Adventures in Italy: Vatican City and Paragliding Norma, Part 2

The next morning we checked out of our hotel early and set out for our morning Vatican Museums tour (8am exclusive tour with Italywithus.com). Normal admission to the Vatican Museums is at 9 a.m., but I’d read that the crowds were so dense it was hard to appreciate the grandeur, so we elected to splurge a bit for the pre-admission ticket at 8. Frankly, I can’t imagine the 9 a.m. crowds because by 8 the place was already an absolute zoo! And we were there in the low season! 

Unfortunately, our headsets didn’t work and our guide was a bit obnoxious so I can’t recommend the company, but I still would recommend getting the early tickets since it saved us lots of time in lines and the crowds got worse and worse the longer we were there. 

Sadly our itinerary didn’t allow time for the Vatican City paintings exhibits (definitely have to go back), but we did wander (fairly quickly) through some of the Vatican Museum's sculptures and tapestries before arriving at My Man's favorite exhibit: the Gallery of Maps, which outlined with stunning accuracy the breadth and power of the Vatican's dominion (all the better to intimidate supplicants).  In addition to the maps along the walls, the ceiling's frescoes are amazing.

My favorite room was the Raphael room.  I loved seeing the paintings and imagining the rivalry between the two starkly contrasting personalities of Rafael and Michelangelo.  

I especially loved the symbols of diversity--whether indicative of a progressive Pope (as our guide indicated) or of Rafael himself (as I am more inclined to believe), it was wonderful to see the culmination of various religious symbols and philosophers and races brought together to represent enlightenment. 

By the time we got to the Sistine Chapel, we were shoulder to shoulder with other people staring up at Michelangelo's masterpiece on the ceiling and at his Last Judgement on the alter wall. It is really amazing to see in person. I recommend Steve Rick’s audio guide for both the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica (our tour guide left us right before the chapel). After a sufficient time of neck-kricking staring at the ceiling and walls (although really, there are so many paintings and stories in this room you could really spend hours), we reluctantly headed out to see the Basilica. (No pictures allowed in the Chapel, but here is Wikipedia's complete gallery of the ceiling and here is the Last Judgment.)  And here's one picture of the iconic Adam by open source pics: 

Just before heading into the Basilica from the Sistine Chapel, we passed by these mosaic gems depicting the life of Christ.  Nearly hidden, they were stunning in their vibrant simplicity.

Perhaps the most amazing part of the entire Vatican City experience for me, was to see Michelangelo's Pieta’, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica after just having seen his fresco masterpieces (in spite of his adamant claim that he was a sculpture, not a painter) and then gazing up at the dome he designed as his last artistic triumph. To consider the man who so completely epitomizes the renaissance, re-making himself again and again as an artist to such acclaim from the beginning to the end of his life, is truly inspiring. 

The sheer scale of the art in the Basilica is another jaw-dropping experience. Until you are there, you simply cannot appreciate the hugeness of it all. The “little” cherubs are bigger than a person and everything gets bigger from there. It’s simply stunning (and a little much, honestly). 

For me, the entire experience was inspiring and fascinating and wonderful, but too busy and gaudy to be sacred. Give me a quiet mountain top or forest glen, and there is where my soul renews.

And that is exactly where we headed next. After stopping for one last pizza in Rome, we grabbed our rental car and headed for the hills of Norma. 

Our little AirBnB apartment was literally perched on a cliff (the balcony stuck out over the drop off) and it was impossible to drive to (we meandered on foot through tiny rock alleyways to find it), but it was enchanting. The bed faced full-window walls on three sides and the sun shone in brightly.

We dropped off bags and headed straight for the paragliding launch at the Norba archaeological site. There, a herd of sheep grazed, families picnicked, the sun shone, the grass and wildflowers smelled enchanting, and the half-ruined stone castle stood sentinel on the hill behind us. 

My Man launched into the sunset and soared as I soaked in the last of the day’s sunshine and my soul expanded. As much as I loved Rome, I loved the quiet hills of Norma even more.  In fact, we loved Norma so much we were tempted to ditch the rest of our trip and just stay there!  To find out what we decided, you'll have to read Part 3 . . . 

