Europe: 3. Piza e Nostalgia di Firenze

     I was in class 4 when I read about ‘the leaning tower’ for the first time. Ever since then, I have wished to see it before it fell down. When in school, I had a great regard for those who dared to climb up to a certain level of the tower without any fear of falling down. As I grew up, my silly thoughts of school days made me laugh aloud. “Finally, the day has come, after a long wait of almost forty years!” I said to myself gladly as we began to board the coach. Yes, we were heading for Pisa (Italian: Piza). I was happy to be able to unfold the mystery which had haunted my childhood.

     Barring the mountains of Arunachal, Kashmir, Manali or Kodaikanal, generally I would take a good nap during any bus journey within India, as I did not find the surroundings quite interesting. But it was not so in Europe. Right from the moment we began our road journey from Rome airport, the background did not let me doze off for even a few moments. The sleep had not been adequate due to the journey, jet lag, and change of place. The body was certainly tired, but the mind and eyes wanted to take in the beauty as much as they could. Cottages peeped in from the farms and the grasslands, greeting us. The cattle looked cute and the small mountains in the backdrop stood firm like custodians. Apart from surprise, as it would be for any Indian on a maiden tour to Europe, the disciplined traffic was a treat for the eyes. Along with a great effort made by the administration, every citizen contributed by abiding by the law to flawless and safe movement on the roads. The rules for vehicle drivers were strictly adhered to. The captain of our coach had undergone two years of training before beginning his career. He could drive between 8 in the morning till 9 in the evening, and not more than twelve days at a stretch. He had to take a rest for at least three days before resuming the next drive. Every movement of the vehicle and the captain was being monitored by the relevant authorities. Any deviation from the laid down rules invited a stern penalty. The law is complete only when every counterpart contributes to it honestly.

     The coach stopped much before the definite premises of Pisa. The truck and coach bays are located at a distance from Pisa to protect the monument from getting affected by the emissions of vehicles. A small replica of a train, which was an electric vehicle, took us to the outer premises of Pisa. We walked down further and reached a tiny lane. We had lunch that was served in a Rajasthani restaurant. Post lunch, we walked down from the restaurant to the monument. The monument is a part of the ‘Square of Miracles’, which is dominated by four religious edifices - Pisa cathedral, Pisa baptistery, Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Monumental cemetery. The leaning tower is the freestanding bell tower of Pisa cathedral. Columns, flower pendants, and bells were mesmerizing. The tower has survived so far at least four strong earthquakes. The tilt is said to be due to soft ground. The tilt of the tower was greater during the 90s, but improved as the structure was stabilized in later years. Galileo is said to have dropped two balls of different masses from the top of the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass, in keeping with the law of free fall. The other structures surrounding the tower also amazed everyone by the details and the accuracy of the architecture. As I said in the earlier article, the knowledge of mathematics and physics during the era must have been of a superlative grade. Our tour manager told us that we would require more than a day if we wanted to explore Pisa. He also informed us that every tourist place in Europe had so much to offer and one needed at least a week to explore each place, such as Rome or Florence. Time being a constraint, we could not view the interior of the tower. While returning, we passed the tiny lane where we had lunch. We spent some time in a few more lanes near the restaurant. Peace could be perceived, and needless to mention that the cleanliness was outstanding. Again, this can be achieved only when every visitor contributes to the efforts put in by the administration. It is said that the tower is the lifeline of Pisa, being the only tourist attraction. Otherwise, the place does not have a promising means of earning revenue.

     The drive from Pisa to the Piazzale Michelangelo, a square on top of a hill, was again beautiful. Surrounded by various outlets, the square was a grand place of gathering. The river Arno flowed gently, and the bridges narrated the history. Capital of the kingdom of Italy once upon a time, Florence (Italian: Firenze) was a centre of trade and one of the wealthiest cities of the mediaeval era. Throughout the era, Florence had enormous influence in Italy, Europe, and beyond. But during the early 15th century, the centre of the Italian Renaissance moved to Rome from Florence. The square is dedicated to Michelangelo and has the statue of David in the centre, which is a bronze cast replica of the original ‘David’, one of the masterpieces by Michelangelo. ‘La Pieta’ or ‘David’; the anatomical details and the finesse of the masterpieces are just amazing. The dexterity of the artisans to cut them out of a single piece of marble in an era without advanced tools or digital devices is astounding. ‘David’ was the most favoured subject of art in Florence then, which symbolised the defence of civil liberties embodied in the constitution during the era. The visitors in the square relaxed and enjoyed wine, food, and togetherness. In spite of the enormous crowd, there was quietness and happiness. Many of them sat and enjoyed the bird’s eye view of Florence city, while their cameras waited patiently for the sunset.

