Day 28 - Just another day...

Graced with a poetic line borrowed from Zeraffy.
...and the shadows of Irina and Lester, the Architects.
_______

This is an open inner courtyard that we found at the Esquiline neighborhood. I like this hallway that leads into the courtyard... it lends itself well to dramatic darkness to light moment. The courtyard was a plain one: there was a couple of potted palm trees, and a lone Chinese insurance company. It's nothing glamorous, but I like the experience better than seeing the Collosseum. Instead of buying a particular bottle of wine that they say is good... it's like discovering a simple can of beer in the fridge after a long day at school. Something like that.

Day 26 - Trichromatic Vignettes

What makes Bresson, Bresson?

Today the photography teacher asked: How do you take a photograph of something that has been taken photograph of, millions of time before? How do you make your photograph, yours? In other words... There is only one world. How do you see like no other six billions can? How is your interpretation of the world unique? (Ah, such a self-centered question that only a bule amrik would ask hundred times over, thinking that they're special. Capek dengerin si bule ngomooong mulu tiap hari. Edan. Itu kuping apa jamur nyantel di kepala!? Mendingan dengerin orang Itali ngomong dah, nggak ngerti tp paling nggak... mereka ngga budek).

Day 23 - Esquilino again

This is the old tram line that runs through the Esquilino neighborhood, a neighborhood that is well known for its immigrant communities (read: cheap vegetables and homey food). In the late 1800s, this used to be an aristocratic 'nuevo suburbia' where the new rich lives. Then it was abandoned in the 70s, most Italians (image conscious as they are), shun this place. Rent was cheap, but many of the buildings were vacant. Immigrants only began to arrive in Italy around the late 80s, and they move into this neighborhood because of the combination of its strategic location near the Termini station and cheap rent.


The shops that are set up today are pretty modest and 'cheap' (in all sense of the word: Made-in-China-cheap), but the architecture it is housed in is pretty grand. See the picture above? The tiled walkway and a solid stone colonnade is evidence to its once more glamorous past. Now it houses asian groceries stores, chinese knockoff shops and Indian fabric and textile wholesalers. It's not official, but this neighborhood really is, the china town of Rome.

Day 22 - Out catching kids

I love capturing the faces of children in the crowd... just when their parents are not looking. They look at your perversive lens with curiosity, and not suspicion.

Day 20 - Esquilino

Just when I thought that being a tourist in Rome is so passé... then I met people who are happy to see you there. So happy, that they make you feel a little queasy.



This guy (the top one) is nice because he can say "Terima kasih!"
Sweet! I have not been as impressed as much by the Romans.
But you see, these guys try hard to figure out who you are. Flatteringly creepy, especially the one below:


"You have boyfriend? Boy? No?
Understand Italian? English?
Yes, yes, do you have a boyfriend?
Next time come here again okay?
Shop No.62" He points up.

Day 16 -A Daytour of Rome

For once, I'm glad that Cornell dragged us out on this mandatory field trip. It was a beautiful day, and the sun is shining full on, subduing the cold winter air and making this an ideal photographing day.





San Giovanni Laterano is the most important Cathedral of Rome. More than the St. Peter's of the Vatican, This church is the original seat of papacy, and was so for over a millenia, The doors of the church is about 5 meters high, and is decorated with equally gargantuan marble statues of the twelve apostles, like the one below:





Dinner at the L'Archetto (The Archer), a lovely pasta specialty restaurant near the Trevi fountain.

Day 16 - The Rose Man

These rose men insists upon giving you roses. Then they follow you, and ask for "a small change." You might refuse at first, but they will beg you a second chance, again and again... they try to woo you with sweet words, "sweetheart honey pie darling." Funny, you might think, but they give you all the few phrases they know.

The persistence of these rose men are admirable, and simply annoying. Pest like, for some. They swarm and graze on every tourist laden space. To avoid them, you should not look at them in the first place. Never take interest. Never take pity.

Virtually all of these men are Bangladeshi immigrants. Maybe for them, its like back home, they are untouchable. One that should not be seen.

They say that Europe is a very cultured place. And yet we pretend that they are not there, and turn away when they come near. If they had known a better life like ours, or even like the cats of the Torres Argentina sanctuary... how would they feel?

Probably they know. Probably they're sad. But they seem to have given up on being plain angry, because day after day, they come back.
Refuse them gently. Mock them if you like. They will remain... always... to be on the lookout for the next person who finally needed what they have to offer, while occasionally sporting a happy look.

Why? Because they are not hungry anymore.
Or maybe, they got a hold of your wallet already. =D

Day 14 - Cats of Largo Argentina

For the locals, Roman ruins are known for its cats, and Largo Argentina is the biggest stray cat center in Roma. It takes care (ie. sprayed and neutered) over 300 cats, and housed a number of disabled cats. It hasn't crossed my head before, but cats do get mental illnesses too!


