ITALY
UGGGHHHHH......
------
-----
June 2015, GAETA AREA, ITALY
MIXED BAG OF PHOTOS, IPHONE
SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO FOR EACH IMAGE
ME
1
2
2
FORMIA
BIKED FROM FORMIA, WHERE AIRBNB HOST WAS LOCATED, TO GAETA, ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY. PASSED A STUNNING VILLA WITH A SEAFRONT VIEW. BY THE ENTRANCE GATE NOTICED A PLAQUE REVEALING THE PROPERTY OWNER: A CATHOLIC ORDER, WITH A NAME THAT INCLUDED THE WORD "SUFFERING", AS IN "ORDER OF THE SUFFERING SISTERS OF ST. DEMENTIA", OR SOMETHING. I'M SURE YOU SUFFER A LOT IF YOU'RE IN A 500 SQ. M. VILLA WITH A HUGE YARD AND A VIEW OF VESUVIUS IN DISTANCE AND A TAX-FREE STATUS. WHAT A RACKET
3
4
4
FORMIA-GAETA
THE INHABITANTS OF GAETA, THOUGH LOCATED IN LAZIO, SPOKE WITH A NEAPOLITAN/CAMPANIA ACCENT.
5
6
7
8
8
GAETA
IN ITALY ALWAYS LOOKED FOR AN OBSCURE OSTERIA, WHERE I COULD FIND HOMESTYLE CUISINE. THIS ONE WAS A NONDESCRIPT PLACE IN THE HISTORIC CENTER, WITH LITTLE TO DENOTE ITS EXISTENCE IN A NOOK AT BASEMENT-LEVEL. THE OUTDOOR SEATING, COMPRISED OF ABOUT 5-6 TABLES, WAS LOCATED IN A TINY COURTYARD UNDER RESIDENTIAL UNITS, MANY OF WHICH HANG THEIR LAUNDRY DIRECTLY ABOVE. FOUND A TINY ROCK ON MY SEAT BEFORE I SAT DOWN...
9
9
GAETA
SHORT DISTANCE FROM RESTAURANT. THE OWNER WAS FRIENDLY, AND INDULGED ME ON THE SOURCE OF HIS DAILY CATCH. HE ELABORATED ON HOW HIS COUSIN CATCHES HIS FISH IN THE MORNING, AND I FORGOT THE DETAILS, AND THEY TRULY SOUNDED IMPRESSIVE, THOUGH NOT ENOUGH TO PAY 35 EURO FOR IT.
10
11
12
12
GAETA
ABOVE CENTER OF GAETA IS A MOUNT THAT IS TOPPED BY A MAUSOLEUM FOR A FAMOUS ROMAN GENERAL, WHICH RESEMBLES A HUGE, MARBLE-CLAD GAS TANK. NICE VIEWS, AND A LOVELY RIDE UP THROUGH THE PARK.
13
14
15
16
16
FORMIA
ART SHOW AT THE MEDIEVAL TOWER IN THE CITY CENTER. THE ARTIST WAS PRESENT, A SENIOR WITH HIS FACULTIES FULLY INTACT, AND WE HAD A PLEASANT EXCHANGE OVER HIS LANDSCAPES. HIS PORTRAITS, THOUGH VERY ORIGINAL, WERE NOT TO MY LIKING. HE HAD SOMEWHAT SPOOKY SHARK EYES. THE EXHIBIT WAS IN THE TOWER DEPICTED IN THE PAINTING, A SHORT WALK FROM MY HOST'S APT.
17
17
GAETA
MY AIRBNB HOST INVITED ME TO THE BEACH WITH HER FRIEND. HOT DAY, AND TURNED OUT TO BE THE ONLY TIME I WENT IN THE WATER ON THE BEACH IN ITALY.
18
18
GAETA
THIS IMAGE PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP EVERYTHING THAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG ABOUT ITALY. THE ENTRANCE TO THE BEACH, OFF A MAIN ROAD, WAS BARELY NOTICEABLE, AND REQUIRED A SHARP 180-DEGREE TURN DOWN A SERPENTINE ROAD. THE ROAD, OR DRIVEWAY, COULD BARELY ACCOMMODATE MY TINY KIA PICANTO, SO I HAD TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING HOW TWO TINY CARS DRIVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION COULD NEGOTIATE THE ROAD THAT'S LITERALLY 9 FEET WIDE WITH ZERO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE.
19
20
20
FORMIA
THE APARTMENT BUILDING OF MY AIRBNB HOST, FROM BEHIND. HER SEAFRONT BALCONY WAS THE SIZE OF A VOLLEYBALL COURT, COVERED WITH PATIO FURNITURE AND MYRIAD PLANTS.
21
21
SPERLONGA
MUSEUM DEDICATED TO TIBERIUS' VILLA, WHICH IS FAMOUS FOR BEING SITUATED BESIDE A LARGE CAVE. HE ABANDONED IT AFTER A CHUNK OF THE CEILING FELL DURING A PARTY, OR SOMETHING. A MUSEUM A SHORT WALK FROM THE VILLA CONTAINS SOME TRULY STUNNING STATUES, ARTIFACTS, ETC. THE ABOVE DISPLAY IS A MOCK-UP, THE ONLY REMAINS CONSIST OF ONLY THE EXTREME RIGHT AND LEFT STATUES, WHICH ARE ON DISPLAY NEXT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS IN THE MOCK-UP, NOT PICTURED. I EAVESDROPPED ON AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY GROUP FOR A QUICK CLANDESTINE LECTURE.
22
22
SPERLONGA
"WHAT??? YOU THINK TIBERIUS WAS A BETTER EMPEROR? WHAT DID HE DO BETTER THAN WHAT CLAUDIUS ACCOMPLISHED? WHAT, SO HE HAD A FANCY GROTTO TO ENTERTAIN WITH!! BIG DEAL! WHY YOU...!!"
23
23
SAN FELICE CIRCEO
PRETTY, REMOTE HISTORIC CENTER IN CITY ON MOUNT CIRCEO. THIS IS A PUB. VIRTUALLY NO SIGN OF LIFE, SO I ASSUME THAT THE TOURISTS SHOW UP LATER IN SUMMER.