Roman Characters

Piazza Colonna. Tourists in bermudas and hats... Romans in black suits, walking 'a la Italiana': fast, ascertively, as if they own every piece of ground under their feet and not letting any part of their feet not kiss such ground. The three men were together and looking to side and side. Probably taking something else than a shirt under their suits... Are they good guys playing bad?

Palazzo del Quirinalle. Corazzieri (gala official guard) looking up, or just doing their neck exercises to support those 'light' hats!

Horse Cart at Vittorio Emanuelle. The flags should not be necessary: green grass, red cart and snow-white, eye-blinding carrara!

By the Colisseum: a "Roman Emperor" talking  with three people from the Far East (Indians? Pakistanis?), or trying to convince them to take a picture with him. Clearly he did not tell them they were "his Cleopatras"! Or are they negotiating the price? 

Very Western tourist just spoiling another photo!  But at least it seems she found where to sit and drink her water.

Youth from all countries populating Piazza San Pietro. Who would say that the Pope is away. Contagious enthusiasm and loads of good energy.

This heat is killing me.

Who do you say is more comfortable in +30C?  Also, it seems I am not the only one asking...

Thankfully in the shade!

Profile x2.

Man, my back is killing me! -Shut up. Did you see that tourist?

Swiss Guards at the vehicular entrance of the Vatican. I think this one just acted for my photo, although a car had just driven in and he sent it back outside! Grazie per la photo!

Human Oscillations

“Isochronism in the Oscillations of the Pendulum
Here the exact words of Galilei: ‘The other truly marvelous thing is that the same pendulum oscillates with the same frequency, or just slightly, almost indistinguishably different.’

The regularity of pendular movements opened new horizons on something in which Galilei firmly believed, namely the universality of all movements, whether they be rectilinear, circular or parabolic. This was no mean feat. Since the dawn of civilization, rotating movements have been considered to belong to the heavenly spheres. The consequence of the discovery that all movements are manifestations of the same entity, that of motion, was that stones have the same status as Stars.

The invention of the pendulum marked a turning point in millennia of efforts to improve on the measurement of time. For centuries, millennia indeed, as far back as memory can reach, the measurement of large quantities of time had been entrusted to increasingly large quantities of something, for example, sand in hourglasses. Yet all that was required was to tie a stone to a length of string, fix one end to a plank of wood and push the stone. As a boy in Pisa, Galilei had noted that oscillations were incredibly regular. One of his early works was to construct a pendulum. Varying the length of the string, Galilei managed to build a pendulum that beat like his heart. If we tie a stone to a piece of string one meter long and set the pendulum in motion, we will find that the stone takes one second to travel from one extremity to another. Galilei discovered that if there is parity between weight and length, the oscillation lasts the same amount of time, even if different amplitudes are used, providing the variations in the amplitude of the oscillations are not too large. And so, starting from his heartbeat –the heart as a measure of time- Galilei opened new horizons for humanity, which would lead to time being measured to billionths of a second.”

Maybe the ‘pendulum’ is not the only thing in this life oscillating in regular movements.

Maybe the “universality of all movements, whether they be rectilinear, circular or parabolic” does not only refer to Physics, but also to human history, to life.

Being in Rome, the expansion and collapse of the Roman Empire comes to my mind. How that story repeated itself in a different degree in Italy, and how it repeated itself to a certain extent in the history of other countries around the world. A big boom, the worldwide frantic excitement about certain country booming, the shy growth turning into over-ambitious, unrealistic, overly risky thirst to be more, be stronger, be bigger and faster, the sudden burst that makes thousands of people suffer, maybe even water-falling through generations.

Three stages of the expansion of the Roman Empire (in white).
Maps carved on the walls of the Roman Forum.

As an Argentine, I have experienced this boom-and-burst cycle in my own home-country over and over in my not-that-long life.

"Il Pendolo di Galilei", Giuseppe Gallo con Felice Farina, 2008. Bronzo e Ferro.

Maybe it is not a Physics law, or not an Economics and History law or pattern, but just a natural reflection and fruit of human nature, of our innate circadian cycles.

Maybe we are just like this modern version of an ancient invention… human history keeps repeating itself, fascinatingly or sadly repeating itself, just like this “Bronze and Iron” version of Galilei’s primitive invention -or realization of how this world works.

Maybe just like this modern “Bronze and Iron”, the word is in “one hand” (up to you whose hand you believe it is), however it is people who pass by who make the world/pendulum oscillate at different amplitude, different speed, different rhythm, or just leave there still, hanging from the string.

