Eternal Rome 🇮🇹

By

A view of the Colosseum


Rome, the city for all eternity where we've seen massive structures dating back to antiquity, was part of our itinerary. It's not the most beautiful city we've been to, but it nevertheless has its charm due to its sheer historical value. It is, after all, one of the oldest inhabited cities on earth and was the center of everything during the Ancient Times. As the cliche goes, all roads lead to Rome.


Arrival


Roma Termini Train Station

After exploring cosmopolitan Florence, Rome was our next destination. Just like the other cities, train was our mode of transportation. Everybody knows that Rome is an ancient city that still stands today, but I didn't expect that pieces of evidence of its age are evident even on a train station. The photo above shows a mural that seems to date back to around 500 AD. I've tried to google about this mural but no success. It looks really old, ancient to me, so I was surprised that a train station, which is a creature of modern times, has a mural that looks very old.


First Glimpse of Rome

During our taxi ride on our way to the hotel, it has dawned on me that every building has the same height - about four or five stories tall. At first, I was confused because I was expecting really huge buildings just like the ones in Manila. After all, Rome has so much more prominence than Manila. There must be height restrictions in this city, which explains why we didn't see skyscrapers at all.

Nevertheless, as will be shown in this article, Rome has grandeur that all other cities in the entire world doesn't have. Ancient structures that withstood the test of time in a city that not only survived but continues to thrive after the lapse of several millennia is a testament to Rome's economic power and influence all over the world.


The Enclave of Vatican 🇻🇦



In the middle of the huge metropolitan city of Rome can be found the smallest nation on earth: the Vatican. While already an independent state by itself, Vatican is entirely situated within the huge city of Rome. The Vatican is an enclave; it is a smaller territory completely encompassed by a larger nation. 

While exploring the bigger city, we saw glimpses of Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica. At that precise moment, I saw the most stunning sunset I have ever seen. The sky was devoid of clouds and the sun's tangerine hues slowly fade into the horizon, outlining the dramatic contours of the basilica. 


Fontana di Trevi



Rome has many fountains splattered all over the city, but the one that fascinated us the most was Fontana di Trevi. Almost a tourist trap, Trevi Fountain was crowded by so many people that it was hard to capture good images of this beautiful structure. 

Tourists and maybe passersby flip a coin or two on the fountain to have their wishes come true. The coins are then collected and donated to charities. Millions of euros are collected every year.




There are pickpockets at Trevi Fountain. The lock of my purse was completely intact upon arrival, but after leaving the area, we discovered that the lock was already broken. Somebody must have attempted to steal my valuables.




The statues at the fountain were impeccably and seamlessly sculpted, revealing one of the finest craftsmanships in the entire history of mankind. When the fountain was completed in 1735, Rococo Art and Architecture was flourishing.


The Pantheon




The Pantheon is described as a temple built during the time of Augustus Cesar or around the birth of Christ. Despite the lapse of two millennia, it remains standing as one of the best-preserved structures of the Ancient Times, which was largely due to its continuous use despite changes in political power.




Although a mere "temple," the Pantheon is massive. By comparison, it is as tall as about seven to eight human beings. The image above shows its gigantic features. One would only imagine just how many earthquakes it survived. Its age and size are a wonder.




Colosseum




Another ancient megastructure in Rome is the famous Colosseum. It's known by everyone but it was our first time to see it in person. It is no longer completely intact and it's difficult not to compare it to the similar-looking Sorsogon Sports Complex, which makes my admiration of the Colosseum somewhat saturated.




Another thing I noticed about the Colosseum is that it's basically in the middle of cosmopolitan Rome. It is surrounded by huge superhighways where hundreds of cars pass by. Not exactly what I thought it would be. Nevertheless, it is still a sight to behold.

Completed around 80 AD, the Colosseum is slightly younger than the Pantheon.


Sant'Agnese in Agone




We also visited Piazza Navona where there are several fountains sprinkled all over. Facing the piazza was a beautiful baroque Church. We checked it out to see if there's something special inside.




Sant'Agnese in Agone reminds me so much of the Church of the Scalzi in Venice because we didn't expect just how spectacular its interiors are. We just went inside without expectations. Rome is Rome indeed. Just like any other city in Italy, Rome is filled with instagrammable sights at every turn. Amazing.




The Church was named after St. Agnes who was martyred on the very site where the church stands. Her martyrdom predates the construction of the church by almost a thousand five hundred years.


