Buongiorno from Roma (again!)
February 9th 2008 16:14
Weāre back at the Hotel Spring House Best Western, and Iām enjoying being back in Roma... people seem more graceful and elegant than in Napoli.
Iām looking for a pamphlet for a play called Bianco e Nero (White and Black), which features a black girl, a white guy who is romantically interested in her, and another white female, the only one of the three looking at the camera, as I think itās interesting to see where Italia is at when exploring race in a social context. There was a poster for it in Caserta, which we saw today, and a billboard or two in Roma, but I didnāt have my camera handy... maybe I will when we drive around here tomorrow.
I do appreciate that to get to a point where race is no longer an issue Italians need to draw their attention to it, hence the title, but I canāt help but find it too obvious. It probably helps that the society I live in is a lot more multi-cultural.
There arenāt as many black people in Roma as there are in Napoli (or Caserta - though, strangely enough, not on the Amalfi Coast [perhaps as the cost of living is higher there?]), and there seem to be no Asian locals whatsoever in either place. Obviously the further south you go the more African immigrants you can expect. Iād like to chat with some of them and ask them about how theyāre treated by the locals, how hospitable they find the general populace, and so forth. I suspect they have to put up with a lot of prejudice from the average Italian.
Anyway, the Royal Palace at Caserta was remarkable. Hall after hall of marble, paintings, frescoes on the ceiling, golden sculptures and spectacular chandeliers. We took a trip to the gardens, which included elaborate sculptures with various people and creatures interacting, as in the Venus and Adonis scene just prior to the grand waterfall.
I bought a beautiful bracelet which was made in a Senegalese style at the waterfront at Napoli, where I also spied a large ship called Rhapsody and debated the wisdom of filing it away as a future name for a child.
I was thinking today that it might be a good idea to adopt a child sometime wayyy in the future, possibly from an impoverished country. Perhaps Cambodia, or somewhere in Africa?
I must say I wasnāt expecting to find the Amalfi Coast somewhere I would feel at peace in enough to return, but that āTorno a Sorrentoā (Return to Sorrento) on my ceramic tile doesnāt sound like such a bad idea after all... I missed it the moment I left.
If my trip ended here Iād be pretty pleased, but guess what? Tomorrow we get up super early to go to Barcelona!
I have a list of nine attractions over three and a half days, and even know what day I canāt visit certain sites! Itās going to be a blast.
Iāve been told to try the hot chocolate, which is very thick and sweet, and Lonely Planet Barcelona lists plenty of local dishes, some of which beg to be tried. If anyone who has been to Spain before has any tips for me, Iād love to hear them!
Ciao for now,
Epiphanie
Iām looking for a pamphlet for a play called Bianco e Nero (White and Black), which features a black girl, a white guy who is romantically interested in her, and another white female, the only one of the three looking at the camera, as I think itās interesting to see where Italia is at when exploring race in a social context. There was a poster for it in Caserta, which we saw today, and a billboard or two in Roma, but I didnāt have my camera handy... maybe I will when we drive around here tomorrow.
There arenāt as many black people in Roma as there are in Napoli (or Caserta - though, strangely enough, not on the Amalfi Coast [perhaps as the cost of living is higher there?]), and there seem to be no Asian locals whatsoever in either place. Obviously the further south you go the more African immigrants you can expect. Iād like to chat with some of them and ask them about how theyāre treated by the locals, how hospitable they find the general populace, and so forth. I suspect they have to put up with a lot of prejudice from the average Italian.
Anyway, the Royal Palace at Caserta was remarkable. Hall after hall of marble, paintings, frescoes on the ceiling, golden sculptures and spectacular chandeliers. We took a trip to the gardens, which included elaborate sculptures with various people and creatures interacting, as in the Venus and Adonis scene just prior to the grand waterfall.
I was thinking today that it might be a good idea to adopt a child sometime wayyy in the future, possibly from an impoverished country. Perhaps Cambodia, or somewhere in Africa?
I must say I wasnāt expecting to find the Amalfi Coast somewhere I would feel at peace in enough to return, but that āTorno a Sorrentoā (Return to Sorrento) on my ceramic tile doesnāt sound like such a bad idea after all... I missed it the moment I left.
If my trip ended here Iād be pretty pleased, but guess what? Tomorrow we get up super early to go to Barcelona!
I have a list of nine attractions over three and a half days, and even know what day I canāt visit certain sites! Itās going to be a blast.
Iāve been told to try the hot chocolate, which is very thick and sweet, and Lonely Planet Barcelona lists plenty of local dishes, some of which beg to be tried. If anyone who has been to Spain before has any tips for me, Iād love to hear them!
Ciao for now,
Epiphanie
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