Roman Holiday: The Pantheon

I'm joining for the first time The Tablescaper in her terrific new blog party, “Oh, The Places I've Been!”  The wonderful memories of our trip to Italy in 2008 keep coming back to me, so I thought I'd share this excursion to one of the most remarkable buildings in Rome - The Pantheon.

Located at the Piazza della Rotonda, originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt circa 125 A.D. during Hadrian's reign.

Fontana del Pantheon, designed by Giacomo della Porta and built by Leonardo Sormani, located in front of the Pantheon.  I was so fascinated by all the architecture that I took copious notes during the trip.  I was such a geek!  For this post, I dug out my little travel notebook to refresh my memory and it was like going back again.

Robert, my husband's brother, and Barb, my sister-in-law, traveling companions extraordinaires.

Entrance to the Pantheon.

Pope Urban VII (1623-1644) ordered the bronze ceiling of the Pantheon's portico melted down.  Most of the bronze was used to make bombards, an early form of cannon that fired stone balls.

The oculus, the Great Eye, is the opening at the top of the Pantheon's coffered, concrete dome, and is the only source of natural light in this building.  The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 142 feet.

Pope Boniface IV converted the Pantheon into a Christian church and consecrated it to Santa Maria ad Martyres.

The tomb of Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian, Raffaello), one of the great masters of the Italian High Renaissance.  The  inscription on the tomb was written by Pietro Bembo, a brilliant intellectual of the period:  “Here lies Raphael, by whom Nature feared to be overcome while he was living, and while he was dying, [feared] herself to die.”

And as we came back outside, awed by all we'd seen, we found this stand selling the same book of Rome in, oh, at least 30 languages!  A little modern capitalism to counter all those centuries of history.  From the sublime to the ridiculous!

Vacation in Texas

We visited Texas in early July and I'm just getting around to posting some pictures.  It's amazing how quickly time gets away from us!

We stayed with my in-laws, Robert and Barb, and were shown a most generous hospitality.  So many little touches that were added just to make us feel welcome.  My sister-in-law ran out and bought a new hair dryer, just so I wouldn't have to bring mine and add to the weight of our luggage.  There were delightful soaps in the bathroom, as well as an assortment of other goodies, in case we forgot to bring something . . . We had access to a ton of pillows . . . Coffee -  and this is an important one for me - was readied the night before, so when I woke up early there was a cup waiting for me.  I think this is part of their normal routine, but it still made me feel pampered . . .

Barb is like a sister to me.  She is the kindest, most thoughtful person I've ever met.  Every single wish on my bucket list was granted, including hearing her sing again . . . that was such a treat!  She has a deep alto voice that mellows any mood . . .

Oh, and the other hunk of love, is my brother-in-law, Robert.  The guy who dragged out a big clunky fan to keep the mosquitoes away from us, so we could enjoy the fireworks on the 4th along the lake . . . The guy who rode around the block one more time to find a closer parking spot . . .
Excellent listeners . . . flexible . . . fun . . .  Who'd want to "Mess with Texas" if it has made room for residents like this . . . ?

Painkillers!

The Soggy Dollar Bar, located on White Beach Bay, on the island of Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands, is the birthplace of The Painkiller, one of my favorite rum concoctions. The bar is so named because, by the time you get there, your money is soggy from having had to swim ashore. The pristine, white sand beach, you see, has no pier.

We went there in 1997, when my husband won an all-expense paid trip through work. During our stay, the company arranged for a catamaran to take the group from St. Thomas to Jost Van Dyke. When we arrived at White Beach Bay, a marvelous barbecue was being prepared right on the beach for us; that's when a waiter handed me my first Painkiller. I liked it so much that I scribbled the recipe on the back of the book I had brought with me (between the unexpected wet landing, sand and partially smeared writing, the book was quite a mess by the time I got home, but I haven't been able to part with it).

I made some Painkillers today, and a lot of happy memories from this trip came flooding back . . . Here's the link for the recipe: http://www.pussers.com/rum/cocktails/painkiller/popup

Here I am, at White Beach Bay, sitting under a palm tree, reading a book - my idea of paradise . . .

My husband and I both agree that, aside from our honeymoon, this was the most wonderful trip we have ever taken . . .

Ahh . . . I have been longing for a trip to the Caribbean lately . . .

Nature . . . Hmm . . .

This week's PHOTO OF THE DAY theme really had me stumped. A nature girl, I'm not. I've always lived in cities and adore its many conveniences. I like to enjoy nature in pictures. Then, I can marvel at all of God's creations and only think beautiful thoughts. Real nature is seldom idyllic.

What to post . . . ? What to post . . . ? Ahhh! Of course! There is one aspect of nature that I am drawn to . . . water.

I was 21 years old when this photo was taken on my first visit to Niagara Falls. Somehow, I forgot to be suspicious of nature. The Falls really touched me. It might be a cliché, but I truly felt God's love in this spot. I know that some people experience that same feeling in other places, and when I saw the Mighty Niagara, I understood.

José María Heredia, Cuba's National Poet, one of the first romantic poets in the New World, wrote his Ode to Niagara in 1832. It is a beautiful, long, melancholic, long, instrospective poem that shows his love of nature . . . did I mention long? He reminds me so much of Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poem was my introduction to the Falls . . .

It truly is a lovely poem. I didn't quite like it at fifteen, when I first read it, but I re-read it as an adult and found it profoundly moving.

There's a plaque on the American side of the Falls honoring Heredia. He's called "The Sublime Singer of the Wonderous Greatness of Niagara Falls."

I strongly recommend a visit. Yes, there are lots of tourist traps nearby. Ignore them. Just stand on one of the many lookout points and listen to the water's roar. Feel the mist on your face . . .

Be still. There's tremendous power to be felt in this place . . .