PARIS

Paris is a city which has beautiful wide roads, gorgeous buildings with white facades and streets called Rue, Avenue or Boulevard. All signs are written in French, which are, oh so very difficult to pronounce. If only Dupleix had won and Robert Clive had lost India, in the 18th century, we Indians could have pronounced all those French words with ease!

Champs de Elysée

Why does one have to say Shwanze leeze for Champs de Elysée? Speaking or rather reading the names is very difficult. The French are proud of their language and do not normally like to speak English, even if they understand it. Reading a menu fare is even worse. I resort to simply pointing out what I wish to eat.

We had a bitter experience the day we landed at Paris. We were a group of seven people, with one person on a wheel chair.  Before starting our trip we bought a book of 20 tickets for the metro and bus travel. Then for entering the train station, we asked that the exit for the wheel chair be opened, which was done. We boarded the train and, on arrival at the destination were met by ticket checkers. The lady in charge asked us from where we had arrived and as soon as we told her that we had come from London, war was declared! The Lady started telling us about her trip to London, when she was stopped and fined. She accused us of travelling without validating two tickets. These two tickets were of the wheel chair passenger as well as her attendant. They had gone through the special passage and as there were no slots to swipe the tickets, these were inadvertently not swiped. The war that took place then was like a personal attack, with all of us surrounded by four checkers, looking on as though we were some criminals and not tourists, who had come to visit their city and spend money! We were fined 50 Euros for this lapse.

We had set out to see the Eiffel Tower. There was a huge line of people buying the entrance tickets and then to go up in the lift. Here we saw a different approach  of the French people. One of the officials escorted us to the ticket window and allowed us to by pass the queue, and go in on priority into the lift, as we had a wheel chair person.

The view from the top was amazing. Well laid out gardens, the river Seine meandering around, the beautiful bridges and the gorgeous Churches, Pantheon, Les Invalides which has Napolean's Tomb, Basilique du Sacre Coeur, Place de la Concorde,  and all the other beautiful spots of this great City were visible.

We walked along the River Seine and crossed over to the Champs Elysée, which has clipped horse chestnut trees lining the Avenue.These trees look like wine glasses when lit up during Christmas. The tops of the trees are shaped like cubes. Beautiful buildings, very wide roads, and the towering Arc de Triomphe stood majestically before us.

Illy coffee house

The food was divine! It had to be!What else could one expect in France?

Next day, like typical tourists we took the Hop on Hop off bus. The metro in Paris was disgusting. The stations are quite unfriendly for wheel chair users. There are steps and more steps and no ramp! Buses and trams are good. Service too is good, all that one needs to remember is to carefully validate your ticket. Tickets can be bought in lots and have to be validated on entry.

Paris is full of well laid out gardens and the place was a riot of colours.

Les Invalids was a home for aged, injured, incapacitated and unwell soldiers of France. It is said to have been created at the suggestion of Madame Pompadour the mistress of Louis XIV. Napoleon's tomb is in these premises. The dome is made of gold and Napoleon's remains are interred in 6 coffins made of lead, iron, mahogany, ebony, and  red porphyry.

Louvre is well laid out and easy to manoeuvre. The unforgettable Mona Lisa, the most beautiful Venus De Milo, from Greece of circa 130 BC,The code of Hammurabi, circa 1790 BC from Babylon,  are some of the things that one simply cannot miss. They are mind blowing! 

Place de la Concorde

A trip to Paris cannot be complete until one sees the wonderful cabaret of the city. Who has not heard of Moulin Rouge, Lido, Paradis Latin? We saw Paradise Latin. The show was fantastic. It was artistic, graceful, dignified and extremely racy. A glass of champagne went down very well as an accompaniment. 

Mont Martre is the artists corner situated on top of a hill. One takes the funicular to travel up. Once in this area, one can see artists working with charcoal, pencil, paints and drawing sketches or caricatures in minutes. The place was quite bohemian, artistic, simplistic and  charged with energy and beauty. We quickly got portraits made, as keepsakes.

