Villa d'Este, Tivoli, Lazio, Italy

Day Sixteen: We wrap up our journey with a visit to Villa d’Este a 16th century villa commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este (1509–1572), second son of Alfonso I d'Este, the Duke of Ferrara and grandson of Pope Alexander VI through his mother Lucrezia Borgia. Beyond this basic info, the entire Renaissance church/state thing confuses me except to say they are all in cahoots and loads of money and other riches are controlled by both and neither seem too concerned about the people they govern or shepherd. Cardinal d’Este appears to be particularly bereft of piety with an ego as big as the villa he built. The vast construction site required the demolition of houses, public buildings and roads. In 1568 the local residents filed twelve different lawsuits against the Cardinal, but he was not deterred. The interior space is impressive and the gardens are an engineering delight with waterfalls snd fountains. Cardinal d’Este pillaged some material from villa Adriana (see yesterday’s post). After the first World War, the villa was acquired by the Italian state and restored by the fascist government and visited by world leaders of the time. Big photo post if interested. I could not choose just a few. Headed home tomorrow so we have lots of organizing to do. Looking forward to seeing our family and getting back to our usual routine.

Villa Adriana, Tivoli, Lazio, Italy

Day Fifteen:Visit to Villa Adriana, built in AD 120. This blows my mind. Over 2,000 years ago, this architectural marvel was created using concrete, travertine,bricks and other “modern” materials as a retreat for Roman Emperor Hadrian. The architecture is complex, there is a theatre, dormitories for visiting dignitaries, baths, great rooms, latrines and dining areas and various fountains and pools all supplied by an aqueduct. As a mason, Caesar has the knowledge to explain how they constructed the walls and columns and it was interesting to watch him feel the bricks and stone and imagine how they created particular floors and walls. I was fascinated with the large baths and how pleasant that experience may have been under the Roman sun peeking from the dome above. Truth is, we’d be more likely to have been one of the 2,000 slaves who kept the place going than one of the dignitaries, priests or high ranking politicians visiting the place. Over time much of the marble and artwork was pillaged for other buildings but some floors remain intact and the black and white floors of the dormitory remind me of my current bathroom floor. Amazing. Spent the evening walking around Tivoli talking about this marvelous site.

Reflection from Italy on USA Independence Day

We are Americans. Me, simply by birth and Caesar by choice since age 25. These last few weeks we’ve enjoyed both the natural and engineered beauty of Italy. We traveled as Italians, on their roads, their public transit and ate in their restaurants and slept in their homes. Many things are different but the one uniting force and I think it may be for all people is their desire for liberty. Liberty to pursue one’s dreams and ambitions without the shackles of an oppressive government, within a society that allows the individual autonomy over their body, their thoughts, their pursuit of a lifestyle. There are towns of a few hundred people where hundreds of young men died fighting for this. The monuments list the names of the dead from the great wars and often there are several brothers listed. An entire generation gone in the pursuit of liberty. I am of the opinion that the United States of America was the inspiration to these people. They saw what George Washington’s Great Experiment produced and wanted it for their own. Some, unwilling to wait, like my own grandparents, left Italy for the unlimited opportunity they saw in America. If you judge their decision by their ancestors, they were successful. So, with these thoughts on the 4th of July, from the distance of a continent, I encourage all of us Americans, whatever your political persuasions, to judge every word, every action of our government and its representatives, by asking the question, “does it preserve liberty for all”? Does it, in the words of our first president “promote human happiness”. Enjoy a hot dog for me, I always miss them the most when traveling.

Crossing the Apennine

Day Fourteen: Travel to Lazio for the last few days of our adventure. We said goodbye with breakfast by the beautiful beach of Francavilla with Caesar’s aunt. Sunshine and a cool breeze and the sea! Never long enough in this part of Italy but we packed up and headed west. Stopped at the town of Celano in L’Aquila for pranzo and passagiata. Another town that was invaded by various forces throughout the centuries as well as an earthquake whose damage was never completed until after WWII. The rain was heavy during our visit but we were able to walk the historical trail and enjoyed pranzo at a restaurant called “la Locanda” a fitting spot since Caesar and I met at la Locanda (the one in Newtown Sqaure) 20 years ago. Made it to Tivoli by evening just as the sun returned.

Rainy Day Picnic in Abruzzo

Day Thirteen: Our intention was to have a relaxing beach day but we awoke to an overcast sky with rain predicted. Caesar wanted to visit a piece of family land so we drove into the hills and spoke to his neighbor who was growing the most remarkable tomatoes. He kindly gave us a bucketful when we left. We decided to revisit Guardiagrele where we visited a bottega and bought spices and dried herbs to bring home as well as some local salami and other dried meats and local cheeses. Instead of having Pranzo at a restaurant, we enjoyed a picnic on a park bench where we shared a roast porchetta panini, chips and a beer. Caesar dozed off on the bench until a thunderstorm interrupted his slumber. It is so cool to watch the weather from the high hills in Chieti because you can see the weather forming and moving and feel the changes in the wind and temperature. After the rain stopped we drove to Torrevecchia Teatina and admired the homes, the views and the Montepulciano vineyards. We talked to a few locals, visited the cemetery and enjoyed the sun and cool breezes after the rain. Check out the photo of the cactus I ran into. That hurt. We stopped at a supermarket on the way home to get some of our favorite things to bring home. The Italian supermarket has four ( no exaggeration) aisles of pasta, not including the fresh pasta in the refrigerated area. We are leaving Abruzzo in the morning so we spent the evening packing up and enjoying the tomatoes that the farmer gave us along with the delicious bread made by Danilo Toscani Del Nibletto and some local fruit, cheese and meat. Sad to leave Abruzzo but looking forward to the last leg of our journey-Lazio.

Celebrità d'Abruzzo

Day Twelve: No history lesson. Today I was a celebrity. The hair. I have a lot of it and it is beginning to look pretty bad after all this travel. Caesar arranged that I meet stilista extraordinaire Alessandra Martella and have a salon morning. His nephew Fabio Pennoni joined us and I never had so much fun waiting for my hair to process, listening to all theee of them and trying to follow the conversation. When we finished up around eleven, we all had coffee and dolce and then went on a scavenger hunt through the market for a particular kind of baby bib for our grandchildren that the moms at home love, laughing all the way, particularly at my inability to remember the word for bib. Bavaglino. Nearly time to meet my kind and thoughtful cousin, Danilo Toscani Del Nibletto for pranzo at one of my favorite local places located high in the hills. Fabio offered to drive us and Alessandra agreed to join us too and Caesar decided to take credit for arranging for me to have a stylist and driver for the day. If I had known that I would spend the day posing as an Americani celebre, I would have dressed way better. So great to see Danilo and we hope he will visit us in the USA next year. After all that, Caesar and I ran off to meet his brother in law, Ciofani Ottica so that Caesar could have his eye exam and choose new glasses, a thing he insists is inferior at home. Finally, ended the day having cena at 9PM with family and friends who we’ve traveled with and hosted in the past. So great to see all the people we love and share so many fun memories. So, not a day of sightseeing or culture but a day of living the dolce vita with the Italians.