SYPARIO

 

Sypario is one of those Legendary Queens, when you see , you know she is going to inspire yet make you wet yourself. We caught her act on our Italian trip last year. If I hadn't already done drag, she definitely would have been inspiration for me to start. She sort of reminded me of putting Lady Bunny, Leigh Bowery, and Hope Springs, put into a blender and mixed, Sypario would be the result. Campy, loud, hysterically funny, bawdy, filthy, a slant of club kid factor and the natural talent to sing. Sypario hails for Naples, Italy and her name was the brainchild from a friend of hers who, after seeing a photo of her in drag, exclaimed the word "sipario, which is Italian for "theater curtain." She also choose the name as a tribute to her theatrical artistic background. Unbeknownst to me, she went and appeared on Drag Race Italia, where she placed fourth. She is not using the show as a crutch, but want gigs on her own merits, and not because she was on the franchise. She is one of those queens I believe is way to big and over the top to be sacrificing her own being and style, or being roped in to be on the show. Much like Charlie Hides. This to me would be like Bunny or Hedda Lettuce completing. Let a judge rope them in for something, and they most likely would tell Ru and judges the go fuck themselves. She is what a call a legendary queen, a queen who is going to be remembered for years all on her own, with her style, personality and antics. And will not be molded. She brings back many good drag memories of my own. She seems to be quite popular in italy.

Sypario

BACK IN PORTOFINO

 

Call me crazy, but I could easily live in hotels. It's one of my favorite parts when on vacation. I know many hate staying away from home, but I love having the room service, food and a bar at your fingertips, and a pool to soak and swim in. Fresh towels and room service if you prefer. I probably should get a job staying in hotel after hotel and do critique and reviews?!?! Chains can be good, but I love a good boutique hotel. While in Portofino we stayed most of the time at the Hotel Splendido. Which did not disappoint. Housed in a 16th century monastery building with fabulous views over the bay. It was definitely a Grande dame of hotels. It had excellent appointed rooms, delicious food and exceptional service.  The Splendido is set in lush, terraced gardens, and the interior was rather uber chic, not to mention a footpath that led down to the pretty quayside with its shops, cafes and restaurants. Matter of facts, we even spent two whole days at the hotel, just relaxing and enjoying the pool and gardens. 

This was our room welcome.

 We also were upgraded once there to the Ava Gardner Room!

On the balcony one day! Me and birds.

I called this guy Mr Frisk. We met him at the hotel and talked with him several times. He was traveling on his own, and the last night for all of us, brought about copious amounts of drinks!

And not far from the hotel was this fabulous lighthouse.

 A little history...The Portofino lighthouse was built on 1917 and consists of a white quadrangular tower, 16 feet high, with balcony and lantern, attached to a two-story white keeper's house. The lantern, painted grey metallic and emits a flash every five seconds in now completely automated. While still a lighthouse the terrace surrounding it also serves as a lounge terrace to enjoys the views, the breeze and a few libations.

And no Cali Boi...that is not me laying on my back casting that shadow.

What a trip. 

I'm ready to go back and live the rest of my life there, if the hotel wouldn't mind a lifelong guest?!?! 

CAPRI

If I had to pinpoint a trip to a close vision to what I feel is close to a place like heaven on Earth, this trip would be probably tied with the nature and beauty of the Costa Rica trip. It seemed like every town we visited in the Amalfi Coast didn't disappoint, and Capri was no exemption. The island of Capri is off the coast of Naples in southern Italy. And it's surprising. There are so many unique things to do in Capri, yet most people going come for less than 24 hours. I would love to go back and spent more time there as we only did one day there. Capri includes a few hidden gems, town streets, beaches and the stunning Blue Grotto with it famous Faraglioni Rocks, and the beautiful Via Krupp, with its walking trails, which are literally cut into the side of the mountains, using hairpin turns with views short of nothing but spectacular. We also saw the Punta Carena Lighthouse, which is located down in the southwest corner of the island, the second tallest lighthouse in Italy and still in operation and a good place to view the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea. 

Again, this was a good time to go too. Tourist season was pretty much done, and right before everything truly closes up for the season. I wonder if I could get the Lad and Warbucks to just up and move and live like beach bums on the shore of Capri???

TAKING A PEW

A shot of the swans at Lake Como

While in Portofino and on the few days we did go about sightseeing, we did stop to take a pew if you will, in three different houses of worship. I know, I'm still amazed these very old places still stand after I have step foot in them. While no means am I religious, and not even sure that I buy all the written bible crap, I do enjoy a good church and it's architecture. After being now in Vienna, Budapest, Nuremberg, Costa Rica and Buenos Aires, it amazes me just how old some of these churches are compared to our own here state side. The first was Basilica of Saint Abbondio in Lake Como.

The Basilica di Sant' Abbondio is a great example of Como Romanesque. It is located outside the town walls, at the Monte Croce, along via Regina. In the 9th century, the church was dedicated to San't Abbondio, former bishop of Como, buried here since the 5th century. In 1010 bishop Alberico sent here a community of Benedictine monks who started reconstructing the church. The church has two notable bell towers rising at the one end. The sober building has seven stained glass windows, and a portal. I thought the Romanesque bas reliefs and the main apse were of note.

The San Giorgio Chruch was a favorite of mine. 

A smaller, weatherbeaten, but soulful church is muted yellow, much different, much simpler in the area then the other two, looking out to the sea on two sides and one with a view of Portofino. San Giorgio according to a plaque inside, the church was erected in 1154, although further excavations- made in the reconstruction after Second World War, have allowed the discovery of ancient square chapels dating back to perhaps the time of the Lombards in Liguria. Some renovation was carried out in 1760. During the Second World War the church was destroyed entirely by a bomb dropped from a aircraft. The current structure is a result of the reconstruction that took place in 1950 when new alters and fixtures were built. But the relics of Saint George, patron saint of Portofino are still kept in inside.

The final was the Church of San Martino.

Another oldie. The Church od San Martino is in the Romanesque style and dedicated to Saunt Martin of Tours. It's believed the church was also probably built in the 12 century, although some documents made mention of 1130. The church's bell tower can see seen from all over town. San Martino is a richly appointed church...with great stonework, marble decoration in and out, many golden textures, stained glass windows and impressive cravings and artworks. The interior is bright, decorated with frescoes, huge chandeliers and massive columns, a huge organ, and many very valuable paintings and sculptures which are believed to date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the life of these churches, I felt like a blink of the eye in time.