The Honeymooners, Day One: All Roads Lead To Rome

January 9th marked our first wedding anniversary, and we decided to celebrate in style by taking the honeymoon that had been denied us due to having married on an "Admin Wednesday" in the middle of Arabic training.  For those not in the know, administrative days are a magical time of week in which Foreign Service Officers (and their spouses, should they also be inclined to take classes at the Foreign Service Institute) are allowed to leave at lunchtime under the pretense of studying or taking care of paperwork, travel arrangements, medical appointments, etc…because there is a strict no-vacation policy during language training.  

Our two week Mediterranean adventure began in Rome, which has been on my to-do list ever since a college study abroad trip found me traveling through Italy on my way from Nice to Munich during a year so long ago that the Italian lira had not yet been discarded in favor of the euro.  Our group stopped for a potty break at an Italian gas station in the middle of nowhere and I almost fainted when I saw that a pack of gum cost 1400 ITL.  Recovering, I did some quick math and realized that this was only about 0.75 USD.  I then got back on the bus and continued my journey.  That was it.  No sightseeing.  No lunch.  I didn't even buy the gum!

That was the summer of 2001.  I guess you could say I was about due, eh?

Our journey began in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday, January 4th.  With a flight scheduled to depart from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport at 5:50AM, it was important for us to depart our Jerusalem abode no later than 2:30AM to ensure we arrived in plenty of time to complete the always-lenghty international check-in process.  We called and reserved a cab in advance, yet 2:30 rolled around and there was no cab waiting outside.  Five minutes later, two cabs pulled up in front of us.  When asked if either was from the company that we had made our reservation through, both drivers answered in the affirmative.  I brief discussion was held in hushed, rapid Arabic between the two drivers before one sped off and the other triumphantly tossed our luggage into the trunk of his car.  Three city blocks later, after receiving a price fifty shekels higher than we had been quoted over the phone, we found ourselves parked, patiently listening to a telephone conversation between the driver and an unknown entity.  Seconds later we were standing on the street watching, perplexed, as our luggage was loaded into the back of a third cab, presumably belonging to our person on the other end of that phone exchange.  The price remained the same (fifty higher than the quote), but we were on our way.  We arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check in and eat a hamburger because, dammit, we were on vacation and we could eat hamburgers at 4:45 in morning if we wanted to.  

We touched down at Rome's Fiumicino Airport shortly before 9AM (please see obligatory wing photo, left) and made quick work of purchasing fare to Roma Termini, the city's central train station.  We boarded the train right before it departed and spent the next 35 minutes in total fear as we had, in our haste to board, neglected to validate our tickets on the platform.  Correction:  We spent 10 minutes arguing over the merits of a validate-before-departure system if someone is going to come around and re-validate them anyway, and then the remaining 25 minutes worrying about said secondary validation.  We had nothing to worry about; I guess the attendants don't like busting heads before their morning coffee.  

A "quick" 30 minute stroll later and we found ourselves in the lobby of the Hotel Cosmopolita, where our Expedia rewards had snagged us a nifty upgrade.  Our room wouldn't be ready until 1PM but we were allowed to leave our luggage in the broom closet and use the public restroom to freshen up a bit.

Our first stop (not counting the super cool three-story toy store that I made a reluctant TJ peruse...) was

the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), located around the corner from our hotel in Piazza Venezia.  Also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II), this particular site wasn't necessarily on our to-do list, but it was nearby and pretty, so what the hey?  The monument, built to honor Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy, stirred up quite a controversy during its construction due to the fact that a significant portion of the Capitoline Hill's northern slope had to be destroyed to make way for it.  In its heyday, The Capitoline Hill was simultaneously the smallest and most important of ancient Rome's seven hills.  It contained the citadel of the earliest Romans and acted as the political and religious heart of Rome.  

The monument is perhaps most well known as the home of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The tomb contains the body of one unidentified soldier, chosen at random on October 26, 1921 by a woman who had lost her only child in World War I.   His body was never recovered.  The tomb is located below this statue of Dea Roma, a deity who personified the city of Rome and the entirety of the Roman state.  

The monument also houses the museum of Italian Unification, though we didn't stop long enough to go in. We were off to the forums!  Or fora, if you wish to be fancy.  