"Il Pendolo di Galilei", Giuseppe Gallo con Felice Farina, 2008.  Bronzo e Ferro.

Expectations and Galileo

Just across Piazza della Reppublica is stunning Santa Maria degli Angeli. My expectations were to find a rustic church inside, judging from the outside. How wrong was I! In some way I was pleasantly surprised, but also I had caught myself offside with my expectations.

Central Altar at SMDA.                                                                    Lateral Altar at SMDA.

Exiting SMDA.

Not only that: at this huge basilica, there was an art exhibit on Galileo Galilei (“Galilei: Divine Man”). There were pendulums and a few modern sculptures. The pendulums called my attention, particularly one huge modern version, that instead of having a regular ball at the end, had the world, and instead of having just a string attached to it, had a hand joining the world and the cord. People could go and make the earth swing, or turn, together with the hand, and an electronic device would tell the seconds it took the earth to swing from one extreme to the other.

For some reason yet unknown to me, I was ecstatic watching such a simple and old invention. Galilei’s words got me thinking, as did this modern version of his invention.

Modern Pendulum.

Some Colorful Roma- in Other Ways

Some relax to the brain. Some eye candy. Some overload to the system (too much beauty... as Mercedes said!)
Through the streets of stunning, sweet, seductive, colorful Roma:

Italian Ways: do you understand Respect?

Scuzzi, do you understand respect? While coming upstairs out from the subway, my jaw was dropping as I was coming up, and Piazza della Reppublica was unveiling in front of my eyes. I was somehow slow that morning, maybe getting my system exposed to too much city-hiking and too much beauty. I saw a cute and huge McCafe (some McCafes here can be like many Starbucks!) at the Piazza, under the ‘galleria’ of one of the semi-circular buildings. Voila! I was so sluggish that I thought this was definitely heave-sent: I even found a table outside, under the galleria, in the shade, to enjoy my cappuccino and people-watch before continuing (or starting) my expedition.

Piazza della Reppublica and Fountain.

I was truly enjoying and savoring this simple moment, when two Italian families suddenly stood in front of me, blocking my view into the Piazza. They were two middle-aged couples with a few young kids. I thought, OK, they will leave soon, they were clearly expecting some bus to come, and I could still enjoy the view at my sides. Until one of the Mammas –a chubby compact blonde, with deep blue eyes and weather-exposed skin, who seemed to had landed there straight out of bed-, the loudest one, grabbed the chair opposite to me at my table and sat down, not even asking for permission. I must say that there were plenty of free tables (I do know the "European sitting" ways), however it seems that they liked my spot. Not only that, she sat her skinny and restless youngest daughter on the chair between me and her. Not only that, she took out from her oversized plastic bag a Panini, tore it and gave a bit to the skinny girl. Not only that, she started smoking at my table! Not only that, she was still issuing orders from her new command post, in out-loud, full voice. I could have got mad, but I was somehow amused at the whole situation; was rather watching them in disbelief. The skinny girl gave me looks every now and then, while her matron acted as if I were some of those mobile statues, who happened to be sipping coffee at their table.

The beauty of the whole environment was such, that it remained immune to any occasional rudeness and disrespect. In fact, this living contrast just made the beauty more beautiful –not that it was required at all! When I was about to take my last sip, they ran towards their bus in a noisy caravan. I smiled: at least I got the first and last sip in sheer peacefulness and exquisiteness of the place and the perfect weather, with no unrequested guests other than pigeons outside the galleria.

One of the semicircular buildings at Piazza della Reppublica. Galleria under which I had my colorfully "Italian" cappucino!

Italian Ways: Do this, not that!

1. Do not try it! I was not sure of what size I had to take for a shirt. I needed to try the 2 options I thought would fit. It was 7.55pm and the store closed at 8pm. A shop-assistant in exasperation told me when I asked him where the fitting rooms were: “Just take both, try them at home, and you come and return what you do not want tomorrow!” I thought: sure, you are putting ME in an inconvenience for your own convenience! I had no choice, unless I wanted to take the risk of losing either of them the following morning.

2. Put on your shoes! In Santa Maria Maggiore, I had gone into a lateral chapel to meditate in silence (those chapels are for meditation/prayer only, no flashes are allowed, and silence is enforced by a guardian). As one of the major basilicas of the country, it attracts people from all over the world. There was an Indian young man sitting behind me. And in the last row, a very humble woman- maybe homeless. I know that in some Eastern traditions, taking the shoes off is a sign of respect. He had taken off his sandals. When I listen from the woman in exasperation: “Metti le scarpi!!” (put on your shoes!). And not only once, but she repeated twice and three times, pointing her finger to his feet, until the guy (who knows if he understood Italian) finally put his sandals back on shyly. I do not know what was more shocking: the fact that she was issuing this order or the fact that he obeyed as soon as he got the message. As if she had some authority in that environment or over him!

