BLOGYSSEY: An Eternity in the Eternal City

Rome. Though only there for 5 days, I have never experienced so many different and amazing things in such a short period of time. Due to this very fact I was feeling rather anxious when I tried to think of how to fit it all into a single blog post. It seemed an impossible feat. In fact, it probably is. So instead I have decided to share little snippets of my time in theme with the city’s nickname, the Eternal City. I will try to share my eternal experience of this city from its ancient ruins to its renaissance riches and delicious gelato.

What I think when you say Rome - the Colosseum

I knew of course that there were ancient ruins and buildings throughout Rome. The first thing I picture when Rome is mentioned is the Colosseum. But what I did not expect how surreal it feels to walk through the streets and amongst what is left of the temples, Churches and buildings that were built so many thousands of years ago. On entering the Roman Forum shivers tickled my skin and I felt the pre-cry prickle behind my eyes. Playing my hand on the old ruins I could almost seem them transform into their past splendour before my eyes. I was reacting to these ruins the way most teenage girls react to One Direction! Each time when I thought ‘yes, it is amazing but I think I can wrap my head around it now’ I would turn a corner and see something new. The light would hit the intricately designed marble in a slightly different way and I would get the this-is-so-amazing-and-I-can’t-believe-it feeling all over again. Every step took me to a new, better, more breath-taking view of Rome’s ancient past. How it felt to stand on top of the Palatine Hill looking down on the Forum is indescribable. I could have stayed in the Forum all day, but I had a Colosseum tour date, and so after the fastest 3 hours of my life I had to leave. However, once on the Colosseum tour, my disappointment in having to leave the Forum almost totally vanished. Another 2 hours past in a blink of an eye. I went from feeling like a gladiator walking out into the arena, experiencing the simply massive size of the Colosseum, to being a poor animal trapped in one of the small rooms, windowless rooms in the underground. Lastly having all the power in the world, feeling like the Emperor himself on the third tier, looking down at those people giving their life in my honour, before turning around to look of my beautiful city of Rome. It was an incredible experience I will never forget.

The incredible, breath taking Roman Forum

Intricate marble work

The incredible, breath taking Roman Forum

Brick, columns, ivy and marble in perfect harmony

View from the Palatine Hill

Feeling like a Gladiator heading out to fight for my life

Under the Colosseum

Looking down from the third tier

My second day in Rome took me to the Vatican Museums. Luckily I had pre-bought my ticket as the lines were unbelievably long despite it not even being peak season. Rather than brush over every part to try and fit it all in I will tell you about my favourite part and simply say that the rest is amazing and definitely worth the visit. Now, without a doubt the most incredibly part of this Museum are the Raphael Room’s and the Sistine Chapel. I have been in love with Raphael’s work for as long as I can remember, partly because his art has always been in my life either in pictures on our walls at home or books full of his work, and partly because he is just simply incredible. Having seen our small copy of the School of Athens almost every day of my childhood, and it being my favourite, by the time I reached the Stanza della Segnatura it was all I could do not to start jumping up and down. I definitely couldn’t wipe the wide smile off my face, and not blinking had never been so easy. I knew it was a fresco and thus would be big, covering an entire wall. But knowing and experiencing and quite different things. I was able to see the colours in a whole new light, details in the expressions of every person was magnified and somehow new and different. They all but came alive as I stared up, ignoring the growing pain in my neck. It is due to this one, spectacular painting that I cannot agree with so many in saying that the Colosseum was the highlight of trip to Rome.

Such skill a painting looks like a sculpture

The incredible, amazing, beautiful School of Athens

Raphael's incredible works

In amongst all this incredible history Rome somehow manages to be almost flawlessly modern at the same time. Segways, as stupid as I think they look, wiz along the streets. There is at least one smart car on every corner and the latest fashion is displayed like art in shop windows. However, the one problem, the part that makes Rome almost flawlessly modern, is with our modern era, trying to live alongside and ancient city comes into conflict when trying to build metro lines. Rome currently has only two of these (attempts at more lead to dead ends when they discover new underground tunnels and crypts. A fact I find rather funny). This, as you may imagine, leads to massive overcrowding. I had thought London underground was busy, but it is nothing compared to Rome rush hour. One evening on my way from the Colosseum back to Termini the platform was so crowded that I decided to wait for the next train. Well, that was what I had wanted to do, but when the train came I was involuntarily swept along and into the already bursting carriage. I don’t think I have ever been in such close proximity with so many people in my life. In fact I am pretty sure there was at least 5 other people touching some part of me. The last two people in had to push off door frame until the doors closed and they could let go, faces squashed up comically against the glass. Though this aspect of modern life doesn’t quite fit into Rome so well, the new, jazzed up Gelaterias certainly do. The best I tasted was without a doubt at La Gelateria Romana which had a wide selection of flavours from ricotta and fig to the smoothest chocolate fondant. Two taps in the centre of the counter ran with milk and white chocolate, incredible looking intricate ice-cream cakes stood on display in the glass doored freezer. Crepes and nut, fruit or chocolate topped yoghurt was also available. I am not going to lie, going there became a favourite, nightly ritual.