Rome Weekender 4

Day2 :

The day started around 9, we had our breakfast at the terrace of our hotel. From the terrace on top of the 8^th floor, I could see half finished, un-plastered constructs on the terraces, another small house itself made on the terrace with a portico, the dish TV / normal TV antennas, the clothes put for drying in the ropes, concrete water tanks, metal water tanks, split AC outdoor units and I couldn’t believe it was not India!

We started the day out by 10, walked to the nearest metro station, took two day tickets from the vending machine. Pranav was cribbing for a ticket so gave the previous day’s ticket to him. We walked to the entrance and were to just put our tickets for validation, the clerk sitting in the enquiry rushed to us telling, ’No ticket for kids’!

We told him it is not a valid ticket and then he gave a smile and went back to his seat. Pranav was not happy, to hear that he is not worth a ticket :). It was impressive; to see someone caring to make sure I don’t lose money!

We got down at Colosseo changing at Termini to line A from line B, that itself is confusion :) . I at least twice landed up in front of a safety freak, who will look in to my eyes and say ‘Hello !’ in a rude tone in a mix of fear and acting courage holding his suitcase more tight which is already held in embrace mode :)…! Second instance, Krithi noticed it and she started pulling my leg of my ‘thief looks’:)!

As usual, there was a very long queue in front of Colosseum for entry… and I had the best tip to jump this line… thanks to my colleague Bala! Actually, the ticket for colosseum is clubbed with Forum and Palatine Hill…and the other two also has counters. All the three counters issue the same ticket and the ticket allows one entry in all these three places within two days of issue.

Yes, you got the trick! The other counters are empty or just 2-3 people in the queue compared to Colosseum where there are at least 75 people! We walked in to the Palatine Hill counter, took tickets and seeing Pranav they said he don’t need a ticket. I had read in the site that 1meter above high kids need a full ticket. This guy has just touched 1m, and it was a surprise they said no tickets for him. I think the fat jacket and his looks would have given them a feel that he is shorter. Anyway, that then became a problem at the three entry gates to explain to the guy that we checked at the counter, she said no ticket…. Blah blah…Again, the adhoc ways worked here as well, similar to India. If it was rest of Europe, I would have been asked to go back and take a ticket for Pranav. But for Pranav, he was again angry for not taking tickets for him :) !

We took solid 3 hours walking through the old Rome, initially walking in between some ruins, and the major labeled ruins include the temple of Venus and Roma ( this is the first monument we noticed which is taken over by the Catholic Church and renamed as S.Francesca Romana), Basilica of Marcellus, Porticus Octaviae, Temple of Saturn, the Curia Iulia( the regular meeting place of Roman Senate), Palatine Hill, ruins of a huge stadium in Palatine Hill and the huge cricket stump-like (with bails) remaining three pillars of Roman Forum.

It was an interesting fact to notice that the cella (I would contextually translate this Latin word meaning ‘small chamber’ as Shrine) of the temple of Venus faces the East like all the Hindu temples!!! Pranav was more annoyed, he started asking us to take him back home and in the bargain he got the deal to be carried on shoulders… ! Oh God, not again!

We were done with the Forum and Palatine Hill around 1:30. We were exiting from the old Rome part through Forum gates to go to Collosseum. Pranav who was happy to hear we are finishing with this, ran ahead and lost from our sight ! We missed the turn for exit as well, eventually got lost ourselves! A little panic to find Pranav, we were not sure which way he went, and there were lot of people too. Pranav had actually taken the turn for exit and was stopped at the exit by the security lady. As we found him standing there and ran towards him, he was explaining to the security to not to get worried, as his parents are just coming behind ! Colosseum will close around 4:30, so decided go in before taking lunch.

Colosseum was much huge and sophisticated structure than I thought…multi level, multiple sections in each level, leading to a gallery… the seats used to be numbered with a combination of section of the gallery! The viewers can come in and go out freely like the current stadiums through the nearest exit…an underground level for the ‘entertainers’ (beasts, convicts, gladiators etc) which is also made in a sophisticated way. The underground level looks like a maze now when the top layer (the layer which was the entertainment ground) is gone ! Sadly, I saw the ‘cross’ had come in to the Colosseum as well, surely not there during its construction in 80 AD.

There were pulley mechanisms to bring the beasts to the arena level…there are too many things executed pretty well ! I think it may have been picturised well in the film ‘Gladiator’. We finished with Colosseum by 3. Pranav is having regular biscuits, but I think he was getting sleepy and so cranky too :( . I wont blame him, it was a bit hectic on him!

