Some people might be saying where are Tim’s blogs? Why is he not communicating with us? Well I’ll tell you why, this administration is corrupt beyond measure. The pompous bureaucrats sitting at the back of the train, playing meaningless games, are unwilling to step up to their duty and admit to their faults. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt though, it was probably just an accident with no malicious intent and my previous entries may surface eventually.
Anyway Rome was hard to describe; stunning is too easy, ancient is too meaningless, pensive is too Lewis. I believe the best way to describe Rome is through its drain covers which have the letters SPQR meaning in Latin, the Roman Senate and People. It can be hard to comprehend for some people just what that means, especially what it means to me. To have a city integrated with buildings of ancient legends is just the greatest thing I would want. Rome is magical in most ways and has charmed me like most other cities have not.
If I had just one opportunity to see something again in Rome, I would go see the Sistine Chapel again. Words can’t explain what I felt when I entered and saw the unbelievable art covering the wall and roof. In a way it was like having a Baroque style church except instead of statues there is just masterpieces of art everywhere I looked. It was the single greatest piece of art I have ever seen.
Just to finish I’ll tell you about a more surreal moment that happened to me yesterday. So we were at Pompeii and in an attempt to save time, Mr Skeen and I left early to try get to the train on time. Unfortunately there were no signs pointing the way to the train station so we took a wrong turn. Thence the surreal moment ensued where I had Mr Ben Skeen, International Rugby Referee and teacher, pushing me at full speed through an Italian town, in a wheelchair, on the opposite side of the world from my home, people looking at us and going along the side of the road as if we were a car, but all I know is that I appreciate it.
Tim Meyer-Smith
p.s. There was thunder while we were at the Vatican
These are my top 10 favourite places so far:
1. Sistine Chapel
2. Trevi Fountain
3. Delphi
4. Santa Maria della Vittoria
4. St John Lateran
6. Pantheon
7. Saint Paul’s without Walls
8. St Peter’s Basilica
9. Raphael Rooms
10. Forum Romanum
