite.
Michaelangelo's famous dome.
Where Peter's remains are kept today. "Upon this rock, I will build my church."
The famous Peter statue- his foot is rubbed off from all the tourists kissing/ rubbing it for luck.
The front of the church.
One of the impressive statues inside.
This is a painting of Peter being hung on the cross upside down. It is allegedly placed in the very spot where he was executed. Kind of takes your breath away.
Michaelangelo's Pieta. It shows Mary holding her crucified son, Jesus. Unfortunately a crazy man broke in and started chiseling away at this statue in the 90's so its now surrounded by bulletproof glass. Still breathtaking though.
Sadly, you cannot take pictures inside the Sistine Chapel (also the Pope's personal chapel.) I will tell you though, I have never been so impressed by a piece of art. We listened to Rick Steves' audio tour with our necks craned upward for 30 minutes. I soaked up every detail in that painting and relished in the fact that Michaelangelo painted every single stroke, standing up, over the span of 4 years. To say it was impressive is an understatement. I was moved. I will never forget it.
Drinking fresh water.
Rome has these fountains all over the city.
We caught a cab back to the Colosseum to finish our tour.
I sound like a broken record, but again we did Rick Steves audio tour. They are ALL FREE and although at times cheesy, they are just the right amount of informative without dragging on for hours and hours. I was kind of sad to learn of everything this spot represented- basically a grand theater where the prisoners, the poor, and the Christians had to star in a PLAY and act out their death. I never knew they embellished these scenes with props, set designs and wild animals. I had seen the movie Gladiator, but wow... I never knew the extent the Romans went to "entertain." That being said, you cannot argue with how incredibly impressive the architecture is seeing as it was built 2000 years ago and is still standing today.
The inter-workings underneath the stage were really impressive and sad at the same time. These are the rooms where they kept the prisoners and wild animals. They used manmade elevators and trap doors to hoist them up from underground onto the stage.
After this we RAN (literally) over to the St. Peter-In-Chains Church. I had heard the famous "Moses" statue was impressive and that the chains that held Saint Peter were stored here as well. I have to admit, I think this is the most UNDERRATED church! I was almost more moved by seeing his chains than his burial site because it was physical... tangible. Whether or not you are a Christian, this is physical proof that Peter was a walking, living, person and these are the physical chains that bound him in prison. The man that walked with Jesus, learned from him, and brought Christianity to Rome. It knocked my socks off. (Although the way they are preserved seems a bit idolatrous and over-the-top)
And the amazing Moses statue by Michaelangelo.
After that we headed back to Campo de' Fiori for apertivo and over to Piazza Navona for dinner right beside its impressive Bernini fountain. It was so picturesque. I tried to soak up every single second of our last night and topped it all off by purchasing 2 original pieces of artwork from a local street artisan. I must have looked through 50 of his paintings and I chose my favorite 2. I can't wait to hang them in our home and be reminded of this magical experience.
Thanks for coming along for the ride. We sure did accomplish a lot in 7 days, rain OR shine! I absolutely love Italy. It is crazy how DIFFERENT Italy and France are when they are just next door neighbors. The culture, the architecture, the language, the landscape. It was the perfect way to start my 28th year! We really do hope to return someday...anyone want to join us? :)
Monday, April 23, 2012
Italy: Our Roman Holiday Pt. 1
In a debate of Rome vs. Paris... I would lean toward Paris since I am partial to the Frenchman, but my goodness I was totally smitten with Rome. You can't beat a big city where you can stumble upon amazing outdoor markets, discover a new Piazza lined with fun restaurants and Bernini fountains around the corner, with a piece of ancient history next door. It is the most pleasant mix of old & new I have ever experienced!
We checked into our B&B Serafino and were smitten. The molding throughout the entire place was a Tiffany blue and each room had a chandelier. We also finally had WIFI!
We checked into our B&B Serafino and were smitten. The molding throughout the entire place was a Tiffany blue and each room had a chandelier. We also finally had WIFI!
Outside of our window, we could see the top of the Vatican Dome. After we unpacked, we decided to head on over and check it out. We walked around St. Peter's Square and explored the local market.
What to do next? Well, we used our trusty Rick Steves Book (thanks Blake and Ali) to take his mile long "Night Walk Across Rome." It started off at Campo de' Fiori, a square lined with happening bars and restaurants and tons of fresh flowers! We had apertivo and dinner here. Apertivo is BETTER than Happy Hour! You buy your drink(s) and they provide the appetizers- everything from pizzas and pastas, to bruschettas and shiskebabs! In reality, you could make it your dinner.
The next stop was Piazza Navona which was one of the many squares with impressive Bernini fountains, restaurants, and local aristans selling their work. I bought 2 amazing paintings in this square our second night in Rome.
We rounded the corner and BOOM, The Pantheon. I was so impressed by the SIZE of this structure.
That little person... is Logan. That is one LARGE door!
Then off the beaten path we had the most scrumptious gelato at Rome's most sought after gelateria, Giolitti's.
The Trevi Fountain is something I have wanted to see ever since I saw the "Lizzie McGuire Movie" - Did I just admit that? Yes, yes I did... It was SO impressive and full of pickpockets...but after learning our lesson in Montmartre, we were more than fully prepared! Do NOT let a man with a "fancy" camera offer to take your picture. Find someone who is actually a tourist :)
About the toss my coins (to ensure my return trip to Rome) into the fountain. Fun fact: ALL of Rome's fountains are powered by natural aqueducts. Pretty impressive, right?
Logan's turn.
The tour ended at the Spanish Steps. It was 360 degrees of high-end shopping and was the area that reminded me the most of Paris.
We had such a great night. It was perfect, really. When we visit cities like Paris, Bordeaux, and Rome... I am reminded that you can take the girl out of Dallas, but you can't take the Dallas out of the girl...I am a tried and true CITY GIRL at heart! I absolutely loved every moment of this evening. I love you Rome!
Will post our whirlwind itinerary to "See Rome in a DAY" tomorrow!
Will post our whirlwind itinerary to "See Rome in a DAY" tomorrow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
