To Rome With A View - Day 5 - Epilogue.

Day 5 - Epilogue (19th September 2014)

I visited Rome with a certain level of apprehension as when I visited in 2002 (?), I found the city quite similar to London.  Admittedly, my last visit was just an overnight stay, so my impression of the city was informed through a whistle stop tour of the tourist attractions kindly provided by my friends.  I also remember the graffiti that adorned the city.

In 2014, the graffiti still exists but my view has changed.

The word, 'Shit' seems so much nicer in Italian.

I enjoyed visiting Rome.  Having said that, I do feel that as a city it lacks the sense of completeness offered by such cities as Barcelona and Berlin.  Rome feels fragmentary.  It is vehemently tied up with the past and for some reason, I found it harder to truly comprehend it as a whole.  I feel that to truly understand the city, you need to delve beneath the glorious remnants of past generations and explore what is going on now.  Again, maybe I wasn't in Rome long enough.  I was even somewhat confused by the lack of bookshops.  They exist but they tend to be specialist bookshops.  My fear is that Rome will become simply tied up with expensive fashion businesses and franchises, which could suffocate the creativity of future generations.  The art scene thankfully suggests that this may not happen for awhile.  It's a rewarding place to visit and I will probably go back.  I feel as though I want to understand the alternative scene in Rome and the aspects of the culture that are not overtly religious or illustrative of past triumphs.  The past is important but I want to understand the present.

Something of a metaphor...  Fashion as a social constraint.

                                            Barry Watt - 19th September 2014.

To Rome With A View - Day 4 - Supplication and the art of bodily fluids.

Day 4 - Supplication and the art of bodily fluids (18th September 2014).

This evening was one of the nicest evenings I have enjoyed in a while beginning with the 'Italian Aperitif' evening in Romatic and culminating in a very substantial meat based meal in a Brazilian restaurant with Donato and Michela.  I think that I have seen and consumed almost every cut of meat, carved at the table.

The rest of the day involved trips to the Fondazione Roma Museo, primarily for the advertised 'Warhol' exhibition but also enjoying the added bonus of a Terry O'Neill exhibition.  The 'Warhol' exhibition was quite a succinct and engaging overview of his entire career, focusing not just on the atypical Campbell soup cans and Monroe screen prints but also his more unique compositions involving paint and urine.  The two substances reacting to each other and forming quite an unusual mix of textures and patterns.  Urinal stains on toilets are never usually that original.  Also Warhol's later work involving 'The Last Supper' was focused upon.  A small section of the exhibition focused on his Polaroid photographs of the people he knew and worked with.  As such, photos of Mick Jagger, Dennis Hopper and various artists such as Roy Lichtenstein were featured.  The Terry O'Neill shots were largely familiar, although his shot of Jane Fonda (who later became his wife), the day after winning an Oscar for the film 'Network', reclining by a swimming pool with newspapers looking shell shocked and exhausted really hit home.  As did his shot of Peter Sellers and his then wife, Britt Ekland laying down and looking up at her husband as he read a book or script is somewhat disturbing.  But only if you are aware of the fractious nature of their relationship.  Her subservience and dare I say it, fear of Sellers is one way of viewing this shot.

I also visited the Trevi Fountain, which is currently being repaired or cleaned.  As my friend, Michela suggested, it possibly enables the visitor to get closer than ever to this popular spot, where it is customary to throw coins into the fountain.  A special little pool of water has been created to allow this act to continue.

The Trevi Fountain (well part of it).

Little pool created for tourists to throw coins into as a substitute for the Trevi Fountain.

I then visited the nearby Spanish Steps, where I have never seen so many handbags being sold as well as the now familiar tripods that dodgy street sellers are trying to sell to everyone for their phones and cameras.

The Spanish Steps.

Finally, quite by chance, I stumbled upon the Pantheon, which I had simply forgotten about until I saw a sign for it and took a quick trip.

Inside the Pantheon.

