19 June 2006

Trip to Rome to view a Caravaggio

There was a 4 day showing of Caravaggio’s Conversione di Saulo at Palazzo Odescalchi in Rome, and since Caravaggio is Valerie’s favorite painter, on Sunday we took the train from Anzio to Roma, hopped a bus from the train station to Piazza Venezia and then made the short walk to the palazzo. This painting is in a private collection so it is only shown by the owner to the public at select times (not sure when the last time was). When we arrived in front of the palazzo there was a line waiting to get in so we took our place at the end (luckily before a lot more people showed up) and, after about 40 minutes we were able to enter the single room where the painting was on display. We were allowed about 10 minutes in the room to view the painting, then were ushered back out of the palazzo. It was interesting to see a piece of artwork that few people are able to see since it is not on display in a museum.

We then found a gelatoria nearby and around the next corner was the Trevi Fountain, packed with tourists taking photos. We wandered some of the narrow streets and were pleased to find several interesting restaurants we will want to try on another venture into Rome: a kosher pizzeria, several Chinese and Indian Restaurants and a specialty food shop for the Calabria region in southern Italy.

A few streets more and we were looking at the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Always a marvel around every corner when you are in Rome. It was just a quick hop onto the Metro to go back to the train station for the ride back to Anzio.

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