Ancient sites

Domine, Quo vadis?

| Christie

The cobblestone street reminded me of the little town of my childhood. The stones were cut in a specific cubical shape, and probably coming from the plenty of the volcanic rocks from the depths of the earth. This time I was walking down the Appian Way, and while I was trying to grasp the meaning of this long road outside of Rome, I was taken by surprise by the little church of Domine Quo Vadis.

The road is famous for its ruins, and for the catacombs along its way, and if you wonder if this is just a tale heard in a movie, then you need to see with your own eyes to match the reality.

Cappella di Reginald Pole
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IT: Pompeii vs Herculaneum – Which one is better?

| Christie

If you have ever had a dilemma while visiting Italy and pondered what is better to visit, between these 2 sites, then you were not alone: Pompeii or Herculaneum? Herculaneum or Pompeii? And here is my answer, if there is any at all.

Pompeii, located in Campania region, is mainly known for the ruins of the ancient Roman town with the same name. A roman colony for about 160 years before the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius from 79 AD left many traces about the roman life, as well as other inscriptions by previous conquerors in the area. With its great position very close to the Gulf of Naples, Pompeii became a very important and large city, it is estimated Continue reading →

IT, Rome: The Colloseum – Roman Forum – Piazza Navona – Terme di Caracalla – Via Appia Antica – St Sebastian Catacombs

| Christie

As Virgiliu said “it’s the most beautiful thing”, Aristide named it “the capital of all nations”; Atheneu made a “summary of the world”, Ptolemeu the sofist called it “The city of all cities”, most of the people named it “The Eternal city”.

In a lifetime, the human being is continuously trying to find its own purpose on this Earth. Very few of us can truly say they found their own purpose in this life. Our own hobbies, various jobs we go through, the books we read, the places we visit are the real proof we keep looking for something until a moment.

This is how I felt when I found my steps taking me through Rome, feeling like I was born again. I could see how the modern life, present at every corner, blends with the ancient ruins, making me think where we come from, and what we look for. I perceived that almost 3000 past years means almost nothing. I realized how fleeting the life is, I knew there was no time to heal, but then  it was the time for me to see, feel, and touch the beginning of this world, to feel how the birth of this civilization became contemporary with us, how we came out of a modern world in the midst of creation. Continue reading →