This is the Vittorio Emanuele II (Victor Emmanuel II for those who like real words) monument, up close and personal. It's huge. I posted a further-away shot in an earlier post ("Walking the streets") but Google is probably the best way to find a good image of it. It's built on the side of Capitoline Hill, almost cannibalizing it, right in the center of Rome. It was constructed to commemorate the unification of Italy under this King, where before it had been a bunch of kingdoms under foreign rulers (Napoleon being one of them). Although stark in nature, this was built before the era of Fascism, the last monument before Mussolini took over.
Here's a picture from inside an Episcopalian church on the Via Nazionale, the street that leads directly to the Vittorio monument. Interesting if only for being a non-catholic church on a main city street. It's decorated much differently from Catholic churches, being a hell of a lot less ornate and more direct in its approach.
America, take note: this is how you tell your government you're pissed. Not by voting in rigged elections where you have the choice between two corporate-backed candidates, but actually hitting the streets and marching on your leaders (this demonstration was headed toward Silvio Bersculoni's place, the Italian Prime Minister). These were mostly students and teachers angry with the proposed cuts in educational funds. We walked through marching crowds of tens of thousands of people in order to get back home this day.
Halloween:
Me as Terry Kirk, next to a ninja turtle. That's a real 'stache.
Here's a photo of the real thing, for reference. I didn't go as far as shaving my head, but we'll just say I was a young Terry.
BRB, gotta go grow a beard (again). Next time I'll hopefully have an "everyday walk" post ready.
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