Outside the Pantheon.

Tonight was a night of good food, good company (thanks, Donato and Michela), wine and Donato's grandfather's Limoncello that was quite strong (an understatement).  Now, I am off to bed as I fly home in the morning.

                                                                                             Barry Watt - 18th September 2014.

Afterword.

A rather tragic sight has permeated my visit of slightly older women at street level, almost horizontal begging for money.  The act of supplication, perhaps tugging on the heartstrings of passer-bys but not the police who very quickly move these women on.

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To Rome With A View - Day 3 - 'How long has the cat been on the table?'

Day 3 - 'How long has the cat been on the table?' (17th September 2014)

Today has been rather wonderful.  I woke up and had my now typical Roman breakfast of croissants, yogurt, orange juice and tea.  Then I went off to the city centre to see the Colosseum, Palatino and the Roman Forum then I journeyed to the Protestant Graveyard and the Pyramid.

My first experiences of the Metro transport system were quite positive.  Even with zero sense of direction, I found my way around.  I enjoyed the eclectic mix of music and the adverts screened on televisions, promoting everything from i-Phone clinics to music schools.  Also it was good to see stair lifts for the disabled (something that could be adopted by other countries including the U.K.)

Then leaving the station near the Colosseum and there it was the ostentatious and truly remarkable monument to power and extravagance.  Of course, it's now being repaired (and/or cleaned), nothing lasts forever.  It was striking how startling it feels to walk around what was essentially an arena for combat and death.  It now has a peaceful quality which attracts even felines.  I saw my first Roman cat in the Colosseum, clearly showing off its prowess to the visitors.

The Colosseum.

Cat in the Colosseum.

The Roman Forum and Palatino were equally startling displays of extravagance.  When you consider that they were originally centres of political power and religious ritual, they are now places of a gentler nature.  Flowers tended with care and love breaking through the stark stone of ages.

The Roman Forum.

The Roman Forum.

The Roman Forum.

Nature restoring order at the Roman Forum.

In the afternoon, I went to the Protestant Cemetery and to the Pyramid,  The Protestant Cemetery contains the graves of Goethe, Shelley and Keats etc.  Those celebrity non-believers of Catholicism.  Lots of cats are visible around the cemetery as well as a diversity of symbols on the gravestones.  Each visit to a graveyard restores my faith in the idea that every culture has its own unique way or ways of remembering its dead.  If you want to become centred and understand the cycle of life, experiencing graveyards is a fundamental lesson whether or not, any religious feeling is tied up in the experience.

The Pyramid.  Nope, I have no idea either.  I need to do some more research as to why it's there.

Keats' grave and Joseph Severn's grave.

Fascinating sculpture on one of the gravestones.

This evening, my gracious host, Donato went out with me for a meal and we sampled good food, beer and company.  It's now past Midnight, so sleep beckons like an amateur photographer urging the subject to say 'Cheese!'

                                                                       Barry Watt - 17th September 2014.

Afterword.

'How long has the cat been on the table?' is an advertising slogan for a language college.  Apparently, one of the first sentences that is taught to the student of English in Italy is the following, 'The cat is on the table'.  So displaying the line, 'How long has the cat been on the table?, juxtaposed on a billboard with a skeletal cat is playing on that knowledge and a gentle push that if you have not achieved all you want or need with another language, maybe now is the time to renew your acquaintance?

Advert in many of the Metro stations in Rome.

The 'How long has the cat been on the table?' advertisement is for the International House Accademia Britannica Roma and is copyright to them and the advertising agency that created it.

iPhone is a product made by Apple.  Again, not to be confused with the fruit or the Beatles' company!

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To Rome With A View - Day 2 - Follow the Flamboyant.

Day 2 - Follow the Flamboyant (16th September 2014).

I am writing this blog entry having spent some excellent time with my host, Donato and the other guests.  I have just eaten a couple of strange deep fried rice concoctions, which were alternatively really nice and quite peculiar.

