Arrivederci Roma

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Yes that inevitable time has come for us to unsettle ourselves at Chiavari, pack our bags and leave Rome to head north. So what are our impressions and recollections of the Eternal City at this time? For me, they are best expressed in the Centrale Montemartini “museum” where roman sculptures (the cast offs from the Capitoline museum, but as cast offs go they are pretty amazing) are wonderfully displayed in a 1920's modernist style electricity generation station. Although separated in time by two millenia the two sit very comfortably together, and really do create something that is greater than the sum of their parts. Layer upon layer upon layer, that uses and abuses, builds on and demolishes, appropriates, adapts and adopts what has gone before, not only in the physical and architectural environment, but in the whole of the culture. It is a case study into the true meaning of endurance.

Anyway enough of the philosophising, what was it that we saw and did that brings us to this conclusion? Well too many things to describe in detail, so let's just do some personal highlights. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill - it was not just the antiquity of these ruins (and ruins they are, especially in the Roman Forum) but to get a sense of the expanse of these urban centres. These were not simple villages, but major cities by current day standards. Personally I enjoyed the Palantine Hill more, one because it seems to attract less visitors, and second it has more of that feel of decayed antiquity - the sort of atmosphere that is evoked in those romantic era etchings of such places (perhaps I have been conditioned by these, to me familiar, images to have such a response - oops there I go getting all self reflective again; this is supposed to be a holiday afterall).

What else - Bernini's Angels on the Ponte San Angelo. Why these above any of his other works that are on display in the many churches and basilicas around town? Yes these other works are arguably superior in their execution and preservation however it is the fact that they are there for you do visit any time day or night. This is not a city of great museums and galleries, because the city itself is one great museum and gallery. Art and beauty that enhance the city for the people not hermetically sealed away. And those angels on the bridge do capture the aliveness and fluidity that are the hallmarks of Bernini's works.

And how can I fail to mention the fountains of Rome - now I know why Rasphegi wrote a music suite about them. They are everywhere, and just like everything in this city they range from the big and totally over the top (how does the Trevi fountain fit in such a tiny piazza?) to the small and charming that catch you by surprise. Literally around every corner the land- and sound- scape of this city is refreshed by water. My personal favourite has to be Neptune's fountain in Piazza Navonna, a mid-size work by this city's standards, and certainly dwarfed by its neighbour the 4 Rivers fountain just 50 metres away in the centre of the piazza. Neptune's charm is its lively classic and mythic figures that are enhanced by the surrounding walls of the piazza whose colours and hues seem different and richer every time you visit. I never tire of this one. And yes if you must know we did throw our coins into the Trevi (this also provided another opportunity to visit the San Crispino gelato shop - the bergamot flavour was divine).

I suppose that I should mention the Vatican and St. Peters, as I did allude to them in a previous posting - well if I must. Our after hours tours of a snippet of the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel was fantastic, and of course way too short to do any form of justice. Our guide for the evening was just perfect, an enthusiastic (dare I say zealous) Kiwi by the name of Chris who had just finished his PhD in Religious Aesthetics as it relates to contemporary non-figurative art (and it get mores complicated than that so I'll stop now). In terms of putting the cultural layers together he was astounding, and fortunately we were able to access the Vatican Belvedere that evening so we started the tour with Greek antiquities and sacred Roman art, contrasted with some early christian appropriations of these sources. This was a great foundation for the rest of the evening, as Chris traced the history of the popes not only as religious leaders but, as he called them, keepers of the Roman arts and culture. A very interesting lens through which to view the collection. And the Raphael rooms and the Sistine Chapel - what do you say about them? Having seen those images a million times, to see them right there is just amazing. And to have the luxury of being able to do this with only 11 people in the room (including the 2 guards who accompanied us like bloodhounds all evening), made the all-too-short 25 minutes that we had in the Sistine Chapel a prime experience. And the surprise bonus at the end of the evening - to get to ride in the papal elevator; silly but true. And St. Peters - yes it's big (no wait, huge), rich, ornate, bold, and architecturally stunning, and there in the chapel just inside the front doors on the right hand side - Michelangelo's Pieta. But the church that resonated with me the most was Santa Sabina in the Aventine. It is one of the earliest christian churches still standing in Rome, with carved cypress doors that date from the 5th century. There is a rawness and muscularity about its architecture and decoration that is more in touch with the fundamentals of the spiritual than all the gilt and grandeur of St Peters. Dianne disagrees with me on this - it must be one of those Paris/ Rome divide things again. And now having put my opinion on this matter out there on the world wide web I trust that I will not suffer the same fate as Giovanni Bruno whose statue we see each time we go to Campo dei Fiori (which basically is every day). His statue marks the spot where he was burnt alive, apparently with his tongue nailed to his jaw lest he incite people with his heretical preachings even as he burnt. Now as most of you know I don't mind a bit of a talk, but I have to take my hat off to a man whose talking can strike this sort of fear into people's hearts.

