Back from Sicily, Malta and Rome

Wow, there is no way I can write up this trip in my blog - I would need to write a book. The trip organised by the NSW Art Gallery in conjunction with Renaissance tours was a 2 week in -depth look at the Art, history ( including archaeology), architecture, culture of Sicily and Malta. It was called From Homer to Caravaggio.  We had a Sydney Art critic and classical scholar Dr Christopher Allen with us - and he was like a walking encyclopedia of all things art, architecture, Greek and Latin, Greek mythology,  - you name it he could talk knowledgeably with passionate enthusiasm and we also had a wonderful Italian Guide Franco who was also incredibly knowledgeable and helpful company. 

Sicily is an island most people think of as the home of the Mafia but it is so much more - its history seems to have been composed of successive invasions and cultural influences for over 3000 years - the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Turks, Normans, Spanish, French, all inhabited parts of the island for long periods and left their influences - being spring it was green, full of wildflowers and had grapes, and citrus and olives growing in considerable areas of cultivation amidst the huge steep rocky hills. And dont let me talk about the food - I didnt gain weight ( somehow) but the tour included top quality restaurants for lunch and/or dinner every day - and that didnt mean a sandwich or a pizza!

Monreale Cathedral near Palermo

Castle and old temple on top of Erice - a mountain top town

One of the temples at Selinunte

One of the carvings removed to the Palermo museum from a Greek temple at Selinunte - cutting off the Gorgon's head.

Greco/Roman theatre at Taormina  - the Romans built over older Greek structures and evidence of both can be seen.

Malta is also an island with an incredible history and a long history of invasion - gaining its independence from Britain only in 1964. knew little of Malta except that it played an important role in WWII ( they got more bombs dropped in one day in 1942 than the whole of London during the war!!!) and that its position in the Mediterranean put it in the position of being strategic for every power that wanted to dominate the region. They also have re-discovered extensive evidence of neolithic habitation, burial chambers and temples that go back older than the pyramids - Wow!
if you get the chance read Nicholas Monsarrat's "Kapillan of Malta" - incredible read.

The Port of Malta

Beheading of John the Baptist by Caravaggio in the St John Co-cathedral in Valletta, Malta

The first of the neolithic ruins - Hagar Qim and Mnajdra  on Malta - dated at 2500BC

One of hundreds of artfacts removed from burial chamber found on island of Gozo, Malta - dated at 2500 - 3000BC

The Knights of St John played a strong role on Malta for several hundred years - never seen so much original armour and weaponry

Joan and I went on to Rome for three more nights and we visited all the major sights although didnt do guided tours of some like the Colisseum as time did not permit, but I did get to do the Vatican, St Peters and Sistine Chapel tour - awesome - wish I could have seen it 50 years ago when possibly the crowds might have been thinner! Shoulder to shoulder in the Sistine Chapel and basically only 20 minutes in there.

Yes, that is the Trevi Fountain

"The Academy" - one of my favourite paintings in Vatican Museum - can you find Plato, Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, and Archimedes?

Michaelangelo's Pieta in St Peter's

One of the churches in Rome - all that glitters is silver and gold!

The obligatory photo - Liz in front of the Colisseum

St Peter's Basilica - the bronze to make that big structure was taken from the Pantheon and melted down to be reused by one of the Popes.

Considering I had major problems with my Achilles tendon before I left and did all the walking with 2 walking poles - I was totally rapt that I coped with all the walking, cobbled streets and stairs ( without any disasters or falling over) - and by the last few days  we did 18000 steps each day. It was mind over matter sometimes - collapsed into bed most nights...

But the $$$ were worth every minute... so I have included a half dozen of the over 1000 photos I took..  and would suggest watching some youtube videos of Sicily and Malta if you get the chance.

Now, the body is saying it needs a rest but i am going to try and keep up the fitness. I doubt if I will get back to do such a major tour again, well not for a couple of years, so I need to keep fit and healthy in  case another opportunity comes up in the future.