Adventures in Italy: Rome, Norma, Naples, Pompeii and more! (Part 1)

Italy has been on my bucket list since FOREVER.  Seriously.  One of my very favorite books is a 776-page beast about the life and works of Michaelangelo I read in 8th grade (The Agony and the Ecstacy by Irving Stone, a book I very much recommend, by the way, if you're thinking of heading to Rome).  Also, I love pizza and pasta and gelato and sunshine . . . obviously, I'm pretty much Italian and still after all these years, I had never made it there.  I think it was just too overwhelming. There is so much to see and do and never enough time.  So finally, My Man talked me into a long weekend in Rome (with a few other destinations tucked in for good measure, since I'm sneaky like that).  I love him.

Heading straight to the airport from work, we caught an evening flight to Rome, picked up our rental car (amid a host of warnings and tips about how to avoid the myriad of possible fines, tickets, and extortions involved in renting and driving a car in Italy), and set off toward downtown Rome.  By the time we got the Hotel Arcangelo (just past the Vatican City wall!), it was after midnight and we opted for sleep rather than a late dinner.

We made up for it the next day.  Setting out for the Colosseum early, we leisurely strolled the 6 km, passing wide-eyed and open-mouthed by St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican City, Castle St. Angelo, numerous unnamed but beautiful old buildings and churches, the River Tiber, the Spanish Steps, the Vittoriano, the Roman Forum, and a LEGO store, finally arriving at the Colosseum.  

We prepurchased the official tour to the underground and belvedere (27 euros), which allowed us to skip the line (using a private entrance at the back of the Colosseum, opposite the main lines and hordes of tourists) and see everything, from the basement where they kept the animals and gladiators, to the main arena floor, and up each level to the very top.  

Our guide was fantastic, helping bring to life brilliant construction and chaos and horror of the original building and games.  We took way too many pictures, but even going through them now I have a hard time deleting any.  You're lucky I only picked a hand full instead of posting all 117 of my "favorites"!  I loved the tour.  I loved the Colosseum.  It didn't hurt that it was a beautiful day--warm, sunny, with gorgeous views of Rome from the top of the Colosseum.

The ticket also included entrance to the Roman Forums, which could be used that day or the next.  Sshhh, don't tell anyone--we didn't use ours, instead we found a cute little café on an alley behind the Colosseum where they served pizza (including gluten free!) and a gelato shop with incredible gelato.  My Man and I each ate an entire pizza and topped it off with ice cream.  No guilt, we’d already walked more than 8 km and the day was just getting started.

We then set off toward the Pantheon.The walk there was another feast for the eyes, as we stopped to explore the Vittoriano and nearly every turn showed another amazing building or monument or sight.  

The Pantheon itself is almost hidden, but well worth seeking out.  

Here we listened to Rick Steve’s audio guide about the construction and artwork inside, including the resting place of Rafael and two of Italy's first kings.  I was partly sad that the forecasted rain never materialized—I’ve heard that visiting the Pantheon during a rainstorm is a life-changing experience.  But our weather for the entire trip was far too perfect to complain about—warm and sunny, never too hot and never too cold.  We’ll have to try to catch the rain another time.

I had planned to catch the New Rome Free Walking Tour that evening and according to my detailed itinerary for the day, we had another 2 hours, so we found a quiet little café, just away from the bustle of the Spanish Steps, to rest our tired feet and get a drink.  

We dawdled awhile, watching the sun set outside and the buildings light up, before finally heading back out to meet our tour.  But no one was there.  Another look at our tickets showed that I had written down the wrong time.  They had left an hour earlier while we’d been chilling in the café.  My Man commiserated with me while secretly thanking the gods for the walking reprieve.  I decided the only thing I could not miss was the Trevi Fountain, so we made our way there for some pictures and to throw in a coin to ensure our return to Rome (though I think the gluten free pizza already sealed the deal for My Man).  