             SMM - on the entrance side, tower.                         SMM - view from the back. What a 'back'!

SMM - inside overview.

3. Go! Sant’Andrea al Quirinalle. This church is beautiful outside and inside. I thought for the very few first seconds that they were celebrating mass, but it was mass within a wedding. Why it was not obvious that it was a wedding? Because the guests were 5 people –other than the parents. I stayed quietly observing the ceremony and taking pictures in the back of the small church. Suddenly a handful of tourists walked in and started chit-chatting. That was the end of my stay in church: an Italian man elegantly dressed rushed assertively towards us in the back of the church and gave us this ‘invite’: “You cannot stay here. This is a private ceremony, there is a wedding going on. You cannot stay.”

Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, just across the street from the Palazzo del Quirinale -lateral entrance.

Wedding at Sant'Andrea al Quirinale.

Italian Ways: Do YOU understand English?

1. Do you understaaannnnd English? My legs could barely move after walking all day the Roman hills. By 4pm my legs were begging for a rest and a kick; there was no way I would go back to the hotel so early! There were at least 3-4 more hours to enjoy! I definitely needed a coffee and a seat. I found a self-service place and went to sit outside, at one of the tables on the sidewalk with my coffee. There were some other young people at other tables. Hardly after my first sip, an infuriated waiter comes and asks to the guys at the table by mine: “Do you understaaaannnnddd English?!?!” Yes. “What does it say?!?!” The small signs said: “Please do not sit. Reserved.” But there were at least 8 tables and all of them empty and Reserved! They were sent inside and if you are thinking that I had the same fortune, you are just right.

2. Putting heat through the air conditioning. The air conditioning of my hotel room was too noisy, and even though I had not complained, apparently my sensitive neighbor had complained so many times that the hotel called the technicians in. The concierge, a young Brazilian with whom I chit-chatted every now and then in English, called me at 10am to see if he could send the technicians upstairs to my room. “Please give me half-an-hour to get ready. No one told me to expect them.” Fifteen minutes later, he calls again. “Not yet! I had never been told that these guys were coming. I call you when I am ready.” And three minutes later three guys are knocking at my door. I thought: Ha! This is their way. Fantastic…, clearly not a problem of English comprehension. They will have to wait outside my door until I am ready! And so they did…

Italian Ways: What is Indecent?

Italians…! They can be as colorful as their flag: go from afiery furious  red to acheerful flirty green, to a plain cordial diplomatic white. Incidentally, it does not matter if you were not born in Rome or in Italy, it does not matter if your ethnicity shouts out loud and undoubtedly that you are not Italian. As long as you speak it (and act it), you can play the Italian way.

1. Indecent dress. As you may have realized, I went twice to Trinita dei Monti. Not because I liked it that much, although it is no doubt gorgeous, but because the first time I was banned from entering. Why? My shoulders were bare. I was stopped by a black guy who even if I covered my shoulders with my oversized purse and shopping bags, and told him that that morning I had been in three other churches previously, he insisted in his “no”. “Go downstairs and buy a foulard.” Sure, downstairs they were selling polyester foulards –other black men- for the price that I would buy a silk foulard. Maybe it is not that he was jealous of his job, but that he had some perfect business with the street sellers….!? Funny dress code: Asian women in micro-skirts and hot-pants on top of their tights were OK to get into churches. But the aberrant skin of my shoulders was showing in this ankle-long flowing dress and I was indecent, unacceptable.

Trinita dei Monti by sunset.

Trinita dei Monti inside.

2. Indecent behavior. I went into one of the many shoe-shops with everything on sale. A pair of light, stunning flip-flops looked like the perfect replacement for that other pair I have about to collapse. Particularly when the price tag was €10! However, when I go to pay, it had raised to €15. “But I saw the huge price tag that said 10!” “Signora, it is 15, see?”, said the Chinese girl, in her very much “a-la-Chinese” Italian, and too much of an Italian attitude. To my surprise, when I turned my head to see where the cashier was pointing at, it said 15. Had my faultless visual memory collapsed? Was I so exhausted? When I walked towards the sign in disbelief, I see that it had been turned around: when getting closer, you could see-through the 10. So I showed it to the cashier: “See, it was turned around. And now someone came and flipped it again.” If this would have happened in the US, they would have apologized and respected the price I had seen. However, this Chinese woman lashed out in sheer insolence and running out of patience: “Signora, you are not forced to buy them. The price is 15. You take them or not?!?” “Scuzzi” and “Me Dispiace” are words she had failed in her Italian lessons.