First up were the Imperial Fora (okay, so I wish to be fancy), a series of public squares constructed over a period of one and a half centuries (46BC-113AD).  They were the center of the Roman Republic and of the Roman Empire. 

As we are apt to do, we started where we should have ended, at Trajan's Forum, the last of the Imperial forums to be built.  Constructed on the order of emperor Trajan using the spoils from the conquest of Dacia (modern day Romania and Moldova), the forum itself was inaugurated in 112, with the inauguration of Trajan's Column following a year later.  A continuous relief wraps around the column illustrating Trajan's two victorious military campaigns against the Dacians.  This is the backside of the column.  We somehow never made our way around to the front.  Oh well.  Guess we will have to go back some day.  Construction of the forum required, in what appears to be a recurring theme, the destruction of parts of the Capitoline and Quirinal Hills. 

Next up was the Forum of Augustus.  The forum, was inaugurated in 2 BC following 40 years of construction.  The triumvir Octavian vowed to build a temple honoring Mars, God of War, during the battle of Philippi in 42 BC.  Octavian, with the help of Mark Antony and Lepidus, won the battle and avenged the political assassination of his adoptive father Julius Caesar.  When Octavian became the first emperor of Rome in 27 BC, the young ruler, now known as Augustus planned for the temple to be built in a new forum named in his own honor.  Once built, the Temple occupied the center of the eastern side of the Forum of Augustus, though it was completely destroyed sometime between 494 and 526 AD.  

And that leads us to the last (and what should have been our first) of the Imperial Fora:  The Forum of Caesar was built as an extension of the Roman Forum (which was to be our next stop, so maybe  we did this in the right order after all?).  The forum was inaugurated in 46 BC, though it was likely incomplete and later finished by Augustus.  The forum acted as a celebration of Caesar's power and also as a replacement venue to the Roman Forum for public affairs and government.  

Located just beyond the Forum of Caesar was the Roman Forum itself, a rectangular plaza surrounded by the ruins of numerous ancient and important government buildings.  The form was the city center from which ancient Rome developed. If there was a parade, an election, a public speech, a trial, or a gladiatorial match to be found, it was very likely found here.  And since I feel that I've already been, and will continue to be, very verbose in this post, I'll (mostly shut up) for a moment, and you can just look at  some photos.

(Left) Temple of Saturn

(Right) Some Random Randomness

(Left) Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

(Right) "So-Called" Temple of Romulus

This monstrosity is the Arch of Titus.   The inscription records the dedication of this arch by the Senate and people of Rome to the emperor after his victory over Judea (70 AD).

 Scenes from the conquest are sculpted on the inside:  one panel shows the procession with the booty taken from Jerusalem, including the menorah; on the other is Titus on his chariot, followed by Victory and personifications of the people and the Senate.

On the outside is the procession of the defeated Jews.  Kind of a chilling sight, having just left Israel that very morning.

Moving further into the Forum, we reached the Paletine Hill, standing 40 meters above the ruins we had spent the afternoon exploring.  The Paletine is the centermost of Rome's Seven Hills and one of the most ancient parts of the city.  According to legend, Romulus founded Rome in 754 BCE on the slopes of the Paletine.  

Gorgeous view from the Paletine Hill.  Many thanks to the birdie that modeled for me.  

Totally makes the shot.

Next up was the biggie.  The one EVERYONE thinks about when they think about Rome:  The

Colosseum.  In 72 AD Emperor Vespasian used the riches he had gained from his war in Judea to build Rome's first permanent amphitheater to host hunting spectacles and 

gladiatorial combats.  Built on land that Nero had privatized for the construction of his new palace, the venue was inaugurated in 80 AD by Vespasian's son Titus with 100 days of festivities that were concluded by his successor, Domitian.  The Colosseum operated for approximately five centuries before a devastating fire seriously compromised the structure's stability.  It would be closed for renovations for the next five years.  Gladiatorial combat was abolished in the 5th century, though combat with wild beasts would continue until around 523 AD, when efforts were made to dismantle the building in an effort to harvest it's construction materials…a travesty that haunts much of the ancient world.  What remained of the Colosseum was consecrated by the Church in the 18th century in memory of the Christian martyrs believed to have been killed there, though these rumors are unsubstantiated.  

