To give background to my long desires to visit Rome, I'd like to share just a quick insight about my studies as an academic. I studied four years of intensive Latin in high school, reading and translating cover-to-cover Vergil's epic, The Aeneid. I took a fond interest in learning about the founding of Rome and it's ancient history under the Empire, so I furthered my studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by taking several courses encompassing the culture and history of the Roman Empire. I'd like to consider myself an expert, but once I got to Rome I was humbly reminded that the city and it's history is much larger than just a fews years worth of studying.
I arrived in Rome early Saturday morning and was happily surprised of the beautiful weather accompanying my trip. Before, I had imagined contemporary Rome to look modernly urbanized and down-trodden, but under the condition of the weather and my ignorance I was taken back by the elegance of the city. The plentiful grass was rich and green, and the monuments were magnificent, truly standing out as landmarks that had survived the passage of centuries. I was immediately dropped off at the Colosseum and ushered inside. Once inside, I began picturing all of the gladiator fights and spectacles I had learned about in class, feeling right next to the action. I took a quick walk around the perimeter of the original stadium and then was asked to meet at our next stop: Palatine Hill.
Palatine Hill is one of the "Seven Hills of Rome" that the city was founded upon. Actually it is the first center of the city, comprised of the Roman Forum, Stadium, and Roman aqueduct system. After touring the hill for an hour and the Arch of Titus, we had a short break and were off to the Vatican. The Vatican, stalwart and sophisticated, took the entire afternoon to analyze all the sculptures and frescos. Most impressive of all was the renowned Sistine Chapel, where I could have stayed for hours reliving the strokes of Michelangelo.
We stayed in a four-star hotel on Via Cavour, a major street in the giant city that led to most districts. At night we had no required plans, so I decided to accompany a friend to a popular Jazz-Bar that we had read about on TripAdvisor. With seats we had reserved the night before, we were duly encouraged to enjoy ourselves once we realized we had first row seats at a sold out jazz show. The concert was loud and soulful, with a string of solos headed by trumpet, double bass, drums, as well as piano. To me the Roman History was the favored highlight of the trip, but the Jazz-Bar stole the show, as I felt immersed in the richness of Italian culture at this exclusive clue; it seemed I was the only recognizable American.
The next day consisted of a tour of the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. The Pantheon was almost as colossal as the Colosseum once inside, I was enamored by the age and careful preservation of the building that had kept it in such condition still to this day. Once completely gilded, the Pantheon now is massive stone beauty, buried inside is Raphael, one of the historic master painters of Italy.
And finally before we left, we visited the Trevi Fountain, which commemorates all of the old Roman Baths and Fountains no longer in existence. Full of tourists taking photos and making wishes by tossing coins into the water, the fountain's sculptures of Neptune were astounding.
I'd like to conclude my post today with a thank you to my family again for making this trip possible. To bask in the history and grandness of such an amazing city was only possible through them, and for that I must say thank you so much!
Enjoy the pictures and click to enlarge them. Special thank you to Emily Senes for taking pictures of me throughout the trip!
Such an enjoyable and well written account!
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