2 Days of Wonder & Wander in Rome

While in Rome – do as the Romans – they wander and meander.  They are in no hurry to get any where soon.  They live life to the fullest, enjoying friends, family, and fresh meals with fresh ingredients.  Meals are an important event in all of Italy – it is where the family comes together to sit down at a table not only to eat but to enjoy each other’s company.  They are not in a hurry, the restaurants do not rush you through your meal and the service is at your request.  If the restaurant is good, they don’t take reservations, if you want to eat there you stand in line and wait for a table to be free.  When you finish your meal the servants do not ask you if you want your bill, they allow you to linger and you must request the bill.  This is the opposite of a large portion of restaurants in America, it is all about speed and turnover for not only the restaurants but the servers.  Another big difference is there are no leftovers to heat up the next day.  For the most part the proportions are just the right size, this doesn’t mean they are considerably smaller than what you receive in America it just simply means that the Italians only eat at meal time.  This means no mid morning or afternoon snacks and there are no requests for ‘doggie bags’ if you can’t finish your meal.  Meal time in Italy can last any where from an hour to three hours on average.  They take the time to savor the meal this means courses are presented separately and only when you are ready will the next course be brought to you.  Additionally, meal time in the evening is 8 or later and not at 6 or 7 like in a large portion of America.  The restaurants that are open to serve between 5 and 8 do so for the tourists and if they have a person standing outside to entice you eat there it means that person is paid to bring in customers.  Good restaurants will not need a person standing outside to entice you to dinner – you’ll know by going by at 8 whether it has the stamp of approval of the locals you won’t have to wonder.  Additionally, as a tourist if you have been waiting to be seated and a local group jumps ahead of you in the line you need to realize these people frequent the place during the offseason and help to keep the restaurant going.  They are considered family by the restaurant and therefore are treated as such.  The most important part is the food is fresh, little to no preservatives and made as ordered or prepared that day.

So yesterday I wandered around Rome.  I visited the Borghese Museum which was very well organized and full of incredible paintings, sculptures and history.  I wandered around the gardens and parks which were extensive in the middle of such a large city.  I meandered around several areas in Rome including the Medici Villa, the Spanish Steps (which were closed due to restoration but you could see enough to get a feel for the overall effect when they are open.  I had no plan in mind for the day other than to walk around and enjoy.  I stopped by the Trevi Fountain for a little over an hour to people watch.  I enjoyed watching all of the people throw their coins into the fountain to wish for their return to Rome.  There was a lot of picture taking, kissing, laughing, acting silly and families by the fountain.  When I mention the word family I am referring to generations of families, grandparents, parents, and their kids.

There were several tour groups some of which were groups of teenagers.  Let me just say that the teenagers had better manners and behaved much better than several groups from the east I have come across in the last six weeks.  I understand that most of the people in those groups do not speak Italian, English or French and they bring their own tour guides to their destinations.  However, just because you do not speak the language of the country you are visiting there is a universal language that is expressed through courtesy of others.  Not speaking the language does not give any one the right to be rude, pushy, invasive and offensive. A large majority of the people in those groups do not even take the time to view the primary attraction, they are only interested in using their “selfie sticks” to get a picture of themselves with the attraction.  Selfie sticks are just another tool that is used which prevents a person from communicating with others.

I know what you are thinking – “What about all those selfie pics that you Tess have posted on this blog?”  Not a single one of those pics was done with a selfie stick, nor did I stick my arm in someone else’s face and move the phone camera up and down until I had just the right pose.  Additionally, I  did not push or shove my way to the front of any crowd to get the selfie, I have waited patiently until it was my turn.  Most importantly though, when I have noticed a couple taking pics of each other, I have offered to take a picture of the two of them together so they can have a joint memory.  This was done by hand signals, smiles, and disjointed conversations when we did not speak the same language.  My selfies are more for my family than for myself, it is a way of showing them on an almost daily basis that I am doing fine and they should not worry.  Personally, I hate having my picture taken and would much rather have a picture without me in it than a selfie. Sorry for the rant but I’m functioning on only a few hours of sleep from last night – which brings me to the next part.

Wonder – As a rule follower, have you ever wondered why some people just don’t feel the rules apply to them.  I had a very full day today with my tour guide Patricia.  She is an encyclopedia of information on Rome (for those of you in the younger generation that would be the equivalent to a google expert of Rome).  Today the major stop was the Vatican including the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.  Let me just state, there is no picture in existence that will project the emotion you feel when viewing such incredible artistry.  Truly, but visiting all three places over 4 hours was not enough time.  I would suggest anyone who enjoys religion, art, history, architecture and museums to plan to spend one day on the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel and Vatican Apartments and at least another 4 hours in St. Peter’s Basilica.

I am awed that I was able to visit this beautiful work done by artists who were given their talent by God to create exquisite paintings, sculptures, buildings, tapestries, and everything else displayed within the walls of that holy area.  At the request of the Vatican the rules posted before you enter the Sistine Chapel were very clear and simple, SILENCE, NO PICTURES, NO VIDEOS, NO HATS, TURN CELL PHONES OFF and DO NOT STAND ON THE ALTER AREA.  The Vatican has guards posted throughout the chapel which is not very large in comparison to the other portion of the museum.  You enter one door which is set level with the alter area and are asked to walk down the steps to the main area.  The guards constantly had to ask people to remove their hats, to please continue to move into the main area and off the ‘stage’ and to be silent.  I just wonder how many of these same people were brought up to walk into a church service wearing their ball caps, talking in their normal voice to the person next to them and ignoring the ushers or church leaders.  The guards actually had to use the loud speaker a minimum of 5 times during the 15-20 minutes I was inside the chapel.  I am standing there wondering why these people are not speechless, they are viewing something so incredible that was a collaboration of more than one artist.  The stories detailed in each panel along the walls, the final judgment wall and the incredible ceiling all of which were painted 500 years ago in a method that allowed for no mistakes.  Then as I continue to look around and study the panels, trying to soak in as much detail as possible I see some of these same people tilt their cameras, push the shutter buttons for pictures or record buttons for video and all I can think is “REALLY?!!” I wanted to say to these people “You are in the Sistine Chapel, a place of worship, that has been touched by the hand of God and you are asked to follow certain rules.   Do you REALLY feel that those rules do not apply to you?”  I just wonder if the people who took the pictures and videos felt REALLY embarrassed as they were singled out by the guards.  I wonder how well the pictures turned out for those who weren’t caught.  My guess is they missed out on the greatest feeling that the room provided which was a sense of awe, peace and serenity.

Lots more I could say about the day, so many incredible experiences almost to the point of overwhelming but the one piece that made me catch my breath and brought tears to my eyes was the Pieta in St. Peter’s Basilica.  Magnificent, priceless, breathtaking, beautiful……indescribable.  Then after viewing that sculpture I walked towards the center aisle and looked behind the alter and saw the Dove surrounded by Angels and felt at Peace.

I could wander the rest of the world taking pictures but I wonder if I will ever experience the same feelings as I did upon seeing the Vatican and all its splendor with theMuseum,  Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time.