TWENTY-EIGHTH
DAY
CISTERNS
AND GELATO
October
11, 2005
The
gym is simplifying my life. How you
ask? Because it takes me about 2 hours
in the morning which could be put to better use studying or going somewhere to
learn and see something. So instead of
doing anything constructive, now I go to the gym. Much easier.
The gym is located about a mile from the Academy in the Monteverde
neighborhood that I have now named Cariniville. In Italian Carini means pretty. It is some sort of upscale Berkeley
neighborhood and it is bigger then it looks.
Lots of markets, clothes, outdoor veggie and fruit places, book stores
and Gelateria spots on the way. Also,
many cars driving way too fast and of course the requisite motorino careening
past everything at top speed. I am getting very comfortable in these parts now
though my Italian is non-existent. When
you can point and have Euros, there are no problems. I think the meat here is outstanding and
tastes better then ours by a long shot.
My meat guys love the point method of buying. The gym does not meet World Gym franchise
requirement,s but it is clean and now I know how to work everything. A good way to start the day.
In
the afternoon, we have a walk with a lecturer and talk about the aqueduct that
runs under our building. To get to the
site you virtually had to repel down a steep ladder into the actual
watercourse, now not used. Needless to
say, I was not among the visitors on that part of the tour. Then we walked across the street to the other
major Academy property called the Villa Aurelia. This magnificent palace was
built in the 17th century.
The grounds are simply a staggering 4 acres of flowers, bushes, trees,
terraces, paths and public area. It is
used in Rome for weddings, parties and concerts. It also houses some of the Academies better
know visiting artists and scholars.
Simply put, it is the real jewel of the American Academy
properties. In the late 1950’s they
found a huge underground Cistern underneath the property. They have dated it to the Aurelian wall, 300
AD. It is in fine shape and I was able
to get all the way in and out without tripping.
Good, since there was little light.
In one of the chambers the wall itself was part of the holding
mechanism. The Academy has an in house
archeologist who is in residence to sort out all the dating and excavation that
are still going on here, as they are all over Rome. We are overwhelmed by the sites that we have
seen, our imaginations run wild as we try to visualize what was going on here
through the centuries. It feels like
exactly what we came for and we are getting it.
We can only hope to keep soaking up the goodies.
Late
in the afternoon, Kim and I take to the streets and ride the motor down to the
Center. First we go to a gallery that is dedicated to Italian-Latin American
artistic collaboration, they are having a show by a print group out of Los
Angeles called Mexografia. Originally
based in Mexico City they long ago came north.
They do some very unusually textured handmade papers and this exhibition
was Tomayo and an Italian artist by the name of Pallidino. The work was first class and thrilling. I would love to own a Tamayo print; he really
understood the medium. I did buy a print
from Mexographia, it is a really exceptional Ed Rusha and we love it.
We
move on to less artistic things, the famous gelateria, Giolitti. It is the first time I have taken the scooter
into the absolute center of Roma. I probably break every traffic rule in the
book and we get close without lose of life and limb. I must say we have eaten an inordinate amount
of this fatal stuff. Thus the need for the gym.
Driving in the center of Rome is like figuring out a puzzle. There are dozens of signs denoting different
rules. Arrows predominate, but red
circles with blue crosses through them (do not enter) are not far behind. There are also the signs that say Pedrone
Sole or Pedestrians Only. These are the
ones that you probably should obey, but nobody on the scooters does. We make our way across Via del Corso, a major
Roman thoroughfare and head for the Colla Graphia. This is the place where all the copper plates
from famous Italian artists are stored.
We find the street and enter one of the no car or motor zones without
hesitation. Dismounting, we enter an
attractive lobby and know we are in the wrong place. It is an architecture
exhibit by a major Italian fellow by the name of Rudolfi. He was an architect working during the
fascist period of the 20’s and 30’s. His
work is all over Rome and the Academy architect fellows have eagerly awaited
this exhibit. It opened just a few days
ago. The main style is flat facades and block like structures. There is a lot of this guy’s work
around. We then find the print place,
but they won’t let us see anything. I
will get a permission slip form the Academy and then see the plates of Paranese
at another time; at least I know where it is.
We
go out near the Academy to the most trendy spot on our hill, Antico Arco, for
dinner. It is a high style Italian place
exquisitely furnished in a very contemporary style. The service was faultless
and the food tasty. The portions in
Italy are not as big as the US. Usually, that would be a problem but the gelato
has kicked in and all I want is a walk around the Paola fountain down the
hill.
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