------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ITALIAN OPERA TRIP
October 20-29, 2005
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OCTOBER 20-29
ITALIAN OPERA TRIP
ITALY FLAG
October 20
Flew out of JFK to Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) airport in Rome to start my Italian Opera Trip which I arranged myself, thanks to the different websites of the opera houses where I'll be attending performances of four operas in Rome, Florence, Genoa and Turin.
October 21
Rome
First stop was Rome. Took the train to the city's main railway station, walked to the opera house, found out the performance that night was cancelled due to a strike and was stold to come back the next day and they'll have a ticket for me. I checked in at Hotel Lirico which is almost next door to the opera house. That night I went to see some sights: walked to the Fontana di Trevi and to the Piazza di Spagna; had dinner and then went to a church concert after which I went to a bar near the Colosseo.
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October 22
Rome
Woke up early, had breakfast at the hotel then looked for another hotel since I do not have a reservation for the second night, found a room at Hotel Atlantico nearby.
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Took the bus to St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, found out the Sistine Chapel was closed that day. Took the bus back to Rome and got off near Piazza Navona, had lunch at Ristorante Ditirambo which was excellent, thanks to a recommendation by a co-worker.
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Walked to the Pantheon which was originally a "temple of the gods" but is now a Christian church since the 7th century. From there I went back to the Piazza Navona to look at the three fountains, the middle one is the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi by Bernini. The lively piazza was full of tourists and street vendors and lined up with souvenir shops and so I did some shopping.
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Went back to the hotel and got ready for Wagner's Das Rheingold at the Teatro dell'Opera which turned out to have great singers and therefore a very nice performance. After the opera I had some aperitivos and ate some Italian tapas and dessert. Back at the hotel to change for more casual outfit and off to the bars.
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October 23
Rome*Florence
This morning I took the train to Florence, the capital city of Tuscany, and checked in at the very chic Anglo American Hotel. I had a very nice room and after a quick rest, I headed to the center of town for some sightseeing. Been to Florence before with Michael so did not have to see the sights too much.
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The opera tonight is Rossini"s Tancredi at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. It was a good reading of Rossini's early work that established his international fame. It has the famous aria Di tanti palpiti which is a significant example of bel canto. After the opera I once again went to town and sat at one of the outdoor cafes in Firenze's Piazza della Signoria, sipping Campari e soda till the wee hours.
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October 24
Florence*Genoa
Had a leisurely bath in my luxurious bathroom before I went down for a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel's restaurant. Then took a stroll along the Arno before going back to the hotel to pack. Hopped on a train to take me to my next city, Genoa, Christopher Columbus' hometown, a seaport in the region of Liguria. I stayed at a small hotel pensione, had dinner at a very nice seafood restaurant then strolled to the center of town.
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October 25
Genoa
Spent the morning doing touristy things in Genoa and a lot of time at the Acquario di Genova in the Porto Antico area of the city. The aquarium is quite impressive and I consider it one of the best in the world. From there I had another nice seafood lunch in the port area and then went shopping for gifts and souvenir.
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Tonight's opera at the Teatro Carlo Felice was Mozart's Don Giovanni and it was very entertaining and the singers were in top voice. The opera house is in the Piazza de Ferrari, right next to the statue of Garibaldi on horseback. It opened on April 7, 1828 with Vincenzo Bellini's Bianca e Fernando.
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October 26
Genoa*Turin
This morning after a quick breakfast, I took the train to Torino, a major industrial city and the capital of the Piedmont region. The city which is on the west bank of the Po River is being prepared for the 20th Winter Olympics in February 2006. Checked in at the Albergo Bologna then picked up my ticket for tonight's performance. Later stopped at a cafe/bar for a couple of campari e soda and some Italian hors d'oeuvres.
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The performance of Guiseppe Verdi"s Aida at the Teatro Regio was spectacular, a magnificent finale to my Italian Opera trip. The opera was commissioned by Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, and had its premiere at the Khedivial Opera House (Royal Opera House) in Cairo in December 1871.
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October 27
Turin
Spent the day walking around the city, shopping at the Galleria Mazzini, and eating gelato, before picking up my luggage from the hotel to go to the station for the overnight train to Rome. The connecting train in Bologna was late and was so crowded even in the aisles but I had a window seat.
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October 28-29
Rome*Paris*Amsterdam
When we finally arrived in Rome, I had to make a mad dash to another train for the airport. I barely made my flight to Paris and my connecting flight to Amsterdam where I planned to spend the weekend. My luggage didn't make it so took the train to the city where I found out my favorite BnB, Barangay, was fully booked and so were most of the hotels because I found out it was the Leather Weekend. Disaster! What to do? Spent some time at a few bars then went to the Night Sauna then left very early for the airport, found my luggage, and was able to change my flight to JFK that day.
