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.