
Ambling Around Rome
I have been neck deep in eating, hence the absence. Hedonism in the new year. Indo Chinese and biryanis and street food and what not. All of that would be fodder for another post. I am in Calcutta at my childhood home which means that I am persevering to achieve Zen. A tall order given the frequent squabbling with my mother who remains the most headstrong woman I have ever known. But because I am home alone — something I ached for as a child when my parents refused to leave me to my devices as it would involve my racking up the phone bill to palpitating figures — I thought about reconnecting with my beloved bloggers. After all, I have left my passion for waffling on the phone behind. The passage of time. If this were a 13-year-old me, I would have shrivelled a person who uttered such ludicrous thoughts with deep-dyed contempt and scowls.
Back to our rambles in Rome because I have a truckload of photos to unload upon hapless you, the day we drove into the city from the airport we met a cab driver who lives in a small village near Rome. This large and drawling Italian, born in Rome with an invigorating love for the city, rattled out figures. For example, the dimensions of the Circus Maximus, the former stadium of ancient Rome that now looks like a serene and long vat of green and which 2,700 years ago could hold a 40,000-strong crowd to gawp at chariot races. Our mobile cache of facts was amusing and charming. It was a long conversation about the state of the world, his teenage daughter who has grown out of clinging to her dad for everything, her quest for learning Arabic, his experiences in Afghanistan when he served in the army, their move to the suburbs of Rome, his nonna who makes the best bruschetta for early evening snacks,… but the tip that we picked up was — climb the Altare della Patria that stands at the cobbled crossroads of the Piazza Venezia.
For if you take the combination of stairs and elevator to the top of the boxy monument in white marble built for Victor Emmanuel II (the first king of a unified Italy), you get a breathtaking view of the city. We stood on top of the monument for a long time beneath stellar blue skies and a caressing winter sun, watching people photograph sizeable (could be the pizza and pasta diet) preening Italian gulls with the Colosseum as a dramatic backdrop, photographed them ourselves, and then later retraced our steps to the Roman Forum where I remember jostling with crowds in the summer of 2016.
The road to the largest amphitheatre ever built in this world of ours is in Rome, as you well know. Yes, the Colosseum, and that thoroughfare is flanked by historic columns and arches, basilicas and ruins of former government buildings that must have held sway over ancient Rome. We walked below the many stone pines with their umbrella tops, past tall poplars standing like spare soldiers, sauntered past temples to various goddesses, peered at worn doorways above which murals faded away as if they could not be bothered to defy the ravages of time.



























68 Comments
Gluecksgeist
Now I miss Rome even more!! Such a great city to explore xx
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Happy new year Anni! And Roma awaits you 🙂 xx
Miriam
Che bellissimo. Heavy sigh. Thanks for transporting me back to my parents homeland with your beautiful pictures and words. I felt as though I was walking back there with you. Brava! ❤️
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Grazie Miriam! Your parents’ homeland is one of our favourites and we cannot get enough of it. It was a pleasure walking with you too. xx
Miriam
Aww you’re molto dolce. I’m so glad you loved Italy. It holds a special place in my heart. x
Dippy-Dotty Girl
I love it and I think it is the one country I have seen extensively during my various trips there. Cannot wait to see more of it 🙂 xx
amindfultravellerblog
Oh I have missed your posts Arundhati, and you have returned with one of my favourites. I am actually in the midst of writing my latest post on Rome as well!!
Love your pics, looks like you guys had a great time there. Hope you are enjoying your time with the fam in India too. Happy New Year lovely. Xx
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hey Lorelle, you are too sweet, my lovely. I will wait to read your post. I have been so tied up that I did not get to read my feed. I will get updated by and by. I am indeed enjoying myself.
A wonderful, star-spangled year to you too! xx
amindfultravellerblog
❤️
Sheree
Superb photos of Rome, a city I know well. Enjoy your time at home. Happy New Year!