Today has been my Vatican based day.  First;y, I visited St. Peter's Basilica and then I went off to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

St. Peter's Basilica was quite overwhelming.  I found myself visually attracted to all of the symbols and surfaces within its beautiful exterior.  The repeated symbol of a star and the numerous representations of various religious figures were awe-inspiring.  The security presence prior to entering was equally fascinating, on account of its resemblance to airport security.  Their cautious demeanour perhaps understandable in these times of political turmoil.

Always look up!  St Peter's Basilica.

Overwhelming even for someone whose religious beliefs are confused.

Old and new.

One of many stars.  For fun, play spot the stars in a church or graveyard.

The Vatican Museums were very busy and I was amused by the sneaky way the crowds are led around the interior of the space, so thus delaying their arrival at the Sistine Chapel.  The Sistine Chapel was quite astounding, but in the crowds it felt like an evening at the cinema or a gig.  Photos were prohibited on account of it being a 'holy place'.  Note how the same restrictions did not apply in St. Peter's Basilica etc.  

In the Vatican Museums (well, one of them).

Interesting to see so many different objects that have been gifted to the various Popes over the years.  The swans were beautiful.

My later trip to the MAXXI (Museo Nazionale Delle Arti Del XXI Secolo) was far more engaging.  I am a fan of contemporary art, so to see how different artists have toyed with different forms and constructed unique architectural feats was an eye opener.  The style of the building was engaging too, through its use of ramps and unconventional spaces, formed in a circular fashion rather than in a more conventional gallery set-up.  Using a layout such as this removes the need for 'canons' (those individual pieces of work that draw the attention of the majority of visitors) and democratise the act of art appreciation.  Personal choice allows for a more fulfilling and experiential day at the gallery.

MAXXI.

Interior of the MAXXI.

Exterior of the MAXXI.

I returned to Romatic and chatted to Donato, prior to the arrival of his other guests.

A nice day and even nicer weather!

                                                                           Barry Watt - 16th September 2014.

Afterword

'Follow the flamboyant' refers to the odd objects that the tour guides around the Vatican use to distinguish between each other.  They can be as straightforward as a national flag or as unconventional as a fan.

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To Rome With A View - Day 1 - 'The urinals are free...'

Day 1 - 'The urinals are free...' (Monday 15th September 2014)

The one thing that the sensible single traveller appreciates is the importance of economising.  Needless to say, I am not sensible.

Taking the mini-cab from home to Gatwick Airport was not the cheapest option but it was certainly the most comfortable choice early in the morning.  The mini-cab driver clearly wearing his 'topical' hat opted to discuss Scottish independence with me.  Not perturbed by the fact that I expressed very little opinion on the matter (it's 7 am and I have been awake since 5.30 am, so as such politics is not on my list of priorities).  The cab driver was in the 'no' camp, I am in the what ever the Scottish people collectively decide camp.

Gatwick Airport was the usual mess of excited and forlorn looking people watching the electronic boards for their departure gates as a bingo junkie watches the balls drop hoping to see their number drop.  My plane was late.  I went to the Acute Observational Committee and enjoyed the sensation of watching my liquids (body wash and sun tan cream) being thrown away as they were over sized.  The lady was very nice and offered to repack my bag after stripping it bear.

The flight was uneventful.  Turbulence is par for the course on most flights, so the constant instructions not to use the toilets and to remain seat belted were not surprising.  I arrived in Rome Fiumicino Airport and waited forever to get through Passport Control.  Then on leaving the airport, I was approached by a semi-official cab guy who bundled a whole group of us into his vehicle and proceeded to give us a historical tour as he pumped up the volume on his CD of 'Opera's Greatest Hits' and offered interjections to passing motorists who ignored the traffic lights etc.  He nearly took me to the wrong hotel plus the discreet way he tried and failed to distract us from the sight of a wounded cyclist by pointing the cyclist out to us was oddly unique.  I was quite impressed with the variety of construction projects and the sight of old and new Rome as it sped past.