The ladies manning the cat center were friendly and they let me in the separated cat room. It's a room that housed the disabled, mentally disabled and other cats that need to be caged. There's a blind cat, a deaf cat, three legged cat and the deranged cats (they walk disorientingly...). Unlike in the US, these cats cannot be killed just because they're sick. In Italy it is illegal to euthanize cats.... probably this is one of their Roman Catholic streak.


This fluffy white cat has had it's ears amputated because of skin cancer.


This is Vivian, an American student studying in Rome. She's one of the volunteers at the place. The cat on her lap is an antisocial one and swats at any other cat that comes near her lap. The personal care at this cat institution is on par with the human's mental institutions counterparts.


This is not the best panoramic picture of Largo Argentina, but it gives you a good idea of what the place looks like. This sunken ruin is located right across our apartment and school. It consists of four temples that dates back to 600-200BC, and it is considered to be a rare example of Republican Architecture (architecture before the Imperial Rome period), "little else is known" so says my guidebook... but it's sunken because of the dirt and soil that accumulated over the years (at the speed of a meter per 500 years).


Must say, Rome takes care of its stray cats better than its guest workers.

Day 13 - Pasta is the new Rice

Photo from one of our house cooking session. Unlike in Ithaca, there is no meal plan here, and we have to cook on most days. This dinner is to celebrate the arrival of my roommate, Libby. Left to right: me, Khai, Jenny, Libby, Francis, and Oren.


And guess what's on the menu? Pasta, pasta, pasta!

Day 12 - uh.... sandalo?! *stare*

I have been warned about this: Italians are always dressed up when they go out. Appearance matters. Usually this is no problem... but today, I slipped, and discovered what happens if you don't follow the rules of the townies:


I just recovered from a headache and was out taking a walk to an Italian children's bookstore. It is raining outside and I did not want to take my shoes out because it takes a day to dry them off. So, out I go with my pair of rubber thongs (er... flip flops, as americans would call it). I thought that this little undressfulliness on my part was forgivable given that I was fully dressed with collared shirt, full length skirt, scarf, coat, etc. In other words, Neat... So long as you don't look down.

Shop 1. They did look, but not stare. The shopkeepers everywhere look at me queeried eyed... so that's common. They did politely help me to a couple of beautiful hats and scarves... this is unusually nice... considering on what follows.

Shop 2. Charming shop. Well stocked with Italian picture books. Evil staff. I don't understand why the manager picks these kinds of thugs to tend to this children's bookshop: they did not help when I cannot reach the top shelves, and closed the shop half an hour early. Kids' books shelves are not meant to be high up anyways >.< Sadly, I will return... picture books are my thing.

Shop 3. Shoe shop. The Italian granddy look at my sandals for so long that I felt uncomfortable and went out.

Shop 4. From the moment I got in the place, everybody stared. Up then down.... then muttered and grinned. I felt thankful that I don't understand Italian. The shop staff spoke in english and ask, in an ironical tone, if my feet was cold. And then hurried me... please choose, try once and decide. we are going to close. I felt bad. The sweater was good though.. so I hurried and bought. I got out the shop, and they close the shop. Hmm.. Europeans: life first. work second.... huh?

I felt that I got gently kicked out of that shop. Even though there were no aggressive exchange, there is a tacit understanding that I am not welcome. Having the right pair of footwear is that important huh? Appearance. appearance. appearance. Bella figura. Ugli Sandalla.

Alora! I need to get a pair of proper shoe. I did fancied a couple, but none fits. So, now I should go gandering for children's shoes! Hehehe... let's see what sort of nasty look I get this time!
--

I was later told that for Europeans, staring is common and is usually ok, it's like their way of acknowledging your presence.
Although on a side note it was indeed impolite to wear sandals to a shop.

Day 10 - Porta Portese

Porta Portese is apparently the top flea market in Rome. the market is held every Sunday on 7am-1pm. They sell all sorts of second-hand antiques and garbages... from granny's era mugs and jugs, to 50's postcard and 80's era brick like laptops. It is not cheap, and the sellers are not chattable or bargainable (probably after seeing years and years worth of tourists). My favorite pile of stuff was a box of rusted, antiquated nuts and bolts of bygone era... shall take a picture of it next time round. I wonder how much they're selling for...


