Turn a blind eye to Roma Termini, just enjoy the city

Don’t let Roma Termini influence your opinion of Rome.

Rome is a beautiful city, but Roma Termini – where many Roman adventures begin – is the epicentre of all things that are wrong with the city.

So if your journey must begin at the Termini separate this experience from the rest of Rome.

Rest assured upon arrival more eyes will be watching both you and your luggage than you can imagine. In one glance you will be assessed for your potential.The question is will you be an easy target for a pickpocket’s prying eyes or will you simply be overlooked.

These people – pickpockets – are easy to spot if you take a moment to look around. Divert your attention for a moment from where you are going and take a look around.They’re the ones watching the people rather than going somewhere themselves. And remember they may not look run down or dirty – this is profitable business for them after all! Keep an eye out for props, newborn babies create both a great distraction and also a false sense of comfort.

And if you see them, they’re not likely to be interested in you. So take a look around and show that you are alert.

But if you’d rather pass through the Termini oblivious to your surrounds just mind your belongings and before exiting check you’ve come out the other side with all of your valuables.

And now that you’ve made it out of Roma Termini, benvenuti a Roma!

Enjoy the beautiful, ancient city. Be vigilant on all public transport and remember service is never free.

A few snaps from my week in Rome, although after having been to Rome a few times you are not going to see many of the main attractions.

Room with a view.

For as little as 80 euro cents you can start your day with espresso, just follow the locals.

Pay a little bit more and you can have a well dressed man make your morning espresso.

Treats from the Pasticceria.

Italian colazione.

The umbrella sales man is out just before the rain – did he have something to do with it?

Thunderstorms to start the day.

Local market

After many visits to Rome discovering there is an amazing park.

Just a simple Margherita pizza

Spaccatelli alla pescatore

Tagliolini allo scoglio

Traditional Roman restaurant

More pizza!

European street lights, symbols of history

For me when I think of something symbolic from my photos, I think of European street lights. In Melbourne our street lights are mediocre and frankly quite ugly – alien looking in fact. There seems there was minimal thought put into their design, simply functional lights on the street.

In recent blog post I read about the comparison of streets in western society versus eastern. In the streets of the east community and life takes place, and the streets of the west serve simply as infrastructure – simply a road to get you from A to B.

I think our street lights sum this up – functional without design. When I’m in Europe though I feel that the beauty and history of the street lamps brings a different perspective to the street scape. Not only are the streets for getting to point B, but they are also full of a rich and wonderful history. Symbols of something greater than what the eye can see.

Recently on my blog a ran a series on street lights I have snapped during my European travel: Light em up – A series of street lamps part 1 and part 2.

Light ’em up – A series of street lamps part 2 – Italy

You can tell a lot about a city by its street lamps. After reviewing my photo archive I realised that I have many photos of street lamps, some where the lamp is the feature and some where a street lamp has snuck into my shot – and in some cases snuck in and become the main attraction.

Also see part one – photos from Spain and France.

Rome – Italy

Throw one coin in the Trevi Fountain and you will return to Rome they said, throw two and you will come back and be kissed, three and you will come back and find love. I have seen many different variations of this legend but that is the one that I heard on my first visit to the fountain. I have found that all variations have one common trait – they all refer to returning to Rome. So I threw as many coins into the fountain as I could thinking that I would stack the odds in my favour – how many times could I really return to Rome and be married anyway? It either worked or regardless my path with Rome was destined to cross on multiple occasions – and I can happily advise that enthusiastic coin tossing does not result in multiple marriages!  Rome has always been high on my tourist destination list, as an archaeology enthusiast how could I resist. My first trip to Rome focussed on visiting Rome’s main attractions and they were truly amazing. My favourite visits to Rome have however been my subsequent visits, when you no longer seek out the main attractions and you can truly immerse yourself in what it is to be in Rome and soak up the lifestyle. Wandering the streets of Rome I always find something new, a new neighbourhood, a new restaurant, a new view… regardless it is always spectacular. And I find even without seeking out the attractions you often happen by them by default anyway – always throwing a couple of coins in the Trevi fountain. Why tempt fate…

Click thumbnail for full image.

See more of Italy. All George Brown photography is available for purchase, contact us to discuss our purchase options.