When I decided to make Italy my next destination after
Paris, I thought I would be blown away by Versaces, Lamborghinis and Maseratis
while surrounded by pasta-eating, hand-gesturing people. I also thought I would
remember Italy the way Julia Roberts depicted it in Eat Pray Love. But it was
until I saw a monument of a she-wolf suckling a pair of human twin boys that I
realized that Italy’s fascinating stories captivated me most.
Rome
According to a myth, the pair of twins I saw are the founders
of Rome. Romolus and Remus were banished to die by the king as he saw them as a
threat to his throne but saved by a she-wolf who nursed them like her own. They
eventually survived but Remus was murdered by his brother who then founded
Rome.
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When in Rome, do what the Romans do and also visit the most
iconic structure of Italy, the Coliseum.
Arriving at the oval-shaped stadium, I caught eye of its popular wall that
crumbled to a slant. And there I stood in front of the magnificent structure
that I had only seen in documentaries. The visit to the Coliseum which is the
largest amphitheatre built in its time is compulsory in Italy to imbibe the
atmosphere of what the Romans called The Games nearly 2000 years ago. Also called the Flavian Amphitheatre, this place pandered to
the people’s thirst for gory entertainment. As I entered the arena, I could
surmise that every stone was once smeared by blood of slaves and animals shed under
thunderous cheers. Just by peering over the fence to view the underground
labyrinth, most of which have their walls disintegrated by time, I travelled
back when The Games were more important than bread. Narrated by the audio guide
as I pounded on its ruins, I was swathed with resounding vibes of both terror and
grandeur of the Coliseum. As I sat on one of its cold blocks of stone, I could
imagine being one of the masses waiting to for blood to spill from a
gladiator’s neck. How could life and death then be a matter of mere wager?
Humanity definitely came a long way.
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The world-famous structure survived natural disasters and calamities
since 80 A.D. and hopefully will continue to shock our future generations the astonishing
fanaticism that possessed the people a long time ago.
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When in Rome also, take the opportunity to have your hand ‘devoured’
by the Bocca della Verita (The Mouth of Truth) It does not matter if you
have heard of it because the sight of the face will instantly ring a bell if
you have seen slot machines with an open mouth that can read your fortune for a
few coins. It is surreal to see the original of the replicas that I have
passed-by as a child in malls without an inkling that it has such historical value
in Italy. It is much bigger and of course much believable that your hand will
end up to no good if you lied to its face. It is believed to be used has a hand
rest before the hand was chopped off with an axe from behind the marble if the
hand owner was detected to be untruthful. Some also believed that it was a
scare tactic to eke out the truth from a person. Perhaps, the only way to find
out is to shove your hand into it. The Mouth of Truth is situated in the
Cosmedin Church and guarded for crowd control. A photograph with the marble
block, however, is free of charge.
If you are looking for a piece of love luck, this romantic
city has lots of opportunity. One that is believed to be more trustworthy is
the Trevi Fountain. Prepare 3 coins to toss over your left shoulder into the
fountain. The first to return to Rome, the second to find love and the third to
ring some wedding bells. Good luck!
Vatican
City
Writing
about Vatican City in this article made me feel like I am betraying both Italy
and Vatican City at the same time. Vatican City, although nestled smack in the
middle of Rome, is legally another country. However, not mentioning a nation
that is just a 5-minute walk away from the Ottaviano Metro station in Rome,
would be a crime for an adventurer.
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Just one
step from Italy and welcome to Vatican City! It is the smallest country in the
world and one that would make Singapore feel colossal. Entering the country is
also bizarrely special. Just enter sans passport! If you are desperate for a
stamp, try the getting the ones of the postal variety from the Vatican City Post
Office. Despite being tiny, she has her own stamps and her postal service is
believed to be one of the most efficient. Vatican City has her own army and
domain.
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If anyone
were to belittle Vatican City because of her size, wait until they find out
that she is home to the biggest church in the world, the St. Peter’s Basilica.
This gargantuan holy place is magnificent even by modern standards with
gildings on its sky-high ceiling, mosaic work on its walls and intricate marble
carvings. While I had high admiration for the majestic structure, I felt eeriness
crept down my spine as this basilica doubles as graveyards to popes in its
basement including, perhaps, St. Peter’s. St. Peter is one of Jesus’ 12 original
apostles.
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There is a grim anecdote too about a pope who was a
woman in disguise and managed to reign on the St. Peter’s chair. She was Pope
Joan. Her identity was divulged when she gave birth to a boy in the public and
was killed by the enraged people.
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Florence
Did you know
that Pinocchio is Italian? A Florentine to be specific. Parents have Carlo
Lorenzini from Florence to thank for creating the tale of a wooden puppet who
wanted to be a boy. The story now is a universal tool for teaching children all
over the world to be truthful. Long-nosed puppets were displayed and sold all
around the town.
