Into the Wild

from the Red Top spot

I parked the car in front of the ranger's office. The midday sun was getting intense and I was getting annoyed with the flies. The place was quiet and I couldn't find a ranger in sight. There were a few walks around which I decided to do after  back to check out while waiting. Tanya, one of the rangers, was back at her office. I had a quick chat and told her I was interested to join the 2 pm tour. The Mungo National Park schedules twice a week tours with the park ranger, where a 2-hour walk on the Wall of China becomes the highlight along with a talk about the history of the park itself. It was only worth $35 for the whole tour.

wombat bones

I was a little bit early for the tour so I went back to the car and ate my lunch. I had a 3-day worth of groceries with me to cover my stay at the park until I get back to Melbourne. Tuna was my bestfriend and that was enough protein for me along with the green leaves. that was me trying to be healthy. A few cars arrived at the centre and a big bus of tourists also parked a few meters away. I watched the guide prepare lunch for the group under one of the huts, gave them enough shade from the intense sun.

Around 2 we all got in our own individual cars and started the convoy. The dust formed as seven cars all lined up and headed for the walls. Tanya got us walking to the platform and started the talk. It was amazing listening to her and how she got to be doing this. She was from the Mithi Mithi tribe which was one of the aboriginal tribes that thrived on the land. She explained how her grandmother and all of the women before her passed on the stories of their ancestors. It was very impressive how they could even know that a drought season was on its way or even a storm.. all based on how the animals reacted.

Apparently as time passed by and with all of the factors of weathering, the layers of Zanci on the walls exposes blips of history and gives this generation an idea of how the ancestors of the Willindra lakes lived. It was impressive how Tanya pointed out what were once furnaces where they cooked food. Bones of wombat slowly showed up on the sands of the wall, sitting still as people passed by. The color of the wall was gray but as the sun slowly rested for the day, the amber colours slowly showed off its magnificence.

Emu

It was great around the park, it gave me a liberating feeling as the vast space filled with a mix of red soil and bushes spread in front of me. A group of us stayed after the tour. We decided to watch the sunset as the last rays of the sun touched the sky and the colours were stunning. I sat still after setting up the tripod. It was starting to get chilly as I rubbed my hands to get enough warmth. The  moon was shyly shining its brilliance over the walls. I knew in a few days a full moon would be glistening and would have been a great opportunity to take great shots.

Now, one of the great memories of my Mungo experience was the sunset driving. I looked like a raccoon-eyed driver gripping on the driving wheel. I have been warned and I guess that's how I got so scared driving when it got dark. It was hilarious the whole scene.

Picture this. I was the smallest car, a mini, followed by a trail of 4x4 cars. That was the plan. For me to go ahead and the old couples behind me would make sure I'm okay. At first it sounded like a sane plan. But whilst driving, I realized, it was a crazy idea. I should have been in the middle. After driving a few kilometers, 2 tall silhouettes were visible from a distance. I was thinking, who the heck would be crazy walking at that time of the day. They both stood still, watching the sunrise. As I slowly approached, I realized it was 2 kangaroos. I stared through the windshield and slowly approached, making sure they felt my presence. I thought that was enough of an effort to scare the wild away. But no. So okay, I reverted to a more effective approach. Honk the Horn. Oh yeah, it should have worked. But no. They both turned their heads and gave a look. At that point I wanted to laugh my heart out.  They gave me that look as if saying "Hey man, we're watching the sunset here and having a conversation!". I honked the horn twice but still no budging. On the last honk, they gave me the last look and hopped away. Seriously, I was smiling. Oh yes.

Just when I thought that was it for the day, I saw something running from the right. Two massive emus crossed the street in front of me. I hit on the brakes, glad that I wasn't driving that fast. But before I accelerated I saw something from my peripheral vision. A second emu was trailing along. I thought, "come on, cross the street.. faster please". At that point, I really wished I had it on video. If  its feet had enough friction to make a sound, I could imagine it would have. It was deciding to stop and was slowly sliding 45 degrees... but then again changed its mind and decided to go on. Now that was hilarious. That was the beauty of the wild. Stunning.

The sun was lovely, the colors were so lively and the silhouettes of the farm and the park centre was standing in its grandeur. The old windmill added up to the view. Driving Into the Wild Was the greatest memory that I had of that road trip.

My Last Day in Rome

On my last day in Rome I decided to take it easy. There was one last place I wanted to see, San Lorenzo. Why? well, I wanted to see Contemporary art, something to break the oldish Roman art that filled almost the whole city. San Lorenzo was actually a happening place, filled with a lively night scene, restaurants, pubs and cafes. But I wasn't there to eat out nor drink out. I was there for the street art scene. As I walked around I couldn't stop fixating my eyes on a stretch of wall with art painted all over.

These were all artworks created by the various contemporary artists of Rome.  The main name always mentioned in blogs and articles is Hogre. He seemed to have had a big impact on the history of street art around Rome. But of all the paintings, I adored those by Alice Pasquini a visual artist from Rome who's an illustrator, set designer and painter. She graduated from Rome's Academy of Fine Arts and has shared her artwork around the globe.

