If only I had a scanner... Ubiquitous Postcards CW#3

Roman Forum – 08/21/07

The Forum is crawling with tourists. It’s hard to even see the ruins, let alone navigate through them. Everyone’s trying to block the midday sun from burning their skin. The Curia is open today, a rare occurrence. The building seems too narrow and tall to be a senate house. Not more than 50 feet from the historic Arch of Titus, a man is being arrested for selling fake purses. He might have been from that group of men running through the Forum, their backs hunched over from carrying huge white bed sheets, full of what I can only guess to be even more fake purses. Even though there are numerous distractions from modern life, all I need to do is close my eyes to imagine what the Forum must have been like during ancient Rome. Immediately, columns begin to shoot up everywhere and buildings reconstruct themselves. Men in togas dart in and out of buildings, discussing important legal matters. Statues of great emperors and gods looking over the people. I imagine a much different place than I see today.

Coliseum – 08/21/07

Probably the most famous piece of ancient architecture in Rome; everyone has heard of the Coliseum. But hearing about it and actually standing next to it are totally different experiences. The Coliseum imposes its history on you. I can’t help but think of the movie Gladiator as I walk through the corridors and when I gaze upon the open arena below. Like in the Forum, all I need to do is close my eyes and in my mind, the building reconstructs itself, as tourists and cars disappear. The deafening roar of the people is the first sensation. The blood, sweat, and passion of tens of thousands fill the air. It feels more like a mob than the most civilized people in the world. The sensation is too much. I open my eyes and exit the building again. I am immediately approached by a Roman soldier, offering me the rare opportunity to take his picture for only 5 euro. Locals fill the area around it with stands for over-priced food and trinkets. The Coliseum is a tourist trap.

David – 08/30/07

I swear I saw this same statue 4 other times before now. Apparently this is the authentic because the line to get in here winds around the block. The hallway leading up to David is lined with unfinished marble carvings by Michelangelo. It seems arranged as if to contrast how perfect David really is (he’s like a light waiting at the end of a long dark tunnel). The statue reminds me of the street performers outside, dressed in gold or gray that only move if you give them a few euro. I watch David, expecting him to move any second now. The people here are quiet, reverent even, which is a lot different from some of my experiences in the churches here. Everyone takes a slow circle around the statue, admiring it from every angle before spending a few thoughtful minutes just staring at it again from the front. Those that are leaving steal quick glances over their shoulders, trying to cement the image into their minds.

Spanish Steps – 09/06/07

Music led me here. Some Americans (by their accents) have joined together at the foot of the stairs to entertain the small groups of people randomly congregated on the steps. Not that anyone is really listening. Couples are scattered everywhere, in every position. Most, however, are just sitting together and talking, enjoying the late-night atmosphere. Only a few rowdy drinkers are out tonight. Maybe it’s too late for them. I can hear British accents mixed with the singing American voices and the rapid, rolling sounds of the Italian language. Sporadic flashes from cameras wash the steps in light, making the world visible for a second. The Steps at night aren’t quite as lively as during the day, when hundreds overcrowd its space. The Steps are where people come to enjoy a quiet night in Rome.

Civita – 09/07/07

How do I capture looking out onto the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside in words? The picture on the front of this postcard fails to do this place justice either. I’ve taken dozens of pictures from atop this hillside town and none of them adequately conveys the experience of actually being up here. Have you ever seen a cloud’s shadow? From up here I don’t have to just stand in shadows - I can see the whole thing. An interesting experience for a city kid like me. This quiet town is deserted and dying. I’ve walked through the main road and have seen maybe four inhabitants and heard only six more live here. The only stores here are a small café, a souvenir shop and a generations old olive oil press. How/why did they even get two cranes into this town? Like all other good European towns, the tallest building in this town is a decrepit bell tower.

Piazza Navona – 09/12/07

The main fountain has been boarded up. The statues are hardly visible through the little plastic windows. A huge circle has formed around two people, dressed in matching black and red outfits. They’re about to put on a fire-dancing show. Two instructions issued: 1) “You watch us dance with fire.” 2) “You put money in the hat.” A little girl is rolling around on the cobblestone, her pink dress covered in dirt. The sounds of accordions echo through the piazza as young boys try to earn a few extra euros. A local calls out to me. “Konichiwa!” As if all Asians are Japanese. They try to get me to hold out my finger to help them make bracelets, but I’ve been here before. I know it’s a trick and simply ignore them. The piazza is so full of life all the time. Artists, magicians, and fortune tellers all set up shop around the long piazza, entertaining the masses.

Sistine Chapel – 09/12/07

My group has been given the rare opportunity to stay here alone. Everyone is silent, heads tilted backward, staring at the masterpiece of Michelangelo’s toils. There is much more to this room than the two fingers on the front of this postcard. Trying to capture the Sistine chapel with a snapshot of two fingers is almost a crime; an injustice to the other painters who contributed to the room. Everywhere I look, a kaleidoscope of colors greets me. Hundreds of figures line the ceiling and walls, begging for my attention. If they had been anywhere else besides in this room, these paintings could have been masterpieces in their own right. Chunks of the ceiling are missing, a testimony to Michelangelo’s inexperience. This is the only time I’ve been in Rome and felt like pictures rightfully shouldn’t be taken.

St. Peter’s Basilica – 09/13/07

The line to get in here is four people wide and wraps around more than half of the piazza. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many tourists in one place. The entire courtyard is teeming with people, while the inside is even more packed. I keep my eyes out for cameras to avoid ruining anyone’s pictures. The high alter spirals its way up towards the heavens. Drawing my eyes up to the dome, I can barely see all the people who walked up to the ceiling because they are so far away. This does not remotely resemble a reverent church atmosphere. Tourists here seem more obnoxious and aggressive. I’m not Catholic, but the entire scene seems fairly disrespectful. This place is crawling with Bernini’s sculptures. I barely know anything about art, but all the flowing marble around me is the most obvious clue to who the decorator was. There are too many tourists here to really enjoy this place, today at least.

Trajan’s Column – 09/17/07

The first time I came to Rome, I saw this and all I thought was, “Why is there a statue on a big column?” That thought testifies to how overwhelming all the grand art and ancient architecture is in Rome. I had overlooked one of the less famous (but no less important) pieces of art without asking any questions. Many others must feel the same way because the column obviously attracts less of a crowd than the Forum across the street and the Coliseum down the road. When traveling around Rome, we tourists don’t do this city justice; we stop by what’s popular and give everything else a cursory glance. It’s near the end of my program and sitting here, I have to ask myself, how many other things have I missed in my five weeks here? How can I rewind to the first week and see everything over again?