3'0 Clock at night at Leeds railway station = ghost town. One seriously needs to teach the brits a lesson or two in family planning. No wonder, India is the "country that never sleeps" :) Being the only one at a railway station (no matter what the time) is never a pleasant experience!
Anyways, after (yet again) a circuitous route managed to reach Italy (yet again). The flight was (yet again) a reminder of how small...
3'0 Clock at night at Leeds railway station = ghost town. One seriously needs to teach the brits a lesson or two in family planning. No wonder, India is the "country that never sleeps" :) Being the only one at a railway station (no matter what the time) is never a pleasant experience!
Anyways, after (yet again) a circuitous route managed to reach Italy (yet again).
The flight was (yet again) a reminder of how small Europe is. We crossed france in an hour, passed over the swiss alps in about 20 minutes and landed in Roma even before I could say "Ciao". But somewhere over france the clouds disappeared and I saw the Sun (yes, for all those in edinburgh, the sun is still alive and kicking despite rumours/proof to the contrary!)
The fun thing in the flight was that the airhostess announced that there was a newly married couple going on their honeymoon. everyone started clapping and the couple got up and kissed each other. there was a collective "awww" in the plane.
Before we landed at Roma, the pilot warned us that sometimes things can take "entertaining" turns at the airport. I thought he was joking but then after waiting for 15 minutes after landing, we realised that the airport had not sent anyone to guide the aircraft to its parking dock! They were all too busy leering at the women (similarly the luggage took a long time coming too!)
So thankfully, there have been no changes in Italy in the last six months - the same women shouting at the top of their voices on mobiles (presumably on their boyfriends-husbands), the same pouty looks on the women. Half the men still have toothpicks in their teeth, the other half still wear armani suits.
It is a pleasure to see SOME people on the roads and to see some bustling traffic - not to mention the joy of crossing the road wherever one wants, whenever one wants! This i-am-the-pedestrian-king-of-the-world takes a serious knock when one almost gets run down (again and again!). Anyways, I think i have mastered the Roman way of crossing the road - gesturing the traffic to stop with one hand, closing one's eyes and crossing the street, hoping one doesn't get run over. So far I am alive.
What is even more fun for me is when I see an Indian looking person on the road, I think "Desi" and then realise that the person is Italian. It feels great to be able to blend in here....
The immigration officer looked at my passport (on seeing the blue colour, as against the EU maroon), he raised an eyebrow. then he said "India?". I showed off my knowledge of his language and said "si, si".
He asked "from rajasthan?".
Well, the silver lining is that they have heard of something apart from the Taj.
Then he caught me (my italian, that is) off guard when I told him that I was born in Rajasthan and i used a noun instead of the past participle (I can see Giorgia and Sara squirming. Mi scusi). the look on his face suggested that he was itching to call everyone and show me to them "See. This one is TRYING to speak italian. Ha ha ha". But then on seeing a beautiful ragazza behind me in the line, he (obviously) changed his mind and shooed me off after a quick stamp on my passport.
Coming from it-never-goes-over-16-degrees-edinburgh, I was in for a shock the moment i left the airport. Temperatures were over 30 degrees. But it was nice to see the sun atleast. (not for too long though)
Last time I was in Roma I did a rush job in 3 days so this time, I have decided to give Roma the respect she deserves. Am spending a week here - am doing nothing but walking, eating, getting lost and generally soaking in the sun (and the heat!).
Roma stuns the first time visitor - yet having been here earlier I have still been taken aback by the amount of history on every street corner. Nothing here seems to be newer than five hundred years back. Not to mention the incredible amount of art (by all the masters).
My first stop was the Sistine Chapel. Was dying to see proof of Michelangelos geniu's (yet again). (Confession:That was my main reason for visiting Roma this time. Getting a 4 pound ticket helped!). This time, I enjoyed it even more than last time since I had read a lot about it and was able to admire the subtle jokes that michelangelo has put in the frescoes (he was a sarcastic man, this buonarroti). Even before reaching the chapel, one sees art by all major artists including Raphael's work. The chapel itself has frescoes by Botticelli, and Ghirlandiao. Yet all that takes a back-seat the moment you look up towards the ceiling or see the swirl of "The Last Judgement" on the altar wall. This man gave 10 years of his life to painting both the ceiling and the judgement. It doesnt take a belief in the Christian Faith to admire his essentially religious themes. I got myself a place to sit and just gaped up for 2 hours (i still have a pain in my neck. honestly). Though I reluctantly left, I am quite tempted to go there again before the week is up!
While standing in queue to get into the Vatican museums, I was thrilled to see the "Students Discount" bit. So armed with my student card, i excitedly reached the payment counter and then the person there pointed out the "only for those below 26". I thought my lack-of-white-hair-courtesy-no-spouse would let me through but my wrinkles gave me away!
The pope has an audience every wednesday and I went to get myself registered for it. When I was told that the Pope is on holiday, my "what the..." look wasn't taken too kindly. St. Peters Basilica (apparently, the second largest dome in the world) is overshadowed by Michelangelos "Pieta" of Mary holding a dead Christ. Our friend sculpted it when he was 23 and Mary's expression of hope-despite-despair is what is really captivating. This is Michelangelos only work which he signed, btw.
Yesterday, I 'attended' a political rally and saw a shooting for a TV serial. The rally was just like back home except that the kurta pyjamas were replaced by suits and shades. In true Indian...er...I mean Italian style, the meeting obvioulsy didn't start on time. There was some singer who was to have crooned a few songs and the MC started with the cliched "He needs no introduction" and then called him "Giancarlo" instead of "Franco". The crowd tried to correct him but the MC just wouldn't listen to them. The singer then had to sheepishly remind the MC what his "no introduction needed" name was.
Since I have no planned itinerary, today I walked into the Villa Borghese. It has some amazing Caravaggios, Raphaels and Berninis. I had never seen any Bernini work but I was stunned on seeing his "Rape of Proserpine".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rape_of_Proserpina_%28Bernini%29
Pluto's fingers on Proserpine's skin literally seem to be sinking into it. Looking at it, it seems as if it is made in wax (and not marble!).
Apart from the usual suspects of Piazza Novona (which now looks more and more like Montmartre), Fontana Di Trevi, Spanish Steps, Pantheon. Of Course i am yet to encounter a rich hepburnesque princess. But then I am no Gregory Peck :(
Interesting sightings
1. A wife actually beating up her husband on the street. Go woman go!
2. Fortunately more French and Spanish tourists here rather than the ubiquitous you-know-whos (though I did get to hear a "Man, this is awesome. Isnt this by the same guy who did that Mona Lisa we saw in Parrrris!")
3. I managed to see a shooting for a TV serial. It required two reasonably good looking actors to cross the street and they were so bad (in acting) that there were some 30 odd takes for a 20 second shot.
4. A newly married couple going for a boat ride in a lake in the Villa Borghese - in their wedding clothes. I hope that was not his idea of a honeymoon otherwise he has a rocky marriage ahead!
p.s.: the flow in this post is lacking since there is a woman in this internet cafe who is using the phone and is shouting at the top of her voice. Coherence in face of cacophony is difficult!
(Aug, 2007)