Arriving at Romatic, a bed and breakfast hotel owned by friends, I was warmly welcomed and given much needed water and the last remaining breakfast croissant.  I felt like a V.I.P.  I was also given instructions as to how to get about and also where I could pick up my Roma Pass (allows unlimited travel and discounted or free entry to several attractions).

After a quick wash, I dashed out to the tourist place near the Vatican to pick up the cards (my package included two of them, one focused on the Vatican and the other the aforementioned Roma pass.  The Vatican is very impressive externally and the never-ending metal detectors fill me with joy for my trip there tomorrow (I hope).

My first view of St Peter's Basilica.

Upon getting the cards, I have basically spent the rest of the day walking around, buying water from a supermarket and generally getting my bearings.  Just about to go out to get something to eat.  Then I will return and plan tomorrow's activities.  I created a basic Rome itinerary for myself yesterday so time to see if I can visit the locations in any sensible order.

Something about the cloud coverage and cross struck me.

A day of myriad feelings.  The little owl in Romatic is my new friend.

Lovely little owl in Romatic.

                                                                                         Barry Watt - 15th September 2014.

Afterword

I went out for a meal in a local recommended restaurant.  I am stuffed after a mix of various fish dishes.  Also I ate one of the finest tiramisus I have indulged in.  Pinot Noir washed it all down rather nicely.  Oh yes, 'The urinals are free' is a direct quote for a guy leaving the toilets in Gatwick Airport where a group of people were queueing.  Use the urinals, the sealed toilets are no fun!  Also the other memory now lodged forever involves a guy folding his newspaper into manageable chunks as though they were a fine meal, whilst his wife tried to contemplate how she would survive for two hours without her iPhone.  Rule of thumb...  It doesn't matter, turn the piece of crap off, indulge in the art of conversation or read a book!

Romatic are featured on TripAdvisor and they do have their own website if you are interested.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187791-d6764989-Reviews-Romatic-Rome_Lazio.html

http://www.romatic.it/index.php/en/

iPhone is produced by Apple (Not to be confused with the fruit or the Beatles's company).

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Leaning in Liverpool - Day Three - 'Be happy even if you are in the war'

I begin at the end.  The single most expressive and emotional statement I encountered today was in response to a request from the Museum of Liverpool to write messages to deceased loved ones.  One child wrote, 'Be happy even if you are in the war'.  This simple statement has resonated with me all day.  It is an altruistic expression of love, akin to a hug from a loved one.  I hope that s/he will retain that purity as they grow to face the horrors and uncertainties of adulthood.  True strength lies in empathy and compassion.

So yes, as you may have guessed, today has been quite a reflective day.  I attended the Museum of Liverpool, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the World Museum.  They all offered something different.  The Museum of Liverpool was simply wonderful.  A comprehensive overview of Liverpool as a living, breathing, industrial city, vibrating culture and humanity from every orifice.  They can be forgiven The Beatles as Alan Bleasdale and Ken Russell also came from Liverpool.

Lots of bizarre things happened today.  I refer to them as 'unifiers'.  Moments where I acknowledge the links between my interests, feelings and ideas.  I kept seeing masks in various contexts.  Tribal masks in particular, with their associated symbolic meaning and magical intent.  Also I was reminded of 'Polari'.  The so-called secret slang that was so dominant in the gay scene decades ago.  Many of the words still being used today in everyday parlance such as 'Bevvi' for drink.  I mention this in passing as I also chucked a small amount of money at a busker murdering 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'.  Music has a way of connecting both people and sentiments.

I love Liverpool, the laid-back yet brutally honest demeanours of many of the people I met or passed.  I found myself listening to random conversations.  Same as everywhere but the aggression wasn't there.

Returning to London was a culture shock, people hiding behind their devices, electronic and intellectual.  Emotionless drones until provoked where upon they will tear you to bits.  Not everyone of course, but the sense of paranoia in London is so much more pervasive than in Liverpool.

I didn't find myself in Liverpool, but I did learn more about the people I know and one thing is for sure, any future changes will not come about in London.  Time to keep exploring...

Barry Watt - Wednesday 25th June 2014.

Afterword

'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' is by The Smiths.  It originally appeared on 'The Queen is Dead'.  One of the most important and influential albums of all time.  Originally released by Rough Trade in 1986.  Currently, available on CD on the WEA label.

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Photos

Museum of Liverpool.

Museum of Liverpool.

One of many of the rather wonderful Bananalamas that were created to celebrate Liverpool being chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Locust in the World Museum.

Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Outside the Central Library Liverpool.

Seagull contemplating which way to go.

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Leaning in Liverpool - Day Two - Is it Lucky to Slip in Dogshit?

Oh how beautiful the sound of Seagulls during the day...  Not so pretty throughout the night, I can tell you.

Upon waking for the twentieth and final time, I realised I had left the hotel window open.  Every car, every bird song, every rubbish collection as audible as a baby's cry.

Today, I wandered a lot.  I went to the Tate and saw the critically acclaimed Mondrian exhibition.  The recreation of one of his studios was a definite highlight.  His work which primarily consists of squares (occasionally coloured) and stark black lines will either excite you or leave you cold.  I don't mind him but my Tate experience was enhanced thanks to the crazy thematic exhibition downstairs, where links are made between disparate artists conceptually.  Lots of school parties were sitting on the floor, in front of paintings and other compositions.  A teacher inadvertently setting off an alarm when he got too close to a bike exhibit.  What did delight me was the work he gave his students, 'go and find two works of art that you like for whatever reason'.  The fact that he allowed emotional response as a reason for being attracted to a work, saw him leap up in my estimation of him as a teacher.  Art ultimately is only as important as the people who perceive it.  Emotional value is so much more inspiring that the prices the works may generate in an auction.  I want to see a child pulling out a canvas or piece of paper and giving it a go as a result of their exposure to something that has moved them.

More wandering followed... I did manage to find the Williamson Tunnels.  Joseph Williamson was a wealthy tobacco merchant who created a series of erratic tunnels under a section of Liverpool, the excavated stone used to provide raw materials for his properties.  It appears he employed a number of poor people for years on end.  No-one knows how many or how much he paid them.  Many mysteries surround the tunnels.  For one thing, they are still coming to light.  The only thing that people know for certain is that Williamson kept digging tunnels way into his old age (well, not personally, but you get the idea).  I was given a tour by a lovely chap who looked better in the helmet than I did and pointed out the artificial moles to me, apparently included to prevent children from getting too scared.  If a child starts to exhibit signs of fear at being stuck in a tunnel, point at the moles and all is right with the world.

I then went to the Victoria Gallery and Museum, where I stumbled on a bizarre public relations and filming session for a new exhibition focusing on nuclear power and atoms etc.  I am sure that all will be revealed in the future.  I also felt very sorry for all of the specimens in jars.  Creatures once alive and vibrant, frozen in embalming fluids, soiled remains of the very human need to know everything.

This evening, I spent my last night in Liverpool at the Unity Theatre, watching a play called 'Wolf Red'.  A very powerful piece acted by one woman that explores fairy tales, female gender roles and sexuality and quite possibly, severe mental illness.  The most disturbing image was the woman masturbating herself with a feather duster, having obsessively tried to clean every inch of the set.  The audience member behind me left me feeling slightly uncomfortable.  Although, laughter is often the best remedy when something escapes our ability to rationalise it.

I am now in the hotel room, reflecting on Albert Dock this morning, the peace and quiet, the endless warning signs and the variety of homeless people I have encountered in the last couple of days.  Liverpool is suffering like other areas of the United Kingdom.  It deserves to pull through, the local council certainly seems to be addressing the empty building phenomenon, considerably more effectively than the councils in London.  There are a myriad of construction projects going on at the moment.  Hopefully, this bodes well for the future.