     As we boarded our coach and headed towards our Hotel, it was time to rewind and play the memories of the day which had gathered in my mind, urging me to align them on paper. ‘Piza’ had certainly left a mark. ‘David’ appeared to me as an observer, narrating ‘Nostalgia di Firenze’.

(Florence- 25 Apr, 2024)

(cont.)

*****

Europe: 2. Rome- A fair of reminiscences

     Relishing a variety of delicious cakes and muffins apart from routine eggs and breads, we were all excited about the tour of Rome (Italian: Roma), the capital and the most populated city of Italy. Located on the shores of the Tiber river, Rome is the third most populous city in the European Union. It was the capital of the Roman kingdom during ancient times. Called ‘The Eternal City’ by a Roman poet, Rome is also known as ‘Caput Mundi’, meaning ‘Capital of the world’. A witness of a series of invasions, revolutions and bloodshed, Rome is home to a number of formations, built in historical times. The credit for the architectural wonders and magnificent creations by great artisans goes to the ruling Popes of the early 16th century who dedicated their energy to making Rome a beautiful place and to the patronage of the arts. As our tour manager began to narrate a brief history of Rome, we could imagine the scenes unfolding in our minds. Rome is the cradle of western Christian culture and the center of the Catholic Church too.

     As our coach proceeded to the city, small mountains waved at us, greeting the beautiful morning. The farms which we viewed from a height at the time of gradual descent of the aircraft looked even more charming. The softness of the lush green carpet could be perceived even from a distance. Sun, clouds and the mist were playing hide and seek. The coach captain gave a broad smile as I occupied the co-driver seat. I wanted to enjoy the dashboard view and click some pictures. Beautiful cars of a variety of renowned brands added to the thrill of the drive on smooth roads, as the coach marched gracefully through uninterrupted and disciplined traffic. The neatly trimmed branches of the trees along the sides of the roads added to the prettiness of the city. Occasional sights of beautiful trains passing made the journey enjoyable, making everyone recollect childhood days. However, the graffiti on the side-walls and the boards could be seen all along the highway, marring the beauty. With no borders earmarked, most of the large cities of Europe face the issue of people from neighbouring countries seeking refuge.

     We got off the coach and began to walk towards the Colosseum. Various monuments on the way, small or large, caught our attention unmistakably. The Colosseum was actually in ruins, nearly half of it not existing, but it was still able to speak volumes about the fascinating history of Rome. Still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, it could then accommodate 65000 people on an average. During the initial period, spectators would watch gladiatorial contests, animal killings, executions etc. while enjoying betting, wine and feast. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early mediaeval era. The structure was later used for various purposes, like workshops, a fortress, and a Christian shrine. As our guide narrated terrifying accounts of the gladiators lying in a pool of blood or the screaming wounded animals, the remains of the Colosseum seemed to echo the shrill cries of the dying men and creatures. Many artists had gathered all around the Colosseum to paint the reminiscences. It was interesting to watch them trying to bring alive the nostalgia on the paper. The guide continued to brief us about the Roman forum, Circus maximus, Piazza Venezia and so on during the orientation tour by coach. One must appreciate the efforts made to preserve ancient architecture. Trevi fountain was all fun. I did not try, but saw many others throwing coins in the water using the right hand over the left shoulder. Along with the anecdotes about the result of throwing one coin, two coins or three coins, it was also learned that the coins thus thrown were collected by the administration regularly to raise funds for the poor.

     Lunch was arranged in an Indian restaurant in Rome. It was a relief to have Indian food amid the continental menu which none of us were used to. Even our tour guide liked the Indian cuisine. She was an Italian national, and a resident of Rome. Studied masters in history, she had learned English for two years before beginning to work as a trained guide for tourists visiting Rome. As our coach began moving towards the Vatican, the structures, the monuments, the masterpieces by the great artisans began to rehearse history.

     Underground parking outside the Vatican was vast and lofty, specially made for large coaches. A long walk took us to the enormous premises of St. Peter’s Basilica, a church of the Italian High Renaissance, which is located in Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, and the only example of a country within a city. The long queue moved quietly. Built in 1626, the edifice takes you into history and the architectural details compel you to be awestruck. Arches, domes, towers, bells, clocks, carving, joinery, glass-work and marble-work were amazing, giving an account of the precise and profound knowledge of mathematics and an incredible sense of art during the era. The thumb of the bronze statue of St. Peter was quite interesting. ‘La Pieta’ by Michelangelo was one of the major attractions. A masterpiece by Michelangelo, the sculpture is about an imaginary moment when Jesus, taken down from the cross, is given to his mother, Mary. The melancholy of a saga was vocal, the grief of a mother was discernible, and the helplessness of humanity was palpable. There was a deluge of visitors. Many of them were visiting for pilgrimage. Inside the church, I saw many people in tears, probably as they felt blessed, having witnessed one of the four churches in the world that hold the rank of Major papal basilica. Even from a distance, I could perceive tears of some of the visitors who were at the confessionals.

