To understand Italians and their way of life one must submerge themselves into their culture and way of living, and the best way to do that in Rome is to explore and relax in one of the many piazzas. After a month of being in Rome we have visited many piazzas. A piazza is what we Americans would call a town square, and it is where the Italians go to socialize or grab a bite to eat and/or drink. There are piazzas all over Rome and we have been to a few of them including Piazza Navona and Piazza Del Popolo.
When in a piazza I feel like I get a whole new insight to Rome rather than when I am just on the train or walking around the streets of Rome. There is cultural practically everywhere in Rome but there are chances to see the most of it in piazzas. I could sit or stand in the middle of a piazza and literally watch for hours of all the different interactions people are making towards each other. There are some people who are just relaxing and taking their time with one another at either lunch or dinner, or there will be the occasional person who is in a hurry and I will jump out of the way for them to pass me so I won’t get knocked down. Also, I stated before that piazzas are full of cultural which is so true; there are fountains, obelisks, local painters, different foods, churches, art and historical buildings located all over different piazzas.
Also, there is a whole different feeling when being in a piazza during the day verses being in a piazza at night. For example I have been to the Piazza Navona a couple of times during the day. This piazza is your typical pizza where there are people relaxing and enjoying each other’s company over a bite to eat or an espresso. However, when I went to Piazza Navona at night time with some friends the scenery and feel of it changed immensely. The piazza was completely packed (more so then during the day), everything is lit up and there are musicians everywhere trying to earn a buck for entertaining those who choose to go out for the night. I also think that people act friendlier at night towards each other because everyone is just trying to relax and unwind from the day they just had.
After being in a couple piazzas and observing and interacting with the people there I realized how different Rome is from the U.S.A. I’ll actually compare Rome to New York City for this. When I was in NYC everyone there was always rushing and doing everything on the go, and I would never feel comfortable to ask one of the natives there a question and if I did I would normally get a rude attitude back. It seems to me that Americans have a hard time relaxing and always have everything planned on a set timed schedule with no room to relax or take their time. Where as I am finding out in Rome everyone likes to relax and take their time doing things. Also, I am not afraid to ask for a locals help because more likely than not they will help me out without any attitude at all. No one seems to be in a rush here and seem to really enjoy everyone’s company. I think that the citizens of the U.S.A. and myself need to take a lesson from Italians and just relax.
I agree that the piazzas are different at night the they are during the day. There is a more rushed atmosphere during the day and a more relaxed atmosphere at night. And I like the way that the piazzas light up at night. It is just a really nice change to see how the piazzas are able to transform from day to night, yet still be a central part of Italian culture.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting this past weekend, while we were in Florence - comparing the piazzas there to that of the ones we have visited in Rome. I saw musicians and artists everywhere, much like you said Piazza Navona has during the nighttime.
ReplyDeleteIt would also be interesting to see everyone relaxed and with more of a leisurely walk to them rather than the hustle and bustle of the morning and afternoon.
One thing is for sure, when we get back to the United States, every time I think of Italy, my first image will be of a piazza!