On a quiet Sunday in Rome, August 22.

We returned yesterday morning from our vacation on the east coast and central part of Italy. Contrary to many who go to Tuscany, we have so far pretty much avoided it and concentrated instead with other provinces of Italy, such as Le Marche, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna and Lazio. In the summer heat, places to avoid are Florence,Verona and Venice where everyone and their uncle will be. Best to see those cities in early Spring, Fall or Winter, when few people are around and the climate is cooler.

On this trip we visited Pesaro, Rimini, Urbino, Assisi and Perugia. We had very nice weather except for one day of rain. Driving was not too stressful but you have to remember that in Italy on the highway there are 2 lanes one for drivers going 90 Km an hour and the other lane going at 160 to 200 km per hour. There is no in between and I am not always comfortable going at high speed, though the roads are excellent and well maintained, it’s the other driver and the tourist who rented a car that make me nervous.
at our hotel in Assisi.

On our way home from Assisi, in the last 40 km before entering Rome, on the opposite side of the highway going out of Rome, a huge column of cars stopped in a massive traffic jam, ISO Radio 103.5 was giving out traffic bulletin. It seems that the highway A-1 towards Florence is always blocked by some kind of incident.

This was a very nice vacation, we had excellent meals at half the cost of Rome, we bought wines from Le Marche, met some nice people, stayed in nice hotels, had a quiet time, one of the 3 operas I liked, mostly because the staging in the other two was far too experimental and was distracting and annoying at times. By far La Cenerentola by Rossini is my favorite of his compositions.

We also went shopping for shoes and clothes, found some great items on sale 50 to 70% off, end of season.
Fall fashion is already out, in this hot weather, it puts me off just to look at the window display.

We bought wines in Pesaro from the Accaj Sisters at their Enoteca which is housed in a 12 century chapel with a great underground vaulted brick cellar. All the wines are different from last year’s selection. We tasted some of them and others we bought at the recommendation of the sisters. Funny thing happened, we had the cases delivered to our hotel, they were kept at the Reception desk and on departure, the bellhop put it all in the car. I thought nothing of it, all was in order, when we arrived in Rome at home, I suddenly realized that one case was not a case at all but a big ledger book of all the hotel’s business correspondence and accounts for August. It was put in the car by mistake, no wine bottles missing.
Wines from the Marche region of Italy.

I phoned the hotel to let them know I had the ledger, they were much relieved as they had been looking for it everywhere and could not understand what had happened to it. It will be returned promptly to them by post.

In Assisi what I liked most was not the Franciscan church or the tomb of the Saint or the Giotto frescoes, no it was the excellent restaurant we went to 3 times, the food was that good and really well presented. I was a little uncomfortable in Assisi, as I said to W. it has an air of Christian Taliban, many people walking in a religion induce daze like drug addicts, Marx was right, religion is an opium.

They also have these so called international centres for dialogue, supposedly inter-faith, what it really means is, we talk, you listen. The other thing I noticed in Assisi is the lack of poor people, beggars or anyone seeking refuge. The Papal police (actual Vatican security see badge) patrol and anyone loitering is taken off the street pronto. Also at night the monks come out in group of threes and sit here and there watching the crowd, apparently to offer spiritual guidance, it looks more like the Inquisition about to pounce on anyone having too much fun.
Restoration work of Giotto frescoes in San Nicolo chapel.

The Giottos in the Basilica, must have been nice a long time ago, they are being restored now but the colors are terribly faded and they come out flat. It is interesting as a period painting technique but not much more. All of it is also a cycle of religious stories, martyrdom, last judgement and death. Painted in the Middle-Ages when life was short and brutal, full of diseases and dangers, in a repressed world, the message is or was life here is short and awful but wait until you die, it should get better. In fact I said to W. the whole place looks like a movie set for Lord of the Rings.

We were ready to come home after being on the road for about 12 days as nice as it was. Puppies were happy to see us and we found Rome, quiet and deserted, streets free of traffic but with oppressive heat. Arrived just in time to buy a few things at the grocery store before they close at 2pm. With most stores closed for the holidays, streets are deserted, only a few restaurants are open but largely empty of customers, this is how I like Rome the best, quiet.