Un'Altro Post: Catching Up

My 40-hour day was so exhausting that I slept until 10:30 today.

"Wha...?"
"How?"
"You're in Rome, idiot!"

These things must be going through your mind. I know, I know, but how can I enjoy the overwhelming amount of input from Rome if I am tired? No, much better to rest up.

By the time we got to the city, we had to have lunch, which was just as well, because the plan was to bide our time near the Colloseo, waiting for the tour guide Sara has been raving about: Eugene. I imagined an old eclectic man, who sara described as being "distinct" and "recognizable" and "wearing a crazy straw hat." When she finally pointed him out striding through the madding crowds around the ancient stadium, my mind did a u-turn: Eugene, the loveable tour guide, is about 30 years old, lively, loud and, in his own words, "half Argentinean, half Italian and a whole lot of fun."

Anyone who is planning coming to Rome: Find Eugene!

After a long, leisurely, informative tour of Palatine Hill and the Imperial Palace, Sara and I picked our way down the steep stairs and decaying stones to the center of the Roman Forum. The center of life during the largest Western empire in history. The center of the market of Julius Caesar's time. This is big stuff we're talking about. But looking at it today without knowing the history is very disappointing. I still felt passionate about all of the landmarks and architecture I remembered, but we passed tour group after tour group of clueless tools, listening to second-rate tour guides who probably learned a lot from Wikipedia. Exaggeration? Maybe. I:m sure quite a few guides are very good, but for every one who is truly knowledgeable, there are probably four who are just looking to make a quick buck.

During a conversation Sara and I had on the steps of the Curae, which housed the Roman Senate during the Republic 2,100 years ago, she said she was glad that so many people still visit the site, still show interest. I agree to an extent, but I also feel that the influx of visitors is part of what continues to decay the architecture, and that most of the visitors come because these things are famous. They do not know the history, why they should be excited, what function these things served, they only know that they are old, revered by the Romans and famous around the world.

Although it did not change my opinion of the mass of tourists in the Forum, it certainly brightened my day to meet two Swedish men under the Arch of Septimius Severus (about 1,800 years old, still standing). Sara and I asked them to take a photograph, and when one of them misheard Sara's "have a nice day" as "did you have a nice day?" we entered a long conversation that ranged from food (smorgasbord) to politics (Sweden is very liberal) to soccer (football?) to alligators (the most dangerous animal in Sweden is the Moose) to film (one of the guys claimed he was the "Swedish Jack Black!"). Ola and Mattias were very nice, and even though they were clearly much older than us (40-ish?), I think we were all communicating effectively and enjoyably. Sara even got their contact information, because they offered her tips on where to go, what to eat, and how to travel in Sweden, going so far as to ask her to visit them.

In the Roman tradition, Sara and I found a nice restaurant and sat down for a long meal. Tonight, it was about two hours, though I believe it's normal in Rome to stay much longer. The food was even better than last night. Exquisite, very Roman. The wine, not as good, unfortunately, but cheaper. (The equivalent of about $9 for three large glasses.) As a food lover I'm keeping track of where and what I eat, for the benefit of others who visit, and for my own memory. Tonight was a great exercise for my reviewing abilities. When is a flower not just a pretty decoration? Why, when it's stuffed with cheese and fried tempura-style, of course! Yes, that's right - we ate that tonight. Delicioso!

Part of me begins to love this city, for all the typical reasons (the wine!, the women!, the history!) but part of me is also more grateful for what I have and where I have it. America has problems. Bigger problems, it seems, everday. But I love my country more, the more I see others. Patriotism was never a sensation I experienced until I began learning about life elsewhere (China from my Chinese friends, Greece from my family, Italy from my own experience).

Photos are forthcoming, and there are plenty. There's just no way I can sufficiently convey my experiences through my meagre and amateur pictures, but I will show what I can nevertheless. It seems I need to invent a new art form just to show the world what I see! Now there's an idea.

To come: Villa Borghese and Musei Capitolini tomorrow (Domenica), Citta del Vatticano on Monday (Lunedi) with Eugene.