When In Rome ...

We did like the Romans

We turned into temporary locals.Rented out a charming apartment, (my husband called it old and run down...our concept of charming differs) and stayed there for four days.We cooked pasta and spaghetti for dinner, did our laundry at home and went to the local markets and stores to buy vegetables and groceries. Our apartment was close to Piazza Navona and most of the tourist attractions, including the Vatican were within walking distance.

I have been to Europe before but in no other cities of the continent have I witnessed such a spectacular past. Roman ruins carelessly lay scattered throughout. Cobbled roads, made by the Romans were still in use.Walked through an alley and turned around the corner, and suddenly came across an ancient wonder. It was simply astounding.



The first day of our trip, we aimlessly walked and reached the Vatican. What we had not realised was that day being a Sunday the Pope was about to address the people.

It was a surreal feeling standing on the St. Peter's square and listening to the Pope along with thousands.The sheer grandeur of the Vatican and the atmosphere around simply stunned me.

The dome above the alter inside the St Peter's basilica epitomised pure elegance. It was designed by Michelangelo when he was 72. All of the basilica was a virtual treasure chest,but sheer wonder was a sculpture done by Michelangelo called the Pieta. A superb piece of Jesus after his Crucifixion in Mary's arms, this is apparently the only statue which bears the signature of the artist. The flawless marble had a sheen that really can not be described...almost looked like Jesus was sweating after his ordeal. Apparently in 1972, a man entered the basilica with a hammer and started striking Mary saying "I am Jesus Christ and this is not my mother". Before the security team could stop the man, he had struck almost 15 times and damaged part of her face. Since then, the statue has stood behind bullet proof glass door.

The dome of the basilica was open to public. An elevator took us halfway up. But it was still a long climb. More than the number of the steps, it was the narrow spiral way which almost did me in. My 2 daughters ran up but I was almost doddering. The steps were narrow and there was a recurring thought that if I missed a step there was nothing to hold.The climb was not for the faint hearted and people with vertigo. Towards the end I had started feeling dizzy but the view from the top was a real reward though.

The Vatican museums were enormous and we had to select the sections we wanted to see. Even then our tour took us more than 2 hours. It took me a while to believe that the prints of the famous paintings that I had seen, were actually in front of me in their original forms. The famous Sistine Chapel, with its frescoes from the Genesis was breathtaking. No matter how much I try, I will never be able to describe the beauty. I could have sat there for hours and still not been able to wholly take in their magnificence.

The next day was reserved for the ancient Roman ruins. The Pantheon. The Colosseum. The Roman palaces. The Pantheon is the best preserved ancient monument in the city.It was designed in AD 120 and is still almost intact.What was amazing was the sense of symmetry and proportion. The opening of the dome illuminates the building and lights the stone ceiling. Almost like a spot light. To imagine all this was built when the Romans lacked the modern building techniques.The original bronze door to the Pantheon, 1800 years old, still survives.

Legend has it that as long as the Colosseum stands, Rome will stand and when Rome falls, so will the world. Of all the monuments in the city, this was the structure that thrilled my children the most. Inaugurated in AD 80, the stadium could hold almost 50,000 people.The arena had a wooden floor cover. Trap doors and passageways led to the underground chambers where the animals were kept. Wild animals in cages were hoisted onto the arena by pulleys. The floor of the arena was covered with sand to prevent the gladiators from slipping and to soak up the spilled blood. The cavea and the podium held the public and the VIPs.

Then there were those sights that we have seen so many times on T.V or pictures. Trevi fountain. Spanish steps. The Castel Sant'Angelo. The whole of the city was like an open museum.
No where in the rest of Europe have I encountered such art on the streets.

Also, nowhere else in Europe have I seen such noisy and colourful people as in Rome. We felt we were in the middle of a carnival through out our stay.There were fun, laughter and tourists everywhere. Generally, the Europeans place a high value on low decibel level. You can walk into a crowded public place and hear very little noise, but not so in Italy. There ,people love to talk rapidly and loudly, using their hands and eyes as much to emphasise their points.

There were still so many things we missed out on seeing.We only had 4 days after all. I also know no matter how many times I may go back, there would still be something left unseen. As the popular saying goes in Italy, 'Roma, non basta una vita'.

A lifetime is not enough for Rome.

Roman Holiday

I am off to the bel paese for my summer break tonight.
It was a country I always wanted to see since my childhood. A country where personalities like Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, and Galileo changed the meaning art, literature and science forever. A country that was once the centre of European culture.
My first stop is going to be Rome. A city that, legend has it, was founded by two brothers who claimed to be the sons of war god Mars and were raised by a she-wolf. It is a city whose influence on language, religion, law, philosophy.... last around the world even today. And most importantly for me, a city where an incognito princess, bored with her sheltered life found romance.
My husband's busy schedule means we can only spend a measly twelve days in Italy. It will not be possible to exhaust all that the country has to offer in so little time. After all how can you cram a treasure cove of are, history, cuisine and natural beauty in just twelve days? But we are definitely going to try.
As dear hubby has banned me from carrying the laptop, I will not be able to share my journey with you. So readers, there will not be any blogging for me for some time.
I hope each one of you also take a journey this summer that will change your perspective of the world for ever. So cheers every body and arrivederci.
BTW do you think if I stare at that hunk David for long enough, he will come to life? I guess there's no harm in trying!

The Summer Of Joy

It's that time of the year again.

The school is finally over and we are all preparing for our annual break. Looking at the all the travel preparation, I can't help thinking about my own childhood. Summer holidays those days did not mean seeing a strange place. It meant going to Calcutta, to be with my extended family.It meant lazy idyllic days bonding with cousins, watching movies and playing football on the terrace of our ancestral home.

The journey to Calcutta itself was a big adventure. We would reach the station and the fun would start from there. After much haggling we would appoint a coolie to carry all our luggage to our compartment. The coupe would be our home for the next 24 hours. My brother and I would pretend to climb mountains. The top most berth would be our summit. We would camp there and eat roasted peanuts, puree-sabzi, potato cutlets and everything else the vendors sold. The snacks would be washed down with lukewarm Campa-Cola.

The next 24 hours would be spent chatting with our fellow travellers. We would exchange life stories and food. Play cards and antakshari. Tell jokes and discuss the latest Bengali flicks running in theaters.

My mother never thought any stranger would molest her girl in the train washroom. She never thought her son could get into the company of ruffians . She never hesitated to accept food from our fellow passengers. Never saw the danger of food poisoning or any other illness.
My brother would get off at every station to fill up ours and every body else's water bottles.Standing in a queue to fill up the bottles from a tap and then running back to get into the train itself was a huge adventure. I would anxiously wait for him and he would laugh at my silliness.

The temperature would soar beyond 40 degrees C. Hot dry wind would dry up our lips but two of us would still sit next to the windows almost devouring the passing scene. My mother would hang two big wet towels over the window grill and we would get some respite from that heat.
As Calcutta approached, the train would invariably stop between Liluah and Howrah junction.My father jokingly referred to it as Halwa. After an unbearable -so -near -yet- so -far wait, which could mean anything between five minutes to five hours, we would stare awestruck at the majestic Howrah bridge dwarfing the Calcutta skyline. The excitement then would change to anticipation. Who would be coming to receive us at the station? The joy of spotting a familiar face at the platform was so huge.

This summer, we are taking our children to Italy. We will reach the air conditioned comfort of the airport. We will wordlessly load our baggage to the trolleys and check in. My children will spend the next nine hours strapped in their cramped seats. They will eat the cardboard like airline food and try to keep quiet so the other passengers do no get disturbed. Like a paranoid mom, I will accompany them to washrooms. They will not be allowed to talk to any strangers and exchange life stories. There will not be any fight for the window seat as the view outside would hardly be enchanting. There certainly will not be any familiar faces to receive them at their destination.

They will see the famous ruins of a civilisation that shaped the world but there definitely will not be any football matches played on a terrace.

Do you think they will enjoy their summer break?