31 Aug

How do I know I am in Rome?

As I walk through my neighborhood, I immediately become inundated by sounds, smells, tactile and visual sensations that I am unaccustomed to. While these sensations are foreign to me, on their own, they do not specifically locate me in Rome. Every morning, I awake to the incredible smell of freshly baked pane and pastries, along with loud Italian music being played from the kitchen of the pastericcia below. While the music is Italian, it is not particular to Rome. As I walk down our streets I experience more unusual sensations, such as the feel of the uneven stones underneath my feet and the casual conversations of Italian passerbys. Again, these sensations base me in Italy, but not necessarily in Rome. I know I am in Rome when I walk two blocks from our new apartment and reach the massive open space of Piazza Navona. The oval shape of the piazza, which comes from the racetrack that once occupied the site during the Roman Empire, holds three fountains. The central fountain, the Fontina dei Quattro Fiumi, supports a large obelisk that demands the attention of everyone entering the space. This fountain, created the Roman architect Bernini, is composed of a large obelisk taken from ancient Egypt during the Roman Empire, and supported by four large figures representing the four major rivers known to exist at the time of its creation. A magnificent church by Borromini overlooks the fountain, as do numerous multi-story, colorful baroque-style buildings. Scattered around these amazing architectural features, I see numerous cafes filled with people, hear musicians entertaining the crowds, and visitors from all over the world strolling trough the piazza, snapping photos or cooling off around the fountains. This piazza is a model of Roman life as it has been for many centuries- where the daily routines of people from all over the city, Italy, and the world play out on a stage where various monuments of size, scale, and time periods serve as their backdrop. It is here I know I am in Rome.