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When in Rome...
Mercoledi, il 20 maggio ROMA!
I am watching the sun rise over the terrace and seeing the water from the automatic plant watering system pooling on the tiles. We are in Scott Barnes' extraordinary apartment on the top floor of 94, via Terme di Tito, overlooking the College of Engineering and the Colosseum. We arrived in Rome at 1300 yesterday, after yet another excellent train voyage on the Eurostar.
Scott is an American who has lived in this penthouse apartment in Rome for 16 years, and is an antiques dealer. The apartment is consequently beautifully appointed, with a magnificent terrace and flowering gardens. Scott has vacated to his country place and left all this for us to use as our Rome Headquarters!
The terrazzo is a really wonderful vantage point from which to explore Rome. Straight ahead rises the ancient wall of the Terme di Traiano (Emperor Trajan's Thermal Baths--these guys invented the Spa Experience!). To the left in the distance one can see the campanile (bell tower) of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore--the tallest campanile in Rome. Off to the right are the statues on the roof of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. Out of our bedroom window is the Colosseum and beyond it the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Our local grocery store is on the Via Cavour, down the hill past the local parish church of San Pietro di Vincoli (which happens to house Michaelangelo's statue of Moses). Rome ain't called "The Eternal City" for nothing. Everywhere you turn you are confronted with history--for good or ill.
My thoughts this morning are dwelling on the thousands of years of history that we saw embodied yesterday in the walls of the Colosseum and the older structures on the Palatine Hill. It gives one a much longer-term perspective than we have in America. It also serves to emphasize our Swiss friend Peter's contention that we in the States are not as conscious as are the Europeans as to the incredible importance of the European Union. 50 years without a war is a significant milestone in European history! One can understand that, when viewing ancient monuments that were made possible only by the enforced labor of conquered peoples. It does give one pause.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. For us that means gorging on espresso, gelato and antipasti and walking up and down the (many more than seven) hills! We are even thinking of fitting in some sightseeing between the noshes and the naps, but want to do it Roman-style. Va bene!
I am watching the sun rise over the terrace and seeing the water from the automatic plant watering system pooling on the tiles. We are in Scott Barnes' extraordinary apartment on the top floor of 94, via Terme di Tito, overlooking the College of Engineering and the Colosseum. We arrived in Rome at 1300 yesterday, after yet another excellent train voyage on the Eurostar.
Scott is an American who has lived in this penthouse apartment in Rome for 16 years, and is an antiques dealer. The apartment is consequently beautifully appointed, with a magnificent terrace and flowering gardens. Scott has vacated to his country place and left all this for us to use as our Rome Headquarters!
The terrazzo is a really wonderful vantage point from which to explore Rome. Straight ahead rises the ancient wall of the Terme di Traiano (Emperor Trajan's Thermal Baths--these guys invented the Spa Experience!). To the left in the distance one can see the campanile (bell tower) of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore--the tallest campanile in Rome. Off to the right are the statues on the roof of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. Out of our bedroom window is the Colosseum and beyond it the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Our local grocery store is on the Via Cavour, down the hill past the local parish church of San Pietro di Vincoli (which happens to house Michaelangelo's statue of Moses). Rome ain't called "The Eternal City" for nothing. Everywhere you turn you are confronted with history--for good or ill.
My thoughts this morning are dwelling on the thousands of years of history that we saw embodied yesterday in the walls of the Colosseum and the older structures on the Palatine Hill. It gives one a much longer-term perspective than we have in America. It also serves to emphasize our Swiss friend Peter's contention that we in the States are not as conscious as are the Europeans as to the incredible importance of the European Union. 50 years without a war is a significant milestone in European history! One can understand that, when viewing ancient monuments that were made possible only by the enforced labor of conquered peoples. It does give one pause.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. For us that means gorging on espresso, gelato and antipasti and walking up and down the (many more than seven) hills! We are even thinking of fitting in some sightseeing between the noshes and the naps, but want to do it Roman-style. Va bene!
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