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All posts for the month June, 2014

Dara poses with us at Piazza Navona. She and I like bright colors more than Mark does...

Dara poses with us at Piazza Navona. She and I like bright colors more than Mark does…

Our friend Dara was in Rome for a week, so we took a break from our Mediterranean island hopping summer to fly to Rome for a quick three-day visit. Even if you’ve been here before, three days is just too short for this amazing city. What has amused me in our brief time here is that unlike most touristy places, I enjoy Rome and the ruins here more every time I see them. Because I read a lot of history, each time I come here I understand more about Julius Caesar and Augustus and Tiberius and Constantine and what the story of Rome is, and the ancient city starts to come alive.

The Museum of the Imperial Forums includes modern art displays. The juxtaposition worked for me.

The Museum of the Imperial Forums includes modern art displays. The juxtaposition worked for me.

Still, this was a very brief stop. Mostly we visited with Dara for a day, then walked around a bunch. I visited the Museum of the Imperial Forums, a recent addition to the city’s offerings located in the ruins of Trajan’s Market, and got a much better sense of how these monumental public spaces built between about 50 BC and 100 AD fit together and where Augustus’s was relative to Julius Caesar’s and where they all were relative to the old Roman Forum. It might sound boring, but it wasn’t.

It’s the start of summer and there are hordes of tourists, and the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps are both barricaded and undergoing renovation, but nothing can interfere with the underlying greatness of Rome.

And on a side note, last night the Rolling Stones played in the Circus Maximus – used as an entertainment venue for over 2,000 years – in front of 70,000 aging fans. I’m not sure what motivates them to keep going, but it was the 50th anniversary (yes, 50th!) of their first concert in Italy. That’s a lot of touring for a rock group, but somehow for me, looking at the Circus Maximus, which stands right behind the Palatine Hill and near the Roman Forum, 50 years doesn’t seem quite so long.

Ruins of the Temple of Mars the Avenger in the Forum of Augustus. Augustus promised Mars he would build a great temple if the god helped him defeat in battle the guys who murdered Julius Caesar. He did in fact beat them, a key battle in the fight over whether Rome would be a republic or an empire, and kept his word to Mars.

Ruins of the Temple of Mars the Avenger in the Forum of Augustus. Augustus promised Mars he would build a great temple if the god helped him defeat in battle the guys who murdered Julius Caesar. He did in fact beat them, a key battle in the fight over whether Rome would be a republic or an empire, and kept his word to Mars.

The Circus Maximus the morning after the Rolling Stones performed here.

The Circus Maximus the morning after the Rolling Stones performed here.

The Castel Sant'Angelo on the Tiber River. Originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian (one of but by no means the only gay emperor), it was later used as a castle by the popes when they needed protections from mobs and armies.

The Castel Sant’Angelo on the Tiber River. Originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian (one of but by no means the only gay emperor), it was later used as a castle by the popes when they needed protections from mobs and armies.

Everywhere we go we find these great markets. In the U.S. farmers markets are this great innovation. In the rest of the world it's how people get food. This was in Campo de' Fiori, once a field of flowers but now right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of central Rome.

Everywhere we go we find these great markets. In the U.S. farmers markets are this great innovation. In the rest of the world it’s how people get food. This was in Campo de’ Fiori, once a field of flowers but now right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of central Rome.

We continue to love the simple and spectacular food of Italy. Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and oil makes for a perfect first course (with a glass of wine, of course).

We continue to love the simple and spectacular food of Italy. Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and oil makes for a perfect first course (with a glass of wine, of course).

According to a cab driver, at least, this is the home of Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire now-former Italian Prime Minister. Mark & I were wondering what the odds were that a day or two ago he had a dinner party for Mick Jagger....

According to a cab driver, at least, this is the home of Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire now-former Italian Prime Minister. Mark & I were wondering what the odds were that a day or two ago he had a dinner party for Mick Jagger….

Mark ready for lunch

Mark ready for lunch

And since you can never have too many pictures of Mark & Dara, here's another, this time in front of Trajan's Column. While you can barely see it in this picture, the massive column is most famous for the spiral carvings from the base to the top that tell the story of Tranjan's victories. Oddly, for the last 450 years or so it's been topped by a bronze St. Peter.

