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Published: March 31st 2010
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Rome, a city that dates back over 2, 500 years and has played a major role in world affairs for most of this time. To say that Rome contains some history is like saying there is some sand in the desert. While you may be able to stand far away and get an overall idea, to attempt to understand all of the individual elements that go into creating the final product goes beyond human capacity. I suppose that is why Rome has been nicknamed in Latin Caput Mundi (Capital of the World), as well as 'The Eternal City.' Rome of course was the capital city of the Roman Empire as well as the home for the Roman Catholic Church Papacy, perhaps the next largest ruling power in Europe after Rome. Not until 1870 was Rome recognized as the capital of Italy, but even this creation came with a compromise that created the Vatican City (a small country within the city of Rome). Furthermore, the times of the Renaissance and its developments was another world changing bombshell that originated here.
While since this time Rome may not hold the political power that it used to, one should consider the continued influence
The Roman Colosseum
So here's where death was the most famous game of all. Rome has. Considering the cultural influence Rome plays upon the world, its influence in the world still cannot be denied. The works by Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini that exist here seem to compose a foundational element of art in general in our world. On top of these classical elements, one must also concede that world style and fashion is heavily influenced here. For myself, the most eternal and undeniable part of Rome is not the historical significance or its artistic cultural influence, but instead, the undisputed reality that Italian food will always be an aspect of world cuisine. The food in Rome was simply fantastic, most probably the best I've ever had. Here in Rome, I was able to purchase a huge plate of authentic pasta, with my choice of sauce and meat, a fresh salad and a bottle of wine for around $20. This meal puts Olive Garden in the US to shame, for this is the real deal. Beyond any doubt, I gained more weight on this trip than I have anywhere else. Having a meal on the ever present sidewalk patios proves that Rome is a place where very good things can happen here every day, all
day.
As for our time, it proved to be good enough to consider moving to Italy after I teach in Asia. Only time and the wind’s direction can truly know the next direction for the Gypsy teacher. While Rome is certainly a place of tourism, it still manages to maintain its original flavor, or from what I gathered of other touristy areas, Rome does not seem to fall into a tourist trap setting. For example, my English only went so far, and often I had to use my Spanish to broker some sort of understanding in Italian. Being at the Colosseum was of course great. Once you get within and walk through, it becomes apparent this place has seen better times. What is interesting is that it's not so much Mother Nature that destroyed the colosseum, but the inhabitants of Rome itself. Brick by brick and layer by layer, parts of the colosseum were stripped away to build other buildings and homes. Earth quakes of course played their part, but stripping away the outer layers really took away from the Roman craftsmanship and thus longevity. As the pictures show, I did have to come to the colosseum twice. This
is because the first time I was here, Mr. Obama himself was in town, and his wife Michelle was taking a tour of the colosseum. To all other non-presidential VIP's, an early shut down and a shifting of plans was the only result. As my next blog in the Vatican explains, this isn't the last time the Obama factor played a role in the trip. It was nice to think that the leader of my country and I were sorting taking a trip together, although I can't be for sure he felt the same way.
Besides the colosseum and food, it was also a great time to talk around at night. The city took on a very different feel at night, as shown by the pictures. With the colorful display of lights and varied artistic performances, it seemed the Roman spirit was alive and well. What also helped to make the time in Rome much better was not staying at a hotel, but instead, getting an apartment through a local citizen. While the price was the same, having a much more comfortable and convenient place to stay made the time in Rome even better. I recommend that when you
Streets of Rome
Another fine city with water for all! can, go with an apartment over a hotel. It not only provides more convenience, but also gets you away from the 'touristy/Western bubbles' in which you're in a different city, but you're not really experiencing anything new. If you're going to travel, allow yourself to get beyond attachments of comfort zones and really give the new area a chance. While my landlady hardly spoke any English, we communicated well and she provided much more info then would a hotel only trying to get commissions for whom the refer you to.
The last four days of this trip in Rome proved to be a very memorable experience. However, as the next entries will show, not all of this time was spent in the city. Italy seems to be a country full of opportunities and life, not to mention amazing cuisine. It seems rather difficult for me now to imagine a future world that is not some way shaped and influenced by Rome.
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