Leonardo love

Saturday, 10 September 2011

Today is the first day of an exhibition we've been waiting for called "L'automobile di Leonardo". Alex has been pouring over the pamphlet that shows Leonardo da Vinci's plans for a car in 1478. Someone has gone along and made his 15th century dream a reality.

But, what is wonderful about today is that getting to the exhibition was not the goal. Just taking a walk in Viterbo was our intent, and happily we happened upon Leonardo and other gems whilst Eleni and Neil were at Eleni's classmate's birthday party.

Basically, jaunts with Alex are simple. You leave the apartment and just walk. If you need the map, you use it. Mostly, you don't; he's got a great sense of direction. Something he has not inherited from me.

So, we meandered.

Alex wanted me to take this photo of him in a medieval alleyway in the oldest part of the city, San Pellegrino. One of the things I love looking for in these passageways are the doors with cobwebs. If you stand very close to the door you can even smell the damp. What happened to their owners? How long have the apartments been abandoned? Do pigeons live in there as they do in the deserted building next to us?

We found our way to this church, the Church of Santa Maria Nuova, from the 11th century. Perhaps the oldest church in Viterbo even. Inside are some remnants of years past, both Etruscan and Roman ruins. Some sources mention that this church, like much in Viterbo including where our apartment is located, was bombed in WWII and so what we see here is the reconstruction.

Some gorgeous frescoes line the walls. The sign next to this one indicates that it is St. Jerome between Saint John the Baptist and Lawrence the donor from the 16th century. It is ascribed to Antonio del Massaro, il Pastura.

The photo doesn't do it justice, as it's hard to see the cave like features that suggest some sort of Stonehenge look. But, it was my favorite piece in the church. I didn't know much about St. Jerome when I took this photo, but when we got home I looked him up a book that was here in our apartment when we arrived called Saints Preserve Us: Everything You'll Need to Know about Every Saint You'll Ever Need. I'm not entirely sure how accurate this is (in fact, in this book much of Santa Rosa's story differs from the Viterbo version), but it works for a start and I cross referenced enough reliable sources to find some information that I'm sure I must have known in my earlier student of religious history days.

First off, I'm immediately drawn to the fact that he is named the patron saint of Librarians and Students! St. Jerome (4th century) is best known as the translator of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin. This honor makes him highly controversial in his own right, never mind some of the stories alluded to him in his day. But, the main reason he is here in Viterbo (and thanks to Lawrence the donor) is because he is also famous for removing a thorn from a lion's paw and therefore winning the lion's adoration. Since this city claims it's creation to Hercules (wearing his lion hide), then St. Jerome would probably be a comfortable saint to have by your side.

Here is the facade of the church, with a close up of an unknown individual over the doorway.

In 1266, the story is that St. Thomas Aquinas spoke from this pulpit on the exterior.

A few more twists and turns accompanied with expresso and gelato and we were at the main Piazza, Piazza del Plebiscito. We found the Leonardo exhibit by chance. We went into the one of the surrounding palazzos. Here is a photo I took of Via Cavour. The Santa Maria machine came down this road (the window I watched it from was about midway).

One of the wonderfully decorated rooms in this building which is now used as a public space. You can see Leonardo's exhibit here.

You may find me ridiculous, but let me indulge myself a bit further. I didn't plan this, but it actually comes together quite beautifully. Leonardo means "strong as the lion" and, of course, Leonardo da Vinci is not only famous for his inventions. He was also a gifted artist and one of his famous unfinished paintings is of St. Jerome!

Mario and Luigi

9 September 2011

We walk to school and the tune from Super Mario Bros takes over my brain.

Goombas: We're dodging four-inch high-heeled women connected to small dogs crossing streets, muffler-less motorcycles driven by helmet-less drivers, gangly roots, and random cement blocks. The simple act of walking without tripping or getting sucked into the street after a bus blows past is a challenge.

