Summer Concert

Last Saturday evening, Wendover Choral Society performed Mozart's Requiem. They were accompanied by the City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra who began the evening with Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony.

Alison's sister Anne came all the way from Marple in Cheshire to attend the concert, and stayed with us for two nights over the weekend. Also with us in the audience were Alison's running friend Heather and Angie next door with her daughter Charlotte. We were treated to an exceptional concert. The 46 members of the Choral Society are directed and conducted by Peter Bassano. He also conducts the 50 strong City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra.

The four young soloists are professional performers as well as studying at various academies. I have to say that they were outshone by the choir. During the interval we were able to buy a drink and enjoy it outside on what was probably the warmest evening of the year so far. All in all, a memorable occasion.

Four Days In Rome

We left home at 8.30 am for a 12.20 flight. a touch early considering we had checked our baggage in by 9.40! And the flight was delayed by 45 minutes. Alison had checked in the day before - online and then by telephone. But we were given seats 5A and 5C - why? It turned out that we were where the plane narrows and 5B was a very narrow (so unusable) seat, so we had lots of space and bags of leg room.

The plane touched down at 4.15pm Rome time, and that was where our troubles began. We were directed to the wrong baggage collection, having to leave arrivals and air side, a long walk to Terminal 3 arrivals, back air side through the "staff only" gate to find our case. But we were not alone! We found the railway station and were helped how to pay for a ticket on the Leonardo da Vinci non stop express to the main city centre station in Rome. From there we had decided to use the Metro. A mistake with carrying a case and bags! Lots of steps and a long way from the station. The Metro is very grubby, not at all pleasant. And it was raining when we arrived at our destination and an over ten minute walk to the hotel that was not easy to find in the wet. But we got there at 7pm, over nine hours since we left home! But the hotel was very nice thank goodness. We were hungry and tired, so we tried the first pizzeria we found. Out of the tourist centre, it was full of locals. And the pasta and bread was good and very welcome. And to top it all, England win the ICC 20/20 final against Australia. We slept very well for a first night.

DAY ONE - Piazzas and Churches - A Walking Tour

The weather forecast in the paper was for rain. But it was dry when we left the hotel, so we decided to make the best of the day with a walking tour. We headed for Piazza Navona, stopping to take photos of St Peter's from the bridge, Ponte Umberto 1. The sun broke through the cloud as we arrived at this beautiful square.

We went in the big church, Sant' Agnese in Agone, and it was fabulous. It also appears in the book and film Angels and Demons as does the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers that is outside the church in the picture below.

We followed the route of one of the walks in our brilliant guidebook from Eyewitness Travel, and came across the deserted courtyard of Sant' Ivo alla Sapienza. Another lovely church with a superb plain but startling interior with a magnificent lantern. It was no surprise that there were a number of people sketching inside.

Another couple of beautiful piazzas and we found ourselves at the back of an ancient round building. It had to be the Pantheon. Piazza della Rotunda outside the front entrance was very busy, but entry is free and we were soon inside. Although packed with tourists, it did not matter as it was the huge interior that caught the eye. I found it completely awesome and the most moving of all the places we saw in Rome.

The rain that was forecast was actually one heavy shower that fell while we were inside the Pantheon. The sun had come out when we left. So we just continued to explore. In Piazza di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola stands another fine church of the same name. And not far away is the Temple of Hadrian. Backtracking, we found Palazzo Venezia in Piazza Venezia. Not to go in this museum, but to photograph this fine building. It did once become the headquarters for Mussolini and he addressed crowds from the balcony. Not far is Gesu, a famous Jesuit church, but it was closed. In the distance we saw what looked like some old ruins, so off down Corso Vittorio Emanuele 11 and we found ourselves at Area Sacra dell' Argentina. Alison was in heaven seeing the remains of four temples that take up a whole block. The earliest dates from the 3rd century.

Time for a quick lunch. A large breakfast at the hotel meant we didn't need much and we were soon heading for our next place, Fontana di Trevi. And whilst the piazzas and churches were quiet for a Sunday morning, the square in front of the fountain was packed. It was still impressive. Nearby was Quirinal Hill and we made our way up to Palazzo del Quirinale, which used to be the old papal palace and is now the home of the President. The square was closed with lots of people waiting at the perimeter. Alison found that they were waiting for the changing of the guard. We only had to wait fifteen minutes and out came the navy.

We made our way to the other side of the piazza, passing the Quirinal fountain and obelisk, peered through the throng to see something of the guard change on the square, and headed down the quiet Via del Quirinale. At Barberini we could have taken the Metro as I was pretty tired by this time, but we decided to walk back. We found the delightful Piazza della Trinita dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps and the church of the same name. We found a low stone wall to sit on and lashed out for a two Euro bottle of water. Refreshed, we started down the packed steps to look back to the church above.

We walked down Via Condotti which is full of all the smart shops including Prada, Gucci, Armani, Valentino, Versace and Fendi. We were soon back at the river and over Ponte Cavour to the hotel. Tired but thrilled with our exploration. I could have included so many more photos from our day. After a rest we made our way to Zio Ciro for a huge pizza.

DAY TWO - The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

It was sunny as we walked up to the Metro station at Lepanto. We had to change at Termini to take a second train to Colosseo. The queue for the Colosseum was just over 20 minutes and we were inside by just after 11am. Whilst it cost 12 Euros for Alison (including entry to the Forum), it was free for me and all Europeans 65 and over. Fortunately Alison had said we should take my passport just in case.

It was still sunny as we took our time to view the arena from various spots.

Alison loved the age the building, even the old bits of stone that were scattered about. What is that all about?

Whilst we were at the higher level it started to rain so we took the opportunity to explore the exhibition, along with many others. By the time we left the sun was back out. It was time to make our way to the Roman Forum (via a slight detour as we got slightly lost - not the only ones). The Forum was the centre of political, commercial and judicial life in ancient Rome. It was well worth the visit. Again Alison was very impressed.

I particularly like the Rostri (or rostrum) where speeches were delivered, and famous for the setting of "Friends, Romans, Countrymen".

Another short shower on our way round and then it was a short climb up the hill to Palatine. We had to shelter from a heavier and prolonged shower at 3.30 before it eased slightly. Still in light rain we had a quick tour, taking in only a disappointingly very short stop at the Stadium. As the rain became heavier again we made a fast exit to make the Metro cold and wet.

On the walk back from the Metro to the hotel, we stopped at a typical tiny cafe close to our destination called Bar Latteria Vinci. The coffee was very welcome, tasty and cheap (.70 Euro). In the evening sunshine, we walked over the bridge to Piazza Navona and found a pizzeria that seemed less expensive than some others surrounding the square. We had a great table at the front, under a heater, and watched darkness fall on the piazza. Dinner for two was 45 Euros including a starter, drinks and tip. Not bad for the location.

DAY THREE - Janiculum Hill, Trastevere and Castel Sant' Angelo

After Alison's Roman ruins day, I had wanted to follow the guide book's recommendation of climbing Janiculum Hill. This meant catching a bus. We found a shop selling bus tickets where "TICKET ATAC" is under the main "T" sign outside. We found out that it needed to be stamped, and were kindly told at the bus stop that the machine was inside the bus.

We got off at Ponte Sisto, the next stop after Farnesina. As we made our way through the streets of Trastevere to find Via Garibaldi, and a climb up a twisting road without a pavement, Alison did wonder where I had brought her after all the wonderful sights of central Rome. And I have to admit, so did I. But we soon arrived at the beautiful San Pietro in Montorio and our first glimpses of Rome below.

Further up the hill we found the impressive Fontana dell' Acqua Paola, then the arch of Porta San Pancranzio before finally reaching the open spaces of Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi and his monument. A rare public toilet was spotless, free and had a resident cleaner. We shared a bottle of water sitting on the wall overlooking a distant view of Rome. However the view from the other side of the square was worth the trip. Looking towards the much nearer St Peters and green hillsides was the highlight of a morning that had been very sunny throughout.

The walk back to Trastevere was not so long, finding a nice shortcut. The guide book says this is one of the most picturesque old quarters of the city. It was OK, but not in the same league as what we saw on our first day. I liked Piazza di Sant' Egidio and it's church, but the best was yet to come. Santa Maria in Trastevere is a beautiful old church that we studied from sitting on the steps of the fountain in a gorgeous piazza.

It was welcomely cooler in the church. On our way out we decided to stop for a drink at one of the cafes in the square. A perfect spot as you can see.

We made our way through the streets to the river and a bus back. We just missed our 280 and had to wait another 25 minutes for the next one. But we still had time to visit Castel Sant' Angelo, so we got off the bus before the bridge and walked over Ponte Sant' Angelo where we had great views approaching the old castle. Again my entry was free. Starting life in AD 139, this ancient building was more Alison's cup of tea. But it did have a certain historic atmosphere.

The best bit for me was the 360 degree view from the roof terrace in the late afternoon sunshine. We stayed there for ages looking at where we had been in the morning, and the previous two days. The picture below has the pantheon on the left, and the dark building to the left of the dazzling white monument is the Colosseum.

