Rome

Its been a while since I used paper and pen to jot down memories. But being in a town square of Siena where everyone walks & seems to know everyone, this seems a logical choice.

Yes I am in Siena - on a week trip to Italy. Our first stop was Rome - the old town. Rome was what one expected - a city built around the ruins and grandeur of the past. It seems like the bygone generation wanted to stand the test of time by building large scale arenas and churches. The pride that locals justly feel towards these monuments overshadows their capacity for providing help to tourists. It seems the locals have no idea where they are themselves or lack common courtesy. But without this one drawback our first stop on the Italy tour turned out to be lesson in history and art.

The Colosseum even with only 1/4th of what once was, stands as a magnificent piece of architecture. The grandeur having outlived its people, it stands boldly challenging us. Of course this stadium has gone down in history for the cruelty that was instituted via the battles between man and animal, but the enginering skill of the people is unmistakable. The center is laid out with many tunnels that would have been underground for people to do all the backstage activities while the whole stadium could seat thousands of people.

Our next stop was the Pantheon - a wonderfully well-preserved structure that stood the test of time due to the fact that it was consecrated as a church. It also stands as a tomb to Renaissance painter Raphael and other kings of Italy. The square surrounding the Pantheon has a wonderful vibe around it with cafes and shops surrounding the square. It almost feels like a college campus!

As jet lag finally hit us we decided to cut short our tour of Rome. So the next day we took the trip to Vatican city - a sovereign city inside Rome. We decided to see St. Peter's Basilica - one of the largest churches in the world. As I stepped into St. Peter's Basilica, Michaelangelo's Pieta stood out in all its glory. Even though one might have seen the image a million times; seeing the artist's (one) masterpiece especially up close (behind the bullet proof glass, sadly) has a greater effect. The largest church seems like the rightful place for this wonderful work of art.

The building is truly a magnificent piece of art and architecture that holds the tomb of St. Peter - according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome. It also houses the bronze statue of Saint Peter, with a very kissable toe that stands out, Bernini's star burst doe at the center and his bronze canopy.

The dome is a huge, magnificent work and as one looks up to the heaven one can only gasp at the infinite possibilities in life and the little time one is presented with. It made me think of the people who actually were able to live their dream, while the thousands who go unnoticed throughout their lifetime and beyond.


Overall Rome reminded me of an old town, the transportation mainly the buses are well connected and very frequent. Of course, they are crowded and one needs to worry about being pick-pocketed but overall the frequent services helped us. Taxis are expensive, of course locals seems to prefer the two-wheelers over anything else. The people are not the friendliest but I guess tourists forever asking them routes and directions would be distracting to anyone. September was a great time to visit weather-wise though we encountered a little drizzle and ended up buying two umbrellas - one of which broke within two rounds of opening and closing!

Final word: Rome is must for history buffs who can enjoy with the crowds and for those who are not interested in history just think about this as a city that contributed to the world some of the finest pieces of art and architecture . A definite must if you travel to Italy.