A plaque marks the building where the Austrian poet, Ingeborg Bachmann, lived. Bachmann’s love for Rome was unquestionable. She suffered from ill health, while living at this address, but she was firm in her belief that the frequent walks she took around the neighborhood, with friends, and also by herself, helped to restore her mental…
Rome – Day 4 – Part 2 – An Arch, A Gallery, and An Ancient Fountain
As we continued to explore, we passed another section of the Music School of Santa Cecilia. For many years, the school has been regarded as the most important place of learning, specializing in the training of musicians. As a matter of fact, over the years, thanks to the different papal concessions that were passed, one…
Rome – Day 4 – Part 1 – Exploring Our New Neighborhood
Our fourth day in Rome was a nice one. The sun was trying to burst through a few overhead clouds, and we were settled in the new apartment. Things were beginning to look up for us. The apartment was in the neighborhood known as Campo Marzio, and while we had been in the area many…
Rome – Day 2 and Day 3 – Finally Getting Settled!
Our second day in Rome was a bit of a washout, and a nightmare. First of all, it rained profusely all day long. That was when we discovered a leak in the ceiling, over the swimming pool. Secondly, we kept going back and forth with the rental agency, as to what the best thing to…
Rome – Day 1 – A Happy Return
Anyone who has followed this blog in the past will know that we love Rome, and being in Rome is the highlight of every trip to Italy for us. I was even more excited about this stay in the Eternal City, as we had rented an apartment I always wanted to stay in. Little did…
Carini – Day 2 – Part 3 – A Farewell Walk Around the City
We continued to make our way through the Castello di Carini, or the Castle of Carini. One room contained a model of the castle, as it would have looked at the time of its completion. As you near the end of the visit to the castle, you proceed along a suspended walkway over what appears…
Carini -Day 2 – Part 2 – Beginning to Explore the Castle of Carini
Near the local fruit and vegetable market, there stood an old, abandoned church. A local toy store had an unusual collection in its window, including the Kevin Relax Steffi Love Doll! The Castello di Carini, or the Castle of Carini, dates from 1075, and was built by the first Norman feudal lord, Rodolfo Bonello. The…
Carini – Day 2 – Part 1 – A Sunny Sunday Morning
The Duomo of Carini, pictured above, and also known as the Chiesa Madre Maria Santissima Assunta, is right in the middle of Piazza del Duomo, and was directly in front of our B&B. The facade of the church dates from the 18th century, while the rest is from the 15th century. We wanted to visit…
Carini – Day 1 – Part 3 – A Private Tour
The Chiesa Parrocchiale del Sacro Cuore can be found at Corso Italia, #47. That is the road that connects the older, historical section of Carini, with the more modern, lower part of town. The Auditorium Toluccio Aiello, at Via Rosolino Pilo, #15, is the city’s theater/cinema. One stop we were determined to make, on our…
Carini – Day 1 – Part 2 – A Walk Around Town
The Chiesa del Purgatorio is on Via Terravecchia, and dates from 1649. This was the first Mother Church of the city, and at the time of its construction, it was built inside the castle walls. We found ourselves at a lookout point, with incredible views of the surrounding area. The former Ospedale di Santo Spirito,…
Carini – Day 1 – Part 1 – Piazza Duomo and Surroundings
Our last destination in Sicily was the small city of Carini. We chose to stay there for one reason: It was less than ten minutes away from the Palermo Airport. We were to remain in Carini for two nights, after which we would catch a flight to Rome. We booked a room at a small…
Erice – Day 3 – Part 4 – A Walk, A Dinner, and A Song
The Chiesa di San Giuliano dates from 1070, and is one of the oldest churches in the city. The Castello di Venere, or the Castle of Venus, dates from the 12th century. It was built on the site of a Phoenician-Roman temple to Venus, which was in ruins, at the time of the castle’s construction. …