The Colosseum was inscribed into UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1980.  In 2007, it was proclaimed one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  That makes two down, five to go!

Our final stop of the day was a relaxing dinner filled with antipasti, lasagna, and spaghetti at Gustando Roma, an Italian (shocker!) restaurant located within short walking distance of the Colosseum.   It was a total tourist trap complete with a tacky painting of Russell Crowe decked out in his Gladiator attire adorning the walls.  That does not, however, change the fact that the food was delicious.  

Finally returning to the hotel, we found our luggage safe and sound, sitting right where we had left it.  The attendant rolled our bags over to us and made to walk away when suddenly TJ reached into his pocket and the attendant whipped around with a hungry look in his eyes.  With a flourish, TJ handed over a twenty and said "Thanks!"  The hotel employee thanked us and scurried off as if he knew he'd just gotten away with robbing a bank.  What follows is a recreation of the ensuing conversation.

"What was that?"

"I tipped him."

"For what?"

"Watching our luggage."

"Well, yes.  But usually they would have to at least carry your bags up to the room to deserve such a tip."

"What?  Why?  It was only twenty."

"Yeah.  Euros.  Not shekels.  Euros."

"Huh?"

"As in twenty-six dollars."

"Oh.  "

"Yeah."

"Um.  Well, then, just how much was that dinner we just ate?!?"

"I don't care.  I'm on vacation."

Ramla, The Mazor Mausoleum, and Migdal Tsedek National Park

Today's topic is something that I quite frankly forgot about in the excitement of chronicling our experiences in Bethlehem, and as I try to wrap my head around January's honeymoon adventures in Europe (no, you haven't missed anything...I'll write about that shortly), I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to step back in time for a moment and revisit a fun day with friends.

After seeing the photos from our November 30th trip to Caesarea, our friend Aviv contacted us and said he wanted to go on a day trip with us as well.  Yehuda, a mutual friend of Aviv's who had joined us in Caesarea, would be coming along again.  Options were discussed, and it was decided that December 21st would be a fine time to visit a couple of small towns near Tel Aviv.

Ramla (רַמְלָה , الرملة) is a predominantly Jewish city in central Israel located 20km southeast of Tel Aviv.  The city also boasts a significant Arab population dating back to the city's founding in the early part of the 8th century by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman.  In fact, Ramla holds the distinction of being the only city in Israel founded and originally developed by Arabs.  

Ramla was the capital of Palestine prior to the arrival of the Crusaders in the 11th century.  Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War the majority of the city's Arab population were either expelled or fled voluntarily.  The city was repopulated by Jewish immigrants from Asia and North Africa.   

Our first stop of the day was The Tower of Ramla, aka The White Tower, a 13th-or-14th-century minaret that was built as an addition to The White Mosque, itself built in the 8th century by the Caliph Suleiman.  Although scant traces of The White Mosque remain, the six-story minaret stands as a proud reminder of what once was.  

In the northwest corner of the complex is a shrine that local Islamic tradition associates with Nabi Salih, an ancient prophet mentioned seven times in the Koran.  I took no photos of the shrine, as unruly local children saw fit to throw snowballs at me upon approach.  Yes, yes, I realize that snow is not present in any other photos within this blog post.  You just have to trust me that it was still piled up from the previous weekend. 

The site also contains three cisterns, though the entrance to each was locked.  

View of The White Mosque archaeological site from the top of The White Tower

One cistern that was open for public viewing is The Pool of Arches, an underground 8th-century reservoir located a few blocks away.  For a small fee, visitors are allowed to rent a

row boat from which to explore and admire the arches that support the small underground cavern.  The cistern was built in 789AD and the fact that it survived the severe earthquakes that destroyed much of the city, including The White Mosque, is a testament to the quality of its architecture.  The pool was built during the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid to ensure that Ramla had a steady water supply.  The pool was fed by rainwater from above, a spring from below, and an aqueduct funneling water from the direction of The White Mosque.  The pool was once known as "The Pool of El Anzia (The Pool of the Goats)," and held troughs for the watering of cattle.  Christians refer to it as "The Pool of Saint Helen," named after the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who is traditionally thought to have ordered the pool's excavation.  