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Sheree 🙂 You would know why I waffle about Rome so. May the year turn out to be adventurous and beautiful for you. xx
Invisibly Me
Wow…amazing photos. I would love to go to Rome one day, and this has definitely encouraged me to add it to my bucket list! 🙂
Caz x
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Caz. It is a new year and time to make new memories. So let us keep our fingers crossed that you make it to Rome this year itself. xx
iwannabealady
You sure lucked out with that cabbie. It’s great when you can get additional details and interesting tidbits from the locals who admire their own city. I just love the idea of being able to touch something that Michelangelo touched or even stood next to. There seems to be history in every nook and cranny.
Dippy-Dotty Girl
It is enough to make the mind go into a tizzy. All that history and beauty cobbled together in times gone by but preserved so beautifully. Thank you Lyz, these are the conversations that add colour to our travels. xx
iwannabealady
Oh, you’re so right. The discussion is a highlight for sure. I had just been reading some interesting historical information about Michelangelo, so when you said his name, I perked up. ?
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Oh then you will love the novel by Irving Stone, The Agony and the Ecstasy. I read it a long time ago and loved it. xx
iwannabealady
You know, that’s one of my favorite book titles.
LivingOutLoud
I am so in love with your photographs. It feels like we are there right now.
<3
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Alana! Loverly moments. 🙂 xx
lexandneek
Reading your blogposts and seeing your lovely photos gives me a respite from a bit of hectic year end information overload from family and friends. It’s wonderful to seeing you and Adi enjoying your time in Rome. Lex has often told me how amazing his visit was with his father years ago. Thanks for sharing your keen observations and insights to this beautiful city! – Neek
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hmm I know what you mean by information overload when it comes to family and friends. It is overwhelming to be plonked in the middle of it when you are used to the carefree life of being on the road. And thank you, I am pleased it took your mind off it a bit. I remember Lex commenting about the time he spent in Rome with his father. Such memories are so special. I always wish, as does everybody I am sure, that one could scoot back in time for even a few minutes to relive those moments in reality, not just through the grey cells. xx
lexandneek
A time machine would be greatly appreciated….. 😉
lifeofangela
All of these pictures are so beautiful!! I feel like if I ever visited, i wouldn’t stop taking pictures. So much beauty everywhere 🙂 Hang in there with your folks, soon enough you guys will be back home in the US 😀
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Ahaha thanks my sweet. You have my number. It is a strange dilemma. When I get back, I know I will have this odd sadness. But that is the strange contrariness of it all, I do not know how to reconcile myself to it.
I might bombard you all with more of Rome yet! 😛 xx
InspiresN
wonderful historical city to visit , loved the pictures ! Amazed by the architecture of those days, I remember helping my kids with their project constructing a Roman aqueduct and hope to visit there some time:)
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hi Nisha, thank you for the lovely words. If you have constructed a Roman aqueduct, you should demand to see it soon! Oh and yes, happy new year, my lovely. xx
InspiresN
sure dear, hope to make it happen soon! Happy new year to you as well!
Beyoutiful
Amazing pics girl, felt like I was touring the city! Hope you have a wonderful 2018 hun <3
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hey Maha, thank you for the kind words. I hope you too have a fantabulous one. xx
AJ
Wow those are gorgeous photos! Enjoy your few moments of alone time. I’m visiting my parents and get about 45 minutes alone a day while they go to Happy hour?
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thanks AJ. Aha happy hour! I like that they avail of it. Mine have more of a social life than I and hey am not complaining 😛 xx
AJ
Yes my parents have more life than I do as well. I guess it’s what we get to look forward to:)
thewonderer86
The thing that struck me most about your photos was blue sky! How light and lovely it all looks. I am suffering from a surfeit of grey dreary days!
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Aww yeah Rome was a pleasure this winter, Tracey. We had been apprehensive about grey rainy days but we struck gold with that dome of blue above our heads. I am sending you warm vibes from Calcutta where I have a surfeit of pleasantly chilly days. xx
thewonderer86
Sounds great – both Calcutta and Rome. Enjoy!
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you 🙂 The two share a similarity or two – one of which is great food. So they are easy to love. xx
thewonderer86
My kind of destination. I’ve got my eye on Parma for later in the year which I’ve just discovered is a foodie paradise.