Piazza del Popolo




My sister wanted to see Piazza del Popolo so badly as it was featured on many action movies. This piazza was a bit far, and I was then already quite exhausted after all the walking. But since my sister wanted to see it badly, we still went there.




My sister raved about the twin churches near the piazza. I don't remember their names anymore but I did a little research and found out that these churches' names are Sta Maria dei Miracoli and Sta Maria in Montesanto, both constructed in the late 17th Century.




They're basically twin churches sandwiched between and among three roads - Via del Babuino, Via del Corso, and Via di Ripetta. Together, they are called the "Tridente." These three roads are likewise identical to one another.


Epilogue

Rome was one of the last cities we went to and it happens to be the biggest so when we visited this ancient city, we were already nearing exhaustion. Nevertheless, our exploration of Rome and its ancient sites were still worthwhile.


Up Next...


During our tour to Rome, we criss-crossed the borders of another nation. To be featured next is...




The Vatican! 🇻🇦




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

An Everlasting Pulchritude

By
Image
The beauty that still mesmerises us Of the mountain who used to be a lass Every time we set our eyes on her Something makes us wonder For how can Mother Nature be so gracious To give us something which, though, we need not choose Is, nevertheless, spectacular That no other mountain is at par? She’s beyond magnificent Though she explodes every now and then Her many eruptions Conjured rousing captions What would scare us to leave? The magma? The raining of ash? The broken debris? The boulders? Or the lava-fountaining and showers? But these are the same matters That add to the volcano’s wonders Because from a safe distance You would see some other-worldly trance... For tourists and visitors, Even to locals and natives, Its explosion and eruption Are tourist attractions Why are we not afraid then, Do you ever wonder? Because we always see her… As a beautiful lady with the usual temper. But at most times, she’s calm and collected,
Read more

Romantic Beige Sand Beaches Near Mayon Volcano

By
Image
  We were entranced... We sailed the eastern seas off the coast of Albay Province for our weekend getaway. Every time we see a beige sand beach common in the area, the enigmatic Mayon Volcano peers over the scenery. There were many of these beaches, appearing every once in a while, with the dazzling volcano in each and every view. I will never forget this past weekend for each turn had a magnificent scene looming in the horizon --- from isle to isle, from coast to coast, from beach to beach! Tambilagao Port Tambilagao Port We drove from our hometown Daraga, Albay setting off to our main destination, Namanday Island Resort . After making our way to Cagraray Island via Sula Bridge, I felt as though we already left the country. I've never been outside Luzon Island since before the pandemic so leaving Luzon already feels like traveling abroad. On Cagraray Island, we saw magnificent views of the many islands dotting the eastern seas of Albay, but it was the Tambilagao Port where the get
Read more

Mesmerizing Monaco 🇲🇨

By
Image
  La Condamine, Monaco We were almost done with our splendid Euro Tour, but our last stop - unbeknownst to us - would make our escapade even grander, exponentially. Monaco is indeed the wealthiest, most affluent nation in the world... and the dollars are speaking from amongst everything you see in every corner of this miniscule country. It is beautiful, it is organized, it is spotless! If we saw tiny bits of candy wrappers and cigarette butts in very few places in Italy, we didn't see any gram of litter in all of Monaco! Beautiful Nightscape of Monaco with Late 19th Century Buildings Perfect. Flawless.  I have said several times that perfection is unattainable, but our stay in the microstate of Monaco proved me wrong. In the billions of square miles all over the world, there is a one tiny country where perfection is simply a reality. Arrival Our Bus from Nice, France 🇫🇷 to Beausoleil, France 🇫🇷 It was September 14th, my sister's birthday. We were still in Rome, Italy 🇮🇹 a
Read more

Is Love a Constant –

By
Regardless of mood or circumstance, it remains? And when it fades because of a tweak here or there, it is but a mirage? I guess I’ve felt what it’s supposed to be – for ladies I cannot be with. It’s the emotion I feel when I see someone to be perfect or perfectly beautiful despite the flaws because for no reason but love, her allegorical scars – the mistakes of God – are forgiven. The feeling doesn’t change. It's a constancy of company and connection, a perspective that endures day by day, moment by moment, even after years or decades passing by. Because I see her in exactly the same way as the day we met, and the more we get to know each other, I unravel more things I like about her, all justifying the imperfections, and giving me memories that add spice to mundane moments. I may have sought the wrong women, looked love in the wrong places, defined it by wrong standards. Age does not matter, everybody says. But my youth is done; my potentials to develop young, sweet
Read more

