Europe Trip 1

It all happened shortly and suddenly. Though I have always wanted to make it, never expected it  would  come real. Contemplating, deciding planning and execution all in a matter of a couple of weeks. And there we were on the streets of Rome.

What a breathtaking experience. Fourteen days of travel through the Nature’s gift of mountains and Man’s contributions of Ancient Historic Architecture. Right from Rome to Paris by road.

Rome is a city of walls surrounded by seven hills. They say Rome was not built in a day. It is literally true too.  Each of the emperors, who didn’t like to use or live in the buildings constructed by their predecessors, constructed new buildings to their own liking. We can see a single building having different styles in its different floors proving they added horizontally and vertically too. All with marble and preserved well to this day. The enviably pleasant weather makes walking through these buildings a very nice experience. The sky above is clear with some clouds presenting never ending kaleidoscope through the pine trees with their branches groomed like umbrellas, thus getting the name umbrella pine.

It started with Trevi Fountain where the beautiful song ‘Oru Raja Raniyidam’ in ‘Sivanda Mann’ starts majestically.

Then the gigantic Gladiator Building built in 72 AD. There is an arch near the building which inspired Napoleon Bonaparte to build a similar one in Paris.

History resonates in each and every stone. To assist us to recap historical events, we were taken to watch a film show on Roman History. The show was so designed as if Michael Angelo was travelling in time and revisits his own glorious past. How he made the paintings on the roof of the great St.Bascilica, hanging on the top for hours together for  years. Julius Caesar and the conspiracy against him by his own Army General Brutus and the famous quote ‘you too Brutus’ were also enacted in the show. This show helped me, a poor history student, very much.

St.Peters Bascilica, the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel are really great. There is  definitely a positive vibration in the air in the chapel. The paintings on the walls and roof and the sculptures are captivating.  Some 4 or5 kms of walk and climb through them doesn’t make you tired at all.

Then you stand before the building where Mussolini made his final speech. History resonates in the air.

Rome was not built in a day. How can you see it fully in a day? But we had to move off to cover other places in the itinerary.

Off to Florence next. It is also a city full of magnificent buildings….ancient Cathedrals and Baptistery and Sculptures. Walking through the city along a river side we passed through many of them, one being the fourth largest cathedral in the world. As for the life sized sculptures, made of marble stones of different colours, looking marvelous you simply get awestruck looking at them. In order to add to their natural looks the sculptures are depicting human body in its natural form. No wonder Kannadasan said through Kanchana in the same song “ naadu vittu naadu vandal penmai nanam indri poay vidumo”.

The next stop is the magnificent Leaning Tower of Pisa. It invites you from a distance and as you walk towards it, you cannot help feeling ‘it is no wonder it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World’. You walk as if in a dream towards the tall, slightly leaning tower without taking your eyes from it. Magnificent is a small word to describe it. Some photo shoots near and around the tower and off we go to retire for the day.

 Since the body needs rest and there we are in the hotel. Just have dinner and fall in the bed. All of this, travel route, travel time with necessary breaks in between, food on time, that too Indian at least twice a day and cozy accommodation are taken care of by the travel agency and the tour manager. Thanks a lot Mr. Vincent and M/s Thomas Cook.

Then next morning by bus through the hills. Yes, literally through the hills, by roads constructed by caving the hills. Rome is a city of walls surrounded by seven hills. The road inside the tunnels, carved in the hills, is well lit and clean and smooth. Mostly such roads are one ways and you can see the beautifully carved ways for the opposite vehicles outside. What a beautiful sight. Beyond that hills and hills and hills covered with greenery and cloud cast clear blue sky above as far as your eyes can see. You only wish the bus journey never ends so you can continue to enjoy the scenery.