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Tag Archives: #language
Forbidden II
This is the Taiwan’s National Palace Museum or, as Xioahan called it, “The real museum. The real Forbidden City.” I’m always fascinated by timelines comparing Eastern and Western history. The Greeks overlapped with the Spring and Autumn Period and the … Continue reading
Donkey
Out past the Gold Sand River on the Apricot Mountain Road (aren’t Chinese street names poetic?) there is a little shop that sells cured donkey meat. You can guess that first character on the lantern 驴 (lǘ) is “donkey” because … Continue reading
Stadium
The Piazza Navona‘s cloistered shape (round at the top, squared off at the bottom) is because it was built atop the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian. The stadium was used almost exclusively for ludi (sporting events like what we think … Continue reading
Biblioteca II
The Baths of Diocletian were the biggest in Rome. Even bigger than the Baths of Caracalla. So big that it boasted two libraries (among many other amusements.) In additon to parts of the structure being incorporated into the Santa Maria degli … Continue reading
Cripta
The Basilica of Saint Mary of Cosmedin — the portico of which is home to the Bocca della Verità — was built on the ancient Forum Boarium. Beneath the church lies “Hadrian’s crypt”. (Not the emperor. The name of the … Continue reading
Porta II
Porta San Sebastiano was the gate I was looking for. This was the old Porta Appia which stood astride the Via Appia (“Appian Way”), the most famous and important of the Roman roads.The gate is about as wide as a … Continue reading
Biblioteca
The Baths of Caracalla were the second largest of the Roman baths. In addition to a frigidarium (“cold room”), a double pool tepidarium ( medium room”), and a caldarium (“hot room”), the complex also contained a public library. Completed in 217 C.E., the … Continue reading
Padre
At noon on Easter and Christmas, the Pope steps out on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and delivers the Urbi et Orbi (“to the City of Rome and to the World”) address and blessing. I got to St. Peter’s … Continue reading
Arena
This is the Colosseum. World famous, of course, for being the location where Bruce Lee defeated Chuck Norris in The Way of the Dragon. Construction was begun under Vespasian in 72 C.E. and completed in 80 C.E. under his heir, … Continue reading
Fontana
The famous Trevi fountain was completed in 1762 but has a much longer, more complicated history. Trevi or “tre vie” was the junction of three roads at the end of the ancient Roman aqueduct of Acqua Vergine named, according to legend, for … Continue reading
Opulento
St. Peter’s Basilisk is one of the largest and most sacred churches in the two thousand year history of Christianity. And it is ornate as fuck. This is Michelangelo‘s famous Pietà. Its clunky, trapezoidal shape doesn’t have the stately contrapposto … Continue reading
Melodrammatico
You simply don’t know passion until you’ve watched Titanic dubbed in Italian.
Alto
Overlooking the Alps as I fly south from Amsterdam to Rome. Looking out over Rome into the mist at the Apennine Mountains. (Some linguists believe the “pen” in “Apennine” is related to the Celtic “ben” for “mountain.”) Clearly I’ve been warped … Continue reading
Campanology II
They opened a Taco Bell in Shanghai! In Pudong! As a student of all things bell, I felt obliged to try it. Main thing that was different from Taco Bell in the U.S.: booze.Main thing that was the same as … Continue reading
Achievement II
I’ve unlocked another achievement. While in China, I saw The Great Wall. No, not that one. The movie. It’s about Jason Bourne (doing a sketchy Irish accent) and Oberyn Martell in China defending the Great Wall like it’s Helm’s Deep. … Continue reading