Slippery Rock Gazette

Bob Murrell 

M3 Technologies

Photos by Bob Murrell

I recently took a family trip to the wonderful and old-world country of Italy. We have taken similar trips to Italy through the years, but this time it seemed more vivid. As I’m getting older, I suppose I have developed a greater appreciation for the finer things in life. When I say finer things, I mean the ways and accomplishments of ancient people and things like thousand-plus-year-old buildings and structures. These fine old structures were all hewed from marble and other stone without the use of modern-day power equipment and abrasive diamonds. Italy has some of the world’s most interesting history and historic structures constructed of – you guessed it – mostly stone, including a lot of marble, travertine and some really ancient concrete, as well. 

Before the trip I was suffering from what some might call trip anxiety. Because I am getting older, I am quite comfortable with my daily routine. Breaking free from the daily routine really didn’t sound good to me, at least initially. Once the trip began, the anxiety turned into excitement. We starting having fun once the plane lifted off from Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport.  

After a not too bad 9-hour flight, we landed in Rome, waited to catch a connecting flight, and finally arrived in Bologna. Once we procured our rental car, we were driving up the Autostrada toward Venice. We had reservations in Montegrotto Terme, which is known for their thermal spas and therapeutic mud treatments. A very quaint yet upscale (marble everywhere) area, very popular with Europeans.

The first morning we took a less than one-hour train ride into Venice. Venice never disappoints, yet it was much more crowded than past visits. The month of May is evidently a very popular time for a trip to Italy. We walked Venice pretty much the entire day. From the train station to St. Mark’s Square, to the Rialto Bridge, and we even took a boat ride out to the island of Murano, to the world-famous glass factory. 

The famous covered Rialto Bridge, In Venice – an amazing marble structure.

When we got back to Montegrotto Terme, we took full advantage of the thermal spas and they were wonderful. They have different pools with different temperatures, as well as both dry and steam saunas. It was a great way to wind down the first day of trekking around Venice.

The next day we drove to Lake Garda and even visited a theme park called Gardaland. It was a fantastic day, even though mostly cloudy and sprinkles, so we basically had the park to ourselves. I even rode all of the rides with my daughter and her friend (they are 19 years old BTW). I still got it! 

So we unwound in the spas again, before leaving for Rome the next morning. This was the longest drive of our trip, about 4-5 hours. We stayed in Castel Gandolfo, overlooking Lake Albano, about a 30 minute train ride away from the SPQR (center of the city or world, depending on who you listen to). Here we stayed in an Airbnb, the first of several. This was definitely a cool place, but not the best of our stay. 

After a delicious dinner (porchetta) and a good night’s sleep, we took the short train ride into the city, the next morning. While we were waiting on our guided tour of the Colosseum and surrounding architecture, we visited one of the oldest and most ornate churches that I have ever visited. The Basilica of St Clement was officially legitimized as a church in 6 AD. It is adorned with plenty of marble, frescoes, and mosaics. It is absolutely a stunning work of art.

St. Mark’s Square in Venice has a wealth and variety of marble construction.

Of course, we toured the Colosseum, which is the world’s most famous amphitheater, and the surrounding historic structures. We did the obligatory Chevy Chase Grand Canyon nod and went on back to the train station and departed for some much-needed rest in Castel Gandolfo. Don’t get me wrong, I love marveling at these old travertine and marble structures. The materials and workmanship have basically stood the test of time.

We left the Rome area the next morning and headed towards Pisa. After another obligatory nod, we headed to Florence where we stayed in another Airbnb for a couple of nights. Florence is a bustling city with some old history and wonderful architecture. We liked Florence quite a bit.

We next headed toward our favorite destination area on the Mediterranean, with the towns of Carrara, Tellaro, La Spezia, and our very favorite, Lerici. 

Julie and I also visited a Carrara marble quarry, a real treat for a stone enthusiast.

Carrara was just as interesting as the last time I visited. While up on the mountain touring the marble quarries, we went for lunch in the small town of Colonnata. At one point, while driving up higher in elevation, the streets became so narrow that we were barely able to turn around. Having 4 adults required a medium-size SUV!

While staying at our third Airbnb, we were able to take a small boat out (I was the captain) in La Spezia, eat and drink some of the best cuisine in the world, and shop at the weekend open market in Lerici. My wife went crazy!

Above, Left: A quilt marble floor in a shop in Venice. Most of the stone flooring we noticed in Italy was honed.   Above, Right: Honed marble steps in a restaurant. Notice the integral traction treads, which are likely from somewhat newer technology!

One of my favorite places in Italy: Lerici, located on the Northwestern coast. It holds a weekend open market, which Julie can attest is world-class – And is one of the most picturesque places I have ever visited.

If you ever plan to visit Europe, Italy is a most wonderful place to visit, especially if you’re into natural stone like I am. I’ve been in this industry well over 45 years now, and I can really appreciate where it basically all started. Seeing the beautiful structures built by all those craftsmen through the millennia is a testament to our industry.  

Believe it or not, I actually did make many observations, as I have before. One of those observations is that most stone flooring surfaces are honed. I did see a couple of polished marble floors, but these were in high-end department stores. Most marble and even granite floor surfaces are honed. In America, most marble is sold polished. But now, honed stone is becoming more popular. It is, after all, the “European look.”

As always and before beginning any new project, I recommend submitting a test area to confirm the results and the procedure, prior to starting a stone or hard surface restoration/maintenance project. Also, the best way to help ensure success is by partnering with a good distributor, like BB Industries, that knows the business. They can help with technical support, product purchase decisions, logistics, and other pertinent project information.