Arrivederci Roma

the Coliseum

Due to weather-related and financial considerations, we decided it was time to leave Europe.  Our final destination would be Rome.   We found it to be packed, as expected, with ancient sights, Catholic monuments and churches, museums, and, of course, pizza, pasta and gelato... The flip side was the army of touts, shifty and duplicitous in their attempts to get you to buy their stuff or join their tours.  And like many other cities of Europe, the fast food outlets and incessant shopping detracted from the old-world atmosphere.  We noticed that Rome seemed to have more than its fair share of beggars plying the streets.  Clutching their rosaries, sometimes even kneeling or prostrating themselves, they seem to be banking on the concept of Christian charity.

the Pantheon

It's certainly strategic, as fervent pilgrims visit Rome all year long, and the city has a healthy resident population of monks, nuns and priests.  We saw clergy members, recognizable in their collars & robes, specifically targeted out of a large crowd of people.  Some of the beggars even resorted to verbal guilt-trips or displays of anger.

  

Despite the realities of modern-day Rome (and the often ridiculous, sky-high prices), simply being here was an experience of a lifetime and so we tried to take it in stride.  We had three days to see as much as possible, such as:

Vatican City and the Vatican Museums

St Peter's Basilica

St John Lateran Basilica

Santa Maria Maggiore

St Paul's Basilica

The Coliseum

Roman Forum

The Arch of Constantine

The Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II 

Piazza Navona

The Pantheon

The Trevi Fountain

altar of St Philip Neri, in Chiesa Nuova

But the best part of Rome was spending time with a family member of Aron's.  The three of us met for dinner, and after spending a couple hours in great conversation, it seemed odd to think we'd just met for the first time.   Padre Giorgio is a priest, and through him we got a "backstage pass" to a few remarkable places.  It was a honor to be able to see the University & library where he's spent many years studying.  He took us on a tour of his parish church, the huge Chiesa Nuova, home to an astounding number of St Philip Neri's relics.  (Incidentally, this saint is the founder of Padre Giorgio's order, the Oratorians.)  It was great to have the chance to see some sights with a knowledgable guide, to give some background history and lend insight.

Bernini's fountain figure, cowering away from the church

We found Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, or Fountain of the Four Rivers, located in the Piazza Navona.  It used to be a racetrack in ancient Roman times, which explained the Piazza's large, oblong shape.  These days, the piazza buzzes with a marketplace full of trinkets and souvenirs, roasted chestnuts and temptingly soft nougat.  There was a stall cooking up plain crepes, rolled up with a thick layer of Nutella, served warm & melting.  We passed on this treat, but we might have to try this at home!  For the kids, there was an old-fashioned carousel, balloons and cotton candy,  "Zuchero Filato" as it's called in Italy.  Piazza Navona was a charming place to sit for a while and people-watch in the sun.  On one side of the Piazza Navona stands the Church of St Agnes, which was constructed by Borromini.  Inevitably, as Borromini and Bernini (who built the fountain) vied for valuable commissions in the 17th century, a bitter rivalry developed.  This was subtly reflected in their designs.  One of Bernini's fountain figures is cowering, prepared for the facade of the church to come tumbling down on him.  In turn, Borromini sculpted St Agnes with her back turned away from the fountain, not deigning to look upon it.  

the courtyard at St Paul's, in front of the Basilica

Our time in Rome was drawing to a close.  Knowing we needed to stay alert for our upcoming long-haul flight, we justified an afternoon caffeine fix.  We drank our last Italian cappuccinos at a little cafe, hidden in the large trees and the shadow of St Paul's Basilica.  Sketches and drawings detailing the fire of 1823, which devastated the Basilica, covered the walls of the cafe.   Often called "St Paul Outside the Walls", this Basilica is apart from many of the other Roman sights.  It's located outside the ancient Aurelian wall, which was built in 271 AD enclosing the seven hills of Rome and the Trastevere district.  It took some time to get to to St Paul's, but we were glad that we made the effort.  One of the four Papal Basilicas at which the pope can celebrate mass, St Paul's is truly magnificient, not the least because of it's colossal size.