The Vatican: A Divine Enclave 🇻🇦

By
Image
St Peter's Square, 12 September 2023. The Vatican. The smallest nation on earth is also the holiest. Roman Catholic Church, the largest religion in the world, has its capital in the micro-state of Vatican City.  We visited its hallowed grounds during our Rome explorations. It is officially my fourth country after the Philippines, U.A.E., and Italy. We were there by a couple of hours on two separate days while still staying in Rome. Despite its small size, the Vatican is grand in many respects. No less than the pope is its sovereign head. Its main basilica is massive. And of course, several ancient artifacts and paintings are kept within its hallowed halls. Arrival One of the alleys we passed by on our way to Vatican. Completely surrounded by the larger city of Rome in Italy, the Vatican can be accessed by mere walking. You just need to present your passport before entry. No need for plane or bus tickets. Even on our way, we saw instagrammable sights We haven't taken our breakfa
Read more

The Farthest Ends of the Philippines

By
Image
         The Philippines, a large archipelago of 7,641 islands, is endowed with many natural wonders and surprises. These multitudes of gifts from Mother Nature, however, seem to be found on the islands’ farthest ends.          Would you like to know what can be seen in these far-and-beyond places? Well, you will satisfy your curiosity as you come with me in this virtual tour  that unravels the very beautiful and exotic places located on the remotest points of the Philippines... Batanes Photo Credit: Eva Marie Gutierrez Cantero. Batanes is the northernmost province in the country, and also the smallest, both in population and land area. Very distant, the island group is located approximately 162 kilometres (101 mi) north of the Luzon mainland. The entire province is listed in the UNESCO tentative list for inscription in the World Heritage List. This headdress is known as the "vakul." Photo credit: Ferdz Decena; grabbed from dashphilippines.com
Read more

A Usual December Morning

By
Image
FotoSearch/Getty Images Image Source Chapter II,  Timeless Casanova . Gertrude could not believe she slept with the same man her very own grandmother slept with sixty-four years earlier. “How come?” She wonders. They could not sleep well that night, staring blankly at the ceiling. They slept in the same room as the situation made them feel uneasy to be alone.   She wanted to ask, “how was it?” She was very curious, but the mere thought of it made her puke.   “Oma, are you sure?” She finally inquired, breaking the long, awkward silence. “Are you really, really sure?”    “You ought to stop, Gertrude,” Oma was still awake, who, like her, couldn’t sleep well too.    “I tell you, I cannot be mistaken. I remember him vividly. He was the most handsome man I have ever talked to! How can I forget that?”   “But how come? How has he remained the same all these years? Young all throughout? How is that possible?”   “That is what I also want you to know. If you ever happen to see him again, ask him.
Read more

Arbor Day: A Holiday We Deserve

By
Image
Everybody wants a holiday. The more holidays there are, the happier the people. Simple as that. However, it is not always the case in the Philippines where not all holidays are the same. Arbol Tree Club members celebrating Earth Day at Mirisbiris Garden and Resort, Sto. Domingo, Albay There are regular holidays. Then there are special non-working holidays and some special working holidays. Among the three, Filipinos can only afford to rest well and easy on regular holidays and special non-working holidays, but we definitely could not afford to be absent on working holidays. Why is that so? On regular holidays, even if we don't go to work, we'd still be paid nevertheless. If we do get to work, we would be paid 200% of our daily rate. Meanwhile, on special non-working holidays, we will be paid 30% of our daily rate if we report to work, and in case we don't, we would still be paid if the employer feels generous. This is not the case with a special working holiday because if w
Read more

A Dazzling Universe

By
Image
Photo Credit: Olja Merker/Getty Images. Closing afternoons and days Are golden sun’s mellowed rays The sounds of birds and bees While embraced by ocean breeze Inside the spires of a gothic church Hidden paintings can be searched Detailed ceilings can be seen   And chandeliers dancing with wind Divine love evolves nature Men recompense architecture Villages unite in culture Caring parents give their child future So love is not only for lovers It’s felt and seen everywhere But between fond partners Love’s a dazzling universe So I'll take you by your hand And make it our magic wand Together, we'll make our dreams come true As I hear you say "I love you too..."
Read more