Barry Watt - 24th June 2014.

Afterword   

I am amazed that I didn't discuss my experiences in Liverpool Cathedral and my growing connection to religious iconography even though my religious beliefs can best be summed up as agnostic.  Also the current phenomenon of attaching padlocks to fences etc denoting love affairs, relationships and bereavements.  I always find these striking.  Oh yes, I really did slip in dog crap! (27th June 2014).

The 'Mondrian and his Studios' exhibition is on at the Tate Liverpool until 5th October 2014.

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-liverpool/exhibition/mondrian-and-his-studios

'Wolf Red' was on at the Unity Theatre.  Please see below a link to the website, so that you can see a promo video for the play, in case it tours.

http://www.tmesistheatre.com/productions/new_piece.php

The Williamson Tunnels can be partially explored courtesy of the Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre supported by the Joseph Williamson Society.

http://www.williamsontunnels.co.uk/view.php?page=about

The Victoria Gallery and Museum felt curiously outdated but still worth a visit.

http://vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/

The Unity Theatre is one of those little gems that is hidden down the back streets, that only local residents know about.

http://www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/

Photos

Padlock of love.

Albert Dock.

Tate Liverpool.

Billy Fury statue in Albert Dock.

Early morning in Albert Dock.

Williamson Tunnel.

Mole in Williamson Tunnel.

Art exhibit in Williamson Tunnel.

Liverpool Cathedral.

Unity Theatre.

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Leaning in Liverpool - Day One - 'Bring It All Down'

Leaving my usual station seated on the train, I mentally noted the legend, 'The ladder is adjacent to the toilet.'  I absorbed this knowledge as though an eager student of Zen philosophy.  In the event of a biblical flood or man made apocalypse, at least I will see the world from a different vantage point.

In many respects, Liverpool is that vantage point.  Freeing myself from London and marvelling at the sound of Gulls and a very late sunset, this is a city moving to a different pace than the frenzy of London.

In my wanderings today, I have experienced genuinely nice people, concerned that I have enjoyed my meal.  Maybe, even a little surprised that I had chosen their restaurant to eat (nearly empty restaurants in London repel casual diners as readily as a cross on the door dissuaded callers to the households of plague victims in the past).

Culturally, I have hung out in the Walker Art Gallery and felt oddly at peace amongst the sculptures and modern art.  In the evening, I went to the Everyman Theatre to see the new Kneehigh show, 'Dead Dog In A Suitcase (and other Love Songs)'.  It is effectively a performance piece based on 'The Beggar's Opera'.  A modern morality tale occupied by greedy, self-centred people and the odd 'good' person corrupted by the unfolding events.  It doesn't have a happy ending.  Although, the best intentioned villains are allowed to move on to live their lives.  The 'Bring It All Down' sign affixed to part of the set becomes a rallying cry for one member of the audience who is looking for answers.  The cast's exhortation that there will be no revolution and that the story will go on offers little relief, but hope is never lost if you look for it.

Barry Watt - 23rd June 2014.

Afterword

'The Beggar's Opera' was written by John Gay in 1728 with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch.  Please see Wikipedia for more details.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beggar's_Opera

'Dead Dog In A Suitcase (and other love songs)' is currently on at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool.  Mr Punch and Judy plus their friends play a prominent role in the proceedings.  I do like Punch and Judy for the important role they have played in many cultures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZomjRECjdo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N0YgC186PU

(Please see above links for some quite interesting promotional stuff for the show).

My endearing memory of today is the Road Fatality monument in one of the green spaces.  Haunting reminded of human frailty and endless risk taking.

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RoadPeace monument.  Very moving and sadly necessary.

Pretty good restaurant.

Everyman Theatre.  Very nice café area too!

Poster for 'Dead Dog in A Suitcase (and other Love Songs)'.

Sunset in Liverpool.