The rest of the morning was spent walking around encountering random things that I can't find any explanation for online, such as this beautiful Garden of Eden inspired mosaic...

…and a small park with a coexistence-inspired motif featuring busts of several famous individuals, including John F. Kennedy.

We wrapped up our morning in Ramla with a delicious lunch at Lonely Planet-recommended Samir's, an Arab family-run restaurant featuring various kebabs, hummus and salads.  

Our next stop was Mazor National Park, located in the town of El'ad, 25km east of Tel Aviv.  It was just a quick stop to visit the Roman Mausoleum, the only Roman-era building in Israel to be so well preserved from foundation to roof.  The mausoleum was built in the 4th century to act as the burial vault for an unidentified Roman couple.  A prayer niche facing toward Mecca was added by the Muslims of the region in later antiquity.  It was at this time that the mausoleum found new life as The Shrine of the Prophet John, functioning as a mosque until the depopulation in 1948 of the Palestinian village Al-Mazaryi'a.

Upon entering the first chamber, you will find the remnants of two sarcophagi, as well as the previously mentioned prayer niche.  A second chamber contains a dovecote with approximately 60 pigeonholes, where doves are theorized to have been raised as sacrifices to the goddess Aphrodite.  

 

In 1949, not understanding the building's historical significance, the Israeli Defense Force targeted the structure for demolition and proceeded to use it for target practice.  The mausoleum was saved in July of that year, when an antiquities inspector arrived on the scene and prevented its destruction.  

The mausoleum sits quietly along the side Road 444 near the turnoff to Kibbutz El'ad…but in ancient times this scenic road was part of the famed Via Maris, the Way of the Sea.  This major north-south highway led from Egypt through the land of Israel into Syria. 

Our final stop of the day also lies along the ancient Via Maris:  Migdal Tsedek National Park, a beautiful and expansive stretch of land located in the western foothills of Samaria near Rosh HaAyin.

A Jewish community by the name of Migdal Afek was located here during the period of the Second Temple, but it was destroyed by the Romans in 67 CE during the Great Revolt.  The 12h century CE

saw the establishment of a fortress, called Mirabel (miraculous beauty), on the site.  Muslim conquerors gained control of the fortress in 1187, only to demolish it in 1191.  It was eventually rebuilt.  An Arab village sprung up around the new fortress in the 16th century, and by the 19th century the fortress had been renovated into a castle from which Tsadaq Jama'ini took control of the area.  Most of the excavated site is from the 19th century castle and the 12th century Roman fortress.

The fortress was a little…odd.  The main entryway appeared to be locked, but there were several other points of entry around the perimeter, ranging from fence-bent-back-by-trespassers to no-fence-at-all.  Regardless, the place was positively SWARMING with people.  Some were picnicking on the rocks surrounding the fortress.  Others were climbing haphazardly up the side of collapsing walls.  More still somehow managed to find their way up onto the roof.

I was raised not to jump off of a bridge just because everyone else was doing it, so, deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, we simply posed for poorly taken selfies on the perimeter and allowed ourselves a quick looksie inside via one of the non-barricaded entry points.  It was a quick enough glance to see that a)  The place is falling apart and downright dangerous in certain areas, and b)  There is at least some small effort at renovation/restoration in progress.  It would be interesting to return one day if/when the entire site is open for public viewing just to see what sort of progress has been made.  The most immediate concern, however, seems to be looting, as there is glaring evidence that stonework is being stolen from this largely unattended historical site.  

All told, it was an exciting day full of new sites that, frankly, we probably would not have seen had it not been for Aviv's recommendation.  All three locations were a bit off the beaten path.  I'm not sure we will ever find reason to go back to any of them (safe for Ramla, as a colleague lives there and we have an open invite for coffee sometime), but I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to experience this tiny bit of history.  Not to mention the fact that all of that Roman history made for a nice segue into our honeymoon adventures...

Sheleg!

Since the U.S. found itself in the midst of the second "polar vortex" of 2014 this past week, I thought it might be fun to revisit some photos and memories from mid-December that I never got around to posting here. 