Coins: We make it to the next corner safely. We see a lizard on the fence. We smile at each other in the arcade, "we made it this far!" One thing is for certain: we are never bored and this is a reward in itself.

Alex and Eleni constantly find worthy coins on our walk, but I'm a Goomba in their way, "it's dirty (Eleni loves pretty gum, cigarette, candy, you-name-it wrappers)!" or "we can't take a _____ (bamboo tree was the most recent request) home with us!" or "keep your wits about you!"

"Mom, what is a wit?"

Twenty minutes and we've made it to school. Goodbye Mario and Luigi. They are on to their next level and for me, without them, the song in my head ends. We'll play the video game some more when I retrieve them eight hours later and then we'll return home and Princess Peach will be safe.

Our first week of school was far better than our first day. Here they are on their first day (in the AM). I did not take a photo when they were in the fetal position later...

Neil chalked our ups and downs to post Santa Rosa depression - if only it were that simple! But really, I think the whole going back to school AND starting a new school concepts are hard for any child in any country. We'll get through it. Every day gets better.

After all, every day we are more masterful at stomping on the Goombas...

Miracles that passed us by

Here she is!

September 6

I'm belated in sharing the events of Saturday evening into Sunday because the events of Monday overshadowed all. No worries, but I'll get to that later.

Back to Saturday afternoon and the Miracle of Santa Rosa. The crowded streets looked like this all day (save the parades which I included in my last post).

And then, at 8 PM, the police cleared the streets and every piece of trash was picked up by street cleaners.

Another parade followed, but this time it was really just the Santa Rosa carriers who were preparing themselves for the big event. I was in a second story window (Neil's school) taking these photos.

I took this photo to show how close people got to each other. That little ally was filled with people and was exactly the position we were in on Thursday night, watching the little machine go by. A bit claustrophobic...

9:15. The lights went out as the machine approached. You can just see the statue over the rooftops, turning the corner here. In many respects, it was like a Godzilla movie.

And then, the machine stopped and the carriers changed places. Here she is at the top.

These are real candles on here. Seriously? It's not enough to carry this five ton pedestal over a mile. Add some major fire hazard to the mix.

She passed by our window all too quickly.

Unlike most of the crowd who followed Santa Rosa, we went home around 10 PM. The streets were trashed.

I had hopes of sleeping, but that was a rather far fetched concept. The bar near our apartment showed the televised newscast of the rest of the path. At 11:44, almost 2 and 1/2 hours later, Santa Rosa made it her resting place. We watched the final push where they actually RUN the statue to the church. I don't know what adjectives to use to explain how powerful this was. Then we heard at least half an hour worth of fireworks which sounded more like cannon fire because we couldn't see them. Followed by...yes, they showed the movie Grease (in Italian) on the wall across from us. A true cult following?

The next day, the center of Viterbo was a market square. Miles of stalls filled the roads; definitely a medieval feeling, as there were no cars.

Marzapan!

We walked to the church so we could see the Santa Rosa machine up close. The church, square and her house were filled with people listening to the church service on the loud speakers. Alex got into the spirit of it, "She must have powers. It rained today." Indeed, it did rain. Our first rain in Italy! We were hoping that the miracle for us would be uplifted spirits though...

We wandered through the streets. This was an odd sight?

And of course, after all of this walking, celebration, and hoping for miracles, we needed some gelato! We got this smile in before the rain started.

All good. But, the miracle that we were really hoping for didn't really happen.

Monday was the first day of school for the kids and we were hoping this would solve the intense homesickness phase they are in right now. All right, I never thought it would completely change their minds, but I was hoping for a positive distraction. The 20 minute walk to school in the morning was great: they were beside themselves and bursting with joy. They ran in the school and never even looked back to say goodbye.

But, when we picked them up in the afternoon, one was delighted and the other one in full depression mode. Five minutes out the door Alex said, "I hate this place. We have to go home now." Ugh. Naturally, this rubbed off on the delighted one, too. So, ten minutes later Eleni shared her tales of woe, "We had to go to Italian class and she wanted me to speak Italian. It was horrifying."