1 Euro mini cactus! Cute little item that is worthwhile buying... if only we don't have no navigate the squeezy tight crowds. I don't want to hurt anyone... especially these kind of ladies:


*Fastidiosi turisti!*

Day 10 - Rome at Night

I haven't travelled with my camera again. Carrying them makes me feel that I stand out too touristy as much. Wish I had a tripod with me to take night pictures and defend myself with. Rome looks mysterious at night, especially after the rain like this, the cobblestones glow watery orange... people pass by like shadows on narrow alleyways.

Day 6 - Talk to me and I will buy

I'm a sucker for nice Italians at the market... (and they've probably figured this out long time ago)


LEFT TO RIGHT: Item (price) and their sellers.
Arrabiata pasta spices (3.17 euro) - The guy speaks english. Courteous. Lets me smell the different spices and lets me try them too! Lovely service... with a catch. He is sly. I ask for 100gram and he stuffed almost 300grams! Does he think I'm dumb?
Clementine (2.50 euro) - Decent, semi-aggressive old lady. Seems to remember me now that it's my second time buying vegetable/fruits from her place. It's not cheap.
Limoncello sweets (2.83 euro) - Nice baker. Will help you learn english.
Garlic (50 cents) from the same aggressive old lady. She pronounces her Italian numbers very clearly... because amazingly, I understand.
Face cream (7.45 euro) - meeh.
Coezo Honey (4 euro) - Also, nice seller.He talks to you in Italian/English and tries to explain you things... When the seller is nice, how can you not buy? ... Plus I heard that European honeys are pretty decent. But... that's just an excuse.

Day 5 - Isola Tiber Afternoon Walk

Took another walk round the Navona neighborhood again with the guys. This is Ponte Fabricia, a charming old bridge that leads to Isola Tiberna (literally the island of Tiber), this mini island-town neighborhood sits in the middle of the Tiber river.


Smoker on the bridge. Italians don't seem to mind to be taken pictures of closely (whereas I can imagine that an American would have sued you)... then again, maybe they're just so used to tourists... *us, the creepy crawly swarming snapping ignorants*


Roman police officer dress up very formally... speaking of polices... I wonder what the bribing etiquette is like here.

Other than that, most of my days have been spent in the windowless Italian classes. The Italian class is exhausting... every single new word is a new mystery to be chewed upon. But more than that... trying to cope with the hearsays and behavioral pattern of a new set of people is even more confusing.

Day 3 - Good Witch's Day

So! The Italians have been on holidays since Christmas--Italians are foooond of holidays, and this is the last day of their official Christmas holiday...

This carrousel sits at the center of Piazza Navona, surrounded by stores selling al sorts of Christmas ornaments, festival games/shooting tournaments, and other shiny bewitching things.

Friends I walked to the festival with (left to right), Francis, Oren and Khairul, along with your take home, battery powered sniggering witches.

Little Italian witch. Witcho Petito?

Don't they tell you, never smile to strangers?

I'm told, that keeping up with appearances and 'bella figura' (literally meaning the perfect, beautiful figure) is part of the Italian midset. So given that, this is the prettiest Italian I've seen so far. Black hair, blue eyes. She is quite tall too... her head is noticeably above the crowd.

At the alley leading to the festival, my eyes met with a fortune teller. I smiled, but did not stop. He smiled back happily to me. Can I say that he saw that my fortune was good? Deeply... I hope so.

Day 2 - Rome as Home

This is the map of the Rome city center. Vatican city is on the top left corner, then there is the Tiber river and the Colloseo is on the right, slightly off the map. What you see here is practically the touristy parts of Rome. The center(ish) place of gathering of the city is at Piazza Navona, the longish open space that is located slightly above the ring. The Pantheon is slightly to its right.

I live in an apartment at Via St. Anna, marked by the ring. It is close by the Teatro Argentina, the historic center of the city. Historic = Full of ruins. Teatro Argentina is basically a block of sunken ground full of ruins of stairs and columns and the such, all fenced in from the mob of tourists. A well groomed witch's black cat lives there...


This is the view right outside of my triple room window. The room isn't big at all, and was a double fitted to be a triple. There is two chairs, two tables, two cupboards... two of everything except that there is three beds. I hope this won't be a cause of trouble in the future! >.<

The past few days have been spent getting ourselves familiarizing with the neighborhood. I haven't taken my camera out for a walk yet. There is too much to see for now, things beyond the frame of the camera... pickpockets right behind our backs. Tomorrow is is the good witch day (whatever is called), most shops will be closed, but there will be some festivities at Piazza Navona!

Day 0 - No Studying at Singapore?!

Apparently studying is so popular in Singapore that they had to ask people to refrain from sporting their favorite hobby at the airport cafés.

Then again, Singapore sends hundreds of scholars abroad annually that, it should come to no surprise to find the cafés at the airport infested with bookworms. Ah, why fret? :-)