II

Our first sight, as we clambered up from the under belly of this ancient city at the Metro Colloseo stop, was the Colosseum. I remember you saying, as we weaved between the mess of pedestrians and dodging crazy traffic surfing our way through the already thronging crowds, how much bigger it really is in real life; compared to the pictures of it you’d seen anyway! Everyone noisy and jostling despite it not being much passed mid-morning yet. I must admit, it looks fantastic on telly, but only when you get up really close can you appreciate the sheer scale of this monumental fete of human ingenuity. We thought of joining the queue to get inside – but when you saw how many hundreds queueing, you changed your mind and as you put it, ‘it’s only a ruin’, so we just meandered around the surrounding area taking it all in. Past the students screaming and skitting about like annoying fruit flies. That knarley old couple with barely a tooth between them sitting in the shade of the giant tree sipping water from a plastic bottle. We did snigger a bit too at the ever present soldiers and military police posing for selfies with all manner of pretty girls next to their immaculate, battle green land rovers. The various living statues (beggars!) dotted here and there seemed to amuse too.

Moving leisurely up Via dei Fiori Imperiali past the Forum, where we rested in the dappled shade of the Stone Pines and smoked and chatted easily about the ancient ruins- where it is said that The ‘Caesar’ was assassinated. On the way we sidled into the tourist shop and bought your mum a Roman themed calendar and I bought you a book about the city of Rome- did you ever read it I wonder? Up the road to the Altare della Patria- or what most people refer to as the ‘wedding cake’, well because it looks like a massive wedding cake funny enough. As we stood in the welcome cool darkness of a bank entrance on Piazza Venezia, we debated that the statues of the chariots and horses on the top on the monument must be as big as a house themselves! By this time we were very hot and the temperature was still rising and you were sweating a lot, which I must admit I do like.  But anyway, on we went, dodging kids, bikes and manic cars. Past the Irish pub, much to your amusement- we’ve managed to come across a ‘genuine’ Irish Pub just about everywhere you and I have ever travelled to so far) and mingled with the crowds through the tight cobbled roads towards the famous Pantheon.

As we arrived I could see you start to get really interested- for as much for the chance to dodge the beating sun I think. When we stepped in I could literally see your eyes light up as you took in the huge beauty and stunning proportions. Knowing a bit about this early temple now church, I started to tell you about the architecture and its purpose and we stood and marvelled at the huge hole in the roof- the Oculus. You wandered off to get a better look at the statues and art filling the space and niches. Your eyes were sparkling, like they do – that dark ring around your blue irises more prominent when you’re really, really happy. You took loads of pictures. I quietly watched you absorbing it all and how happy you seemed to be there.  Outside, as a local rustic band played Roman tunes, we discussed the crumbling walls where you could see the original Roman brick construction. Just how much work must have gone into the building with millions of thin handmade bricks, just to make it stand. You were genuinely enthused and impressed with this unique building. Having the opportunity to share the knowledge and embrace the spirit of the place with you was a very special moment for me, in a life spent travelling all these mysteries mainly alone. I was glad I have some other purpose to you, other than just the obvious.

We meandered through the tight passage ways and lanes, all packed tight with bodies, over to the famous Trevi Fountain. You found it all very amusing that I was talking about some really famous movie and someone meeting there and ‘blah, blah’. Obviously, you had no idea what I was talking about. Anyway when we got there it was rammed with hundreds upon hundreds of tourists and students of all nationalities, the melee of a dozen different languages drifting loudly through the air. Do you remember we managed to squeeze into a seat down by the fountain and had a smoke? All the while, listening to the sounds of voices and the thunderous cascading water of this most famous of fountains, echo off the walls? As we got up, I went and dropped three Euro coins in the water – a very specific number by the way. I told you it was for luck but that wasn’t strictly true.