Trogir, Croatia

Trogir is located on a small island, sandwiched between the mainland and a bigger island. It has had a potted history of occupation by many different nations, from the Greeks in the third century,  to the Romans and Byzantines who also controlled it.  It was sacked by the Saracens and abandoned for several decades until Hungarians took over the region and it’s fortunes revived once again. It fell under Venetian rule in the fifteenth century and they remained the rulers for over three hundred years.

These different cultures all left their mark upon the tiny city and buildings reflecting these cultures abound in the picturesque alleys and squares with examples of many architectural styles.

There is a thriving marina along the seafront and on the day I visited, there was a colourful market set up along the quay with stalls selling antiques, bric a brac and locally produced merchandise.

Split, Croatia

 

 

Split is the second largest city in Croatia. It has developed around the port and remains of Diocletian’s Palace. Arriving by plane my companions and I were treated to a panoramic view of the Dalmatian coastline and the city of Split not once, but twice, as the first landing was aborted due to difficult conditions caused by crosswinds.

Our apartment was situated to the west of the city and a brisk walk brought us to the seafront in roughly five minutes. It’s a very busy harbour with thousands of pleasure craft. A number of piers are used exclusively for the many ferries that cross to nearby islands as well as ones going further afield and there are also extensive facilities for several huge cruise liners to berth.

Leaving the sea behind us we entered the town through a narrow alley with a marble paved floor. Hundreds of similar alleys filtered the throngs of tourists into picturesque squares that have been built within the fabric of what was once Diocletian’s Palace. The ruins of towering walls and arches, with weeds growing from them, form the backdrop to modern hotels and restaurants.

We walked through this vibrant scene before heading further along the coast, stumbling into the midst of a fresh fruit and vegetable market as we walked.

The juxtaposition of old and new doesn’t always work and some of the buildings that have been superimposed upon these ancient Roman ruins look tawdry. We crossed a railway line that looked as if it was no longer in use before picking up the path that followed the coast. This is where the popular beaches are located and even late in the season there were many peple enjoying the warm afternoon sun.

 

Chihuly at Kew

I went to Kew earlier this week.  I used to be a member so have been lots of times before  but haven’t been for a number of years. I saw Chihuly’s last exhibition several times and thought it was excellent. His glass sculptures were placed to blend in with the many species of plants that can be seen at Kew.

I recognised some of the pieces on display but was interested to see the new ones. Here are some of the photographs I took that day.

 

Ancient Egyptian Obelisks, Rome

You can find more ancient Egyptian Obelisks in Rome than anywhere else in the world.  The logistics of transporting these long, heavy objects over land and sea in ancient times must have been phenominal, and several didn’t make it because the ship carrying them sank. They are dotted all over Rome and most have been housed in various locations over the centuries. The two in Piazza Navona were originally at each end of Circus Maximus. Apparently Rome is home to the tallest obelisk. See if you can spot it.

 

 

Cinecitta, Rome

Our last full day in Rome saw torrential rain all morning. We couldn’t go to the museums as we planned, due to the fact that they all close on Mondays, so we packed and did everything we needed to in the apartment before braving the elements.

Picking our way through the huge pools of water left by the rain, we made our way to Termini and caught the train to Cinecitta, the famous film studios on the outskirts of Rome, founded by Mussolini. Great Italian directors worked there and Federico Fellini used Stage 5 exclusively, recreating sets so well that the end film appears to have been filmed on location. Films set in Rome were expensive to shoot because of the uneven nature of the terrain, which meant lengthy shoots that became prohibitively expensive. Making sets in the studio proved a much cheaper option.

We had a briliant guide who took us onto Sound Stage 1, explaining the techniques of filming, things the stages are used for now and the films and film-makers who have and still use these facilities.

We were unable to go onto Stage 5 as something was filming, but enjoyed an extensive tour of the backlots, seeing where the HBO series ROME was filmed, as well as the backlot used by Scorsese for Gangs of New York. We were also taken round a Prop Store with thousands of items used in the series ROME, from centurians armour to loaves of bread.

The tour ended with a display outlining the history of the studios and the films made there, movie posters and memorabilia and a gallery of costumes from some of the films made there.

 

Rome – Wanderings

Arriving mid morning, we were able to check into our accommodation before lunch and take advantage of a beautiful, warm, spring afternoon to start our holiday. We had a light lunch in a trattoria close to our apartment, enjoying watching the rapport between the staff and local customers who came in for their mid-day snacks.

We wandered fairly aimlessly, drinking in the sights and warmth of the sun after months of northern European grey days. Finding ourselves in Forum Borium, we stopped to take photo’s before bypassing the large boisterous queue of people waiting to insert their hands in Bocca della Verita, otherwise known as The Hand of Truth. According to legend this pagan face mask bites off the hands of liars. Leaving the sounds of almost hysterical screams behind, we entered the virtually empty and silent interior of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. In common with many Basilicas in Rome, parts of this one are very old, but it has been adapted and changed many times over the intervening centuries.

Upon emerging we walked towards the Arch of Janus, the only remaining four-sided arch in Rome. Just behind this we spotted the Basilica of San Giorgio in Velabro, a medieval church that was damaged by a mafia bomb in 1993 and has since been restored.

 

The Baths of Diocletian, Rome

On Sunday the forecast was bad so we went to look round the remains of Diocletian’s Baths. We spent quite a lot of time in the adjoining museum to escape the rain but entering the ruins of the baths was mind blowing. The tiny portion that is left is absolutely vast. Huge walls tower above what had been an enormous hall. We were able to walk along the bottom of what had been the cold bath that the Roman’s had used at the end of the bathing process, and the marble tiles are still in place. 

 

Rome, Bonus Day

Our flight home was cancelled, which could have proved disastrous after such a rain affected visit, but we were lucky and the weather was fine. We decided to view this as a bonus day and crammed it with activities.

We had bought a ticket that gave entry to four museums but only managed to visit one as we forgot that all Government buildings close on Mondays, for cleaning and reorganising displays. Leaving our cases at a luggage bnb, we made our way to Palazzo Massimo. There are three floors with extraordinarily long flights of stairs to each level. We looked round the amazingly well preserved sculptures, grave ornaments etc. 

I’m reading SPQR by Mary Beard so was interested to notice a large display on the ground floor. These are the fragments of the earliest Roman calendar so far found. They were discovered painted on a wall in Anzio, south of Rome and give some insight into how early Romans measured time.

Catching our breath, we ascended the last flight of stairs to the level that interested us the most as it contains amazing murals and frescos, the highlight being the frescos discovered in an underground room of the Villa of Livia. We found ourselves alone in the room and marvelled at how lifelike the frescos were, it almost felt as if we were in a garden. The villa was abandoned in the fifth century but it’s thought that the frescos date as far back as the third century.

Rome

Dodging the heavy showers that were frequently falling, we arrived at Piazza Popolo during a brief dry interval.  We decided to risk climbing to Terrazza del Pinci, which has a viewing platform and managed to spend a short time taking in the view over the rooftops of Rome.

 

Reflections of Rainy Rome

I recently visited Rome where they are currently experiencing the coldest, wettest May since 1957. This wasn’t the first time I had spent time in Rome in May and I know that sudden, torrential showers are the norm at this time of year, but this was persistant, heavy rain that was having an impact on tourists and businesses alike. When the rain fell, streets became deserted and even popular restaurants had empty tables rather than the usual queues.

On our final evening we discovered that our flight had been cancelled and we’d been reassigned seats on one leaving seven hours later. Luckily for us it didn’t rain and we enjoyed a bonus day, managing to cram in several activities as well as another delicious Italian meal.