The Aegean Sea Cruise: Departure from Rome

Welcome to The Aegean Sea Cruise: Departure from Rome. After several marvelous days in Rome, we reached our sail away day to begin the fabulous Aegean Sea Cruise. We have an exciting itinerary: Naples, Capri, then onto various ports in Greece, Turkey, Egypt and then back to Rome again. I’ll leave the exact details until they happen.

We spent yesterday enjoying the day in Rome, savoring the time at our hotel, which really was fantastic on every level. (see patio breakfast photo at left). We had a car drive us through the countryside to enjoy the view along to the coast, to Citivecchia, the port of departure for our cruise. Since we are now frequent cruisers, we had “preferred boarding” so we were able to board quickly and with no delays. After unpacking our bags and settling in, we decided to enjoy the ship right away.
First up was a lovely reception with a cheese tasting table, which was a perfect compliment to the champagne.

The sail away party was fairly low key, in that Citivecchia isn’t much of a port.  So we went to the Wheelhouse Lounge to partake in a pre-dinner beverage (see photo below). 

All in all, a nice relaxing start to the big cruise. Today we’re in Capri, and the weather is supposed to be perfect. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you can follow along as the daily cruise blog begins.
-Ricardo Rockhillo

Rick’s Roadshow: Rome Makes Me Want to Roam

Welcome back to Rick’s Roadshow: Rome Makes Me Want to Roam

I started the day with an early morning swim in the hotel’s fabulous pool. I ordered coffee poolside and figured I could do my laps and then relax in my fluffy bathrobe. It was still quite early so I had the pool to myself. After a mere four laps I was completely out of breath and thoroughly exhausted. I swear the pool must be an Olympic size pool. I was huffing, puffing and heaving so I clawed my way out of the pool and sat on the side trying to catch my breath. The coffee sure tasted good at that point.

For our second full day in Rome, we planned an itinerary that had us doing some serious walking. It started at an eerie church Santa Maria della Concezione. I say eerie because the inside walls of the chapel was decorated with the bones of over 4,000 monks dating back to the 1500’s. Talk about creepy. These poor monks bodies were dug up after having long decomposed, and then assembled on walls as the décor. There were alcoves with piles and piles of carefully placed skulls all to make patterns. Let’s just say it was one of the strangest things I have ever seen.  

From there we went to visit the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, which remains today the private home of the Doria Pamphilj family. Part of their Palazzo is open to the public, with multiple rooms on exhibit with a stunning array of art on exhibit. This noble Italian royal family dates back over 500 years, with important historical connections throughout the Mediterranean. Andrea Doria led independence from Genoa, and Giovanni Doria Andrea  fought a famous battle against the Turks in the battle of Lepanto in 1571. 

But it was later in 1644 when the Doria family’s own Cardinal Giovanni Battista was elected as Pope and became known as Pope Innocent X. Without question, having a pope in the family during this era brought enormous power and prestige to the Doria Pamphilj family. Photo left: the colonnade entrance to the Palazzo. Photo below: the bathroom salon at the Palazzo. Photo below the bathroom salon: a lovely iron grate outside the windows of the Palazzo.

The princes and princesses who followed Innocent X maintained their family passion for art, assembling an enormous private collection that continues to be open to the public here in Rome. Being received at the Palazzo was quite an exciting opportunity, it is on the level of The Vatican, Windsor Castle of Buckingham Palace. Exquisite paintings, incredible tapestries, beautiful sculptures and marble everywhere. 

Having toured many of the great palaces and art museums across Europe, what struck me as we visited this Palazzo was the abundance of talent and culture that emanated from Western Europe over the past 600 years. Clearly a passionate people inspired by a wide array of historical events, and public figures. One could argue that at times, the inspiration may have been driven by flawed individuals, egomaniacs or even conquerors of holy wars. Regardless of why, what resulted was an unprecedented outpouring of talent that translated onto canvas, stone, jewelry, fabric and much more. Modern art collectors such as The Smithsonian continue to acquire art from the past and the present, seeking to preserve culture for future generations to appreciate and hopefully inspire. I never profess to be an art historian, but over the years I have come to appreciate art- in its various forms as an important part of our shared society. The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is a delightful way to spend an afternoon in Rome, even if you aren’t visiting a member of the family. I highly recommend visiting its public galleries, they are open to the public for a small entrance fee. 

Our day of walking continued with a brief visit to the Castel of San Angelo, adjacent to The Vatican at the foot of Piazza San Pietro (St Peter’s Square).  We checked out the site of the tomb of Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome. It was under substantial renovation and excavation so we couldn’t really see much. I would have thought that this would have had a more grand memorial, considering the importance of Augustus to the Roman Empire. Perhaps that is what they are working on restoring-even if it is over 2,000 years later! The square around the tomb has some interesting buildings, including some Fascist-era buildings (see photo above) built by Mussolini complete with art deco style décor. And in stark contrast also adjacent are contemporary modern structures with glass and steel, as well as a Papal monument and Renaissance era church. So in just one city square you can see four great representations of Roman history. It is a simple, yet remarkable site, which goes unnoticed by most passers-by. It was further evidence to me, that Rome truly is The Eternal City.

Please join me again tomorrow for a fresh edition of Rick’s Roadshow, as we begin our fabulous Aegean Sea cruise. We set sail from Rome and head south to Capri and Naples and then journey to some exotic sites…it should be a memorable trip. Thanks for following along.
-Ricardo Rockhillo

Rick's Roadshow: Rome or Bust

Well I'm finally off to do a bit of personal travel for a change. We head off to Rome today, then onto an Aegean Sea Cruise. Stay tuned for fresh updates to Rick's Roadshow. I'm back with all sorts of interesting sights to share. Since I'm flying today, nothing exciting to post yet....but oh to I have a story to share that happened to me last night that ALMOST made me think I might have to cancel the entire trip. Let's just say it involved a foreign object piercing my hand. Oh it was gross. I'll write about it on the flight and post soon!

Sunday Art Review: Miscellaneous Art in Rome

After a few days back stateside again I've settled back into my routine at home in Palm Springs once again. So today it's time again for a fresh edition of my Sunday Art Review. While in Rome I snapped a few photos here and there, thinking that it would provide good material for this post. Somehow I lost my notes on the names of these works, after being ever-so-diligent in keeping track. Oh well. Here I present a new edition of the Sunday Art Review: Miscellaneous Art in Rome. Above left is an oil painting by the great Vincent Van Gogh, depicting Jesus and Mary after the Crucifixion. It hangs in the Vatican Museum in Rome (or should I say, in Vatican City). Here are two random statues I found while exploring Rome. They are somewhere on Via Nazionale.

above: There are probably thousands of marble statues and busts in the Vatican museum. This one is of an emperor, notice the face emblem on his chest, its rather interesting.

above: it's not the real Thinker by Rodin, which is in France, but it's the cast.

above: a marvelous fresco painting by Raphael, The Crowning of Charlemagne.
I hope you enjoyed these random works of art from my trip to Rome. Have a Happy Sunday!

-Rick Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Rome Wrap Up

Well my quick jaunt to Italy is over, and it's back to work for me today. It's amazing what taking even just a few personal vacation days can do to rejuvenate oneself. A long weekend in Rome is just the trick! I thought I'd do a Rick's Roadshow: Rome Wrap Up post today, featuring some photos I have not yet shared. It's a bit of a mish-mosh of images so I indulge your patience. At top left is a section of a waterfall at the Piazza Navona. Even though the face is a little creepy, I like the two dolphins on either side of him.

above: another water fountain on Piazza Navona

above and below: still in Piazza Navona, I took these photos to show the muted colors of buildings and the cafes along the edges.

above: The locals steer clear from restaurants on just about any main Piazza, as the food is geared toward tourists. I prefer to eat at smaller places on side streets where there are mostly Italians dining. But its fun to stroll through these areas and soak it all up!

above: In Piazza di Popolo ("plaza of the people") they had a demonstration of police dogs, who performed all sorts of crowd-pleasing maneuvers.

