Rome, Italy - Travel Scrapbook
Danny and Simone's Travel Scrapbook of Rick Steves' 7-Day Best of Rome (and a little Paris too)
Friday, November 3, 2006
Day 6: Rome's Baroque Treasures
We'll begin with a guided tour of the Borghese Gallery, filled with Bernini's beautifully Baroque sculptures and other masterpieces. Then you'll have the afternoon free to spend in the surrounding park, ramble through more ruins, or do some shopping. Tonight we'll meet for our own "Last Supper" and toast this magnificent city. Salute! Walking: strenuous.
Borghese Gallery
The Borghese Gallery
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The Galleria Borghese |
Even the tickets were beautiful — we compared each other’s tickets as there were several different pictures of art found in the Borghese Gallery.
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Ticket—Side 1 |
Ticket—Side 2 |
At the Borghese Gallery all bags must be checked and no cameras are allowed. We’re in luck. The Borghese Gallery has timed entry and their computerized ticket system was down resulting in fewer than the 360 tickets normally sold per two hour window. Francesa does her magic with describing the collection (Bernini sculptures, paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian), particularly how ruthless Cardinal Borghese was in his techniques in getting the art he wanted.
After the tour, we huddle before dispersing. Lisa wants us to meet at 6pm to take the Metro to our final dinner together. Several tour members have early flights so dinner will end early as well.
Our afternoon is free. Anthony, Grace, Jonathan, Bill, Cindy, Jon, Diane, Danny and I walk through the Borghese gardens. We pass the American Embassy (I’m sure someone was taking our picture as Danny took this one) on the way to the Capuchin Crypt where four thousand monks’ bones are artistically displayed on the walls, ceilings, etc. Photos are not allowed. I wished we had purchased some postcards in the gift shop. Just plug the name in any search engine and see the bones for yourself. The Capuchin Crypt was a little macabre, but as the Capuchin Crypt sign says—“What you are now, I once was. What I am now, you will be.”
We finished the crypt just in time. It’s 12 noon and the Crypt is closing for a couple hours.
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American Embassy |
We stop by a cafe to buy sandwiches and drinks to eat on the way to the Capital Hill Museum.
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Ticket—Side 1 |
Ticket—Side 2 |
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Chariot |
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Marcus Aurelius |
Marcus Aurelius |
The group splits up as we tour the museum.
Danny and I catch the #40 bus back to the hotel and have a siesta until dinner.
The Last Supper
At 6pm, the group leaves the hotel to catch the Metro to the Ottaviano station and we take an Italian stroll to the restaurant. We walk up the Spanish steps and the night view of Rome was awesome. During the meal, Lisa surprised us with a memento of our visit to Ostia Antica, a clay mask like one of the large columns in the theatre area. Another great meal, conversations and a wonderful note to end the tour — or so we thought at the moment.
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The last supper..... |
We ride the Metro back to the Repubblica station. Most of the group exits the train, but Lisa and couple members are too slow exiting and the doors close and the train leaves the station. The look on Lisa's face and the faces of the slow pokes was hilarious and memorable.
This a great way to end our week together!
They rode to the next station and caught the train back and rejoin us. We make the short walk to Hotel Aberdeen and say Arrivederci!
