Soccer explains the world. And so to understand the Romans we make a trip to see AS Roma and the great Francesco Totti.
It was not a difficult match for Roma beating Cesena 5-1 with Totti setting a single-club scoring record. So with the game in hand our observation turned to the scene where you learn that an 80,000 seat stadium is unnecessary when you have 30,000 fans. You see an aging population, mostly men who drink as much espresso as they do beer in a stadium that housed the 1960 Olympics and was built by Mussolini (in front is an obelisk with his name, the only reminder of the fascist dictator). And what you feel is the need to leave at 20 minute intervals because the thickness of the cigarette smoke, even in an outdoor arena, is eye and throat piercing.
To start the game everyone joins in a raucous rendition of Roma, Roma, Roma by popular singer Antonello Venditti. This is not a national anthem, as this is not a national team, instead it is a recent song that is as joyful as any we’ve heard. It doesn’t praise the city's beauty, but the team’s. "Roma, Heart of this city, One and only love of many, many people who sigh for you...Roma, beautiful Roma, I have painted you Yellow like the sun and red just like my heart." It is a love song.
And then there is the Roma crest which consists of the She-wolf and the twins Romulus and Remus for whom the city is named.
When a foreigner buys a ticket for a soccer game you need a passport to prove your identity. So we spent part of Saturday night with our tickets hanging out of our passports.
So when we got to passport control to leave Italy on Sunday morning, with the five of us and our 10 carry-on bags the security guard barked out, “Who is Joshua?” My son peered from behind us and into the box where the guard sat. The guard held up his cell phone, showing his screen saver, the She-wolf and the Roma flag. Inside of his passport Josh had left his ticket stub. We passed with no questions asked.
It was not a difficult match for Roma beating Cesena 5-1 with Totti setting a single-club scoring record. So with the game in hand our observation turned to the scene where you learn that an 80,000 seat stadium is unnecessary when you have 30,000 fans. You see an aging population, mostly men who drink as much espresso as they do beer in a stadium that housed the 1960 Olympics and was built by Mussolini (in front is an obelisk with his name, the only reminder of the fascist dictator). And what you feel is the need to leave at 20 minute intervals because the thickness of the cigarette smoke, even in an outdoor arena, is eye and throat piercing.
To start the game everyone joins in a raucous rendition of Roma, Roma, Roma by popular singer Antonello Venditti. This is not a national anthem, as this is not a national team, instead it is a recent song that is as joyful as any we’ve heard. It doesn’t praise the city's beauty, but the team’s. "Roma, Heart of this city, One and only love of many, many people who sigh for you...Roma, beautiful Roma, I have painted you Yellow like the sun and red just like my heart." It is a love song.
And then there is the Roma crest which consists of the She-wolf and the twins Romulus and Remus for whom the city is named.
When a foreigner buys a ticket for a soccer game you need a passport to prove your identity. So we spent part of Saturday night with our tickets hanging out of our passports.
So when we got to passport control to leave Italy on Sunday morning, with the five of us and our 10 carry-on bags the security guard barked out, “Who is Joshua?” My son peered from behind us and into the box where the guard sat. The guard held up his cell phone, showing his screen saver, the She-wolf and the Roma flag. Inside of his passport Josh had left his ticket stub. We passed with no questions asked.
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