     It was a day of mixed emotions. Initially, we saw Colosseum, which narrated the brutality of humans against humans. And then, at St. Peter’s, we were witnessing an epitome of humanity, love, compassion, kindness and obeisance. History reveals that irrespective of the era or the geographical location, every nation has seen various forms and extents of cruelty, hatred and violence, before attaining peace. May peace prevail and humanity stay.

Amen!

(Rome- 24 Apr, 2024)

(cont.)

*****

Europe: 1. Welcome to Rome

     Awake for nearly 24 hours, I had almost begun to doze as I dumped myself in the middle seat. The seat of the aircraft was not as easy as expected from an international aircraft. I was very tired, and had no patience to make any effort to ease myself with the help of the pillow and the blanket which were offered by the airlines. I was in deep sleep by the time the aircraft took off. My wife woke me up after some time as the crew began serving meals. Having lost track of time, neither of us could figure out if it was dinner or lunch, but we were certainly hungry. Although I was feeling sleepy, the heterogeneous aroma that had filled the aircraft started tickling my taste buds. Bread roll, butter, jam, cheese, plain potato cutlet, muffin, cake, a sort of boiled leafy vegetable, watermelon, apple, canned fruit-juice, yogurt…., were more than enough to satisfy my hunger 41000 feet above the sea level! It took me less than a minute after gulping down the fruit juice before dozing off once again.

     It was after a good nap, still half asleep, when I casually glanced at the window. I saw a bluish orange broad strip in the middle, with a grey hue at the base on a black backdrop. I put on my glasses to have a better view. It took me some time to realize that it was something we often hear and speak about - the horizon. So far, I have enjoyed viewing the magnificent sky through aircraft windows only during the day. My first ever rendezvous with the horizon of dawn through an aircraft window took away all my sleep and fatigue as well in merely moments. Gradually my eyes got glued to the breathtaking sight. Orange lazily soaked in the love dispensed by yellow. About an hour later, the mystery of black faded away steadily to unveil the softness of blue. Soon the white clouds began to tease the aircraft. I was absorbed in watching the splendid sky when the steward greeted me, who had once again appeared promptly to disburse the morning snacks and hot beverages. I thanked him, but not being quite hungry, I decided to keep the wrapped snack-bar reserved for the layover period at Frankfurt airport. As we approached Frankfurt, the farms and grasslands looked picturesque. The ploughed brown fields peeped in gently and added to the gorgeousness of the sprawling green carpet. The sheep were busy enjoying the lush green grass. The windmills stood tall and proud, showing off their elegance. Soon the Maine river was visible, flowing with all its charm, gracing the vicinity.

     The landing was soft. Frankfurt seemed to be a busy airport. Once done with immigration and other formalities, we were still left with an hour before boarding a flight to Rome. Our mobile phones automatically set the clock to local timings. It was afternoon. I had the snack bar and bought a chocolate muffin at the airport. Some of us tried coffee, but it was not like we get it in India. Europeans prefer less or no milk in coffee. Travelling to Rome was in a smaller aircraft, similar to domestic flights in India. As soon as we came out of the airport, we were welcomed by chilly winds. The captain of the coach greeted us and helped everyone put the luggage in the designated space. He was a Romanian and could speak Italian. The coach was comfortable, and the ride was smooth. The traffic was disciplined and uninterrupted. Roads appeared amazing to all of us who were used to bumpy rides. Gradually, the clouds began to gather. Soon it started drizzling to make our ride more interesting.

     We checked into the hotel at around 5 in the evening. The hotel was located in a quiet place on the outskirts of Rome. The rooms were simple, yet homely. We were taken aback when we were told that the drinking water was not provided separately, and the tap water was potable which could be consumed safely. We initially sipped the tap water timidly, then tried hesitantly, and in the end gulped assuredly. I had heard similar accounts about Japan, but was unaware of Europe. It was still bright at 8 in the evening. I opened the window, but shut it soon as it was quite windy and cold, more so because it was raining. We signed off early after a quick meal as we were supposed to leave for a city tour of Rome by 8 the next morning.

Grazie (Italian word for thanks) Rome!

(Rome- 23 Apr, 2024)

(cont.)

*****