The "Hunch back" of Notre dame was not visible, but the Cathedral was fantastic. The stained glass windows were amazing. The story of Christ is very nicely etched inside, so that illiterate people could also know the story of Christ. The Cathedral has interesting statues of saints on the outside. The most amazing was of a headless Priest holding his head in his hand!

REPLICA OF FLAME OF STATUE OF LIBERTY

Paris and France gave us the concept of Freedom- Liberty, equality, and fraternity. The French revolution was the first movement of people against Divine rule! The Bastille which was a symbol of the tyranny of the bourgeois was totally razed to the ground, on 14th July 1789, and thus started the French revolution. My salaam to the French, for this great gift to the people of the world!!

Do not miss the famous patisserie or boulangerie and cheese of France. 

Paris is beautiful, spacious, open. It is the city which gave to the world the coiffure, wigs, powdered hair, high heels, jewelled shoes, as well as the guillotine! Unforgettable Paris and freedom loving, inspiring people of Paris were friendly, helpful, patient and seemed happy to hear our efforts to pronounce the extremely sweet French language. I loved Paris and will return again and again and again!

THE ETERNAL CITY-ROMA-ROME

What can a mere mortal like me say about Rome-the eternal city? Rome is a city that is more than 2,500 years old! It is situated on the river Tiber, and is surrounded by seven hills. It is said to have been established by Romulus. Legend has it that he and his brother Remus had been brought up by a she wolf!

Rome has had tremendous influence over world history. It was once called "Capital of the World" and also the "Eternal City". Rome is the place which had the Roman Republic,the Roman empire, Roman forum, and the Vatican City, which is an independent state having it's own jurisdiction and Ambassadors of different countries, acredited to it.

OLD AND NEW IN ONE

Rome is a very beautiful place, with a character of its own. It is new as well as absolutely ancient. The ruins of the Roman forum, the massive Colosseum, the ancient cobbled roads, the ancient city walls are all there.

The Roman Forum is what once was ancient Rome. My vivid imagination took me 2500 years back and I could visualise what the city looked like then. In Hindi there is a saying which means that the ruins show how magnificent the building once was. It is very apt here.This is the area ,where walked mighty men and great orators like Julius Ceaser, Mark Antony, Nero, Titus, Brutus, Augustus. I was fascinated with ruins of magnificent buildings which were well planned, temples dedicated to goddess, great gates, and triumphal arches to commemorate victories. The brick remains of the Senate are here. This was where Julius Ceaser was stabbed to death on 15th March 44 BC. The place from where Mark Antony made his famous speech after the assassination of Ceaser. The Basilica Aemilia where taxes were collected. The Tabularium where all records were kept. Three columns stand here belonging to the oldest temple in the Forum dating back to 484 B.C.

BACK IN TIME? CEASER IN FRONT OF COLLOSEUM

The Colloseum is located next to the Roman Forum. It was named after the collosal statue of Emperor Nero which stood close by.The building of the Colosseum started in 70 AD during the rule of Emperor Vespasian, and it was completed in 80 AD during the rule of Emperor Titus. It could seat 50,000 spectators. The logistics were superb and planning was meticulous. One can only marvel at the advancement of science as well as perfect planning of this collosal building about 2000 years ago. Seats were numbered, gates were numbered, enclosures were demarcated, and the entry and exits were remarkably planned. The ruins show that concrete, marble and limestone was used for building the Colloseum. All seats were made of marble. Later on people removed the marble and used it for making other buildings and places. Although it stands in ruins, a visit here can make all those scenes come alive as one can see all the entrances and the places from where the gladiators entered, as well as the place from where the hungry lions and other animals were brought out to create a spectacle for the eager crowds.The Colloseum was a venue for contests, drama, and also the barbaric public execution of slaves etc by throwing them infront of hungry lions. It was all done in the arena with the crowds cheering on! The roars of the hungry lions, the roaring of the enthusiastic crowds, the fear in the minds of the slaves, the adrenaline of the gladiators...it all actually happened here.

