January what can you say....

January is one of those months where everything starts slowly after the Holidays. People are back to work, more debts on credit card than would be advisable, apparently this is why the Canadian dollar is falling in value on the Stock Market, too much debt by individual Canadians, unemployment is also up to 8% while it is going down in the USA. We are not past the ides of January and it's the first of two winter school holidays. Some will head south, others will go skiing, others will just go to the mall. One wonders what would we do if we did not have the malls, as if you could possibly need more stuff just after the Holidays. I have not set foot in a mall since 1985. I am no longer sure what they look like, not a bad thing.

The days are getting longer a few minutes everyday, on a bright sunny day like today when the sun is so bright as it is reflected off the ice and snow that you need strong sun glasses in order to see anything, it can give you a pick me up feeling.

Puppies continue to lounge in the sunshine, it seems that they cannot get enough sun on any given day. January is also the time of the year for yearly physical and I have already done my blood work. Next week it's the examination, I do not expect anything to be revealed. Good health is precious and worth more than gold.

The late Hugh Lord Cholmondeley (chum-lay) at his home in Houghton Hall, Norfolk with his collection of toy lead soldiers depicting here the battle of Waterloo.

Houghton Hall, Norfolk

This week is also busy with little things, like going to the car repair shop to have the damage to the rear bumper fixed. A minor accident due to very slippery roads and black ice. I was parked and in a shop and saw it happen. Luckily for me the gentleman stopped and gave me the necessary details and his insurance paid it all. For a minor thing it still was one thousand dollars in repair and handwork.

Even walking is difficult and most people walk in the street because the sidewalks are impossible as they are covered with a thick coat of very slippery ice. 

Next week two days of volunteering at the museum which always keeps me very busy and tired at the end of the day, but it is a lot of fun and challenging. I will try to explain the Renaissance to 11 year old kids in 50 minutes. I have to be efficient and to the point in my presentation, difficult to do when they have not studies geography or world history and have a very sketchy idea about art in general.

So the Renaissance is very far away from their preoccupations but who knows they may find it interesting, I will try to connect it to their reality in some way.

If you wonder about the late Lord Cholmondely and Houghton Hall well I also have a collection of about 140 lead soldiers, no where near his impressive collection and my house being somewhat smaller than Houghton Hall, I would have no room for such a large collection. But nonetheless I should rearrange my army. I do not know if David the current Lord Cholmondeley is an avid lead soldier collector.

Here is David Lord Cholmondeley who is also Lord Chamberlain of Her Majesty at Houghton Hall
posing by a painting of Geoffrey Kneller's of Juan Carreras. The only painting bought by Czarina Catherine II the Great in 1779 to have returned permanently to Houghton Hall. His ancestor Sir Robert Walpole sold his painting collection to Catherine the Great. A wonderful exhibit of the collection was held in the fall of 2013 at Houghton Hall, the first ever of this fabulous collection now permanently at the Hermitage.
My point is have you noticed his socks? Now you can tell this is a gentlemen, purple socks, I need a pair, such raffine taste.

Ognissanti, 1 Novembre Commemorazione dei defunti.

On this day we commemorate the Dead and all the Saints of Christianity.  It is a holiday in Italy and in many European countries.

Cemetery Island of Capri

We went to see the exhibit at Palazzo Sciarra on the treasury of San Gennaro Patron Saint of Naples from the Royal Chapel of the Cathedral of Naples. The Exhibit opened on 30 October at the Palazzo Sciarra on Via del Corso in Rome and runs until 16 February 2014.
mostrasangennarorome.it

Sorry I do not have photos of this exhibit in Rome of the Treasury of San Gennaro, unfortunately no photos are allowed and guards are everywhere given the amount of gems and precious object on display. Do have a look at the link for info and photos.

The Treasure of San Gennaro (Januarius) devoted to him is unique in the World, formed 700 years ago by the people of Naples. The treasure is preserved in the Royal Chapel devoted to the Saint in the Cathedral of Naples since 13 January 1527 as a guarantee against external threats to the city and its people. Today a Deputation composed of 12 ancient families (Sedili) of Naples are the guardians. In total 70 pieces are on display. Spectacular pieces like the Mitre, in gilded silver, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and garnets, created my Matteo Treglia in 1714 or the Necklace of San Gennaro created by Michele Dato in 1679 in gold, silver and precious stones. The choice of gems is full of meaning, emeralds represent the union between the Sanctity of the Saint and the emblem of Eternity and Power, Rubies the blood of martyrs and diamonds an eternal Faith. The treasure of San Gennaro has a long history, which, amidst devotion and prejudice, faith and disbelief, is closely associated with the history of the Kingdom of Naples and its people.    

It is a beautiful exhibit and the wealth of the artworks which are made of solid gold and silver encrusted with thousands of precious stones is impressive. The audio guide gives a very good description of the various pieces on display. The wealth alone of the treasure of San Gennaro is breathtaking, gifts of kings and Queens of Europe to cult of San Gennaro said to be the most popular Saint with an estimated 25 million followers. On his birthday two vials of his blood are taken out of the Chapel and shown to the faithful, the blood liquefies and this brings good tidings to Naples.

Today was another beautiful day in Rome and we had lunch at a favourite restaurant La Matriciana on Via del Viminale in front of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. The food is quite good and the decor is 1930 art deco. The restaurant owned by the same family since 1870.  We met with friends and it was very nice to have good conversation and fine food.

We also did a little shopping for shoes and shirts, you can never have enough Italian shoes or Italian made shirts.