In Rome!

I'm in the city which once conquered more than half of Europe and parts of the middle east and north africa - Rome! Unfortunately no one wears togas, little leather skirts and carries pointy spears around anymore.

How Do You Reconcile 3 Different Objectives?

To Zo, Rome means the Vatican City - the heart of her religion. To Jo, Rome means Shopping! + a must see landmark called the Colosseum. To me, Rome is the heart of a once great empire, of which only the Colosseum is left.

How do you explain to them that it is more that another landmark in a city far far away, that in your pre-teens you had raced chariots, fought gladiators, and clashed with armies outside its walls? True, it is only a computer game, with poor graphics at today's standards - but you learnt so much, felt its ancient glory, read up on life in those times half a world away. When you played, you were here, 2000 years ago.

And now all that are left are ruins. Abandoned, accidentally damaged, purposely pillaged. Once magnificent gleaming marble stripped from its walls, exposing ugly bricks and mortar. Rusty iron clamps grip pillars tightly to prevent them from crumbling further. And half of the outer walls totally gone. And that is just the Colosseum.

The Roman Forum, where Caesar was murdered is just an empty field littered with old marble pieces. The palace at Palatine Hill has, at most 20% of its walls still left, with only 1 corner giving some clue of its 5-7 storey height. Its Roman Baths are taken over by weeds and moss, with warnings around some structures to vacate once there's rain or strong wind.

I was surprised and delighted that the Colosseum guide told me there was a good view of Circus Maximus from the Palatine Hill - The venue of the famous chariot races of Rome. But when i got there, I could only stare at the empty bowl of grass and rocks - Worse than the Colosseum, worse than the Forum, worse than Palatine. It was completely gone. I think i had a ticklish feeling at the back of my eyes. All Gone. stripped of its marble, iron, bricks and mortar; its stands, its statues, its walls. and built over many times at the years passed.

I felt 2 thousand years too late.

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Worry is The Most Exhausting Emotion I Know Of.

Yesterday Zo and I went to the Vatican City, leaving Jo to do her shopping. I wasn't as interested in the Vatican, but since I'm here, might as well accompany her and see the place. The day started pleasantly enuff. We queued for the Vatican Museum for a short half hour, and chatted deeply quite a bit; something that's harder to do in a grp of 3.

The Museum wasn't that impressive though, but maybe coz we're sick of Museums already. The only astounding stuff we saw were the Raphael Rooms and Michaelanglo's works. Too bad no Leonardo, Donatello, Splinter and Shredder stuff. HAHAHAHAH!!!

But seriously. One of the best paintings I've seen to date is Raphael's School of Athens. In it you see various Philosophers arguing, debating, writing about what they are famous for, all in various poses - diversity in the same act. Raphael even did a self potrait in a corner of the painting. I like little touches like that.

But nothing beats the Sistine Chapel. Serious. Using light and shadow effects, Michaelanglo tricks the eyes into believing the flat surface of ceiling and walls, cleverly covered by paint, is 3 dimensional, filled with cornices and statues of angels, with intricate hollows filled with statues of popes, and carving of men and women on the ceiling in uncomfortable poses. Even the tapestry painted on the lowest walls look real at eye level until you touch it. Now that is what painting shd be about. Perspective. Not those crappy modern art thingys.

I stumbled out with an aching neck and boggled mind, tired of trying to figure out what was real and what was not. I didn't see Zo in the chapel, so I assumed she went out before me. I staggered thru the remaining long, boring corridors in a blur, pausing now and then to rest my legs and see if Zo would show up. When she didn't I figured she must have gone on ahead.

So I went to the cafe and called her - no response from her hp. Smses went unreplied. I started to worry. So i searched the courtyard where we said we wld hv lunch, the cafe, and even backtracked to the Sistine Chapel (which was not allowed), all the time getting more and more worried. Maybe she got tricked and kidnapped? maybe her problematic knee peng san and she cldn't walk?

After abt 1-2 hrs of searching I made my way out and waited outside the museum exit, reading my book to pass time and staring hard at any pink top for signs of her, half expecting her to show up with a sheepish grin on her face. But she didn't. I had no idea how worried I shd be - she's able to handle any normal situation, but what if the situation wasn't normal?

After 2 hrs of sitting, endlessly looking out for her, and pacing the area, she called me. Her hp had totally no reception in the Vatican, and she was making her her back to the hostel after going thru the museum AND St Peter's Square. Well, she WAS very apologetic. I was too - I shd hv stayed with her thru out.

I turned towards St Peter's Square, but after so much worrying, i was exhausted. I couldn't even remember how we got here by bus. I turned and headed to the Metro instead, stopping by for coffee and a very late 5pm lunch, which i couldn't eat with all that anxiety earlier.

But somewhere between her bus ride back and to the time I got back, Zo changed her mind abt the incident. She was nonchalant abt it, and we both had conflicting versions of what transpired - we supposedly were outside the museum exit at the same time. And i didn't get to see St Peter's Square. Exhausted and slightly irritated, i flopped on to bed and slept for 1 1/2 hrs.

Oh well. at least the nice chinese dinner we had warmed things up again. anyway its under the bridge - today is a new day. And hopefully the day i see St Peter's Square.