La Dolce Vita: Roma

Elizabeth Gilbert in her book Eat Pray Love (later made into a movie) coins the word 'sex' for they city of Rome. I am not sure if I agree with her, but I couldn't help but be anxious about having a unique word for the city that would capture my own impressions of it. I think it also reflects how important it was for me that the city indeed makes an impression on me. Some how, all the build-up in history text books, popular cinema, travelogues and good old Discovery channel had to add up to something.

(Aside: While I found most of Eat Pray Love rather forgettable, the first section which is based in Itlay, made quite an impression on me and in several ways inspired me to dream about visiting this country someday.)

As it turns out, I didn't have to think very hard, though I permitted myself to cheat a little and use three words instead- Super Size Me! The phrase is actually a rip-off from the title of Morgan Spurlock's documentary, which takes a critical look at the American fast food industry. 'Super Size' is in fact the largest meal option that Mc Donalds offers its customers. Now what is the parallel I am trying to draw with Rome? Every building in Rome (even the lesser known ones) are simply awesome in the true sense of the word. The magnificence and opulence of it all makes a lasting impression. It's almost as if the Roman emperors always wanted to super size any blue print that was ever presented to them!

As for making an impression in the more figurative sense, well, I feel like I need to go back to the city and take it in another time. This trip was planned to every detail and was about visiting all the 'must-see' places in the two-day time frame we had. We had prebooked every visit to beat the ques and had specific time slots in a spread sheet itenary that mapped every leg of the journey. And amidst this whirlwind of activity I seemed to have missed getting a pulse of the city. I do hope I can go back to visit the eternal city again to take in its food, culture, crowds and chaos!

Here are some snaps of the trip.

I missed adding that Appa was my travel companion! Here he is taking in the size of the Colosseum

The Pantheon...unanimously voted the high point of the trip for being an icon of Roman engineering

Charming Piazza Navona with Bernini's Fountain and Borromini's Church

The room of tapestries inside the Vatican Museum...it impressed us more than the rather elusive Sistine Chapel (oops did I just say something blasphemous?)