above: We found a quiet side street to relax with a few beers...

above: which were served with bruschetta and potato chips. I could do this everyday!

above: Now this is my kind of snack shop. Whole Parma hams hanging behind the counter, fresh cheeses and things that make you go: "Mmmmmmm"

above: Actually this photo is from a restaurant in Bologna, where I had had the traditional Tortellini stuffed with prosciutto ham served in broth. It was served in a giant tureen, so I had four bowls, not to let it go to waste! Yes, we ate very well in Italy, but isn't that what you'd expect? I'm back home now but ready to go back to Italy again. Following the legend, I tossed a coin over my back into the Trevi Fountain, to assure a return to Rome. I expect it to work.

-Signore Ricardo Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Italy, Day 6- The Vatican in Rome

Here we are at day six of Rick's Roadshow from Rome, Italy. We spent a great deal of time at the Vatican. I've been there before, so during this visit I was able to spend more time seeing things I glossed over at the last visit. I took this photo of St. Peter's Square, looking straight on toward the Basilica, which is an enormous structure once you get inside. I didn't take any photos inside the Basilica, mainly because it is so overwhelming and difficult to get the sense of scale from my little camera. Since I did a series of posts on this blog about the Vatican museum last September/October I won't duplicate any of that. Instead, here are a few other images from the Vatican:

above: a commanding statue of St Peter. Note the cool clock on the roof at top right.

above: I have a thing for water fountains...

above: The Swiss Guards, in service to the Pope

Some Fabulous Ceilings at the Vatican Museum

what is there to say about these magnificent works of art?

Virtually every ceiling in the Vatican Museum is breath taking an truly amazing.

above: these are old precious rings worn from prior Popes. Two things struck me: the stones were huge, and the ring sizes were very large too.

above: the Tevere river, just outside of Vatican City. I crossed this bridge and took these photos below:

above: angels along the bridge crossing the Tevere River

above: The Romans are known for amazing aqueducts and an abundance of water. That water flows freely throughout the city, from major fountains, to drinking stations across the city.

above: The famous Spanish Steps are always a crowd pleaser.

above: This is one end of the water fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps. I like how the water flows from the mouth of the sun. Well the time has come for me to head back to Palm Springs. This was just a quick jaunt to Italy and it has come to an end. Tomorrow I'll probably post one more entry about Rome, so please come back.
-Signore Ricardo Rockhill

Rick's Roadshow: Italy, Day 5- Rome

Happy Monday! It's time to resume another edition of Rick's Roadshow. As you know I have been in Italy the past few days. I'm finished with my work business and have the next few days to relax and enjoy Rome as personal time off work. We spent the day visiting some of the sites we had seen last October, but wanted to spend more time. Here are a few photos from yesterday in and around Rome. We started at the Colosseum, then moved onto the Forum. Both are truly amazing sights to see. Walking through, I could almost sense the history from nearly 2,000 years. While at the Forum, I refilled my water bottle with Roman water, flowing from the ancient aqueducts that still flows today. The water was sweet, and quite refreshing. I found myself wondering what life was like back in the year 70 A.D. My mind wandered as I got lost in a day dream. .

above: a closer look at that arch...

above: The Colosseum

above: I took this photo from within the Colosseum

above: Remains of the Temple of Castor and Pollux

above: the combination of styles and design structures were a true marvel, even it to this day.

above: Emperor Julius Caesar

above: me hamming it up in front a few statue heads.

above: statue of Julia, daughter of Titus

above: a few more...

above: Monument the first King of Italy, amazing monument, huh?

above: a lovely water fountain next to the tomb of the unknown soldier

above: a lion in front of the tomb of the unknown soldier

above: earlier in the day, standing next to the Eurotrain Trenitalia

above: Teatro Dell' Opera

above: I saw this fresh fruit stand and thought it was so colorful and refreshing... Thanks for stopping by today, more to come from Rick's Roadshow: Rome tomorrow! -Signore Ricardo Rockhill