From the Eternal City, Rome, or as they call this place, Roma, I send greetings today.
This city is ancient and beautiful. I think I once called London "a place with a lot of old buildings" after my visit, but you haven't seen old buildings until you've been to Roma. Don't get me wrong, these are elegant old buildings, but this place looks like a history book come to life.
I started this morning at the Trevi Fountain. I came here in October so the crowds would be smaller than the summer months, but if these were smaller crowds I can't imagine what a big one would look like. They were eating ice cream (gelato), throwing money at the water, and taking pictures. Lots of pictures. The fountain is obviously a beautiful work of art and architecture, and I strongly disagree with the travel blogger on Youtube who said she thought the fountain looks like Las Vegas. A true melting pot of cultures and people groups that I was honored to walk among for a few moments today.
Incredible beauty. Incredible history. And Audrey Hepburn once threw an ice cream cone down on those steps and littered right in the middle of all this. The Spanish Steps of Roma. One of my favorite stops from today, and I really can't pinpoint the reason why. This was the moment I thought to myself, Wow, this whole city is really like this. We see something built 75 years ago in America, and we tear it down and reuse the property for something we think will generate a better income. They see something thousands of years old and thank God they didn't destroy all this old stuff. People are literally flying in from all over the world to look at this. And I'm glad I did, too.
What can I say about the Colosseum. It reminds me of the nearly defunct sports stadium in Los Angeles bearing the same name. Will the United States offer tours there in 2,000 years? This place was fantastic, from the rich history, to the stone walls that still stand and defy their age, to the wonderful people of the world wandering in and around this mammoth structure. I opted not to take the tour and go inside. Just knowing that folks were torn to bits by angry animals many years ago was enough fun for me, and I think I've already seen a documentary on the History Channel. A special place and a marvel of the past that every citizen of the world should visit.
An old book once said, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." That same old book spoke of a peace that passes all understanding. I find these old churches (and as of today, this is the oldest I've ever stepped into in my lifetime) fascinating. The artwork is beautiful, the architecture unlike what we see in modern times, but it is the way you feel inside the building that really sets this type of place apart. Peace. This is the Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana, just footsteps from the Colosseum.
The neighborhood around the Colosseum seems like the idyllic romantic Italian location. Buildings date back thousands of years for as far as the eye can see. That's why you need a guy playing Italian restaurant music on a violin in front of everything to set the mood.
All this before 2 p.m. on Day 1. What do I have planned for Day 2? You'll have to check back later to know for sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment