We're all going on a Roman holiday!
Posted on 28 June 2011
[Check out more photos of Rome at The Travel Room's Rome Travel Photos page here]
Rome has been called many things over the last few millenniums, not the least being the eternal city. And many of Rome’s great buildings and edifices have rightly been compared to or eclipsed the worlds finest. What this brings me to is a comparison I heard today whilst wandering around the Colosseum.
I have never been to Rome around peak tourist time, always choosing the very, very low season, as I have an aversion to crowds and high prices, but somehow we have managed to get cheap flights from Belgrade to Rome and a cabin in a camping ground on the outskirts of town for around 30 Pounds/night all in, including a huge swimming pool. Anyway, as we are passing this 2000 year old world renowned icon of all that is Roman, I had the misfortune to overhear a very broad American accent (oh and don't think I am picking on Americans, I will get to Australians very soon) say for all the world to hear, “It's not like the Grand Canyon, that's a great work of nature, this is only a building”, that's like comparing the Eiffel Tower to the sun and being disappointed. If only everyone could contain themselves to an inner monologue when stupidity calls.
But, now my Australian friend (the term is used in the loosest of senses, I didn't know him and quickly distanced myself from him and his group on hearing this utterance) at the Trevi Fountain. He was the tourist we all love to hate, the one who has to ask the tour guide, official, person with knowledge, some inane question so that his voice can be heard. Well today’s gem as he was staring at the Trevi Fountain was “wouldn't it be great if we knew what the writing on it said”. Yep, the writing in Latin for which a translation could easily be obtained from the internet etc. and for which man in general has known how to decode since its inception several thousand years ago. I personally have a setting for when I feel the need to utter something stupid, and that is it's better to say nothing and have everyone think your stupid, than open your mouth and confirm it. It appears that today, in Rome, I was alone with this thought. Sadly, it was also the only time I was alone.
But, now my Australian friend (the term is used in the loosest of senses, I didn't know him and quickly distanced myself from him and his group on hearing this utterance) at the Trevi Fountain. He was the tourist we all love to hate, the one who has to ask the tour guide, official, person with knowledge, some inane question so that his voice can be heard. Well today’s gem as he was staring at the Trevi Fountain was “wouldn't it be great if we knew what the writing on it said”. Yep, the writing in Latin for which a translation could easily be obtained from the internet etc. and for which man in general has known how to decode since its inception several thousand years ago. I personally have a setting for when I feel the need to utter something stupid, and that is it's better to say nothing and have everyone think your stupid, than open your mouth and confirm it. It appears that today, in Rome, I was alone with this thought. Sadly, it was also the only time I was alone.
Ted & Dani of The Travel Room in the Colosseum - Rome, Italy
Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy
Spanish Steps - Rome, Italy
Please leave a comment and we'll post it here shortly...leave your name and email too and we'll attribute your comment to you and add you to our mailing list as well!