Time Warp 2014 edition- When in Rome.. in A New Chapter

I was looking over my drafts and realized that I have quite a few.
I had planned to document the long ass trip to Italy I took back in 2014 to visit my family but I never got around it. I wrote some and then kinda gave up.
Maybe one day I will go ahead and finish the full version but this trip was unique.
I went with my dad. At the time, things with him had been a bit rough. His second marriage was falling apart. I started writing a bunch about that just now but that is not what this entry is about.

I saw my aunts who I hadn’t seen in a few years, they hosted us and we had a great time. At the end of the second day, we traveled down the Amalfi Coast to visit my other aunt, Claudia. She lived in a small town in the middle of no where. One of those that look like they came out of an Olive Garden commercial. It was beautiful to see the ocean side and the mountains, historical monuments and ruins here and there. The town itself, I have a strong connection to. My grandfather came from this town and the family has lived there for who knows how long. It is old, and I mean old..thousands of years old. It is one of the oldest towns in all of Europe. The oldest city in all of Europe is only an hour away or so.

We visited my grandfather’s last remaining brother, Giacomo. The street looked like something from the Middle Ages, with cobblestones and very ancient architecture. The inside of the homes, funnily enough, were all very modern looking. When he opened the door, Giacomo started crying. He had only seen me once as a baby and he gave me and my dad a giant hug. We went inside and his wife also greeted us.

We spoke a bit and shared some coffee with snacks. My grandpa had 3 brothers, they all were part of World War II. Magically, they all survived. One of them had been sent to Russia to a concentration camp. My grandpa and his brothers grew up during the Italian Fascist movement and had been sent as colonial troops to Africa, to fight in Greece, and Blas, the oldest brother, had been sent to Russia. Most of them were teenagers, and when I say teenagers, I mean 18 and under. Blas was the only one that was 18.

He was captured in Russia and was kept in a concentration camp. He was beaten daily and tortured in all sorts of ways. Somehow, his freedom was negotiated 2 years later. His family didn’t know he was still alive. He was able to send a telegram home announcing that he was safe. It is a family heirloom they were holding onto. A telegram from the Soviet Union revealing that Blas survived 2 years in a Soviet concentration camp. They knew I loved history so they wanted to show me. Later that day, we had a big party at Claudia’s house. Everyone came, we ate tons of food, and they gifted me some history books.

Italy being one of the richest countries in the world, a G7 nation, still has some very ancient culture. Giacomo’s wife asked if I was interested in meeting some women. She said she knew all the single girls in town and she wouldn’t mind arranging some time for me to speak to them. She said our family needed more heirs to keep the family going. My Italian not being perfect, I asked my family for clarification. I nervously laughed and said its ok. When I was leaving the next day I saw one of the supposed wife candidates and she was beautiful. I was quiet for a part of the trip back and kept thinking “I’m fucking stupid for not even thinking of speaking to these women.” Looking back, the situation was nothing short of hilarious.

During one of the next days, Claudia’s husband, took me with him to do his job. We traveled through different parts of the countryside, stopping at all types of ancient towns. No matter how small and ancient they looked, they all had something to offer. An old famous painting at a church, an amphitheater from Roman times, etc. Roberto, Claudia’s husband, would talk to his clients and I would walk around the towns.

Those walks were all interesting. Overwhelming even. It’s hard to describe, but some of these towns have a population problem. Young people can’t afford to stay if they want jobs. Most of these towns are really full of seniors. I had my iPhone and had some music playing through one earbud. At the time I was heavy into listening to British electronic and trip hop like Underworld, Portishead, and so on. I remember walking through those streets and almost feeling the sadness of the place and a sense of nostalgia, for a time period that no longer existed. At one point I had to sit down and take a deep breath. The combination of seeing the past so vividly with the “modern” sensibilities of electronic music fucked with my head. It felt like the streets and the people living there were crumbling, turning to dust. The streets were no longer full, they were empty and felt like the grave of a time that no longer existed.

Weird existentialist crisis out of the way, we eventually went to Rome to spend a week or so. We visited some spots I wanted to see and enjoyed greatly. Outside of the massive crowds of tourists, Rome is probably the most amazing place there is. The history that place holds is nothing short of incredible. I don’t have a religious bone in my body, but going to the Vatican is a breathtaking experience. I find it hard to believe that someone can go there and not feel “something.” Honestly, it felt like being part of a level from a Castlevania game. The giant halls surrounded by the world’s most precious art. Timeless sculptures, like the Pieta, just staring at you. Pope Leo I, the first Pope, was buried there. He lived around 1,500 years ago if I’m not mistaken. It is just a crazy thought.

The last night we stayed at a small hotel my aunt’s husband knew about. It was not tourist friendly and they generally only allowed Italians. I don’t even think it was open to the public. But we had a great view of everything. I woke up at around 3:00 AM and sat by the window. I could see some cars driving by with all the beautiful architecture in the background. We went to Caesar’s grave. It was endearing to see people still left flowers.

It was a unique trip. I might add more detail with a second entry.

Music: Glory Box by Portishead

See You Later Space Cowboy.

Last updated June 13, 2024