Thursday, October 12, 2023

9/23/2023 ROME: Mercure Roma Centro Colosseo, breakfast Ciuri Ciuri, Galleria Borghese, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterno, dinner Cantina e Cucina

Good night's sleep.  Only thing we have that's definite for today is the Borghese.  But first breakfast.  Ciuri Ciuri.   We liked it so much yesterday that we're back again.  Very convenient next to our hotel.  We both get orange juice and cappuccino.  Richard picks a cream filled cornetto (maybe lemon?) and I pick a cream filled donut.  I must admit that I liked my sugar donut from yesterday more.  Cost 21€/$22.42.



Cappuccino design

Breakfast

Our hotel is the building on the far left-cross this little street and breakfast place is right on the opposite corner.  So close!



Galleria Borghese.  Taxi from our hotel.  Cost 13€/$13.88.  I booked these tickets before we arrived in Italy.  Cost 34€/$37.55 for the both of us.  Timed entry 12:00 pm.  You are allowed 2 hours.  This is the private Borghese collection of sculptures and paintings.  Works of art from Bernini, Raphael, Correggio, Canova, Titian.  Great visit!


































Booking paperwork

Borghese









Bernini-Bust of Paolo V


Bernini-Bust of Cardinal Scipione Borghese



Bernini-The goat Amaltea

Ceiling 

Benches for rest breaks




Raffaello/Raphael-Deposition

Raffello/Raphael-Deposition







Anonymous sculptor-Cavaspina/Boy Picking a Thorn from his Foot





Correggio-Danae


Venus






Raffaello/Raphael-Lady with a Unicorn



Bernini-Model for the equestrian statue of King Louis XIV




Jacopo Bassano-The Last Supper







Peter Paul Rubens-Susannah and the Elders



Rubens-Lamentation over the dead Christ






Tiziano/Titian-Sacred and Profane Love



Giovanni Bellini-The Virgin and Child



Antonio Carracci-Jupiter and Juno






Bernini-Rape of Proserpine   One of his finest works shows Pluto/Hades abducting his bride   Notice the twisting figures.











Bernini-Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius




Bernini-Truth Unveiled

Caravaggio-Saint Jerome



Caravaggio-David with the head of Goliath

Caravaggio-Madonna dei Palafrenieri
























Roman Art 320-330 A.D.  Mosaic with hunting scenes





















Canova-Portrait of Paulina Borghese Bonaparte (Napoleon's sister) as Venus Victrix






Roman Art  200-230 A.D.  Group of Leda and the swan with Eros 





Bernini-David



Postcard-Bernini  David


Bernini-Apollo and Daphne  Depicts the nymph fleeing the sun god at the moment of her dramatic transformation into a tree







Postcard-Hermaphrodite















Postcard











Taxi to Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterno









I took this picture from our taxi primarily because my daughter lives in Doha, Qatar




Basilica de San Giovanni in Laterno.  Early in the 4th century the Laterani family were disgraced and their land taken by Emperor Constantine to build Rome's first Christian basilica.  Founded in 324-the oldest public church in the city of Rome and the oldest basilica of the Western world.  Since then it has been destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times.  Borromini did the last major rebuild of the interior in 1646.  The main facade is an 18th century addition.  Before the Pope's move to Avignon in 1309 the adjoining Lateran Palace was the official papal residence.  Until 1870 all popes were crowned in the church.  The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and here in the city's main cathedral he celebrates Maundy Thursday mass and attends the annual blessing of the people.  Statues of the 12 apostles, several papal tombs.  Not many people here.  Have to go through security check of sorts but nothing like what we experienced at St. Peter's!  It's a pretty church.  Well worth a visit.  We spend an hour here and there were some things we missed because I didn't do enough research! 


The Pope gives his blessing from the upper loggia of the north facade seen here on the left





 



















Ceiling




Souvenir store

















































































Floor










































Original Lateran Palace is on the right












Taxi back to our hotel











Cantina e Cucina.  We take a taxi from our hotel.  Cost 13.30€/$14.20.  Near Piazza Navona.  Busy even though it's early.  This place doesn't take reservations.  Drinks-ginger ale for me and beer for Richard.  I had read that the lasagna and ravioli were supposed to be good.  I oder the lasagna and Richard orders the ravioli.  Service was good.  However, a bit disappointed in the food.  It was good but not terrific.  My lasagna wasn't overcooked like the one I had in Venice but it didn't wow me and to be honest the lasagna I make eat home is better.  The ravioli was fine but again nothing to write home about.  Cost 42.50€/$45.36.  We have to walk quite a way to find a taxi.  Not many taxis pulling in.  One finally does but he want 25€ to take us to the hotel!  That's almost double the price we paid to get here.  And it's not really late-only 8:00 p.  He says basically take it or leave it as I can always get another fare.  We're tired.  Our legs are hurting.  Who knows when another taxi will come.  My taxi app isn't working and I have no phone service-only data.  This sucks but we have no choice.  I ask for a receipt when we get to the hotel as I have always done when I pay by credit card and he tells me to write down my e-mail address and he'll send it to me.  Well, I heard that from the hotel guy in Amalfi and I'm still waiting for that receipt and it's been over 2 months!  Surprisingly I do get the receipt in my e-mail this very evening!

Taxi to dinner



Menu























My ginger ale


Richard's beer

Unusual decor


Lasagna

Lasagna


Ravioli






Complimentary shots of ??


Should have stopped!!

Taxi back to our hotel





























Tomorrow is the day I've been waiting for.  The Colosseum!!








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