LET’S TALK ABOUT ROME: Part 2
arthisto September 20th, 2010
- 3 Architectural Periods l-r Modern, Roman, Renaissance
I came to Italy for the art, history, ancient architecture, scenic beauty, food, wine, hill towns, landscapes, and loving it all, I return for Rome.
Why does one place reach out and hug you, and others simply don’t? No one really knows, and further, who cares, it just happens. However, when it happens, it is very personal, and at the same time, very intimate. For some it’s a sandy beached island, a mountain perch, an almost silent lake, the sidewalks of Paris, Vienna, or among the Giant Sequoias, here in California. But when it happens, you know it.
After about 48 hours in Rome, I felt a sense of sinking into it, a yearn to get lost in it. Not in the great sites, suddenly the Colosseum and the Forum jumped into the back seat, I wanted to be on a back street in a nondescript neighborhood. I didn’t want to stand out, but quite the opposite, I wanted to blend in, fit, smear into Rome. Recognize the feeling?
Frances Mayes feels about Tuscany, as I do about Rome. She describes it this way. “. . . the place took hold of me and shaped me in its image.” Exactly.
Unbelievable Dinner with Roman Friends
“I wanted an aperture, an opportunity to merge with something limitless.” I didn’t know that I did, but boy, did I.
And finally, “ . . . something that takes you out of yourself also restores you to yourself with a greater freedom.” This last quote touches on what many travelers who fall in love with a place refer to as ” I felt like I was home.” I love the way that Rome swoops me out of myself, fills me to the brim, and returns a wiser, more humbled me. However, when I am in Rome and wandering, I feel small as the enormity of all that Rome has been, is and will be, surrounds me. How could I not want a repeat of that thrill ride?
Through the ages, Rome has gathered many, many lovers, I am only one, but that’s OK, I can share. When I arrive we have such a joyous reunion, Rome is all decked out and gives me her full attention. Below are some thoughts by a few of her other lovers:
Barbara Gruzzuti Harrison (1934-2002) – “I am happy here; when I or others have bruised my life, I close my eyes against the hurt and think of Rome: as possibility and hope. . . The world is lovable when the world is Rome. . . For the rest of my life I will love Rome and think better of my life having known Rome.”
Johann Goethe (1749-1832) – In Rome you learn to. . . . “See with an eye that can feel, feel with a hand that can see.”
Henry James (1843-1916) – At nineteen years old, “I went reeling and moaning thro’ the streets, in a fever of enjoyment.” Fifty years later – “No one who has ever loved Rome, as Rome could be loved in youth, wants to stop loving her.”
H. V. Morton (1892-1979) – “I looked down with gratitude upon the city where I had learnt many things; but one does not say goodbye to Rome.”
Judith Testa – (During my first visit) . . .”A strange energy surged through me, a passion for the place which has never faded but only increased with each subsequent visit. Whenever I return to Rome, I experience that same anticipation, energy, and excitement.”
Jim Quist – “I love Rome simply because it’s Italian.”
Why is Rome so magnetic? Could it be the magnificent art, layered history, delicious food, warm Italians, winding alleys, underground shrines, alongside, or often times under, haute couture, 400 churches, one 2,000 years old? Yes, and what about the churches, where most of the art resides? Isn’t Rome considered the very heart of Christendom? Maybe it is the endless stories about the lives of the the artists that, through the ages, arrived in Rome from all over Italy, to contribute to its greatness in painting, architecture, sculpture, mosaic, bronze, and on and on. The personalities, the conflicts, the rivalries. When you know what Michelangelo said just after beginning the Moses, or how he managed to get his Pieta into St. Peter’s without permission, all while standing in front of the masterpieces, Rome elevates, moves, enriches, empowers, and becomes magnetic.
Perhaps you have never experienced a “passion blow”, and wonder how you sink deeply into a place, and catch its spirit? These are requisites for AHA guests, and I have never had a complaint.
- Front Loading. Before departure, study your destination and the things that you will see. A good travel guide can do nicely, but be sure that it has photos. I have traveled for years without front loading, but never more. Your knowledge will afford a wonderful feeling of familiarity and understanding upon recognition of a painting, a cafe, or street corner, that you have read about. With a smile you can say to yourself, ” I know this place.” Great rush.
- Pace is very important. You cannot be rushing, so you need time in one place. Give yourself at least four full days. Then quietly observe everything around you, from the art to the shoe styles. Coats, ties, skin, and faces.
- Fight the urge to make a list of must sees, that you then focus on. When you get home, it shouldn’t be about the places that you saw, it should be about what you have learned and felt. If your memories of Rome sound like this, ” Big bustling city, full of traffic and noise”, than you have missed it, and you should consider a return trip. Thankfully, Rome is endless, immortal and forgiving.
I will be in Rome guiding AHA’s After twenty years, just writing those words, “I will be in Rome”, puts a smile on my face and pulls at my heart. I would love to share it with you.