Dippy-Dotty Girl
I have heard of Parma mostly because we devour documentaries and travel shows. So I shall look it up in detail if you recommend it as a food paradise. Oh why is the world so vast and beautiful? It makes you never want to grow old or leave it forever.
thewonderer86
I know. So much to explore. There will never be enough time! Parma is the home (apparently) of Parma ham and parmesan cheese….
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Indeed, that is my association with its name. Maybe I should tread there with caution because I can nibble on parmesan like a mouse with zilch self-control. If a mouse cares about control at all. xx
Stewie Overseas
Looks like you had a lovely time in Rome. I’m also curious about the things you’ve been eating in Calcutta..
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hey Jen, I have been carrying on a fair about Rome and there might be a couple of more! 😛 But yes, I have a post in mind about the food in Calcutta which is just too delicious. Here you need to double my customary wish for four stomachs and make it eight. xx
Cherylene
Rome is truly beautiful place. I look forward to visiting one day soon until then I’ll enjoy it through your eyes.? Thank you for sharing. May 2018 bring you even more memories, laughter and fulfillment.
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hey Cherylene, a happy new year to you too! I am OD-ing on Rome, but in my defence, its beauty is intoxicating. xx
Cherylene
🙂
almeidadepaulo
Wishing you,fly and friends a Happy New Year Dippy!!!
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you and I wish your loved ones and you a fantastic year too! 🙂
Mad Hatters NYC
Happy New Year, Dippy! Great post. Brings back fond memories of our trip long, long ago. I keep thinking we need to visit again, but each time we make plans for the year, we inevitably end up picking someplace we’ve never gone before. Still, this post brings on a strong ache to revisit.
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Hey Lynn, a vibrant new year to you and yes posts on Rome must make you feel so nostalgic. I might harp on it a bit more 😉 It is a good plan to see new places. A friend of mine always asks me why we keep revisiting places and I have no answer for her except that it feeds our wistful souls. xx
whatismaria
What an absolutely breathtaking and picturesque city! Loved all the photos, and the atmosphere and the history they convey. Rome is on my 2018 bucket list for sure! Xox
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Maria. I think you will find enough posts like me to keep yourself occupied for a long time. The Rome state of mind is idyllic. xx
lisa.2211
Your post is amazing and you pictures are wonderful. Rome is such a great city. I trevelled to Rome like 10 years ago and I miss the city.. ?
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Lisa 🙂 A decade is long. I hope you will get to refresh your memories of it someday. And on that note, have a prancing dancing new year. xx
lisa.2211
Happy New Year to you! I hope you had a great start into the year 2018. xx
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Indeed I did have a wonderful start. xx
Throughmylens
Rome is just so beautiful x
Dippy-Dotty Girl
It is 🙂 xx
crystalsandcurls
Rome looks absolutely beautiful! I have to admit, my one experience with Italy was Milan and I was not too much of a fan…but I have been planning to try again this year! Rome seems a great place to start 😉 Also, aren’t cabbies usually just the most useful source of local information? I hope you enjoyed all that eating – it’s easily one of the best parts of the festive season 😀 xxx
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Oh we ate and ate, Mia. It has not stopped yet though I have my mother’s healthy cooking right now to balance out all the street food chomping.
Cabbies are indeed the best source of information if they are not grumpy 🙂
And I agree with you, Milan has very little to keep you engaged. I was apprehensive when I was in Rome for the first time because I thought it might be a tourist trap. But hey she is a beauty out and out. xx
starringpamela
I need to make it to Rome someday. I’d meant to go when I studied abroad but didn’t make it there. Your photos are so lovely!!!
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Pam and of course you will go. It all lies ahead 🙂 xx
travelgarb
You’re making me want to book a flight to Rome right now!! Maybe next winter though 🙂
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Amen! 🙂 I hope you have had a great start to the year. Cheers.
carolinehelbig
I like your choice of words in the title. When I think back to my visits to Rome the “ambling around” part is one of my fondest memories. It really is the perfect city for ambling. Enjoy the eating frenzy!
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thank you Caroline 🙂 I am trying not to return home as a rotund figure. xx
Amielle
The Trevi Fountain photo is lovely! Can’t wait for the food post! ?
Dippy-Dotty Girl
Thanks my lovely! 🙂 xx