It has been over a month since I returned from my wonderful week in Italia. Even though I went there for work, I had time to roam around Rome (pun intended:) and see some of the highlights, while realizing that it would take much longer to see even a half of what that amazing city had to offer.
After taking a train to the hotel (oh, how I miss those eager luggage handlers in developing countries:) and discovering that I didn't have wifi in my room (which caused major panic attack that resulted in me running around trying to figure out how to get connected), I shrugged off the emerging sleepiness, packed my umbrella to withstand the downpour, and embarked on my first adventure in Rome. The first stop, however, involved a visit to a nearby ATM and my first taste of Italian food at lunch---the ATM turned out to be just a slot for a card and a pin pad in a graffiti covered wall, and the lunch consisted of a delicious eggplant lasagna served by a super friendly restaurant owner.
My first and perhaps the most important sightseeing endeavour was visiting my third Wonder of the World: the Roman Coliseum. The minute you walk out of the subway station you are greeted by this massive and impressive structure. It bears the evidence of being beaten by the time and the elements, but despite the "signs of aging," it is amazingly stunning. I did a guided tour and learned many interesting things about this ancient structure. In addition to being the center of the Roman leisure life, the guide mentioned that the gladiators were not victims sentenced to fight the lions, but well-paid and well-taken care of professional fighters whose job was to entertain (and not get killed---another major Hollywood myth). We could see the remaining frescoes and internal sections for the animal and gladiator quarters. The views from the top of the Coliseum also offered some breathtaking sights of other ancient Roman architectural remains (the Forum) surrounded by the beautiful stone pines(often referred to as "umbrella pines").
The next stop was the Palatine Hill, the residence site of the late Roman emperors and one of the seven hills of Rome. We toured the grounds where the former palaces, steam baths, temples, and gardens stood to house and entertain Roman royalty and nobility. Everything around was really old. Our excellent tour guide at one point casually referred to the remnants of a structure that was "not old---13th century"---since many other things in this biggest archeological dig in the world go back to the second-third centuries. (Palatine Hill is one of the most ancient areas of the city and considered to be the origins of the city as it had the cave where the twin founders Romulus and Remus were found by the she-wolf who kept them alive).
At the foothills of the Palatine Hill lied the remnants of the oldest part of the city, the Roman Forum, where Roman civilization developed. It had really ancient ruins of various Roman temples and shrines, several basilicas, and the site of Roman Senate. It also had the residence of the Vestal Virgins, the ancient clan of female priestesses who were charged with keeping the sacred fire of Vesta, the goddess of hearth. The ongoing excavations also revealed the "layers" of Roman---one civilization built on top of the other (pagans--Christians---Renessaince, etc). The newer building of the city government is actually built on the remains of another ancient structure.
No comments:
Post a Comment