Day95

Day 95. Sat 3rd July
Wet.

Another oven hot day with the thermometer hitting 40o but we don’t mind because were in the Villa Deste, converted from an old convent by Cardinal Ippolito Deste in 1550 as his country retreat.
The spectacular water garden makes the most of its cliff top location. The sheer exuberant inventiveness of the water features is infection, we want to run and splash, skip and laugh our way around the garden.
Get back to a thunderous rainstorm that manages to bring the temperature down a few degrees. Phew.Fountain of Neptune

The long pond(or the long ponder)

The walk of 100 fountains.

Day 94

Day 94. Fri 2nd July.
Cold.

How he did it I don’t know but Andy has managed to catch a cold (its 35 o in the shade). Runny nose, sore throat and a slight temperature, which of course he interprets as malaria. (we are being eaten alive by the mozzies)
He gets up to speed with some paperwork (accounts).
Celebrated finishing them with a dip in the pool. Come to think of it, he probably caught the cold from the pool. Its so overused and warm, like swimming in a giant incubator of floating protein.

Day 93

Day 93, Thursday 1st July.
Terrorism at the Galleria Borghese

The timeslot for our visit to the Galleria Borghese was 11am to 1pm, dire consequences awaited those who did not collect their tickets in the half hour before the visit. No refunds, no re allocation. So we arrived in plenty of time.
If the staff at the ticket collection desk were condesending and curt, the ones at the audio guide desk were positively rude, in the café they were vile and even the lady in the loos terrorised one old couple to tears, she (the lavatory attendant)wouldn’t let them in (to the TOILET)unless they produced a ticket, which as they were part of a group they didn’t have.
This severe attitude problem must come from the top, unless they only recruit staff from the people-hating workforce of Rome, It may even be a requirement.
Such a shame, it’s a knockout gallery, stunning rooms with some of the finest collections of paintings and sculpture we have seen. I have never been in an institution so hell bent on making our visit as unpleasant as possible. A measure of their success is we quickly became cultured out and found the place a great indigestible slab of excess.
Cleared our heads with a walk through the park to the Spanish Steps. Historically a poser’s paradise where all the bight young things wait to be discovered. It must have been their day off as all the people there looked like they were waiting for cryogenic re animation.
Lunch in our favourite Rome restaurant, Ostella alla Concordia. An old hangout of the Italian film director Fellini.
Great food, great service, great atmosphere and cheap as chips. Gallery Garden(only place you can take a picture)

A poser at the Spanish steps

Me getting all Fellini.

Day 92

Day 92.Wed 30th June.
Backpackers.

The temperatures are rising in the city and were wiped out so have a day by the pool. The campsite demographic has changed a lot in the last week. Most of the aging northern european touring community have moved out, as have the caravans and tourers, we are beset with young backpackers with tents. They are a friendly (they all want to play with Molly) nosier bunch and leave the showers and loos in a filthy state.
None of them are housetrained, I blame the parents.

Day 91

Day 91.Tues 29th June.
Villa Borghese.

Feel the need for a green space so head to the Villa Borghese. Rome’s largest open space and filled with statues and fountains, leafy glades and imposing vistas over the city. Home to several important museums including the Museum of the same name.
Galleria Borghese was the summer residence of Cardinal Scipione Borghese and built in early 17C to house his vast (and unsurpassed) private art collection.
We innocently wandered in and asked for a pair of tickets.
You would think we had requested the soul of their fist born. Oh no you cant buy a ticket, you must book a timed visit, online, and they are sold out for the next two days. A big fat lie.
Online you could have bought tickets for that afternoon but at least we had some idea what we were up against.
Instead wandered down to the Villa Giulia dedicated to Etruscan Art (pre Roman empire) a much friendlier set up and beautifully displayed. An imposing vista.

Leafy glade.

What an Urn

An etruscan bronze( moments before my camera was confiscated)

Day90

Day 90.Mon 28th June.
Doria Pamphilj

The Doria Pamphilj gallery, in the Rococo palace of the same name is packed, wall to wall, floor to ceiling, with the most personal and enjoyable, collection of paintings and sculpture we have seen so far.
The hands down star of the show is the terrifying portrait of Pope Innocent X by Velasquez. It’s an image that is so familiar, but to be in the same room, well that penetrating stare cuts right through you.
A private collection, Innocent X is an early ancestor, with a gripping family history. We enjoy paintings by Titian, Caravaggio, Brueghel and sculptures by Bernini, a knockout collection.
A thoroughly relaxed audio commentary by Jonathan Pamphili (current heir apparent), manages to be learned, charming and highly informative.

Embroiled in a bitter family feud over inheritance, his wicked sister is trying to disinherit his (and his male partners) two adopted children. Civil partnerships and surrogacy are still illegal in Italy. Thanks to Papal string pulling, are likely to remain so for some time.
Popped into the Parthenon on the way home (as you do) a thrilling space but at 40degrees C, to hot to handle.

Berninis Elephant Statue.
Pamphilj Courtyard

The bathroom in the Wang?

Parthenon.

Day 89

Day 89. Sun 27th June.
Off.

Utterly exhausted from Friday and Saturdays exertions. We have a slow start, followed by a long rest, followed by a snooze. Followed by a big food shop, we get bits and pieces for the wang (battery charger) and that’s all folks.