ROME - 29.1.2010

My ears continually popped as we traveled by train to Rome. Within an hour we arrived at the station and then took the subway to the Coliseum. Their train station and subway reminded me of my trips in Chicago and New York. Once we emerged from the underground, BAM!, there it was the famous Coliseum, gigantic with all kinds of stone textures and colors on the surface and details. As we approached I began to feel tiny and unimportant. Have I ever done anything so amazing, will I ever be able to? The whisper units are an awesome way to do tours; I didn’t feel like I was on a tour. I could walk ahead or stay behind taking pictures letting it sink in and not miss any of the interesting facts. There is so much history in Rome, everywhere you look. In awe at these structures and how they were built. At eat location I could envision what it was like from the ruins and remains. The Pantheon was amazing. I would love to just lay on the ground directly in the center in silence and watch the shadows change as the sun moved across the sky and see the night sky full of stars. The art at every site, especially the churches just blows my mind. Just like poetry; so many interpretations, symbolism, and hidden meanings and every time we look at them we will never see them the same way. Squeezing by all the other tourists making our way to the Trevi fountain was interesting. Multiple languages, clothing, cameras, smells, etc all interested in the very same things. With the taste of delicious pizza in my mouth, the smell of cigarette smoke, the sound of rushing water and excited conversations enveloped me as I sat on the steps in front of the fountain in awe of the beautiful sculptures. The liveliness of all the people around it making there wishes as they toss the coin over their shoulder was a sight to see all on its own. There was a different feeling altogether here than at the Pantheon and the Coliseum, joy. Every face was lit up with excitement. Walking up to the Spanish steps as I savor the last spoonfuls of gelato could not have been more perfect, minus all the buzzing traffic. Layers upon layers of steps extend high into the sky to bring the church closer to God. The small chapel devoted to the Virgin Mary was elegantly done. The long day ended at a friend’s cousin’s apartment, with a proper Italian welcome, food, wine and good conversation. Saturday morning turned into a long walk to St. Peter’s because the weather could not make up its mind; sunny, cloudy, sprinkling, raining, pouring and a combination of them all. Luckily I was able to find a walking street vender selling umbrellas to replace my broken one and keep at least half of myself dry. The square and cathedral was glorious, I could have spent a whole day just looking at all the art. Again the only draw back was the amount of tourists everywhere. Definitely going back to get a better look and see the Vatican museums. We ate another good home cooked meal while we dried off and prepared for another window shopping tour down the Corso. There I was able to reconnect with one of my Italian relatives over a cup of coffee, it was the perfect ending.