Again we had coffee at the same bar close to the hotel. As it was our wedding anniversary, we could think of no better place to eat than the same pizzeria as the previous evening. Two complimentary glasses of something fizzy meant I had to drink them both. Cafe Bernini is in the corner of Piazza Navona and is highly recommended. Our risotto and pasta were very nice, especially on a warm evening sitting outside.

DAY FOUR - St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums

We set the alarm for 7.30am on our last day as we needed to make the best use of the morning, knowing we had to be back at the hotel by 1.30pm. We knew we only had a short walk to St Peter's Square. It was some time after ten that we arrived, and were interested to see people in rows of seats in front of the main entrance where a dias had been erected. Our guide book revealed that the Pope gives a public audience on Wednesday mornings and today this was outside. The absence of a queue for entry to St Peters meant that it was probably closed to visitors.

I had not been that keen on visiting the Vatican Museums, but it seemed like the best idea in the circumstances. A walk around part of the Vatican walls took us to the museums' entrance, with hardly any queue. It seemed we had struck lucky, as most people would be in St Peter's Square.

It turned out that the visit was far more impressive than I could have imagined. The buildings themselves are old papal palaces. The courtyards are excellent.

The galleries were commissioned in 1503 and are quite unlike anything I have seen before. Gallery after gallery have the most amazing ceilings. There is so much to see on the way round.

If there was one thing that attracted me to the Vatican Museums, it was the opportunity to see the Sistine Chapel. I was not disappointed. There was no wait to get in, but as we moved through the entrance, we found a great hall absolutely packed with tourists. But somehow, like the Pantheon, it did not seem to matter. What did matter was that you still had perfect views of the frescoes on the walls and ceiling.

We were fortunate to find a rare seat on the plinths that run round the edge. We were able to gaze in wonder at Michaelangelo's "The Last Judgement" and his awesome majestic ceiling. They are so detailed, it takes some time to actually see what they are all about. We took our time to do just that.

As it is place of worship, visitors are supposed to be quiet. But how can a large, packed chapel be so? Only when an attendant barks out orders for silence, and that only last a short while before another shout for quiet. It seesm to me that is is more disturbing than a low background hubub.

Over two hours in the Vatican Museums, and we still had time to revisit St Peter's Square. The queue for the museums was massive as we left. Back to St Peters and a walk round. I cannot think of a bigger, more wonderful square in the world. Lots of people but not too many. A band played and someone kindly took our photo. A great way to finish our holiday.

It was time for our journey home. We decided this time to have a car, arranged by the hotel (not just a taxi but a very smart Merc) back to the airport. At 50 Euro ( against the 30 Euro by train and Metro) it was brilliant value for money. Our departure was on time and we were having supper at home at 9pm. It was hard to think that at one we were leaving St Peters.

HOTEL VISCONTI

We were extremely pleased with our choice of hotel. We chose it from Tripadvisor comments about being quiet as slightly away from the tourist area. But still only a short ten minute walk to the river and five more minutes over the bridge to Piazza Navona. A smart modern, Marriot type building, three efficient lifts to our sixth floor room. It overlooked a busy side street, but the cars were slow and quiet. Our room was perfect, nights were quiet, the bed surprisingly comfortably firm. So a great night's sleep apart from a Sunday night fire alarm. Temperature of the room was controllable so just right. The staff were helpful, they provided the best street map of Rome, the public areas were very nice. The breakfast cafe was also smart and spacious. The food was hugely varied with hot bacon, frankfurters and scambled egg. Great coffee.

MY HIGHLIGHTS

Exploring piazzas, churches and historic sights in Central Rome on the first day.

Piazza Navona and Berninis.

The Pantheon.

Sant' Ivo alla Sapienza.

Free entry to the Closseum and Castelo Sant' Angelo.

The Rostri.

Palatine Hill, never mind the rain.

The view of St Peters from Piazzale Guiseppe Garibaldi.

Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere.

The views from Castel Sant' Angelo.

The Sistine Chapel.

St Peter's Square.

Hotel Visconti.

Bar Latteria Vinci.

ALISON'S HIGHLIGHTS

Some of the above.

Area Sacra.

The Colosseum.

The Roman Forum.

Castel Sant' Angelo.

Old stones with writing.

In fact anything ancient.

The hotel breakfasts.

FOR NEXT TIME

Piazza del Popolo

Santa Maria della Vittorio

The Vatican Necropolis

A revisit to Palatine, and Forum for Trajan's Markets.

The Capitol area including Piazza del Campidoglio and Palazzo Senatorio.

