Spirit of Meenachil: 03/22/14

We left Florence on the 5th October 2013, on the last leg of our travels in Europe. It was a comparatively short journey to Rome

The interior of our train to Rome

Comfortable in the train

Wow! Look at the speed! 250 km. per hour

and took less than 3 hours. The Italian countryside was very pretty but the train was going so fast that everything went by in a whirl. At one time I was amazed to see from the display board in the compartment that we were travelling at 250 km. per hour, something unthinkable back home in India.

The train took us to Tiburtina station, from where we took the metro to Termini, the central station of Rome. A change to another metro line and we were soon in Ottaviano, the station nearest our place of stay near the Vatican. During one of these hops we were once again accosted by a bevy of young girls trying to rob us of our money. By now however, we had become veterans in this game and shooed them off, much to their chagrin and discomfiture. As they jumped off the train after their futile attempts, I wagged a finger at one of them and I could see her through the window, squirming in embarrassment and disappointment, as the train took off !

It was drizzling lightly when we got off the metro at Ottaviano, and it took us some time to locate the street where our lodging was located. Finally, with the help of a young (and very handsome) Australian priest who was passing by, we got there, much to our relief. The priests in charge of the place (all Malayalees) welcomed us warmly and we soon settled down. As it turned out, the place was situated bang next door to the Vatican-- a great advantage indeed, because for the next week or so most of our activities were centred round the Vatican, the Pope, St.Peter's Square, Vatican Museum, etc.

Our room in Rome-very cozy

The view from our window. The Vatican wall in the background is just about 200 metres away

We spent more than a week in Rome and in many ways it marked the apogee of our travels in Europe. Just the thought that we were actually in the Eternal City, in the heart of Christendom, made it so exciting. The Vatican was just a stone's throw away and we spent a lot of time, at all times of the day and night, just wandering about the legendary St.Peter's Square. It was so close by that our supply of drinking water used to be from one of the drinking fountains in the Square! (Water is terribly expensive to buy in Europe-about 1 Euro per bottle; one might as well drink wine!)

Simmy outside St.Peter's

We were quite lucky in that we had the opportunity to see the Pope on five different occasions during our stay in Rome. And during his weekly Wednesday tour on the Popemobile, we saw him at very close quarters. When he came near us, I got so excited that my camera almost fell out of my hands, I leaned onto the barricade separating us from the motorcade, and yelled at the top of my voice,"Papa, Papa, Papa!" I think he heard me, because he turned around, quite startled at my loud voice, but the moment had passed and the Popemobile swept on. I had missed a golden photo-opportunity, but I was too exhilarated to care!
Pope Francis is a truly charismatic personality and I was so glad that we could make it to Rome during his papacy.

Viva il Papa!

Rome was fascinating, particularly the Vatican. We went all around the citadel, visited the Vatican Museum, attended Mass at St.Peter's, walked along the Tiber to Castel San Angelo, saw the Jesuit headquarters, the Colosseum, the Forum Romanum, the Palatine Hills, the Victor Emmanuel Memorial and of course Trevi Fountain! And towards the end of our stay, we spent one whole day, just tram-and-bus hopping, seeing various parts of the city. It was very interesting.

During our stay in Rome we also contacted our old friend from Kottayam, Sister Lilly of the Spirituality Centre who is now in Rome. She came over to our place and we spent an afternoon together. It was good to meet an old friend in Rome! And on the last day, we had a pleasant surprise. Just as we were getting out onto the main street from our apartment, there was a loud shout of "Auntie, auntie" and we saw a young girl rushing out of the lift towards Simmy. "Aren't you Sanat's mother? I was in school with him and I recognised you." It was incredible to meet our son's friend in distant Rome and we were all thrilled! She and her husband, who are based in London, were also staying at the same place where we were staying.