Maybe it wasn't that Personal, but I was Up Close Enough

Wednesday. It was a Wednesday. The day I've waited for. The Papal Audience.

I thought I woke up early enough but when I got to St. Peter's Square, I realized 8:30 was Sooo LATE. The crowd was chaotic, no line visible at all and everyone had a yellow paper in their hand. So much for planning. We were all there for the Papal Audience. 

I squeezed through, happy that I was by myself and so it was easier for me to slip through crevices in the crowd. I knew they wouldn't mind one person getting ahead or joining their queue. I eventually was lucky to get close to the arches of the Square. 

My determination paid off more than expected. I met an Italian lady in the crowd who could speak Tagalog and Spanish. I was surprised when she told me in my language to talk to her in Tagalog. Apparently she lived in the Philippines for 20 years. I then learned that she was a Nun accompanying her nephew who was a seminarian. He was rather shy and didn't speak much English, but friendly enough to make me feel comfortable with the idea of joining them for the morning. 

We found a place right in front of the second fence, a little bit far away from the stage but right in front of the

pathway where the Pope was to parade. Perfect spot. Plus, we had the 2 big screens on both sides, so we wouldn't really miss out on anything.

I sat there amazed by the vibe of everyone's excitement as we looked at our watches, awaiting the time when we'd see him pass by. It was the last Papal Audience for the month and also for the summer season. Winter Papal Audience were to be attended in the Basilica due to the weather conditions. 

I listened to the crowd and all of the different languages exchanged. Flags from different countries were flapping against the wind. The weather was on our side and everyone was happy. The emcee called out congregations who were there to visit the Pope. For each country that was called, the people cheered and waved the flag. I smiled and tried to capture the moment. 

Time ticked away and there he was, Pope Francis from Argentina parading through. He waved at the people and gave blessings to the babies who Mothers willingly reached out. As he approached our area, that was when I realized the people around us were all from Argentina. I felt tears welling up because of the rush of emotions. How I wish Mom was there, she would have been so happy. I texted my family and close friends that I was just 4-5 steps away from the Pope. I was so happy. 

He gave his speech in Latin which was eventually translated to several languages. I was happy too that the Nun beside me was trying her best to translate it to me without missing out on absorbing the Pope's speech. i just couldn't believe I was there at that very moment.

After the speech, I said goodbye to the Nun and her nephew. I was on a mission. I wanted to get up to the domes of the Basilica. And so, because of the wave of people wanting to exit the Square, I decided to jump over the fences to avoid them. The first effort was about to go disastrous until someone pulled me right on time to get my balance right. From there, I got the right strategy until I found myself at the steps of the Basilica. perfect! 

It was a little bit of a wait, but I eventually got there. i was really lucky that day, I got a discount to use the lift. :) So I found my way there, second person for the afternoon. Yehey! I didn't realize that there were more steps as you get out of the lift. But it was all well worth it. From there was the stunning top view of St.Peter's Square. Perfect way to end my eventful day in Rome! :)

Ostia Antica

The amphiteatre

I woke up the following day more pumped up. I was very much looking forward to Ostia Antica (http://www.ostia-antica.org/), 30 kilometers from Rome. Great! I knew I'd have the site to myself, well at least, have some moments where I can walk around and absorb everything around me. 

Ostia (mouth) Antica was Rome's seaport and they've said it might have been where the first colony of Rome once stood. The oldest find dates back to 4 BC. It was amazing to read that as early as 68 BC pirates were already active in the market of sacking what seems to be a good source of resources. Come to think of it, I couldn't imagine that during those centuries, there were already people who were cruel enough to savage other places. 

The port was set on fire, the consular fleet diminished and two senators were kidnapped. Pompey the Great then suggested to start the law Lex Gabinia which allowed him to raise an army and destroy the pirates. By the 2nd century it got filled with 50,000 inhabitants.

Although it was far away, I didn't actually find it a hassle. I walked again to my favourite transpo place to be, The Termini station. From there I took Metro B heading for Laurentina. I got off at the Piramide Station and transferred to the Ostia Lido Train. After a long travel, I got off at Ostia Antica stop. From there I found it easy to find my way because there were signs pointing to the site. It was a little bit of a walk but I found it relaxing because of the cool ocean breeze coming in. 

I paid the entrance fee and started my way through the site. That was when I realized how massive the whole town was. The stretch of debris, left over buildings.... it was great and I could imagine how the society could have had thrived in such a place. 

There was even a building there that served a pub. it was really cute as I sat down there for a while imagining Romans in their white robes and using the place to commune and share stories. There were also portions where intricate artistry on the floors existed. 

I enjoyed that day so much. Obviously I spent the whole day there allowing my feet to drag me anywhere I can go through, small arches, grassfields, around statues. It was amazing. 

I'd highly recommend visiting this place if you pass by Rome. :)