What is Rome: Exhilarating or Oppressive?

The British journalist H.V. Morton said that the history of Rome is both “exhilarating and oppressive for the traveler.” This quote really speaks to me and my experience thus far in Rome. The definition of an open air museum is “an outdoor area where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed.” The whole city of Rome is an open air museum; visibly free for the public to enjoy and learn from making the city, for me, exhilarating.

While visiting the Protestant Cemetery that held its first burial in 1738, I saw a pyramid, built in 12 B.C by an ex-slave, that was eventually built into the cemetery wall and next to the pyramid on the wall was plaques dedicated to the men who liberated Rome during World War II. Literally, in one place there is over 2000 years of history free for public view. The idea that Rome itself is an open air museum is exhilarating because as a history major being able to see and touch something that has impacted not only our whole society today, but other societies throughout time is amazing.

Looking through the old streets, down little alley ways with shops that were opened hundreds of years ago add to the ambiance of the city. Not only does ancient Roman architecture deserve credit as being “history” but the history of Rome itself creates hundreds, even thousands of years of history that should be revered and appreciated by everyone that visits this place.

Rome has been like a rollercoaster for me; let down, then surprise, and then another let down but the history remains regardless of the feelings that I have towards it. To me, this is why Rome is such a great and exhilarating place. There is so much history here that anyone can find something that interests them and with so many things visible for free it allows people to have the opportunity to see what they love and to experience their own version of Rome. Like I said, Rome as a whole is filled with the most interesting history that intertwines throughout time, like the cemetery and the pyramid, creating an exhilarating atmosphere, that I feel, makes Rome the city that it is today.  

The Colosseum and the Roman Forum

On Monday the group when on a tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. I have to say that all of my years of waiting to visit these places, I was slightly disappointed with my the experience. I know that I am not very excitable and it is hard for me to get really enthused about something but, for me, the Colosseum was not what I expected it to be. Do not get me wrong, it was an amazing experience but it did not live up to all the hype that I had heard about it. Being a History major this trip is something that is not only just be really cool but it will help me in my studies, both at Walsh and other future institutions.
My initial response to seeing the Colosseum was, "Wow, it looks just like the pictures that I saw on Google images when I was researching for my research paper a couple of weeks ago!" I am sure that if Dr. Selby would have heard that quote come out of my mouth she would have wondered why I was not thinking of something more meaning or insightful. I think that hearing people talk about the Colosseum and being able to see it on the internet all the time really takes away form the "wow" factor that this site could have had, especially for me. I also think that it is really sad that the first thing I thought about was to compare the real, tangible Colosseum to images taken and posted on the internet.
I would have to say that the tour guide was both a blessing and a curse at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. On one hand, she was able to provide the group with very important information about the landscape of the areas that the Colosseum was built on and the history of why the Colosseum was built and how it affect the Romans. On the other hand, we did not have any time to explore the sites on our own with the comfort of being with the group. Although we are able to return to these sites on our own, it is nerve wracking knowing that I will have to go alone or with a companion. I am sure that over time I will be more confident in my travel skills but as of now, it is something that bothers me.
All in all the day was good! I had my first Italian cappuccino that morning at the train station and then had my first taste of Italian pizza for lunch. I enjoyed the tours of both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and am excited to return when I can. I hope that being able to fully engage in my own thoughts and being able to contemplate where I am will help me to really appreciate visiting these ancient sites. These two sites are some of the most well know places in the world and I hope that I can feel the same enthusiasm for them here as I do from the comfort of my own home.