Spring is definitely peeping out in this part of the world and lovely it is to feel the sun, to soak it up and enjoy the moments. It was a good decision to see the winter out in Rome and as each day passes I get to know the city a bit better and grow to love it. I love the way the Italians embrace you, greet you as you walk down the street and kind of accept you. With Spring comes an increase in the tourists but they don’t really bother me too much. Yesterday I went to the Capitoline Museum(s) which are two joined Museums that are part of the Capitol Building (The wedding cake – white monolith). I spent the whole day exploring these museums. They are so rich with Roman History. Amazing sculptures and paintings. The Lupa Capitolina is there, that is the famous wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. Anyway…all bloody day!!! I came out smack into another demonstration. There is certainly a lot of political activity going on.
Today I thought I should give my tourist role a bit of a rest. So I did a bit of Italian study in the morning, then decided I should buy myself a pair of sneekers. Specially if I’m going to give the Cinque Terra a go when Rose is here. So I went up to the shopping area Via del Corso where I had seen a Merrell shop. That was successful and I came home with a pair of sneakers although their summer collection isn’t in yet but Spring will have to do.
I then came back to Il Vittoriano (Wedding cake building). I was walking past it and there was an exhibition on at the Immigration Museum of the liberation of the Concentration Camps at the end of WWII. It was free and I waltzed in only to be totally stopped in my tracks. It reminded me of when we went to Vietnam War Museum on Christmas Day. It was honestly the most disturbing thing I have seen in a long time. It brought tears to my eyes and profoundly impacted on me. I guess I was taken off guard so it hit me between the eyes.
When I left there I went to the Marmertine Prison which is on the edge of The Forum and is where Saints Peter and Paul were incarcerated and it was used as a brutal prison in Roman times…very spooky. So all in all not exactly an uplifting day. I scuttled back to my neighbourhood. Went to my Ravioli shop to get a delicious ravioli for dinner. Then went and got myself a Gelati and then a cappuccino. Then I came home to pull myself together.
I certainly never have boring days in this extraordinary city.