My flight back to beijing from Portugal stopped through Rome, and there was no option for a short layover. Regardless, I had at least 4 hours of layover, so I decided to go whole-hog and take the 10-hour layover, with the hopes of having time to see something in Rome. Since Italy is still in the European Union, I didn't need any special visas to venture out, and in fact didn't even go through passport control since I was coming from somewhere else in the Schengen zone. I was surprised at how much I was able to see in Rome during my approximately 5 hours (after subtracting travel to and from Rome and check-in time at the airport). I basically did a self-guided walking tour, but after China the crowds of tourists didn't seem so daunting and neither did figuring out the public transportation. Before living in China I don't think I would have been so adept at reading the bus signs, getting on and off a tram, taking a train from the airport into the city, etc, but after learning how to get around being totally illiterate and mostly mute, signs in Italian and people who might understand French made it a piece of cake to get around!
I took the train into Rome from the airport, and walked first to the Piazza da Navona, famous for its fountain, designed by a great Italian artist. The male figures represent the 4 great rivers of the earth. There were lots of people walking around, shopping, and enjoying the sunshine.
Next I headed to the Pantheon, my second national pantheon in the span of a week, and saw the graves of more famous people. I actually thought the Pantheon in Lisbon was more beautiful, but this one is very iconic and still lovely.
I walked through some old neighborhoods and saw many churches, some famous, some not. Italian churches focus on paintings, sculpture, and mosaics more than stained glass like in France, so the space inside feels different, but still very reverent. The Church of Santa Maria had a medieval floor and was hugely spacious, with tourists wandering past monks and priests hearing confessionals.
The art highlight of my short stay was seeing the Ectasy of St. Theresa, by Bernini, in a small church off the main street. There was a crowd of people just see this artwork, and when the priest turned on the spotlight, there was a small murmur of appreciation. Its hard to tell in photos, but the expressions on the faces of St. Theresa and the angel are so lifelike, and the folds of their clothes look so real, it was amazing. I just sat and stared for a while, you can see why this is a famous masterpiece. I felt kind of sorry for the sculpture directly across from the Ectasy; i'm sure its good too, but it was clearly neglected compared to the favorite. (no spotlight).
On my way to the Coliseum, I saw another church and the Trevi Fountain, a famous pool/fountain built onto the back of a government building. It was noticeably cooler near the fountain, and it was a very dynamic space with moving water, sculpted figures that looked caught in motion, and chattering crowds.
Finally, I swung by the Coliseum. I did not have time to go inside, but I could see from the outside just how impressive it is. I could also see part of the Forum along the rear of the Coliseum, with ruins of arches and temples everywhere. I had some pizza at the foot of the Coliseum before heading back to the airport. Basically, my quick trip to Rome makes me want to go back for a real visit!
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