The Road To The Colosseum: Paved With Good Intentions

If you've been reading the news from Italy (beyond the Berlusconi stories), then you know about the big story in Roma that led to Saturday night's rocking party.  (Here are links to the NYT and NBC News stories: www.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/world/europe/road-through-roman-history-creates-colossal-headache.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130801; worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/03/19848343-cars-banned-as-rome-moves-to-protect-coliseum?lite.)

Yes, that's right, as of yesterday, the Via dei Fori Imperiali -- which is a major street that cuts through the Forum and leads right smack up to the Colosseum -- is now (almost) traffic-free.  Pedestrians can now wander the thoroughfare unimpeded by private cars.  Only public transportation is still allowed.  This will reduce the pollution and grime to which the Colosseum is subjected day-after-day and year-after-year.

The move, which the new Mayor initiated, has led to some controversy.  For instance, lots of folks on the streets to the side of Via dei Fori Imperiali are unhappy; their streets will get hit with more traffic, and the businesses that rely on foot traffic there might be hurt.  Time will tell if the change remains popular.

On Sabato sera, however, thousands of Romans like me took to the Via dei Fori Imperiali to celebrate.  The place was jammed.  (It was actually too jammed.)  There were a couple of music acts, movies being projected onto old buildings and ruins, and commemorative post-cards handed out.  Through it all, the majestic Colosseum loomed in the background.  

After The Boss, Andrea Bocelli, Ennio Morricone, and now last night, I think we have to recognize that, no matter how much we love our iPhones, they do not do well at the night-time concert venues.  Can't handle the lights and the distance.  Sigh.