Ask when you don’t know. Not always.

Where had I taken from this approach of asking policemen for information? Maybe it started on day one, when I browsed Vatican City. On my way back, I saw hundreds of people populating Piazza San Pietro, specifically the area closer to the Basilica, which was earlier in the morning closed to the public. I was intrigued! What is going on? And apparently people were just flowing in, without showing any ID or ticket. I asked a policeman: “Scuzzi, what is going on?” Some youth’s event. “Oh, so the Pope will participate?” No, the Pope is not here, he’s at Castel Gandolfo.” Oh! When is he coming back?” Not until September. “Grazie.” As if I was talking to a good friend’s assistant!

Coming from a long stay in the US, this rapport with “Law-and-Order” is a big difference.

And as in many Latin countries, asking for information on the street is not uncommon. Even amongst total strangers. Like when I was walking on Via del Corso (a popular street, full of mainstream shops), going from one end to the other- almost. This street goes from Vittorio Emanuele to Piazza del Popolo. A few blocks before Piazza del Popolo, you can make a detour on Via Condotti (a street full of high-end designers’ boutiques) and end up at Piazza Spagna. I was going from Vittorio Emanuele to Piazza Spagna, walking at my pace, in my ankle-long, flowery, flowing summer dress. An Italian man in his 40s asks me in his own language (I have to clarify this because some other times they take me for Americani and they approach me in English without even double checking): Sorry, how do I get to Piazza del Popolo?

From Vittorio Emanuele (C) to Piazza Spagna/Trinita dei Monti (A) and Piazza del Popolo (B).

Source: googlemaps.com

I thought at first that he was truly asking- there are as many domestic tourists as foreign tourists in town. So, why not? I told him, emphasizing it was a quite long way from there [on the map, going from “C” to “B” – while I was going from “C” to “A”].
- Well, but, we can talk. We talk, we walk, and when we realize, we are there!
- Yeah, but I am NOT going to Piazza del Popolo.
- Sei Madame or Mademoiselle?
- That does not matter (to you).
- Me chiammo Alessandro, what is your name?
- I am actually stopping here (and I walked in a shoe-shop). Ciao!


Yes… asking. Works both ways. Just that in one of the ways, it did not work. For him at least!

 The monumental Vittorio Emanuele - or Monument to Italy.

Piazza del Popolo. View from the top of Muro Torto. St.Peter's dome in the horizon.

Piazza Spagna - into Via Condotti.

 

Stairs joining Piazza Spagna to Trinita dei Monti.

Ask if you don’t know. Again.

Once I had not only taken photos but also enjoyed the fresh breeze and endless view from the Quirinale, I started the descent down a narrow, winding pebbled street, to find my way to Fontana di Trevi. As I am walking downhill, there is another Palazzo on the opposite side of the street from the Quirinale. A policeman (this one dressed like a traffic policeman, not in any fancy outfit) is at the entrance. This is a smaller, yet exquisite palazzo. Here I go again: “Scuzzi, what building is this?” It is part of the Quirinale.

Another Palazzo at Piazza del Quirinale, part of Palazzo del Quirinale.

Ministry across Piazza del Quirinale.

The other palazzo on Quirinale hill. The General Secretary of the Republic's Presidency.

Thoughts that came to me were: Do governments need all this space? To LIVE? Nowadays? My inquisitive mind was soon distracted by architectural beauties, by the charm of the whole picture, and my questioning was derailed if not stopped. At least until my city-hiking was over that evening.

Coming down Quirinale Hill, getting intoxicated with the surrounding charm and beauty. Until I arrived to the final destination of the day: Fontana di Trevi.

Yet, as in Rome there is a surprise at every corner, if not at every step, that was by no means the end of the day. I discovered this small church around Fontana di Trevi -so small, that it does not show on maps-, in sheer contrast with the spectacular magnificence of the fountain-monument.

Small church around Fontana di Trevi.

I like the impression one gets coming out from a church, it is like coming out from a box into a surprise world: whether it is a view to a piazza, a picturesque view from a gate or arch... and in this case, it was a down-to-earth snapshot of the local scenery, colorful architectural beauty -different from the Fontana and the church-, loud noise in contrast with the silence of inside the church and the sound of water mixed with tourists' rumble from the fountain.