Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Winter in Rome

Posted by Ms.B at 5:31:00 AM

St. Peter Square with the Obelisk @ the background.
ROME, Italy- The eternal city. So many reasons why it is called as such. One of these might be : Rome is comparably alive @ night and on daytime as well. For a very short but pleasurable stay in this magnificent and Holy City, i can still reminisce quite clearly how lovely Rome is. Thanks to my dear friend who stood by me not only as a true friend, my personal tour guide but most specially as my true guide- spiritually speaking.
As we traversed the long narrow streets of Rome(map) by foot (yes, we sure did after a short ride from Piazza Bologna where i stayed over for roughly 6 days only) stretching as far as Basilica of St. Peter; to Piazza Venezia climbing up Emanuele Monument; then to the ever-famous Collouseum while passing by the Roman Forum; and again we went to the foot of the Spanish Steps and climed up a few steps there too; down to Piazza del Popolo, where two twin churches (S. Maria dei Miracoli and S. Maria in Montesanto) proudly stand as if guarding the Piazza(Italian for Plaza) - i can't help but be amazed with much awe to the sights and sounds of this beautiful place! Imagine being in a place as wonderful as Rome!
I can't recall now which Piazza we went first because there are lots of Piazzas all over Rome. I learned now as i studied the places in a comprehensive map here i keep remembering the names and i'm pretty i am sure we went to Piazza Navona where a some few vendors lined up their goods for the tourists- including me of course- and on to the amazing Trevi fountain. It is said that when you throw a coin over your left shoulder, there is a possibility that you can be back to that place. So i did throw a coin with hopes of going back there. After that coin-toss we went inside the Pantheon- the place dedicated to the twelve Olympian Gods. You'd be magnitized to this particular place. Read more here to find out why.
The next few days i went over to Sta. Pudenziana- the church ..."designated as National Church for Filipinos in Rome". My friend who was serving as one of the nun there told me about the martyrs (St. Pudentia or Pudens and St. Praxedes whose remains were kept down the very deep well located inside this particular church. Some three thousand catholics died defending their faith in those early times .
Ahhh! ROME! The very place where the Pope resides! And take note, it was not just my very first time to travel to a foreign land but also- it was my first to be out of my homeland -Philippines. It definitely felt like away from all the hustles and bustles of everyday fuzz. Not to mention i get to see the Pope just a few feet away from his Papal see-thru car while His Emminence was about to crown Mama Mary on Her Feast day (December 8th). Those days were trully great, indeed! ... @ least for me!
It was more than two years now but mind you my heart is deeply rooted there after that tiresome but fun-filled trip plus the true experience i can not simply forget in my entire life! And i am positive i will be back there in due time.
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I titled this "Winter in Rome" because i wanted to portray (in my own personal observation) how cold winter should be compared to our Philippine climate. I thought it would snow on that december-2002 air but didn't. Although there wasn't any snow but i felt the 5 'C degrees as if i was about to freeze! I heard it snowed the year after that but i wasn't around! Grrrr!

2 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...
    5:35 AM, March 22, 2005  
    the pics are very good. i think the photographer really has a creative eye.
    Ms.B said...
    7:19 AM, March 22, 2005  
    Oh yeah, he is an artist in many ways.I'm sure he'd be delighted to know that.

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