Rome - December 28, 2011 - Trinita dei Monti

Trinita dei Monti

This baroque church really reminded me of the Spanish Missions in the southwestern United States. Well, other than the ancient Roman funeral stele used as part of the balustrade and the whopping great Egyptian obelisk out front.

Interestingly this church and the surrounding park (which includes the Villa Medici, now the French Institute in Rome) belongs to the French state. Sort of like an embassy. Reminds me of when I was a kid in Syria and I would be on "American soil" or in America when I was at the American snack bar or library, but in France when I went to visit my parents friends, on Argentinian soil with by school friend Pilar when I was at her house, on United Arab Emirates soil when I stopped for sticky sugary tea with Rani after school or even in Pakistan when I went to hang with my friend Prashant at their embassy compound where we would watch Rambo movies and pretend to be at war...that I think was a little too previous...

For everyone's iechyd moving on. The Villa Medici is not that intersting from the roadside, the parkside is another matter. I don't know if one can get into the gardens, but I suppose that is for another time. It may collapse on itself, but Rome is always going to be there, 2700 years and going strong. The Energizer Bunny of all cities.

Villa Medici, the French Institute in Rome