Ancient Rome was a Republic and there was a Senate which had elected citizens who advised the Emperor in matters of governance.The word Senate was derived from the latin Senex which means elder or council of elders.

I often wonder if Emperor Nero, really played the fiddle while Rome was burning! Well, history is always written by those who came later! There has to be a reason for the word "Story" appearing in history!

The ancient city is so interesting and fascinating that, it is difficult to move away from the forum, but then I have to step away in time and, move back into more modern times.

PREPARATION FOR MASS

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I move over centuries and reach the Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. This modernity too is almost 500 years old. The Vatican can simply take your breath away by its grandeur and beauty. One has to be all eyes when one enters the Sistine Chapel. Every inch of wall, and ceiling is filled with painting. The paintings are made by Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Roseselli and Perugino, and the great maestro Michelangelo. The work has to be seen to understand the magnificence of the collosal work. Painting on a ceiling lying down, must have taken huge amount of courage and dedication! The result is there for all to see.

The Sistine Chapel was choc a block filled with people.Only a limited number of people are allowed inside the chapel at one time. Infact before entering the Sistine chapel, one goes through corridors and halls of magnificent statues, tapestries and paintings.The lead up to the Sistine Chapel by itself is an exhilarating experience. Then one reaches the Sistine...and the eyes remain simply wide open, neck pain not withstanding, as one does not want to miss out any scene depicted on the walls and ceiling.

The paintings in St Peter's Basilica are extremely beautiful. There are a number of murals which look exactly like paintings. The workmanship is exceptionally beautiful. The colours and features are distinctive. However many people may be featured in a painting, the features and expression of each person has been etched differently and perfectly. The alter designed by Bernini, the statues, La Pieta of Michelangelo, and everything else is absolutely a feast for the eyes. The look on the face of La Pieta can keep one transfixed, just gazing at her face and, imbibing her sorrow and also compassion. From  Saint Peter's Square or Piazza San Pietro, one can see the window of the rooms where the Pope lives. Although I am an atheist, yet having spent most of my schooling in Roman Catholic schools and boarding houses, I have a deep affinity to the Vatican. I felt happy to see the place which was so revered by all the nuns who taught me. There were a lot of nuns moving around in that area in different Habits and obviously belonging to different convents.  It is said that St Peter's Basilica was built at the site of St. Peter's crucifixion.

TREVI FOUNTAIN

 Trevi Fountain,the epitome of beauty,is named Trevi as it is situated at a point where three roads meet(Tre vie). It is a huge fountain, where the central figure is Neptune,God of the sea. He rides a chariot pulled by two horses. One horse is calm and obedient and the other is restive. They symbolize the different moods of the sea. There are two statues on either side of Neptune, one is Abundance and the other is Salubrity. Trevi Fountain is gorgeous.Everyone is tempted to throw a coin in it, so that their return to Rome is ensured. One needs to follow the correct procedure. Sit with your back to the fountain, and throw a coin with your left hand across your right shoulder into the fountain, and Voila your next trip is assured.Simple!

The Spanish Steps are a great place to meet. Just sit, talk, see people and time go by. There are 138 steps and the vista is wide. These were made in 1732. There is nothing Spanish about these steps except that the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See was located near these steps. The building where Keats lived and died are right next to the steps. 

ROSES IN ROMA

A trip to Rome cannot end without talking about Italian food,and the charming Italian men. We had dinner at a lovely restaurant where enchanting Italian food was served, with great Italian wine. The grand finale was when a very handsome and charming person came around distributing a single red rose to each lady present. He would give the rose and kiss the ladies on the cheeks and say, Ohh Yeahhh! in the most delightful way. The experience was quite unique and made all the ladies feel really special!! The walk down to the ladies room too was delightful, as the place was filled with beautiful fresh flowers-loads of them!! Some countries do make women feel quite special!! Ohhhh yeaaaahhhh, When in Rome do as the Romans do????