We walked to the standing restaurant annexed with the Colosseo metro station. We all had a gelato and Pranav was very happy to see that ‘lunch’!

Started walking again towards Piazza Venezia, which is around a km from Collosseum. This road was blocked for traffic so we could walk in peace. This walk was through a modern broad road with both sides full of ruins, columns and statues.

Had a view of the marvelous and huge Victor Emmanuel II monument from Piazza Venezia, took a bus to get down somewhere near Pantheon and then walked to it through the narrow streets. It was 4 PM.

It was high time that we should get some food, there was a McD in front of Pantheon, and we walked in for the one and only bad treatment in Rome! I was asking after ordering for finger chips and milk shake, for anything veggie is available in burgers or as salads… the response was a yell from the middle aged waitress, “McD DO NOT have anything veggie…!”

We were tired, and hungry, and not in a shape to reply; I paid for the rest and waited for her to serve the same. But I think, it was a punishment for me that I got carried away by the comments in net that Italians are rude and its advice look for McD! I got really a wonderful experience wherever I went in Rome except this multi-national!

We finished with our ‘lunch’, walked to enter pantheon; the entry to inside Pantheon was blocked for some reason. So took some snaps from outside. This is one of the oldest monuments of Rome which is still in good shape. The most interesting part of Pantheon is, its dome is still the World’s largest unreinforced concrete dome, after almost two thousand years it was built ! It is now nothing more than a converted church, from being the temple of Roman Gods!

Continued the walk, to Piazza Novona, it is getting dark already. Another grand piazza(square) with 2 huge, old fountains with a lot of artwork and it was in full festive mood - a lot of shops, balloons, toys, and Pranav is back with all energy, and fully confused as to what NOT to buy. But as he knows he will have to choose one, got away with a Winnie-the-Pooh hydrogen balloon J .

There were ‘performers’ as well, and one of them was very interesting. He, an old man, had a microphone and a sound system. He was ‘singing’ wonderfully with the sound system with karoke giving the musical support. I grew suspicious and went near him, to realize that this fraud oldie was just moving his lips … lol… ! His lip movements were not matching the high pitch song coming out of the sound system, which was my reason for suspicion.

Walked till Castel Sant’Angelo. It is dark already. This was built on the right bank of the Tiber in about 139 AD, by and as a mausoleum for Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family. But the building was later used by the Popes as a fortress and castle. The Papal state has also used it as a prison. Now it serves as a museum.

We then took a bus to Colosseum around 5:30. It was crowded and took a long time to reach; it took a real roundabout way for sure. We both were standing, Pranav got a seat. As usual, soon he started counting the number of people around him who is looking at him, and then try smiling at them. There was one old lady who was with her daughter and grand daughter (of Pranav’s age). She started the conversation with Pranav playfully asking if he can give away the balloon to her grand daughter, in Italian. A new country, a stranger, and a foreign language! I would have thought Pranav will look at me and then say a big No to her, and if she asks again, he will cry.

But, to my surprise, he softly said, ‘Speak in English!!!’ and the below conversation followed:

Old lady: ‘You …are in Roma… speak Roman’

P: ‘I don’t speak Roma, I only speak English. You don’t speak English ?’

Pranav’s job is done. He got enough spectators around, to enjoy his entertainment! The old lady was also nice enough to keep the conversation going, in spite of the fact that she couldn’t understand English. The only other part I remember is:

Old lady: ‘ See, this is my grand daughter…’

P: ‘Ya, she is beautiful’ !!!( * And, I was like …you know… :O !*)

Old lady:’ and she likes your balloon…’

P: ’Buy her one… ’

And it went on….the people around were enjoying the show…

We got down near colosseum, and the drama came to an end J . Now, there was only one item left for me to finish the day… taking a night shot of Colosseum with the lights on…Time was around 6:15.

I went on looking for some spots, and found some steps on the opposite side of Colosseum to get a good view of it. Found a platform to keep the camera still for a few seconds, and took some pictures. Krithi and Pranav were tired and sitting in the metro station steps when I came back. We took the metro to Termini, walked back to the room by 7:15, after a long, tiring day…!

Pranav was insisting to have dinner at the same restaurant we had dinner yesterday. We tried some grilled vegetables too, along with Penne Arabiatta and vegetarian Pizza. The grilled vegetables with mozzarella melted on it, was very tasty! With another tasty dinner, a very tiring, hectic second day came to an end.