Bernini is the bomb...

Ceiling of Il Gesu
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We had early reservations for the Borghese Gallery, so it was a rushed morning to get ready, catch the bus, transfer to another, and get to the gallery by 8:30. The Borghese only allows a limited number of people in at several different entry times during the day --- quite a different experience than the Vatican Museum where you are standing shoulder to shoulder with what seems to be thousands of others art afficianadi. At any rate, the Borghese is stunning with several Bernini sculptures (Apollo and Daphne, David, and Hades and Persephone) as well as multiple Caravaggio paintings. It is clear that Luca and Jeremy have a preference for 3-dimensional work and both were very engaged with Bernini’s dynamic sculptural pieces.

Outside Santa Maria Maggiore
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After several hours of viewing, we set off for a quick lunch and then rented a four-person bicycle to ride through the large Borghese gardens. We saw a film being shot, lots of people strolling, and even some young Italian skate-boarders (one who grabbed the back of our bike-contraption and free-loaded for awhile.) After retuning the bike, we came back to the apartment and took advantage of siesta time, although Jeremy and I were the only ones who actually took a nap.

We then set out for the Castel Sant’Angelo, barely a 5-minute walk from our front door. The Castel, built in ancient times, has served multiple purposes over the centuries (castle, prison, hiding-place for popes). This impressive edifice is topped by a huge bronze sculpture of Saint Michael, sheathing his sword (a reference to a vision of this same subject that was seen just as the plague ended in Rome in the final years of the 6th century). We got to see various rooms (including the Pope’s bathroom) as well as an exhibit of prints (Goya, Daumier, and Grosz) that was fantastic. We climbed to the top of the castle, say Rome from yet another incredible vantage point, then headed back down with pizza on our brains.

We ate at Pizza da Baffetto, an apparent Roman tradition. The place was jam-packed, the pizza lived up to its reputation, and we left quite satisfied. A gelato sealed the deal. We walked over to Piazza Navona and encountered some street theater, a pair of Chilean brothers who ran the gamut of silly to bawdy. Noel, my co-director for the Exploration Seminar, called from Montpelier to check-in and update me with info on some of our students. He will be meeting us in Palermo around the 17th of August. The students will begin showing up around the 19th for the program start on the 20th.