Friends,
Various
sources gave us varying estimates of time to reach airport from the hotel
ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. Vinod and I had to reach the airport 90
minutes prior to the flight and so we decided to check out by 5 am. There were
many taxis waiting for a fare just outside the hotel. The traffic on the road
being sparse we reached the terminal in less than 20 minutes and checked in. no
customs or immigration despite the fact that we were flying to another country
– the impact of EU. The single currency is also such a blessing for those who
travel in the EU. Early onset of hunger made us move into a snack bar for a
tuna sandwich and a cup of coffee. While awaiting the gate opening I updated
the blogs and had another round of coffee. The Alitalia flight was on schedule –
I was apprehensive of the airline which is notorious for strikes and poor
punctuality. When the flight landed in Rome it was raining; meant that the day
would be tough outdoors. The checked in bags were retrieved and we moved quire
rapidly to the train station attached to the airport to travel to Roma Termini,
the station closest to the hotel where we had bookings. At the station we
bought train tickets and went to the tourist counter to check what we could do
in a day in Rome. He then suggested that we travel by the Airport Shuttle bus
as it would take us directly to the hotel instead of the railway terminus. We
thought it a good idea and opted for it paying a euro extra per ticket. The
travel by bus also gave us to appreciate the landscape better. For the first
time we encountered pot holed roads. The rain was thicker and it dampened my
spirits. The hotel was about four blocks away from the rail terminus. For the
tariff that we had paid the facilities were excellent; large bedroom with a
larger bathroom.
Breakfast
at the hotel had closed by the time we put the bags in the room and came down
for it. The reception clerk suggested an itinerary which we thought ‘do’able.
The first task was to obtain a day pass that is valid for the metro bus and
tram. It took us much time to scout for the nearest metro station. In the
meanwhile, we approached many shops for the day pass – they were most
unhelpful. Even at the metro station the person in charge was peremptory and
rude. Finally, we discovered the kiosk vending machine. The metro is not
visitor friendly; for those who use it daily it is another matter. This was not
the case in Spain. However, we adapted and soon got used to it. Despite the
weather, which was not conducive to outdoor activity, we decided to roam in Rome.
Since
the Coliseum was located close to the hotel we decided to visit it at the end.
It turned out to be a mistake for by the time we finished with the Vatican the
Coliseum was closed. This was the second time I had missed it – in 1999, when I
visited the city the last time, I could not afford the entry ticket! Despite
the steady drizzle we got down at the Spagna Metro and walked the short
distance to the Spanish Steps and climbed them to reach the Villa Medici and
the Trinita del Monti. The admirers of Shelly have set up a museum near the
Spanish Steps. A massive scheme for restoration of fountains is underway in
Rome with help from the public. This is a city which is being continuously
excavated and restored.
We
stepped into a cafeteria to service the growls that were getting more strident
by the minute. The voluble Salvatore, from Sicily, in between undisguised negative
references to Italy and praise for Indians, took our orders for a ham and
cheese Pizza. He also promised a surprise at the end of the meal, which turned
out to be small helpings of gelato in cone. The Fountain of Trevi was not too
far by foot from the cafeteria. The popular attraction was full of tourists. Many
of them threw coins over their shoulder into the fountain; the belief is that
you will return to Rome in due course and that it also brings good luck. The grandest Baroque fountain is the work of Salvi and is arguably one of the most famous fountains in the world.
A
visit to Rome without appreciating the Pantheon is blasphemous for the Pantheon
was the first recorded temple to move from Pagan to Christian worship. This fact
also makes it virtually intact from the BC times of Rome with worship
continuing in it at all times. Thus, the Pantheon remains the best preserved of
the Roman architectural examples for generations to be inspired form it. The Piazza Novona, which is literally a stone’s
throw away from the Pantheon, was the Stadium of Domitian. In the ancient times
it could seat 30,000 spectators. The Fountain of the Four Rivers, by the master
Bernini, at the centre of the Piazza has a reference to India – one of the rivers
depicted is the Ganges, apart from Danube, Nile and Rio Plata. A person assuming
statue positions of a cowboy hogged more attention in the Piazza, however! Via the
Tiber Ara Pacis and the Mausoleo Augusto, one a victory commemoration and the
other a grand funeral chamber, we wend our way to the statuesque Piazza del
Popolo. One of the most famous of the Piazzas in Rome, the ubiquitous obelisk
and the fountains mark this out as a wonderful place to explore in admiration
of architectural finesse.
The Metro
from Flamino was close by and we took that to Ottaviano from where we walked to
the Vatican. A sense of awe overtakes you from the walls of the Vatican.
However, the piazza had been decked up for some function and the Christmas tree
was still there. These somewhat diminished the jaw dropping effect the piazza
had on visitors. Long queues of tourists and increased security meant delay in
entering St. Peter’s Basilica. When I had visited the Basilica in 1999 with my
wife we were fortunate to be part of the public blessing by Pope John Paul II. The
piazza had been full then with tourists from all over the world with placards
in their languages seeking the blessing of the Pope. The polyglot that John
Paul II was, he addressed many in their tongues during the blessing bringing
immense joy and happiness to all around. The magnificence of the Basilica is too grand
to be addressed in words. The marble statues, prime among them being the Pieta
of Michelangelo, the canopy and altar by Bernini, the ornate high ceiling and
the enormous cupola, the chapels and the organ all contribute to the stature of
the Basilica. I find it difficult in such places of worship to offer prayers,
but the exclusive chapel where the Blessed Sacrament was displayed provided the
solemnity to pray without being disturbed. There are many shops near the
Basilica selling religious articles. Sadly, we did not have any time to visit
the Museum, particularly the Sistine Chapel, which boasts the inimitable
paintings of Michelangelo.
The
more than steady drizzle by the time we emerged from the Vatican and the need
for a hot cup of coffee sent us into a cafeteria just outside the wall of the
Vatican. The hotdog arrived in quick time and I seasoned it with liberal doses
of ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard. The coffee was accompanied by a soft doughnut.
After the much needed rest we took the Metro to Termini station. We checked out
the train timing to Formia-Gaeta and informed the Agent in Gaeta about our
expected arrival there the next day.
What
surprised me most in Rome during the day was the almost omnipresent status of
Bangaldeshis. Turn wherever you could and your eyes fell on them. It looked as
if they conducted business in the city – all street vending was theirs. Most
corner shops belonged to them. Loading and unloading operations were almost
exclusively done by them. Salvatore, the bubbly Sardinian, told me that they
were good people who were useful to work with their hands. Sometimes
you feel that time stands still and nothing changes, even though change is the
only constant. When I was walking in one of the Metro tunnels a Bangladeshi advised
me not to sling my backpack with the wallet behind me. He said that roving
gangs of displaced Europeans were experts at dispossessing you in a trice. The
very same advice was given to me in 1999 near the Roma Termini train station by
a Bangladeshi!
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