And yes, that evening’s dinner was homemade pasta (with gluten free for My Man).  I was too stuffed to even think about another gelato. On our way home we passed one of my favorite doorways, ever.  Honestly, by the time we got to our hotel we had logged more than 30,000 steps.  I think I'm lucky My Man hadn't turned into this guy by then (I think the pizza helped. . .)

And all of that was just Day 1 of our Italy Adventures!  Stay tuned for what we did next.

Kyiv Is an Artist's City

After awhile, life overseas with a family becomes just as busy (or maybe even more busy) than life at home in the U.S.  There are work obligations, outings with friends, service opportunities, organization events, hellos and goodbyes and networking events with colleagues.  There are birthdays and sleep overs and play dates.  There are dinners and adventures and tragedies.  There are chores and surprises and errands.  In short, life happens.  I hate the idea that this incredibly rich and beautiful and chaotic life is passing in a whirlwind without any documentation , but honestly, there's just not enough time to live it and document it (actually, we've got lots of pictures, they just exist in a digital jumble waiting to be sorted and shared!).  But tonight I find myself with a few spare moments, so I decided to let the dishes sit unwashed (it's Darling Daughter's chore now anyway) and capture a bit of the city we live in and the morning we experienced.

But first I'll back up a little.  Yesterday was a crazy mess of kids' performances at school, work events late after work, a futsal tournament for Young Man, and a scout canoe trip put together by My Man.  I finally got to sleep around midnight after all the logistics were sorted.  Young Man and a friend headed out to intercept and join the scouts early this morning and then Darling Daughter, Funny Guy, and I set out to join a Kyiv City Mural Tour my office at work had arranged.  The day was perfect--sunshiney warm with a soft cool breeze.  This is really Kyiv at its best.

Our guide met us at Golden Gate metro stop and we walked through streets we don't generally see and learned about the beautiful (and fairly recent) tradition of giant street murals in Kyiv.  Before the Maidan revolution, city bureaucracy made it difficult for artists to receive permission to paint.  Now, however, with new construction and a more empathetic government, artists are more likely to be granted an apartment or office building wall to showcase their talents and message to the world.  In just two hours of leisurely rambling, we saw a bunch of murals, varying in artistic merit, only scratching the surface of the amazing street art Kyiv has to offer.

I loved how the kids saw the graffiti as artwork in its own way, how the joy of running around and playing outside with friends was as exciting as any of it.  I loved our tour guide's passion and the stories behind each picture.  I loved spending time walking slowly and seeing the buildings, the flowers, the colors.  It was a beautiful snapshot of our wonderful, chaotic life here in Kyiv.

PS  Check out Funny Guy's awesome geography project he brought home yesterday:

PPS  I wrote this in June.  It's now November.  :D  Just took a few months to put the pictures to the words.

Flying Bulgaria

For nearly 10 years, My Man has tried to talk me into taking a paragliding tandem flight.  I always demurred, not interested in spending the money on something I wasn't even remotely interested in.  Instead, I grumbled good-naturedly about his obsession, dutifully researching and booking vacations around his hobby, looking for alternative activities for me and the kids.  

For his birthday this year, I bought him patches for each country he's flown in (to put on his glider bag), and a new patch: Bulgaria.  I had found a place in Bulgaria where the weather was still mild in October and they offered a great deal on guided paragliding.  I was sure I would be able to find some good hiking and cultural sites nearby for myself.

The day we arrived to Bulgaria, I got a text message from the company asking if I would like to enjoy a complimentary tandem flight the next day.  "Sure," I replied.  I wasn't going to pass on free.  And I knew it would make My Man happy for me to try it.  

We had to drive about two hours south to find favorable wind conditions, but I didn't mind since my itinerary was going to take me to that area anyway.  I figured I would take my tandem flight and then part ways with the paragliders to enjoy my hiking and exploring of nearby historical sites.

