So little time...So much gelato...

Well, it has been busy this last couple of weeks which is why it's been a bit quiet on the blog front and then I got laid low for a few days with what turns out was probably heat stroke! I wouldn't wish it on anyone - the only way to be, was horizontal and I'm not going to say any more than that. Everyone here was so kind, supplying me with flat coke, painkillers and crackers..

Last week was rather special as we went on a day trip to Caprarola to the Farnese Summer Palace..



I had to get this picture from the website..The palace is on the top of a hill in the north of the Lazio Region which Rome is part of. This is the view across from it..



The day had a lovely end of term kind of air to it; the Mostra was up, most of the Scholars had presented their papers and just us all heading off into the countryside in a coach was enough to get me searching for my packed lunch (even though I knew we had a wonderful lunch ahead of us in a splendid lakeside restaurant nearby)..I was amazed that no-one started singing!

I know if I was doing this properly, I would have all the information to hand about the Farnese dynasty and the architects etc but there are other sites where you can find all that stuff out. Here are some images in the order of going through the building, beginning with the staircase up to the formal rooms. This is a small selection of my response visually to it. You will see for yourselves how fabulous the place is and just how staggeringly wealthy the family was...





This grotto was in this first room



Some more views of the frescoes and the view out over the town...




Each room got more and more spectacular




Kevin and Cordelia marvelling at this little ante room..



The whole place had you gasping until this one, for me, the piece de resistance...(hmm I ought to have done that in Italian..)





After this was the garden!







I felt as though I had wandered into a Peter Greenaway film..




Afterwards we all had a splendid lunch by a lake..




It was a fabulous treat after all the stresses of preparing work for presentation of all kinds as well as wonderful to be away from the city and the quite oppressive heat..

Now that we are counting the days, my weekend rule has rather slipped and I have been busy trying out gelato all over the place. Favourites so far: Raspberry with sage (delicious), Fig with ricotta and almond (yummy), Cassata (I know it's old fashioned but you can't beat a good one) and I have noticed Licorice, I haven't plucked up the courage to try that one yet - the gelateria of that flavour is rather posh and covers the ice cream up with lids; we were debating what colour it would be - I think it has to be black..I'll let you know...

Sadly my ice cream research all took a nosedive this week (when I got poorly) but I mean to make up for it on my last 3 days...

Some of us (mentioning no names) are almost mainlining ice cream



This was his second!!

We made him walk home..