Italy – Slow Lane Musings

The Annunciation message

When we visited Florence last December, we were astonished by the abundant riches of art available in museums and churches. Without a deep knowledge of art history, it was hard for us to truly appreciate what we were exposed to.

Nevertheless, a highlight for us was visiting a curated temporary exhibition, in the Palazzo Strozzi, focusing on the work of Fra Angelico (1395-1455) and his contemporaries. Given that Fra Angelico was a member of a religious order, the exhibition mainly focused on familiar religious themes.

In the courtyard of the Palazzo Strozzi, we were fascinated by a large art installation representing a modern reinterpretation of the Annunciation (the feature image for this post). The artwork, by an American artist known as KAWS, is entitled “The Message” (1974). It was placed there in dialogue with the Fra Angelico exhibition. It made us reflect on how artists view the world.

As a fun exercise, we decided to start looking for Annunciation scenes everywhere we went around the city, in paintings, sculptures, reliquaries, altarpieces and frescoes. Most of the examples we saw were from the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.

Each time, we examined the depiction of the Archangel and Mary, their clothing, facial expressions and body language, the location of the event, the symbols added to the setting, the presence of other participants, etc. We saw interesting variations in how this very popular scene has been portrayed over time.

A festive season in Florence

We had promised ourselves that we would again spend Christmas somewhere different, following our wonderful experience last year on the Queen Mary 2. We looked for a city where it would be possible to be outdoors on a nice day and to repair to museums if the weather was not so clement. Italy is always a good bet. We had spent a few days in Florence in 1996 and remembered it fondly.

To our delight, we found out that Florence does Christmas very well. In addition to festive decorations, the names of streets in the historic district are spelled out in strings of colourful lights at night. Its vibrant Christmas spirit is infectious.

Although Florence is geographically compact, compared to Rome let’s say, there is so much to see there that you would need at least a month to see it all. Not surprisingly, it hops with visitors.

A haven of peace in Rome

Rome has a special place in our hearts, as we were married in the Eternal City over four decades ago. Like pilgrims, we have returned many times to this bustling and exciting city. It’s always a delight for us to revisit the Colonna Chapel in the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano.

We usually stay at the same hotel in Aventino, just south of the city centre. There, we can stroll through quiet streets, meet the many cats that “live in freedom” (the description given by the municipal by-law that protects them), visit the local churches or sit on a bench in a public garden and enjoy the views provided by the elevation.

The Aventine hill is one of the seven hills of Ancient Rome. The earliest residents of the district were the poor of the city, however, at the height of the Roman Empire, the district attracted the wealthy who built impressive villas. Although it is still an upscale residential neighbourhood today, some of Aventino’s splendid ochre-coloured villas have become hotels, schools, and headquarters of religious organizations. There are also, at the base of the hill, interesting ruins, monuments, gardens and even a very special cemetery.

Several roads and old pedestrian paths lead to the top of Aventino. While some guests might be daunted by the idea of walking up the hill to reach their hotel, it is well worth the effort. During the month of May, each step makes one breathe even deeper that wonderful fragrance from the abundant jasmine in bloom. We have come to call this oasis of peace “Heaventino.”

Timeless Assisi

In our house, we had designated 2019 as the “year of St. Francis” with a focus on his teachings of humility and simplicity. Inspired by a living Franciscan brother, Father Richard Rohr, whom we had read and met, and respected a lot, we embarked on a spiritual journey where we sought to focus on the natural environment around us, simplify our lives and focus on what’s important. Our visit to Assisi was like a pilgrimage and a highlight of that memorable and meaningful year.

Cinque Terre magic

Perched on promontories along the ‘Italian Riviera,’ between Pisa and Genoa, Cinque Terre is a string of coastal villages that will capture your heart forever. Up to relatively recently these villages, situated within a national park, were off the beaten track for tourists. We hadn’t heard of this area up to a few years ago, despite having visited Italy several times. However, having watched an episode of Rick Steves’ Europe video series, we just had to visit.