When in Rome

Like Julius Caesar, I came and I saw, but the question is: did I conquer?
Just had a brilliant week of great fencing and even greater pasta in Rome, together with my team mate, Mary Cohen, (@fencingmary). Decided to go there to conquer the tensions and stiffness I get whenever my opponent is wearing a national kit NOT containing the union flag. Italy are currently ranked sixth in the world, and Rome being one of the best clubs in Italy, was a great place to train, focus on the season ahead and conquer my unjustified nervousness when fencing other nations.

Unlike British clubs, Rome fencing club has it’s own building within an Olympic sports venue and so is open throughout the day for training and fitness. Because of these “office hours” it certainly has more of an air of professionality about it. Both the fitness and the fencing is in one area, unlike my training which is split between various fencing clubs and Fitness First, and so the atmosphere they create is relaxed but meaningful and, more importantly, their own. Although it has provided me with some new ideas for training, in a paradoxical manner my greatest surprise was what I had really known all along: there is no magic formula to their fencing skills.

In between morning and evening training we got several opportunities to have a look around, and the hospitality of our host allowed us to gain true Roman experiences such as a midnight drive to the pastry factory and a real home-cooked Roman meal with friends.

When asking a twitter friend (@BudgetTraveller) –I have those now, you see- what there was to see when in Rome, I was told it was an open air museum so it would be best to walk around and stumble upon its history.

First impression was the contrast of modern graffiti scrawled upon ancient buildings, which suggested a lack of respect and a run down environment. However, the longer I was there, and the more awe-inspiring the monuments and churches I accidently came across, the more I realised the reason for the lack of red-tape and protection: all of Rome is still very much lived in, acknowledged and understood by its citizens in a very real way. The people of York are no more like Vikings than I am, but the Romans are still as Roman as Julius Caeser himself. Indeed, graffiti is Latin for “scratching” and refers to rude words scratched by Roman soldiers, so the graffiti merely confirms their roots.

So did I conquer?
They train hard, as do we, and perform well, as can we. Whilst this meant I did not leave Rome with The Answer, it has also revealed to me that, in the wise words of B.O.B (feat. Bruno Mars) “they got nothin’ on you babe”.
So Doha – bring it on!