And finally - although I have just scratched the surface of our experiences, which in turn barely scratched the surface of what this wonderful city has to offer - lest it seem as if we experienced Rome only as some giant open-air art gallery and museum, I must include a word or two about the people of Rome. From the welcome we received from Massimo our host at Chiavari, who managed to make us feel right at home even though he was away (a special thanks for your tip about three Caravaggio's at the San Luigi dei Francesi church nearby - stunning), through our favourite fruit vendor on the Campo who welcomed us like friends and dignitaries each time we visited him (and his gifts for the senora - wild salad leaves, an italian orange, and a punnet of his finest strawberries; I think I need to keep on eye on this radicchio romeo), all those Romani who endured my span-italian and encouraged me to persist with my efforts, gently correcting my grammar and pronunciation (still haven't mastered saying finocchiona, but it is delicious on wood fired bread), and a thousand other little courtesies and graces, the sum total of which was a delightful people experience of modern Rome here and now. It is truly a living city in so many ways. The essence of our experiences was captured by our last meal in Rome, at La Pigna. We arrived at the tourist hour of a little after 7pm as we didn't want a late night before our early start the next day. We also arrived just in front of the rain, which started to gain in intensity - that was luck to miss that downpour - only to be told that the dining room didn't open until 8pm. Could they recommend a nearby enoteca for a drink - yes. And then the heavens opened, and we were stuck, huddling on the door step. After a few moments the young waiter returned to say in very carefully constructed english (vastly superior to my italian even after two weeks of immersion) you can have a drink here, please come in. Our protests about being an inconvenience were brushed aside by both the signora and the waiter, and we were seated, bread arrived and a wine list, while the staff busied themselves with their preparations and their evening meal. At the end of the evening after a delicious meal of sublime artichokes, a delicious caprese salad, a zucchini flower risotto, and thin strips of lightly seared beef mixed with rocket, our departure felt more like we were leaving our wedding reception with every one - the signora and the signore, the waiter, the chef and his offsider all coming out to wish us good evening; everything is fine, no trouble, ciao, grazie, ciao, ciao, buona notte. What a truly splendid and quintessentially Roman farewell.

Anyway I should stop now - basta, basta - for fear of suffering some modern equivalent of Giovanni Bruno's fate with my typing fingers nailed to the keyboard to prevent me waffling on still more (the lynx-eyed among you may have noticed that each posting is longer the the last -aaaagh!). So it is farewell to Rome, and hello to Riomaggiore in the Cinque Terre.

Again thanks to all who have dropped by and sent messages or posted responses (or should they be better described as reactions?); it is great to hear from you out there. So see you again soon for some news and views from the Cinque Terre.

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Photos

Ancient & Modern at Montemartini
A mere two millenia separate the statue and the power station boiler

Ponte San Angelo
Am I mistaken or is one of Bernini's angels waving us goodbye

Neptune & Navonna
One of my favourites among the million fountains to choose from

Insurance Roman Style
Dianne lays some money down at the Trevi to ensure her return

Not Just a Museum but a Living City
The ancient she-wolf of Rome appears as a street art paste-up on the Ponte Sisto

Comments

[Pauline]

So it's off to the white roads of the Cinque Terre...
the news, views and food have been wonderful to read about so far. Can't wait to learn what you are up to in the Cinque Terre.

[Simone]

Virtual travel
Hi Peter, Am catching up on your travel notes and am really enjoying your trip!!! Certainly brightens up lunchtimes at Sutherland.