We are spending two weeks in Italy and Sicily. Throughout the trip, we’ll be publishing short posts, like postcards, that reflect what we’ve seen and tasted during the trip. Here’s the first of the series. Ciao!
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While we were en route to Rome, Mary and I were talking about the AirBnB we had rented, which is less than a mile from the Colosseum. Mary said, “Imagine if you actually lived there. You could talk to practically anyone in the world and they would know where it was.”
It’s been interesting, now that we’re in Rome, to experience the Colosseum as part of our neighborhood.
When you’re in a tour group, you have no responsibility for navigation. You don’t know how to get from place to place. You just get on the bus or subway, ride, then get off and follow the tour guide. Look, there’s the Colosseum!
But when you are staying in the vicinity – close enough to walk – you are very aware of your surroundings. You notice the cobblestone streets. You notice the incredible blue sky. You see the flow of traffic – ordinary people coming home from their jobs.
The Colosseum? Yeah, it’s that big thing over there. I pass it every day going to and from work. I don’t really notice it anymore.
Depending on your route, you might see the Colosseum at the end of the block, past the flower vendor and the sidewalk cafe.
When you’re walking to the Colosseum, you have the opportunity to take a detour into the park across the street and find a tree-lined pedestrian avenue with benches that provide a great spot for a picnic.
We ate prosciutto and cheese, peanuts and chips from the local co-op grocery store, sitting on a bench, in sight of the Colosseum. We could see it, down at the bottom of the hill, but competing equally for our attention were the group of young boys playing football (we call it “soccer” in America) in the piazza at the top of the hill.
The Colosseum? Oh, yeah. It’s right over there. It’s always there. We live in its shadows and are reassured by its permanence. We see it every day, but don’t really notice it.
But it calls to the visitor: “Slow down. Relax. Put away your cell phone. Be present in this moment. Contemplate the passage of time. This was all here yesterday. It will all be here tomorrow.”
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I know you guys are having a great trip, now in Sicily. We returned from Munich the day you left for Rome…like two planes “passing in the night”! Enjoy all that amazing Italian food…you’ve earned it. 👋🏼
Mike and Mary! I think I’m going to love these postcards from 🇮🇹 Italy. Because I’ve had the opportunity to visit Italy off and on since 1973, I can appreciate your mantra to simply slow down, listen, watch, take time to “take it all in.” Beautiful Italy has so much history to enjoy . It truly was there yesterday, today and will again be with us tomorrow! Thank you for sharing your stories with us!!
Thanks, Jayne. We’ve had a great time in Rome. More postcards to follow. Leaving for Sicily in the morning. A new adventure awaits!