San Giovanni in Laterano.

For Alison, the Baths of Diocletian, the Baths of Trajan and the Baths of Caracalla. What is it about old Roman baths?

Date Night, Iron Man 2 and The Last Song

At last, a comedy thriller for adults. Date Night is fairly flimsy and lightweight, but enjoyable nonetheless. Steve Carell and Tina Fey work well together as the married couple on a night out. The writing is OK and the action just zips along. And with a nice cameo from Mark Wahlberg. Slightly reminiscent of Scorsese's After Hours with a comedy twist.


If only they had gone easy on the formulaic CGI action, Iron Man 2 could have been so much better. Robert Downey Junior reprises his starring role from the first movie, and is by far the best thing about this sequel. He can make an ordinary screenplay seem something brilliant. Gwyneth Paltrow tries hard, but Mickey Rooney is the same old caricature we have seen before. I never used to think that Scarlett Johansson was that attractive, but this movie changed my mind.

The best thing that I can say about The Last Song is that it looked good on the screen. The shots of the Georgian coast were beautiful. So why did I go to see it? Well it did have mixed reviews, but it did have a kind of story to a family drama, so that seemed more attractive than a lot of other films out at the moment. Unfortunately, the love story between Miley Cyrus and Bobby Coleman was pretty dire, as was their acting. Greg Kinnear is always worth watching, but even he stumbles around in the mess. Even the "cool" soundtrack was not up to much. Pretty poor stuff.

131 Songs - Numbers 33, 34 and 35

Number 33 - Rockin in the Free World by Neil Young

I could have picked Heart of Gold from his iconic 70's album Harvest, but after a decade in the wilderness came this belter from Neil Young in 1989. With references to his passion about the environment, and also dealing with homelessness and terrorism, this was highly critical of the George H W Bush administration. But to me it is just a great song.

Number 34 - Teach Your Children by Crosby Stills and Nash

There is something distinctly hammy about the lyrics, but the melody suits the harmony of their three voices just fine. It was written by Graham Nash while he was still with The Hollies, but they never made a recording. It was not until he joined David Crosby and Stephen Stills that it made to their 1970 album Deja Vu.

Number 35 - It's Getting Better by Mama Cass

Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, this 1969 single did better in the UK than in America. Cass Elliot is better known for her vocals on many hits for The Mamas & Papas including California Dreaming and Monday Monday. I just like the song.

The Lost Tickets

There was something on television a couple of months ago about a writing competition for people over sixty. I found the entry form on a website called "bookbite". Limited to 750 words, it had to be "My Story". So I chose my experiences of the 1966 World Cup, and here it is. It was called The Lost Tickets.

The newspapers at the weekend were starting to get excited about June in South Africa. They included this particular photo that I thought captured the moment 44 years ago.

A new bed exposed

I knew I had to prune one shrub that had got out of hand. It had not only taken up the whole of one flower bed, but was killing off the grass in it's shade. I had even thought about taking it out altogether, but that seemed like too big a job. However, once I got going on digging out the huge root system it had created, I managed to leave the best trunk and make a kind of standard bush.

What was left was a much larger flower bed than I had imagined. And the soil was not too bad, especially when I added four bags of blended farmyard manure. I have now planted some Dianthus and transplanted some Flox. But there is still masses of room for some more plants.

I looked back to some old photographs of the garden to see what this bed looked like in previous years. The following pictures show some of it's development.

Kick-Ass, I Am Love and Dear John

I was surprised, as many of the critics were, that yet another superhero based movie, could surprise us with humour, a decent script and interesting action sequences. Mathew Vaughn has to be congratulated for an entertaining film where the young Hit Girl steals the show. Kick-Ass certainly pushes all the right buttons.

I cannot remember when I last saw a subtitled Italian movie. But I Am Love was given five stars by The Times, so off to MK to find I was the only viewer. I don't mind subtitles, hard to get used to at first, but after ten minutes or so, my brain seems to adjust quite well. Tilda Swinton is now in the Meryl Streep class of top movie actresses, and this time she carried a deliberately sedately story. The film was gorgeous to look at, which was a good job, as the action was limited to that of a rich family breaking up. Whether the script got lost in the translation to subtitles, but the writing left a lot to be desired. It was suggested that the music had a lot to play. But I found it's originality mostly painful. Although it is a memorable movie, particularly for Tilda Swinton, it is not surprising that the public at large disagreed with the critics.

I could have done without seeing Dear John. Another film that looked good on the screen, and this time with a semi-decent screenplay, but the story was pretty bland. A romantic drama needs more powerful acting than could be provided by Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried.