We were woken during the night by a thunderstorm. First came loud but distant thunder and lightning and then the rain started. Just as the rain was dying out there was a last flash of lightning quickly followed by a deafening thunder clap. A thunderstorm is quite exciting in a motorhome, you feel so much more involved and we felt this thunder as well as hearing it. The shock wave hit the motorhome, causing the vehicle to rock. More rain followed in the early hours but, by 07:30 when we got up, the sun was shining.
We went into Rome using the local bus and two rail lines, taking a total of an hour and a quarter. We were wearing jumpers and coats and carried an umbrella in the rucksack. We knew that rain was forecast and we had a number of showers, the heaviest and longest of which was fortunately when we were in the museum.
We had gone to see the National Etruscan Museum of Rome as a follow-up to the visit to Tarquinia and its museum. The Rome museum was extensive and had some beautiful finds and, sometimes, good explanations in English. One of our favourite exhibits was the 'Sarcophagus of the Married Couple' dated to the 6th century BC. The figures of the couple are beautifully executed, with very expressive faces and hands. One again there was a huge collection of painted pottery and exquisite bronze work. We spent a couple of very enjoyable hours in the museum and then emerged ready for lunch. This was taken at a pizza restaurant close to the Flaminio Metro station – our first Italian pizza this year and very good it was too!
We were very close to the Piazza del Populo and popped in there to see the obelisk brought back by Augustus from Heliopolis in Greece. The atmosphere was very pleasant with a small classical ensemble playing popular classics and well-known songs. We then returned to the campsite by three rail lines and a bus.
Photos: The 'Sarcophagus of the Married Couple'; The handle of an Etruscan bronze 'cista' dated to 350 – 330 BC. These cistas were found in graves and were sometimes used to hold the ashes of the deceased but often contained such things as reels of thread, net gloves, combs, sponges, hooks, strigils and alabastrons; The obelisk in the Piazza del Populo.
We went into Rome using the local bus and two rail lines, taking a total of an hour and a quarter. We were wearing jumpers and coats and carried an umbrella in the rucksack. We knew that rain was forecast and we had a number of showers, the heaviest and longest of which was fortunately when we were in the museum.
We had gone to see the National Etruscan Museum of Rome as a follow-up to the visit to Tarquinia and its museum. The Rome museum was extensive and had some beautiful finds and, sometimes, good explanations in English. One of our favourite exhibits was the 'Sarcophagus of the Married Couple' dated to the 6th century BC. The figures of the couple are beautifully executed, with very expressive faces and hands. One again there was a huge collection of painted pottery and exquisite bronze work. We spent a couple of very enjoyable hours in the museum and then emerged ready for lunch. This was taken at a pizza restaurant close to the Flaminio Metro station – our first Italian pizza this year and very good it was too!
We were very close to the Piazza del Populo and popped in there to see the obelisk brought back by Augustus from Heliopolis in Greece. The atmosphere was very pleasant with a small classical ensemble playing popular classics and well-known songs. We then returned to the campsite by three rail lines and a bus.
Photos: The 'Sarcophagus of the Married Couple'; The handle of an Etruscan bronze 'cista' dated to 350 – 330 BC. These cistas were found in graves and were sometimes used to hold the ashes of the deceased but often contained such things as reels of thread, net gloves, combs, sponges, hooks, strigils and alabastrons; The obelisk in the Piazza del Populo.
No comments:
Post a Comment