Hugeosity
Trip Start
May 25, 2007
1
72
73
Trip End
Oct 29, 2007
Rome,
Italy
Thursday, September 6, 2007
We took a quick stroll through the Forum, which isn't nearly as impressive from the ground level as it was from the hill above. Strange.
Next was a church called the Basilica of San Clemente, which is a small baroque church built on top of an early medieval church, which was built on top of a series of Roman buildings. They had excavated all of it and we were able to take a tour through all three levels. The labyrinth was musty and dank, but we both were really struck by the age of the stone rooms we were walking through. It wasn't too hard to imagine toga clad Romans walking those same hallways 2000 years ago.
We then headed back to St. Peter's Cathedral. It had started to rain, pretty hard actually, so the line-ups that had been hundreds of people long all week were suddenly gone.
Like the Vatican museum, St. Peter's is huge, famous, and doesn't disappoint. It's full of amazing sculpture (Michaelangelo and Bernini for starters) and just seemingly endless naves and side alters. We were lucky enough to catch the end of a service, complete with the organ music and singing and everything. We headed up and climbed the cupola, but sadly the very top level of the dome (the one that overlooks the city) was closed for whatever reason. Just another reason to come back, I suppose.
In spite of the overwhelming size, because it's more vast than overly ornate I found the church to feel quite calm and welcoming. Many of the churches I've visited are scary and intimidating so it was quite a refreshing surprise. Except for the doors...they were designed to terrify.
One thing the Basilica needs is a guide to explain exactly what you are looking at. I'm sure they are available from the street vendors, but they should be supplied inside the church.
As we were walking out of the square and heading to find some dinner, one of the funniest things happened. A guy, about 50 or so, came out of the doorway of some random shop riding a Segway. The look on Mona's face was one of the most priceless I've ever seen in my life. A three headed poodle with pasta for fur and a balloon tail wouldn't have elicited a greater look of intense shock and confusion. If only I could have taken a picture of her reaction...I could've made some money.
The Trestevere area of Rome is the trendy half tourist half local neighborhood, famous for,well, just the atmosphere I guess. For those of us North Americans who imagine what a traditional Italian might look like, Trestevere would probably be it. Great food in little restaurants, street music, people shout-talking in the piazzas, and gigantic gelatos.
Oh yea, and the wine was pretty good too.