And since you can never have too many pictures of Mark & Dara, here's another, this time in front of Trajan’s Column. While you can barely see it in this picture, the massive column is most famous for the spiral carvings from the base to the top that tell the story of Tranjan’s victories. Oddly, for the last 450 years or so it’s been topped by a bronze St. Peter.

The incredible coastal scenery on today's bike trip to the beach

The incredible coastal scenery on today’s bike trip to the beach


Lunch at the beach today started with an octopus salad and dogfish all’algherese

Lunch at the beach today started with an octopus salad and dogfish all’algherese

Our fourth stop in Sardinia brought us to Alghero in the northwest corner of the island. Over the last 12 days we’ve traveled the length of the west coast, and the scenery got more spectacular with each leg of the journey. Up here in the northwest lush green mountains cascade into a beautiful blue sea with lots of sandy beaches in between.

Alghero was another near perfect combination of things we love: a charming medieval city center, great food and wine, and beautiful beaches just a short bike ride away. We rented some really nice bikes here and spent one day exploring the coast (and beaches) to the north and another day exploring to the south.

Food is incredible here — many classics from the Italian table plus quite a few distinctive Sardinian dishes. When the Spanish controlled Sardinia lots of Catalans settled here in Alghero, earning it the nickname Barcelonetta, or Little Barcelona. There is still a big Catalan influence on the cuisine and culture.

I’ve certainly eaten more dogfish here than I recall ever having anywhere before (perhaps never?). My favorite Sardinian antipasto consists of dogfish, octopus, or some other fish served all’algherese — cut into chunks and smothered with a fantastic cold and tangy sauce made from sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil.

Tomorrow morning we take a brief respite from Sardinia to visit with our friend Dara in Rome. Then we’ll fly back to northeast Sardinia to continue our journey toward Corsica.

The heavenly beach awaiting us at the end of today's exhilirating bike journey along the coast north of Alghero

The heavenly beach awaiting us at the end of today’s exhilirating bike journey along the coast north of Alghero

Jim checks out a cool catapult atop the town walls

Jim checks out a cool catapult atop the town walls

More lovely coastal scenery

More lovely coastal scenery

The colorful town of Bosa sits along the river Temo, all under the watch of the Malaspina Castle

The colorful town of Bosa sits along the river Temo, all under the watch of the Malaspina Castle

From Cagliari we started up the western coast of Sardinia by bus. Our first stop was Oristano, a pretty town with some nice squares. It was a little on the quiet side, so we only stayed for two days, though we loved the old palace where we stayed, and we spent a very pleasant day at the beach just outside town.

Then we bused further up the coast to the stunning town of Bosa. The town is so picturesque that I can’t stop taking photos. At every mealtime we seem to discover another impossibly lovely restaurant tucked into another little side street. And you can follow the river Temo on foot for a half hour to a picture-perfect beach. For us that makes a nearly perfect combination, and we’ve already extended our stay here from two to four nights.

Like so many of our recent Mediterranean destinations, Bosa is wrapped in many layers of history. Founded by Phoenicians in ancient times, it eventually became part of the Roman empire. In medieval times, it fell into the hands of the Malaspina family from Tuscany, who built the castle above the town and ruled the region for three centuries before it was taken over by the kingdom of Aragon. I can’t keep straight all the other permutations before Sardinia became part of unified Italy in the late 19th century.

Looking down from Malaspina castle, the town ambles along the river Temo until you reach the lovely beach where we've spent our afternoons

Looking down from Malaspina castle, the town ambles along the river Temo until you reach the lovely beach where we’ve spent our afternoons

Lunch at a beachside restaurant featured grilled fish with amazing grilled vegetables

Lunch at a beachside restaurant featured grilled fish with amazing grilled vegetables

On our first evening in Bosa we discovered Borgo San Ignacio, an impossibly perfect little restaurant on a quiet side street

On our first evening in Bosa we discovered Borgo San Ignacio, an impossibly perfect little restaurant on a quiet side street

Dinner at Borgo San Ignacio

Dinner at Borgo San Ignacio

OK, one more of my endless photos of Bosa, this one at dusk from our hotel terrace

OK, one more of my endless photos of Bosa, this one at dusk from our hotel terrace