The Shoes in Rome

These shoes walked the streets of Rome, to the Trevi Fountain, the Piaza Novona, the Spanish Steps and other ancient places. It was hot in August, most of the shops were closed and the traffic was not so busy, most of the inhabitants deserted the city towards North looking for resorts. But there were many people on the streets, on the coble streets towards the ancient plazas, between the colossal ruins and the victorious emporio, all sorts of people rushed, all sun tanned, taking pictures and buying souvenir. It seems that all streets lead to an attraction and the queues are long.


On Tuesday, after the screening by metal detector, the shoes had the pleasure to walked on the marble floors inside the St Peter’s , a huge dome with marble pilars housing tall grey statues by famous artists, among them by Bernini, Gioto and Michael Angelo. People were so occupied staring at the huge statues and beautiful frescos such that they did not realize that among the visitors there were pick-pockets disguising as visitors. The pick-pockets made their moves even in front of the Pieta by Michael Angelo.

On Wednesday the shoes went into the long halls of the museum besides the St. Peter which leads to the Sistine chapel famous for the paintings of Michael Angelo all over the walls and ceiling about the biblical stories from the beginning of the world to the end. A very crowded and dark place, the main painting at the front wall is about the end of the world, dimly lighted by sun shine seeping through the openings. The people were whispering looking up at the paintings trying to figure out the stories, they were not allowed to speak loudly in there. The angels were whispering too.


The shoes came towards the Spanish Steps in the afternoon, the monumental stairway of 138 steps built to link the Spanish Embassy. On the coble streets infront of the Spanish Steps leading to the promenade of famous boutiques, the shoes had to carefully watch-out not to step on bird droppings or ice cream drop. This city is like that, where the ancient ruin exists in the middle of the city, there is also the colossal colloseum and victorious emporio at the next streets, and shiny boutiques at the promenade in front of the Spanish Steps.


Further down the cobles streets, on the Piazza Navona, nearby the Neptune statue and others, there were street performers posing as statues, pretending to be a Mummy, a Roman Soldier, a Drunken Man. They stood still for a long time despite the heat and distractions by the crowd, and only made a gesture when somebody threw in coins to their bins. Meanwhile petty thieves were luring to take and run away with the money bins at the right moment, knowing that a statue cannot chase a thief.