A long day of travelling and I’ve arrived in Rome. Thanks to my hotel’s directions, I manage to locate the shuttle bus into the city and save myself a 50 euro taxi ride. Franco is waiting for me at the front door of Colonna Luxury Suites and we take the sketchy “elevator” to the fifth floor where I gratefully dump my backpack and camera bag. After a brief tour, Franco leaves me to get settled. I haven’t slept since yesterday but I’m too excited to nap so I grab my camera and head out to explore.
To put it simply, Rome is beautiful. The piazzas, the arched bridges, the architecture, the ancient ruins, the churches…it’s all jaw-dropping beautiful. Everything is within walking distance of my hotel and I see the Colosseum off in the distance. I meander my way there through the throngs of people. Although I’ve come before the summer crowds, it’s still quite busy with large groups of chattering school children and families with their exhausted and crying toddlers in tow. I think it’s fabulous that parents have the patience to travel with small children, but I wonder if the under six crowd get much out of seeing the Roman Forum or would they rather be at home splashing around in their blow-up pool.
I enter a large square and see the majestic white marble Altar of the Fatherland backdropped against a deep blue sky (have I mentioned the weather is a balmy mid-twenties and not a cloud in sight?). The ornately carved statues have a bird’s eye view from the rooftops of the Altar and are in pristine condition.
Wow, unreal.
Continuing on towards the Colosseum, I see numerous domed church rooftops dotting the area. Priests garbed in black full-length frocks stride purposefully down the street, including one with a leashed dog. Churches are one of my favourite places to visit when I travel. Although I’m not religious I find them a place of refuge after being on my feet all day in a noisy city. Upon entering, the wave of cool air and silence washes over you and the tired legs and aching shoulders are all but forgotten.
The Colosseum rises up beside the Roman Forum and it’s spectacular. Considering the time period in which it was built, the scale is unbelievable. Once again, I’m awestruck by the ingenuity of ancient civilizations and their tenacity to build. How was it originally conceived? What made them believe they could construct it? I stand in one of the archways and am completely dwarfed. Imagine an ant looking up and seeing you standing over it. That’s how small I feel. The stone path around the outer edge is worn by hundreds of years of footsteps.
As the suns starts to set, I check out my map and find the Tiber River. I walk along the water and see a few arched bridges, some more ornate than others. The dome of the Sistine Chapel is highlighted in the orange glow of sunset and I slowly walk back towards the hotel. The quaint bars and trattorias are starting to open for the late dinner crowd and the outdoor tables are lit with small electric lights and candles.
Good night!
