Rome (Italy) | A New Adventure Begins - 30 Mar, 2023

 

The view west from the north side of the spectacular Colosseum looks towards the Roman Forum. 

Today, I embarked on a new adventure, which has not disappointed me so far. I arrived at the Denver Airport yesterday and learned that my connecting flight to Dallas/Fort Worth would be an hour late. This, in turn, would cause me to miss my next connection to Rome. "We can reroute you on a 1200 pm flight to Philidelphia. Then put you on a 637 pm to Rome. You'll be in Rome at 9 am instead of 8 am local time. Your bags will automatically be rerouted with you." That will work. Thank you, I said.

In my previous travels, I have avoided being separated from my bags and have been fortunate that airport delays have never affected my connections. This all changed this morning. When I landed in Rome, I learned via text that my bag was still in Dallas/Fort Worth. My original destination for the Rome flight. I said, oh well, this will be a new experience for me. I immediately thought of Jerome, who I traveled with last fall in Albania. His bags were lost for months before they were found and returned to him in Québéc. I tell myself, at this moment, my bag isn't lost. It is just delayed and on a different flight. I think I can make this work if Jerome survived 5 days with the same clothes. Plus, there's an added bonus for me. Since I can't check in till 3 pm local time, I can explore the city without my bag for 4+ hours. 

The Roman Forum is a massive collection of ruins that once served as a marketplace and center of day-to-day life for the Romans. Standing here, I can easily see why Rome was such an important city. The ruins stretch in all directions. It is quite a spectacle. I spend several minutes at many different locations admiring what the angles reveal. In the distance, I can see other important buildings like the Colosseum. Being here gives me a whole new perspective on Rome. It is easy for me to understand now how wealthy and powerful Rome once was. However, it can only be conveyed if a person is here to witness it in person.

I chose to return to Europe for several reasons. First, since returning to the United States, I have continued to feel disconnected from the culture there. The time I spent reflecting and reading my blog allowed me to understand why I felt this way. Second, my values align better with European culture. Third, I found myself frequently contrasting American and European cultures. So why not return sooner? How will I feel during and after this experience? 

Cost also affected my decision. Paris and Rome were the two least expensive locations to fly into. Since I have already been to France, I started this adventure in Rome. The culinary experience and historical context will differ from what I experienced last time. This would be a great way to build on my culinary passion.

It is also the shoulder months of the tourist season (Mar-June and late Sept-Nov). They have always been my favorite times to travel. It is generally cooler and less crowded. 

When I returned to Idaho, United States, in December, my sister told my nephews, "Uncle Martin is here for a little while before he returns to Europe." At the time, I had no intention of returning to Europe so soon. What did my sister know then that took me months to figure out for myself? But after reflecting on it, why not return now?

There is little left of the massive chariot-racing circuit, Circus Maximus. Left of the there is a hill that once served as the median, dividing the two sides of the course. Notice the brown road that is on top of the hill. It divides the two gravel tracks. The entire track is approximately 0.5 km (0.3 mi) long in each direction. Circus Maximus functions as a park or open space of sorts. All of it is accessible free of charge to the public, except the very southeastern portion around the tower. I see several people walking their dogs or running.

When I arrive near the tower, I noticed several people staring into the sky while wearing Virtual Reality (VR) goggles. The cost of admission to this part of the site is 12 Euros. For this price, a person is given headphones, a set of VR goggles, and a face condom before entering. A quick review on my phone and I learn the 1-hour experience has 8 VR stops. Although generally, the experience receives positive reviews, it is rather limited, so I choose to pass and continue wandering.

It feels great to be flaneuring through a foreign city once again. I enjoy walking and being in new situations. Rome is an interesting city, and I look forward to learning more. I notice that Rome has an unexpected effect on me. I am simultaneously in awe of what I see and overwhelmed. There are magnificent ancient ruins everywhere I look. At first, I first try to understand and make sense of everything I see and encounter. Finally, I decide to simply enjoy the views. Take it all in and just enjoy the flaneur experience. There will be time to understand it better in the next few days, I say to myself. 

Up until now, I have purposefully avoided large cities like Rome. They tend to be more crowded and have that foreign touristy feel instead of a local vibe. In these cities, connecting with the local culture is much harder because larger cities frequently reflect blended cultures because of the tourist influence. Belfast, Ireland, might be the exception. This is one of the reasons why I loved the city so much. However, there was no way I would spend time in Italy and overlook Rome. I am excited to be here. The city is an incredible experience in person.

The Arch of Constantine is southwest of the Colosseum and commemorates Emperor Constantines' victory over Emperor Maxentius.

After reviewing my blog over the last 4-6 weeks, I plan to make several changes. This time around, I will not be making daily posts. I sometimes spent a great deal of time, up to 3-4 hours per day, working on my posts. It was important to me at the time to do so. But, I also remembered in reading my posts that posting daily required a considerable time commitment, and I missed other opportunities. In addition, at times, my posts lacked substance. I was simply recounting what was occurring to make my daily post quota. And lastly, over the last few months, I have spent a lot of time with my laptop. Now, I love my computer, but I also recognize I need a break from it. So, moving forward, I will not follow a schedule. I will let my heart guide me when it is time. I am warning everyone my posts may be more erratic than in the past, but I hope they are more enjoyable too. I aim to improve the quality of posts by eliminating those "required" posts that I find lacking substance.

Over the winter, I was reminded that I was on a journey. I resisted calling my travels a journey because a journey implies there is something that I am seeking. However, with some help which I am very grateful for, I now understand this to be true. So what is it I am seeking on my journey? Read on, and let's discover it together.