As the winter season began, our Hebrew instructor provided us with some weather terminology.  It was cute when she taught us the word for snow, שֶׁלֶג (pronounced "sheleg"), because none of us thought we would be needing it here in Jerusalem.  Sure, it snowed last year, but that had to be a fluke, right?    

Wrong.  Beginning the week of December 8th, various news sources began reporting on the probability of snow.  I awoke each morning hoping to find, at minimum, a light dusting of white powder outside my window.  Every morning was fraught with disappointment.  I awoke at 7AM Thursday, December 12th, only to be disappointed once again.

I begrudgingly began the process of getting ready for work at a turtle's pace, a slow process underlined moreso by the speed and efficiency with which TJ awoke and scurried out the door.  By 7:20 he had returned, covered in snow.  I looked outside again, and in the span of twenty minutes, the ground was almost completely covered.  We received a management notice advising of a two hour delay in business operations, but it arrived so late that we knew some folks had to be in transit already.  As we lived within walking distance of work, TJ ran ahead to open the building so that any early arrivals would have a warm place to await further instruction.  I opted for a more lackadaisical course of action and meandered around the neighborhood a bit, capturing the moment for posterity.  I mean, who knew how long it would last?  

By the time I arrived at the office shortly before 9AM, the answer to that question was obvious:  It would be lasting quite a while.  The wind had kicked up, the snow was falling faster with every passing moment, and the temperature was dropping.  Even so, we were right in assuming that many of our employees had been in transit when the management notice went out:  about half of our local staff, and all but one American, were in the office.  Some of our visa and passport applicants had also decided to brave the elements, which just goes to show that a consular section's work is never done!  

Ten o'clock arrived, and instead of a delayed start, it brought news of a full-blown office closure. 

While TJ assisted in closing down business operations and assisting the handful of clients in our waiting room, I mad a mad dash for home.  (Okay, okay, I'm not a snow pro.  It was more like a haphazard waddle.)

This wasn't about leaving work as quickly as possible to go enjoy the weather…this was a matter of survival.  You see, Jerusalem shuts down mid-day on Friday for the Jewish observance of the Sabbath.  This means that most grocery stores and restaurants (and certainly all within walking distance to us) are closed before sunset on Friday through after sunset on Saturday.  If inclement weather was going to force businesses to close early on Thursday, we didn't want to find ourselves trapped at home with nothing to eat or drink for, at minimum, 48 hours.  I made it home, hopped in the car, and slowly crept toward the store.  The streets weren't too slippery yet, and there weren't many cars on the road.  Leave it to the government to always release its employees early…it didn't appear that too many people had caught on to the fact that shelegmageddon was approaching.  It made for one of the more pleasant food shopping experiences I've had here.

Safely back at home, I moseyed outside to a nearby park and promptly set to work on a most important task:  Reviving Bernard!  (You knew that was coming, right?)

Satisfied with my handiwork (which received the admiration of numerous neighborhood kids and their parents, let me tell you!), I returned home and waited for TJ to return.  Return he did, and it wasn't long before we were out and about, exploring the promenade, which overlooks Jerusalem's Old City.  

Due to weather conditions, it wasn't possible to get a clear shot of the Old City in all of its snow-covered glory at the time of our visit to the park, but this panoramic is nice all the same, no?  Here's a great photo from the New York Daily News that has been accredited to Darren Whiteside/Reuters.  A high quality zoom lens would give you a similar shot, albeit from a different angle, from my vantage point on that snowy day.   

We made jolly in our attempts to pose for pictures, throw snowballs, and make snow angels.  But only for a few minutes.  It was cold.  Very cold.  And wet.  And we Florida boys had not arrived in Jerusalem sufficiently prepared for snow.  Poor Zelda, with her short, thin coat of hair, appeared even less prepared than us!

TJ and I have since ordered rain/snow boots, should such an event occur next year.  Zelda didn't order any protective gear, but has expressed desire to just not have it snow anymore, please and thank you.

The snow lasted through Sunday, melting off just enough to resume work bright and early Monday morning…but not enough to prevent me from busting my butt on the way into the office.

Sigh.