sabato 23 agosto 2008

Your first “A Night in Rome”

What I would like to do on my first day in rome if I wasn’t be roman?
I think that feet are the best way to discover a city so, do you like walking? Yes?
Ok you have said it, I have heard you!
“TAKE it EASY” !!

The alarm rings at about 09:30 am
take care of you for about 45 minutes and then go out: your first day in rome starts now.

First stop: cappuccino e cornetto!!
Our preferred bar is in Piazza San Cosimato, try the cappuccino and cornetto sit outside the bar reading your roman guide; what does your guide say about the Basilica in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere?
Yes, cause this is your second stop: Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere


Take time to visit the Basilica and its beautiful paintings, the Basilica probably was the first official worship site of Christians built in all Rome. Walking back home take a look on the small alley ways and stop to a bakery or a pizza shop to take something for lunch, we’re going to have a pic-nic so take all you may need!
Third stop: Bocca della Verità

be patience and don’t be afraid of the queue; take a picture of you with your hand in the fabulous mouth….. swear and not tell lies!!
Fourth stop: Circo Massimo

now you need time to rest, with your food bag go on the upper site of the Circo Massimo, the one from which you’ll have a great view on the palatine hill….
relax and enjoy this moment! Your walking day is not at the end….hihihi
Fifth stop: you are now so close to the Colosseo that you cannot miss this appointment….HEY! don’t forget the picture with the gladiators!
(The city council of Roma has finished the Gladiators like the one above, so don't be surprised if the ones you are going to meet are not as the model i showed you in the photo, i brought home with me the latest exemplary ....would to!!!)
Sixth and last stop: a walk along the Fori Imperiali straight to Piazza Venezia to see the so called “type writer” : the Vittoriano.
Your first wondering day in Roma is now at the end but before going to home have a pizza & supplì (so good....SLURP!) in a typical roman pizzeria “Ai Marmi” on Viale Trastevere, 53

Have a good night!
BUON APPETITO!!!!!!!

mercoledì 13 agosto 2008

Buon Ferragosto!!!

Ferragosto
is a popular midsummer holiday which coincides with the religious feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven celebrated on August 15.
The most ancient origins of this event are recognized in the so called “Consualia” from the latin “Conso” god of the stored harvest. In the ancient roman times, during this day, people used to exchanged gifts with the hope of having “Bonas ferias consuales” (a sort of have a "prosperous year").
The name of the month "August" has its origin in the ancient rome back to the Emperor Caesar Augustus, this month was infact dedicated to him and the wish “Bonas ferias consuales” changed its formula in “bonas ferias augustales”, our modern "Buon Ferragosto !!".
It was the emperor's decision to combine in a single summer festivity a whole complex of festivities so called Feriae Augustii or Feriae Augustalis.
Subsequently, the Midsummer Feast taken a predominantly religious fold. On this occasion many spectacular processions were held during the night, an old image of the Savior was transported in the old city of Rome from the chapel of San Lorenzo in Laterano, today inside the sanctuary of Scala Santa, to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The image of Christ proclaimed "Acheropita" (not painted by human hand but, according to tradition, by angels) was taken by the Pope in person in the evening of August 14, placed on a canopy and transported all around the old city in the light of torches.
The procession was deleted around the second half of the sixteenth century (1550).
Subsequently, the Roman Ferragosto was linked to profane rituals such as racing horses, fighting bulls. There were also games, particularly uncivilised, as the "strappacolli alli paperi" (strangle the duck) which were abolished by Pope Innocent XI, in 1681.
Bonas Ferias Consuales !!
BUON FERRAGOSTO A TUTTI !!!!
Bonas Ferias Augustales !
HAVE a GOOD MIDSUMMER FEAST !!

sabato 9 agosto 2008

Under a falling roman sky

-ROME -

The night of wishes is arrived, the one during which we all turn our gaze up to the sky in the hope of seeing the stars fall down!!!
According to tradition would be the tears that San Lorenzo poured on the day of his torture that roaming the whole universe until they fall to earth, usually the night of August 10.
This year makes an exception, it will not be the August 10 the brighter night, but the one between tomorrow and the day after (August 11-12).

Beware, remeber yourself to be turn your gaze up to the sky again the night between August 16-17 there will be an “eclissi” of the moon, something like this......