When in Rome, Do as the Romans
June 1, 2008 – Rome, Italy
It's la dolce vita, Roman style.
Tim: Okay, for the next week we are going to eat like Romans, get around like Romans, enjoy life like the Romans ... we will be Romans.
Having dropped off our bags at our lodging just blocks from Termini Station, we began our orientation to Rome. Our group walking tour headed down Esquiline Hill—up and down hills, that's Rome—to just shy of the Forum.
Tim: Did you see that shifty guy staking our group out when we made our first tour stop? I thought he was up to no good, so I gave him the eye. You should have seen him run.
From the Forum area we walked past the Victor Emmanuel Monument and a private residence—erh, some archeological ruins given over to the current residents, dozens of Rome's cats. From there we made our way to the Piazza Campo de' Fiori for a delightful dinner in one of the outdoor restaurants. It seems like everyone—but everyone—comes out in the evening for leisurely dining, people watching, and mingling late into the evening. Rick later helped us weave our way through the maze of streets, campos, and piazzas, explaining the sights as we went along. Rome is lovely at night.
Tim: We crisscrossed many of these locations in the following days. Remember, Lois, when we came back through Piazza Navona? It seemed like a different place than the one we had visited nights before.
Lois: Yes, I liked seeing the fountains and the people that day.
A local guide, Franchesca, led us through ancient Rome starting with the Coliseum. Out of the Coliseum, past the costumed gladiators enticing tourist to open their pockets, we headed for the other ruins on Pallitine Hill and the Forum. Our guide explained the significance of everything we were to see. As we entered the Forum I couldn't help but think back to times when this area was bustling with senators and citizens of Ancient Rome.
Another time we visited the Vatican: St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museum, and the Sistine Chapel. The scale of St. Peter's is hard to describe. As one walks from nave to alcove to altar to monument to chapel and back to nave, the close-up sounds mingle with the hollow echoes of chanting, prayers, and muffled but unavoidable crowd noise. Other than viewing the grandeur of the place, one can almost feel the space through sound alone.
Tim: I tried to mentally shut aside the glass security panel, the swirling crowd, and the mingling of multilingual chatter for a few quiet moments with Michelangelo's Pietà. Art speaks, and this, one of Michelangelo’s other masterpieces, shouts.
Tim: The Vatican Museum really impressed me. The collections are unparalleled. We weren't rushed, but there is just too much to see.
Lois: Yes, and my neck still hurts from looking up for so long inside the Sistine Chapel. Never mind, it was worth it.
It took only one trip on the subway to get the hang of buying tickets, getting on board, and getting off at the right stop. That gave us the freedom to plan to visit other sites in the unscheduled tour time. The nearby National Museum and the Baths of Diocletian were two choices.
Tim: You know Lois, we haven't had any pizza so far. We have to do something about that.
Referring to our trusty RS tour book, we located a recommended pizza restaurant about seven blocks from our hotel. It was really, really good pizza. We don't know how we can eat chain pizza here at home ever again. Yuck!
Our official tour was about to end, but our tour guide Rick had planned a grand dinner to celebrate. It was a happy evening filled with stories of discoveries and joys. The next day folks would be heading their separate ways.
After extending goodbyes and safe journeys, our after-tour adventures began with something special.