While you
are looking for the right puppet as souvenir, you most probably would come
across a magnet or two of a man’s private part. Those would belong to David. The
marble structure of David from the Bible’s story “David and the Goaliath” is
also a renowned icon in Florence. This famous piece screams Italy’s famous
artist, Michaelangelo.
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If you are perambulating
at the Mercato Nuovo (New Market), which you will eventually gravitate
to if you like shopping, spot something metalic sitting at the side of the
square. I must admit that the bronze Porcellino of Florence was seen totally by
chance. By the looks of its shinny snout protruding from the rest of its
destressed body, I figured that the hog should be of significance to the town
and took a photograph of it. It was after I left Florence that I learned from a
local that it this statue represents a myth of a barren couple who gave birth
after a fairy granted the wife’s wish to have a child like the sow she saw.
Until today, people would touch the pig’s snout for good luck which explains
why only the snout seems polished. You will see also people trying to stuff the
pig’s mouth with coins while making wishes.
Pisa
Ah, of all the stories mentioned in this article, Pisa’s is
the most scientific! Its sexy slant has been showing off its construction flaw since the 12th
century. The lean is due to the soft ground where it was built. If you asked if
I harboured a tad of fear that the day of my visit would be the day the tower
of Pisa had slanted enough? I would honestly say yes.
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It is from this tower that Galileo Galilei, an Italian
scientist, found acceleration. He dropped objects of different masses to prove
that acceleration is the same for any object in the same medium.
With the Pisa Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Graveyard and
the Leaning Tower of Pisa serenely neigbouring each other and flanked by green
lawns, the Piazza Dei Miracoli (The Square of Miracles) is simply a wonderful
place to be in. The air is fresh and the spacious compound is spotless making
it the perfect environment for learning, thinking and perhaps for making another
scientific discovery! Also there will be plenty of amusement from tourists who try
to push, pull and hug the thin air from different spots for the perfect Pisa
picture, if you are not already doing it yourself!
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Venice
Venice always has grace even in her name. Water runs through
the canals, pulsating the city like how blood gives life to the body. Venice is
a must visit given its landscape like no other. When not mesmerised on water,
enjoy Venice’s maze-like land that is just big enough for those who likes
exploring on their own. After only 1 day, I was lost a sufficient number of
times to be certain of my routes. One of the places that I have frequented (or
wandered to) is the Rialto Bridge, the oldest bridge in Venice. It is wide
enough to accommodate rows of shops and the throngs of people. The ancient
bridge has been ferrying people from one bank to the other since 1591. It has a
distressed yet hefty facade that commands admiration every time I glanced at
it.
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While you are enthralled by the regality of the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica and the Bell Tower, be forewarned to not walk the between the two columns at the entrance of the beautiful San Marco Square. According to the Venetian superstition, it is bad luck as it used to be an execution place. In the days of old too, wine merchants used to use the shade of the Bell Tower as a chilling mechanism for the drinks they sold. Therefore, in Venice, when you are asked to get a shade, it means for you to get a glass of wine! A little enlightening history from the person who sold me a cup warming mulled wine.
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Take your Venetian experience 45 minutes offshore to Burano. When you
alight the boat, don’t be surprised if you think you have landed on fairy land
for a moment. It is easy to tell Burano houses from the rest as they are
painted in bright colours making them look like doll homes as they line up
prettily at the banks of the canals. My mood was immediately sprightly from the
sight of them. Walk deeper into the island and arrive at a place laced with lace!
Burano’s lace is one of the finest with generations of lacemakers specializing
in the trade. Spot ladies as old as a century year- old still weaving lace without
spectacles. Legend has it that a sea queen presented a piece of veil made out
of sea foam to a fisherman who proved his loyalty to his wife. When his wife
donned it, it became a source of adoration in the town. From then on, villagers
tried to replicate the veil and lacemakers of Burano were born. My piece of
lace scarf drew praise that made me feel I should have swept the whole town of
lace into my suitcase when I was there.
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Fascinate yourself with glassmaking skills in Murano. The
island may not be as impressive as Burano but wait till you catch a glimpse of
glass-smiths adeptly pinching and pulling the amberish blob of molten silica
into artistic pieces. Short demonstrations are held at the liberty of some shop
owners. If not, you’d have to peep like what I did. Most important of all,
secure all your dangling items and beware of your steps because once broken,
considered sold!
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Every corner of Italy has a legend, a story, a tale that
launches the mind to the most bizarre of times and places. Its wealth of
history and heritage placed Italy as an extraordinary place in Europe and in
the world. Although I was submerged in the fables of Italy, rest assured that I
did not for get to bring out the foodie (or gluttony) in me with the pizzas and
gelatos. At the end of the trip, I not only had my heart expanded with the
charm of Italy but also pumped myself up with some kilograms. Luckily, I still
managed to shove a bottle of Tuscany wine into my suitcase to forget all about that
belly while I reminisce about the tales of Italy.
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