Have been just idling in Roma (do in Roma as Romans do!).
The Colosseum was a big disappointment. It was too crowded and too small (i dont remember it being so crowded last time!). It could, in its prime, house only about 50k people at one time (Eden gardens can manage around 100k. Ofcourse the Colosseum was built about 2k years earlier than eden gardens). Btw, the colloseum had around 80 exits that allowed people to enter and exit quickly. These were known as...
I have been just idling in Roma (do in Roma as Romans do!).
The Colosseum was a big disappointment. It was too crowded and too small (i dont remember it being so crowded last time!). It could, in its prime, house only about 50k people at one time (Eden gardens can manage around 100k. Ofcourse the Colosseum was built about 2k years earlier than eden gardens). Btw, the colloseum had around 80 exits that allowed people to enter and exit quickly. These were known as vomitaria! While on etymologies, the word "colossuem" is not derived from its size but from the size of a statue of Nero that used to stand in front of it. I found Circo Massimus much more imposing (though nothing remains of it now). It could house between 200000-300000 people. Now thats Colossal!
Roma is a reasonably large city (remember, it is on of the oldest continusously inhabited cities in the world, having been founded in 753 BC). Anyways, after the first few days of walking around (the best way to explore), I decided to invest in a pass that allows unlimited travel on bus-tram-metro. I felt like a veteran roman as I hopped off one bus and then hopped onto the next tram that came my way.
On one such bus ride, I saw the genesis of one of the famed institutions of Roma - pickpocketing. Two guys (i shall not get into racial profiling, but they werent caucasian nor were they asian) stood directly behind an eastern european couple who were busy cootchie-cooing each other (hats off to the would be pickpockets for choosing their victims well). The pickpockets spoke in a language which wasnt italian and both were wearing sunglasses but i could feel their eyes of the backpocket of the male half of the lovebirds. Then one of them slowly bent towards the lovebird (as if hanging from the railing which he was holding on to). He was feeling the pocket to figure out the action plan. It was then that i realised, in panic, that I had left my wallet in my back pocket after lunch. I always keep it in front pocket in italy. So now i looked behind me to profile those who were standing there. Fortunately it was a group of old ladies (who were, hopefully, not pickpockets). The men after much "feeling" finally figured that this would be a tough pocket to crack. So they got off the bus. I had half a mind to follow them and observe them in their trade. But i didnt want to lose my own pocket in the bargain!
Entering any church in Roma is like a lottery. It will, ofcourse, have amazing ceilings and altars but there can be a lesser known caravaggio (not to be confused with cannavaro!), Michelangelo, or even a Raphael. I cannot even remember how many churches ive visited in the last one week (makes up for more than a lifetime of atheism!) but then spirituality wasnt what i was looking for. Though i did manage to see some great sights (apart from the art) - a relic of Jusus' cross, the chain with which St. Peter was bound and many more. But the biggest surprise for me was when I went looking for a church called "domine quo vadis" where apparently St. Peter saw a vision of Jesus and asked him "Domine, Quo Vadis?" i.e. "God, where are you going". The church also has an imprint of the footprints of Jesus. So, being in the heart of Roman Catholicic country, I was expecting long queues. But i couldnt even find the church. When I found a tourist info centre in the vicinity (for a national park actually!), I trudged in hoping to find like minded tourists who were also looking for this elusive church. Only to find an extremely attractive looking woman toying with her mobile phone. Seeing me she gave the broadest possible smile accompanied by a sexy flick of her hair. I quickly realised that she was smiling at "me the tourist" and not "me the sexy indian hunk!". Undeterred I spoke my best italian hoping to be asked for my telephone number for crooning so expertly in her language. She did momentarily pout her lips while describing the way to the church. But apart from that I never got a "what a sexy hairstyle you have" or "you speak such beautiful italian".
Broken hearted, I trudged towards the church. It was supposed to open at 1430 doppo lunch but it still wasnt open (it was around 1445). I knocked on the door (softly, knowing that this was the house of God!). Finally, a jovial looking priest opened the door with a surprised look on his face that said "we never have visitors. Who are you? And you dont even look Christian". Anyways, I did get to see the footprints but i was really disappointed in my christian brethren who had not flocked there to see them!
Another chuch which I visited in Roma (Santa Maria Della Concezione) is also home to the Cemetery of the Capuchin monks. They interred the bones of about 4000 monks to make macabre designs (including lamp shades) on the walls. It was really crazy to be sorrounded to be sorrounded by all those "designer" bones. One of the messages (from teh other side) there reads "What you are now, we used to be, What we are now, you will be!". A scary but truthful reminder. What is also interesting is that the name which we are all acquainted with (Cappuccino) is derived from the name of these monks since the coffee beans looked like the hoods that these monks wore!
I was totally stunned in another house of god, Chiesa Del Gesu where paintings on the ceiling by an artist called Gaulli (Il Baciccia) had the most amazing effect of perspective. They were totally in three-dimension. It felt as if those figures were literally tumbling from the sky. Photos will not do justice to the sheer genius of those paintings.
Roma has an amazing water supply system - it is an ancient acqueduct system first started in 300 BC and still supplies water to the city. There are countless fire-hydrant like taps in the entire city and the water is surprisingly cold and amazingly tasty. Everyone fills their PVC mineral water bottles for their home supplies on the street. Technology is not always necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Many of you have asked about the Roman cats (the non-feline variety!). They all dress up as if they are going for a Dolce and Gabbana photo shoot. Irrespective of age. It is really cute to see 60-70 (and perhaps even older women) totally decked up and inviting glances from the opposite sex. Ofcourse, all men are very generous with the way they look at women (for a very long time and very hard!). After staying in Edinburgh (where people look down on the road and walk) it was good to see women returning looks with an even more defiant stare! And if you dont look at them, they seem to have a "why not?" plea in their eyes which are strained with kohl and give them all a very catlike appearance. And always ready to fight!
Tourist Traps
1. I spent a lot of time at Piazza Novona, where caricature and Portrait artists have given it a very Montmartre-esque feel. It was fun to see the reaction of the sitters when they saw their likeness (especially when caricatured!).
2. I did hear a few tourists from you-know-where. But given that their currency doest get them as far as they used to earlier, there are fewer of them. And they seem to be quieter. But they still say Grazie as "Grazzy" instead of "Graaaht-see-ay". Some people never learn!
3. When I put my hand in the Bocca Della Verita, no Gregory Peck-like incident took place!
4. I indulged in my fair share of Gelatos. but because of the sun, it would, more often than not, drip onto my hands!
5. Nothing needs to be said about "Italian food in Italy"! Simply the best!
(Aug, 2007)