Before long, we were up on the mountain.  We'd hiked up the last little bit and the view over the valley was perfect.  The sun was shining, it was warm, and (to my surprise) I had a few little stomach jitters about my upcoming flight.  We were set to launch first, though, so I didn't have to wait long.  My pilot set up his wing, explained the procedure, and it was time to go.  And then, I was flying.  

And finally, I understood.  Wow, I whispered, awed by the beautiful miracle of gently soaring above mountain tops, dappled red with the newly changing leaves.  Wow, I thought, as the wind rushed past and there was no other sound.  Wow, wow, wow!  I was filled with joy and wonder and peace as the sun and air and mountains filled my soul.  "This is my meditation," my pilot explained, as we soared toward the landing.  And I thought, yes, and then, YES!  And I knew, My Man would no longer be flying alone.

It was perhaps serendipitous, (for me, not for My Man, though he was a great sport about it) when the wind was too strong for flying our last day and our guide offered to let me tag along with the new trainees for their first day.  I got to learn the basics of the gear, how to put together the harness and wing, how to pack them up.  

I was anxious to learn more but the wind was too strong.  We broke for lunch, hoping it would calm to safe conditions.  My Man and I climbed a hill to enjoy the views (and were nearly blown off!), then we just hung out for awhile.  It was beautifully sunny and I had a book, so I wasn't really complaining, but I did wonder a few times if I should have gone hiking instead.  At one point, a large herd of sheep wandered by.  

At last the wind calmed enough to try some ground handling, and all doubts of whether the wait had been worth it fled.  With my private tutor's help (I think My Man has great post-retirement career prospects as a paragliding instructor!), I finally mostly figured out the basics of getting the wing into the air, controlling it, and simulating a launch.  Of course, I didn't fly off a mountain, and I have a lot more to learn, but it was exhilarating  to begin and I can't wait for a chance to learn more.  I think it's safe to say, I'm hooked.

So although our trip to Bulgaria is over (too fast!), it will always be remembered as the trip where I discovered flying (albeit a bit late to the game).

There were other highlights of course too, though after the flying and training they faded in import.  Let me back up.  We arrived to Sofia too late to fly the first day, so My Man and I explored the beautiful downtown area, appreciating the beautiful art and architecture of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world. 

The interior paintings were especially beautiful and well-preserved. 

We wandered through the local market, then enjoyed lunch in a beautiful cafe overlooking another beautiful church. I saw the oldest building in Sofia (the Church of St. George) and My Man saw the presidential changing of the guard (when a lack of parking options caused us to momentarily split up). 

We saw the memorial to the unknown soldier and the Church of St. Sofia (afterwhich the entire city is now named). And then we headed down to our lodgings about 2 hours south at Rose Valley Lodge. The drive was beautiful. 

After my life-changing tandem flight the next day, I did head off on my own to hike and visit Assen's Fortress, a very old little fortress, turned church in a beautiful canyon.  My Man had flown over it just about a half hour before I got there.

On the way there, I had an unfortunate and hilarious (aka, extremely embarrassing) episode involving me, our rental car, an old British man, and the Bulgarian emergency road service (and a garbage truck). Instead of going into the full story here, let me just warn unsuspecting drivers that in order to put a manual car into reverse, it is sometimes required that you pull up on part of the stick shift first. . . .  Obviously.  

Meanwhile, My Man was enjoying the longest flight of his career, and he pulled it off without his variometer (the device that normally helps pilots discover thermals to stay in the air longer)! In fact, his flight was far enough to shave almost half of the driving time off the way home! Unfortunately, his normal photographer had ditched him by taking her own flight, so there aren't any pictures of his take-off or flight, just the landing and the ride home.

The next day rained buckets and buckets, so no flying, but My Man and I enjoyed a rare and relaxing day of doing almost nothing. We enjoyed lunch at a beautiful little castle winery nearby, watching the rain fall down outside the window.

All in all, it was a wonderful little getaway (much needed after two and a half stressful weeks at my new job!), and My Man seems as happy about my new enthusiasm for flying as I am.  And if you're looking for a great deal on paragliding training, you should check out the instructors at Rose Valley Lodge, who were so good they made me fall in love with flying.