Sunday April 30, 2023
This morning the girls went to the market to but groceries for breakfast. They came back with enough for a true gourmet brunch. We had eggs, artichokes, roasted potato, toast, coffee, and juice. Dave and I ate two portions in order to properly compliment the chefs. We do not have anything major to do today so we could enjoy a slow morning. When we finally get out, we go to check out a nearby restaurant for a possible dinner tonight but unfortunately they are only open for lunch today and since we are stuffed from breakfast that is not happening. From there, we walk past the Roman Amphitheater that we will visit later so we know where it is. Now it is meander time.
We work our way towards Piazza Grande. One interesting thing is that it is a sloped square. I am not sure if it was a perspective thing or not but it keeps the restaurant tables off it as keeping your food and drinks on the level would be real tricky. It is also the square where Roberto Bernigni shot the first part of his Oscar Winning Movie La Vita e Bella. The back of the Church of Santa Maria Della Pieve is also on the square. We walk around it to visit but a Mass is going on so we sit a little on the square waiting for it to end. The facade has a profusion of arches and columns carved from the local sandstone. The Bell Tower features several floors of double arches. The rear of the church features a semi circular design with you guessed it , more arches. Curiously there is one column that is known as the “sitting” column. The theory is that this was deliberate. The apse was considered to be perfect but because only God can be perfect, the singular imperfect column was introduced.
When we do get to go inside, we are greeted with 14th century frescos and a crypt where the silver and gold reliquary bust of San Donato who was executed in 1346 is kept. Created in 1346, it is a beautifully elaborate work of embossed silver and gold with semi-precious stones and coloured glass. The silver bust shows the saint as a very young man which is particularly poignant when you learn that he was martyred and beheaded in 362AD. Our friend Vasari designed the high altar. Built in the 11th century, the church is the oldest remaining in Arezzo and was well worth seeing.
We walk along the loggia of the Piazza where todays theme seems to be cameras. Merchants are selling all kinds of camera and camera equipment ranging from old to new. None of them are in the shape of a phone. We even see some selling film, yes boys and girls, there was a time you needed film for your camera and if you dared to take a selfie it would be a week or more before you could see if it even came out good. Those were unsettling times indeed. I check out the clock in the square which shows the sun revolving around the earth and moon as earth was believed to be the center of the universe back then. Still not sure what we we are doing for dinner tonight, we go to check out the number one restaurant in town. We come upon some wisteria here in Arezzo and get a picture. The flowers are beautiful. Our search for a dinner restaurant leads us instead to a late lunch early dinner as next to the restaurant is a Piadina place doing a hefty business with the locals. We get two to share, a spicy salami and an eggplant and ham, both with cheese of coarse. We sit on some nearby steps, open up a bottle of wine we just happened to be carrying, and have a great meal on this beautiful day.
It is now time to walk back to the Roman Theater and the Archeological Museum. The museum holds items that were found in Arezzo and the surrounding area. It has some interesting pieces one of which I find intriguing as it is an ossuary that has swastikas on it from 850 B.C. I did not realize that this was a symbol used by many cultures as a sign of prosperity and good luck until the Nazis stole it and gave it a new meaning that still lingers. There is also a bronze Chimera, a mythical creature composed of a lion, Goat, and snake, all three which could spit fire. Outside the museum we enter the Roman Theater which used to hold 13,000 people but was mostly dismantled and not very impressive as Roman Theaters go. Only some of the walls where the gladiators and such came out remain. Afterwards we return home for a little outdoor happy hour with the nice bottle of wine that our hosts gave us as a gift. Last but not least we toast my dad on his birthday. His spirit and the memories he gave me stay with me always. Happy Birthday Dad. Expenses Breakfast from Conad 3.64E Lunch Sandwiches La Piccina 10E Dinner and Wine from Conad 18.33E Il Piccolo Ristoro 56.42E Walked 5.8 Miles
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