Rome, then Home

I don’t imagine that our few days of brief impressions can add much to the volumes written about Rome over the last few thousand years, but here they are, for what it’s worth. Firstly, of course, Rome was the centre of the greatest and richest of ancient empires. What remains from the age of the Caesars is grandiose, designed as a display of wealth and power. The remnants of the Fascist era seek to echo that sense of empire. With a bit of effort you can imagine triumphal marches down the broad Appian Way (we saw its terminus back in Brindisi), games and spectacles in the Coliseum and Circus Maximus, impassioned speeches from the balconies of grand public buildings. To be honest, touring the major attractions lacked something – perhaps it was overexposure, the fact that we’ve seen far better sites in Tunisia and Turkey, or the decidedly less than enthusiastic attitude of those who work there, but James Joyce’s cutting comment resonated a little for me: “Rome reminds me of a man who lives by exhibiting to travellers his grandmother’s corpse”. Not as bad as that, but you get the idea.

It is pretty impressive though

 

Rome feels as though it’s been thoroughly lived-in forever. A stroll around any part of the city reveals layers of human activity from Neolithic foundations to contemporary fashion houses, and everything in between. The Roman ruins are not the only ones – decaying remnants of houses, factories and office buildings of every age are everywhere. It feels as if nothing is ever demolished and replaced – you simply build on and leave the old stuff to collect litter and crumble away. But it is never dull. Just sitting and watching the tourists and the fashionable, flamboyant Romans is endlessly entertaining, as are the interesting little shops and cafes. (There is no such thing as a bad coffee here.)

Gepetto's workshop

 

 We stayed in a terrific four room apartment, Lilium House, not too far from town and easily accessed by bus, metro or on foot. The apartment’s owners, Angelo and Marcia, provide a pickup service from the train station for €15, an airport dropoff for €30 (a taxi has a fixed price of €48!) They are also very helpful with advice, directions and tips for enjoying the city. The usual reconnoitre on an open top bus was a good way to orient ourselves to the city, followed by a few days of sightseeing, shopping and plenty of eating. We decided to save some major attractions, like the Vatican, until we return in March.

Then the long haul home to Western Australia!  Similar climate – different in almost every other respect…

 

It’s been a fantastic few weeks so far, spending time with Lizzy and Martin and their partners, catching up with family and dear friends in Perth and the south west. And despite the wonders of the Med, its history, culture, people and beautiful places, it really is a pleasure to return to a place that is clean, shiny and prosperous, set on a glorious coastline. There are still plenty of wild places. I walked a couple of kilometres along our local beach the other day in perfect weather, meeting just two people fishing for whiting and a bloke walking his dog. Not a single plastic bag, can, pile of dog poop or chunk of polystyrene to be seen. Let’s try to keep it that way.