Really?

Walking to school this morning, Tuesday, was not as exciting, more of a forced march with lots of "come on - keep moving" from me.

I know it will get better; we don't really need a miracle. This is just part of the process. It's hard for them to make this adjustment when they were so content back home and they know their schools at home are beginning without them there. It will take some time.

We've got that.

the 48 hour party in the streets (so far)

September 3

The cacophony is just non-stop. Today is the big day - although I couldn't really tell you where it all begins or ends. I know that 9 PM tonight the Facchini (the men who carry Santa Rosa) will officially transport the machine, but in the meantime, the city has been celebrating this for days - with promises of that continuing into tomorrow, too. People have been dancing in the streets (surreal moment: it is 1 AM and I can't sleep because some band is singing the entire soundtrack to Grease in Italian), sleeping in the streets, holding onto seats, playing loud music, Church bells, and those drums.

I took this photo yesterday - parade round 1. Historical figures.

Round 2 - Historical figures plus police enforcement.

The mini-machine holders from September 1

The Sister Clares - this is the group that Santa Rosa wanted to be a part of and at least 20 minutes worth of other historical figures. All very serous; no smiling.

Some real clergymen walked by later and someone blessed Alex and Eleni.

The Facchini - arm in arm as they will be tonight (with 5 tons on their shoulders?!)

After the 2nd parade, I took this photo from Neil's school. We'll be there tonight to see the parade from above.

This morning the party was still going on - people drinking and singing! Occasionally you hear a yell "Santa Rosa!"

Eleni and I took a walk through some of the craze to the Saturday market and bought some beads. Alex and Neil went to forage for food.

Walking back, we saw people sleeping on the streets - holding places by building up reinforcements of chairs and people defending territories. It is intense.

It's 4 PM now. We're leaving for our party in a few hours and I hope we'll be able to get out the door!

From one rose city to another!

It's time to tell you about something. I've been waiting to get the story straight, but if I wait much longer, there will be very little (if any at all now anyway) suspense for you.

Viterbo celebrates the Macchina di Santa Rosa (the machine of St. Rose) every year on September 3rd. We've been watching the preparation for this since we arrived. I'll walk you through what I have so far.

Saint Rose lived from 1233 to 1251. Her first miracle occurred when she brought her aunt back to life at the age of three. From then on, she performed many helpful interventions. She wanted to gain entry in the order of the Poor Clares, but was denied that wish. After her death, she appeared in Pope Alexander IV and he had her body transported from San Sisto to the place next to her home (where she was born and died in 1552). Since this time, she has appeared in many people's dreams and saved Viterbo from attack.

Because of this legend, every year since 1664 there has been a procession from San Sisto to the Church of the Clarrisae. 80-100 men will carry this 3.5-5 ton "machine" that will transport St. Rose. It's got to be over a mile route and much of it is uphill. The tradition is that they run the last bit uphill. In 1801, 22 people were trampled. In 1967 it started swaying so they did not complete the track then. It's over 3o meters high!

Here is a crane putting together the various parts of this design (designs last 5 years). We left the city one morning with it looking like this...

...and returned home to see this.

Here is Santa Rosa on the top.

Everyone is Santa Rosa crazy. This is a common storefront window that we see now (models of machines of years past).

And, this is what she looks like now. All covered up near Porto Romano (near our street) until the big day.

Tonight we attended the September 1st mini-machine. There is a little machine that children transport from 9-10 PM. Here are the children (they will take turns carrying it)

Here is the mini-machine coming out. Once she was out, all of the lights went out and we followed the stream for a while. It's quite medieval. The small winding cobblestone streets packed with people were somewhat claustrophobic.

If you go on youtube, you can find some footage of how incredibly intense this is. I'll see what I can do about getting good photos for September 3rd to show you, but I can't promise quality.

At the moment, it's non-stop Santa Rosa. Streets blocked, music all night, parades, drum rolls, random medieval people walking around...