Today, on the first day of November, a strong wind blows around the house. The autumn leaves, which seemed to have changed colour overnight in this past month, are merciless blown off the trees. It is “Il Giorno Di Tutti I Santi”, All Saints’ Day. It’s a bank holiday, and the whole of Italy has the day off. I’ve started writing this blog without knowing exactly where this story is going. Now, I usually don’t have a clear storyline in my head and I also never make a writing plan as I know that the story will come together like pieces of a puzzle as soon as I start writing, but this time I really find myself staring at the screen and blinking cursor for quite a while. I decide to let my thoughts wander over this past weekend, in search for inspiration. And that inspiration I then find instantly.
Little children are out on the streets with their pumpkin lanterns and shout “Dolcetto o scherzetto!” at every front door that is opened. It is the Italian version of “Trick or treat!”
For it wasn’t just any weekend for the Romans. First of all, it was an extended weekend as said, with this Monday off feeling like a present. In addition, it was Halloween last night, a celebration that in Italy is not as huge as in America, but is still celebrated quite big. Probably also thanks to the fact the Italians can sleep in the next day. Little children are out on the streets with their pumpkin lanterns and shout “Dolcetto o scherzetto!” at every front door that is opened. It is the Italian version of “Trick or treat!”. Halloween parties are organized all over the city and almost every single Italian teenager puts on a costume. Hence, I found myself in the tram with several devils, Draculas and cat-women last night. And while I was having my cappuccino in the bar this morning, the owner told me that his fifteen-year-old daughter had gone out with friends for the first time, and that they had all slept over together. His tone was of a slightly worried father, but he immediately added that Halloween is the one occasion when teenagers in Italy experience their first real night out. He could hardly keep that from her.
There was one tiny detail that all these good-humoured people had not taken into account. Something they actually couldn’t have taken into account
At the same time, the city was once again bursting at the seams with the thousands and thousands of foreign tourists who had chosen this long weekend in the autumn holidays for a trip to Rome. Many Italians came to the city too, attracted by a gorgeous blue sky. However, there was one tiny detail that all these good-humoured people had not taken into account. Something they actually couldn’t have taken into account. For it was only a few days before that they announced it widely: this weekend, the G20 summit would take place in Rome. The world’s twenty most powerful people would be in Rome for the entire weekend, with all the consequences you can imagine. Speaking of a great timing…
With helicopters circling above the city centre, snipers on the Roman rooftops, and columns of police cars coming out of every corner and at every moment with sirens blaring, it was like being on the set of a James Bond film
Because little did we know that a city could be so disrupted. The metros stopped running altogether, large parts of the city were closed off, the Colosseum was closed, the Trevi Fountain was closed off and buses were diverted via impossible routes. There was a lot of criticism. I heard my friends complaining about how they had been stuck in their car for almost an hour and a half because a crossroad had been closed without any notice, and the price of a short taxi ride went up to more than a hundred euros. At the same time, the Italian police officers seemed to be having the time of their lives. With helicopters circling above the city centre, snipers on the Roman rooftops, and columns of police cars coming out of every corner and at every moment with sirens blaring, it was like being on the set of a James Bond film. In most cases, it was just police cars going around the city at a ridiculous speed leaving you wonder what was the purpose of this overly dramatic scene. The contrast between the heavily armed police officers and the many toddlers dressed up as little police officers, including the stop sign and whistle, was quite hysterical.
After the heads of government, in accordance with tradition, had thrown a coin over their shoulders into the Trevi Fountain, Angela Merkel couldn’t resist turning around and bending over to put her hand in the fountain like a little child
But no matter how serious the character of the political summit was, time was also set aside for a portion of “vacanze romane” for the world leaders. And there it was proven once again: la dolce vita leaves hardly anyone untouched. After the heads of government, in accordance with tradition, had thrown a coin over their shoulders into the Trevi Fountain – just like every tourist in Rome – Angela Merkel couldn’t resist turning around and bending over to put her hand in the fountain like a little child. This moment was captured in an already iconic photograph, which was given the caption in the Italian media that even the most powerful woman in the world cannot resist the temptations of the Eternal City.
As special as this past weekend might have been, it went exactly the way it always does
And once again, Rome has proved to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration. With macho policemen, loud teenagers, thousands of tourists and an astonishing beauty that never fails to seduce anyone, no matter how important you are. And as I end this blog now, I can’t help but smiling when I think to myself that as special as this past weekend might have been, it went exactly the way it always does. The Roman way. Imposing, chaotic and seductive.