I should start with the reminders from yesterday, but I'm exhausted so I ...don't really want to.
We had a free day today, which was nice. No group politics, huzzah! It started our just me and Casey - who I wonder if she is getting a little annoyed with me, as I can be a little ...stubborn and plan-y [as in, I like to map things out ahead of time] - and ended up Casey, Kelli, Mandy and I.
Holy run-on sentence, Batman!
Anyway. I'll try to keep it short (famous last words) as I'm tired and this bed if getting more and more comfortable. We'd planned on (with the help of my handy-dandy map) Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione (for the Capuchin crypts), the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica (for ...everything), and Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria (for the "Ecstasy of St. Teresa"). It was a good goal, but a lofty one, since we were still very tired.
We woke up at 10:30-ish, after planning to be up at 8:30-9-ish. Oops. Oh well, we needed to sleep. We got to the Palazzo Barberini by the Metro (which was rather simple to navigate when we got to the Manzoni terminal) in time to get some lunch and see Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione close for its afternoon nap. Whoops again. We headed to the museum instead, since the other church would be closed too.
It was quite lovely. Casey pointed out "lounge sofas," which are apparently similar to The Louvre, that are meant for ceiling viewing. An El Greco, a Caravaggio, and an Orazio Gentileschi later, there she was. "La Donna Velata" herself ...except with fewer clothes on. I didn't find her as dramatic as "La Fornarina," but I was still moved to tears. ...Again. Really now, life, I got it, I know what the plan is, can I stop crying at paintings yet?
Anywho, after the museum, we snacked, saw some of our group and were joined by Kelly and Mandi - who were also looking to see the Capuchin crypts. The church was open by the time we finished, so we headed over. It was ...weird as hell, in a very sacred way. I feel like these monks must have had an excellent sense of humor, especially to have The Marquis de Sade visit the crypt in 1775 - hmm, I knew I liked them for a reason. It was very artistically executed, though I think my brain is still shielding me from realizing that they were real human bodies.
The next stop was to go see the "Ecstasy of St. Teresa." The folds in the cloth alone are not given just rendering by pictures or slides. It looks real. There's another Ecstasy statue opposite her that we'd never seen before and could not identify - nor could Nancy, who we ran into while we all were a'chuchin'.
-Note: It's "The Dream of Joseph" apparently.-
She suggested we add something to our To-Do list: the Caravaggio show at the Scuderie deal Quirinale (or at least that's what the ticket says). His "Judith..." was there (and not at the museum we visited earlier like it was supposed to be) and it was HUGE. I was expecting a 30"x50" or some such. Wrong! It was brilliant - in fact, the whole show was. So glad we listened and went.
For dinner, we headed back to the Trevi Fountain, and ate at the same place as the first day we were here. Different waiter though. His name was Jesus. No joke.
We found Jesus in a restaurant in Rome.
Ha!
We got some gelato then, and hung around the Trevi, which I appreciated much more this time. Might have been the lack of heat. Or the lack of exhaustion. Or the food I'd eaten beforehand. Anyway it happened, it was lovely at night.
Casey's snoring is telling me it's time for bed. Alas, I'm inclined to agree ...but I must pack first. Sienna and FLORENCE tomorrow! Onward to PACKING.
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