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Published: September 2nd 2011
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I have long wondered what goes through the minds of babies. They go to sleep in one place and wake up to find themselves in a new place. What do they think about this? Do they mind? Is it all interesting and fun, or is it sensory overload? With Asha (aka the “Gnome in Rome”), I feel this must be even more extreme as there is nothing familiar or similar about each of the places we visit. We cover her up with a blanket when she sleeps and when she wakes up, it comes up. I have come to view this as the curtain at a theatre. The blanket/curtain rises and falls at the beginning and end of each act. I wonder what she thinks about each time the curtain rises…
Act 1 –
the curtain rises to reveal the Sistine Chapel Hmm… I’m staring at the ceiling. It’s very colorful and there are lots of naked people. I’m not quite sure where I am but there are an awful lot of people surrounding me. Mummy and Daddy seem quite enthralled with this place. I like the colours so I will not cry. I’m enjoying my stroller at any
rate.
Ok. So now we have exited the colorful room and I am brought into a massive building with high ceilings (I can’t see the top) and lots of gold. There are also many tall pure white statues staring down at me. They scare me. And I’m a little unhappy because I was unceremoniously ripped out of my stroller and strapped on to mummy. We are sweating against each other. I am hot. I think I will cry to voice my displeasure. This at least gets me some delicious milk. We seem to spend a lot of time in this large building and explore all of the many nooks and crannies. I quite like the bright bird at the end of the building.
I am then brought out to stare at these strange motionless men in funny striped costumes. I’m not sure why mummy finds them so entertaining. I think they are boring. I need a nap now…
The curtain falls on a backdrop of St. Peter’s Square, with the Swiss Guards and the Basilica in the background Act 2 –
the curtain rises to reveal the Trevi Fountain I was
having a wonderful nap when I am again taken out of my stroller. At least this time I am not strapped onto mummy, although I wouldn’t mind some delicious milk. This time I am in a small square with hordes of people surrounding a white marble fountain. I like the noise as it reminds me of my white noise that I get when I sleep. I decide not to cry. Then for some reason, daddy shoves a metal circle into my hand (I immediately try to eat it but mummy doesn’t let me) and I am made to throw the metal circle into the water. Whatever. I don’t care. I wonder when my next meal of delicious milk will come.
Act 3 –
the curtain rises to reveal the Roman Forum This morning I was woken up extra early and popped into my stroller. At least it is cooler in the morning. I decide to go back to sleep. However, my nap is rudely interrupted when I find myself bouncing up and down violently. I don’t mind rough rides but this is ridiculous. I didn’t sign up for a roller coaster! When I get out of the stroller,
I am again strapped onto mummy and I notice that the road is made of large stones quite far apart from each other. Aha, that was the reason! Oh well. I focus on my snack of delicious milk and try not to think about how much I am sweating against mummy.
I decide to stay awake and find myself being pushed towards a large oval building that looks to be in poor condition. It has lots of doors, and again, lots of people crawling over it. I am curious. When we get inside, for some reason mummy takes me out and places my bum on a really hot railing. Pictures are taken. I do not smile. I am not a puppet. I am then carried in my stroller up two long flights of stairs. I enjoy this. I feel like a princess. I now smile.
Finally the heat and the crowds are too much and I need to start squawking, which quickly escalates into wailing. Thankfully my white noise comes on and I drift off to sleep…
The curtain closes on the Colosseum Act 4 -
the curtain rises to reveal a table First Food!!!
Asha managed to get the donut-like cracker into her mouth... set for two
During my trip in Rome, I have often awoken to find mummy and daddy eating. Before Italy, I never saw them eat and thought that the only food was delicious milk. However, I am now on to them. I have a prime view from one of their laps and know that they eat and drink lots of different things, none of which are delicious milk. They also seem to spend a considerable amount of time searching for the perfect meal, often dragging me to many places (and sometimes getting lost) before sitting down to eat. I also recall them being in raptures over a large doughy circle covered in cheese and black mushrooms. Not sure why. It smelt funny. Sometimes, I find they get so enthralled with their food that I have to make my presence known by thrusting my hand into the food, or trying to knock over a wine glass (I was successful only once). I really would like to try everything they are eating but my efforts are to no avail. They are too quick. The one thing I did manage to get in my mouth was a hard circle of a
cracker. I didn’t like it too much. That’s ok. I still love my delicious milk.
The Finale –
the curtain rises to reveal the interior of a Roman bus As we were leaving Rome, I was awoken by the sound of my parents arguing with two uniformed Italian men. I wondered what was going on as the Italian men gestured towards our luggage and at a sign in many languages. I continued to wonder what was going on as daddy doled out a large amount of cash to these unknown men. I later found out that mummy and daddy were too cheap to pay for a taxi and decided to take the bus. Unfortunately, they misread the transit signs that say you have to stamp your ticket and thus had to pay a fine. They seemed glum. So I decided to smile to cheer them up. My efforts were rewarded as they perked up and were soon able to laugh. Job well done.
As we whiz by lots of farmland on a train, I wonder, where I will wake up next?
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