The Journey II
by Sheldon Rocha Leal
In August of 2022 I travelled to the Iberian Peninsula and had an amazing trip where I reacquainted myself with family I hadn’t seen for 26 years, in a land from which my parents derived, the Azores, Portugal. It was a life changing experience in which members of my family from four different continents and five countries coincidentally converged in the Azores for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. In August of 2023 I had another life changing unforgettable overseas trip, but this time I shared the trip with some of my students, colleagues and my bestie for life.
I need to preface this story with another overseas trip that occurred in June 2013 (10 years ago). It was my first trip to Italy and on that holiday we journeyed to Italy, The Vatican City, Greece, Turkey, and Switzerland. I was completely enamoured with Italy, especially Roma and The Vatican. It was a magical holiday and I got to see the Trevi Fountain for the first time. The fountain was constructed in the Trevi district of Rome between 1732 and 1762 and was designed by Nicola Salvi. Ancient Roman aqueducts feed the fountain to this day and legend has it that if you throw a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder you will return to the Eternal City at some point in the future. It is estimated that over €3,000 is thrown into the fountain daily, with an estimated €1.4million thrown into the waterfeature in 2016.
Anyway, I threw my coin into the fountain with my right hand over my left shoulder. Anyone who knows me knows that was a massive task as I don’t know the difference between left and right and one doesn’t want to upset the Roman gods. At the the end of that holiday my life bestie and I were split when I returned to work and he journeyed to Venice, something I regretted as I’d always wanted to see the floating city. Anyway, I didn’t think about it again until an opportunity arose in 2022 for me to accompany my colleagues and students on a Cultural Tour of Europe. I was initially reluctant to go, but was eventually convinced that I should hit the road with my colleagues and students on a rocking “world tour”:) I even managed to convince my life bestie to join me.
The tour was scheduled to stop in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy and the Vatican (the smallest country in the world). A few days after my birthday we left Johannesburg and travelled to Amsterdam, Holland. This gave me an opportunity to touch base with my brother, sister-in-law and two nephews. They left South Africa during the hard global lockdown in 2020, so I hadn’t seen them in 3 years. My brother and I are close in age, and as the only siblings have a close relationship. It has, therefore, been difficult not seeing them for all these years. It was fun getting to see The Hague, Amsterdam and the Kinderdijk Windmills in Alblasserwaard (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with my family. In Amsterdam we got to experience the “Red Light District”, which is a surreal experience and learnt that a coffee shop is not really a coffee shop in Holland.
The Van Gogh Museum was a wonder and experiencing the master in a structure that contained three floors of his most magnificent artworks was a privilege. As we travelled through Europe we got exposed to some amazing sights and sounds and the street food was an absolute bonus. From the “stroopwafles” in Holland, to the panini in Italy, to the Croissant in France, it was all so delicious and such an easy way to experience a country’s culture on the go. The thing that struck me the most was the sea of humanity that converged in what is essentially a very small part of the world, to experience the culture, art, design, music of other cultures, which is the main focus of this article.
I don’t know if it is just in South Africa, but the arts are often under funded and neglected in SA. Yet it is clearly articulated in the National Development Plan that the arts need to be prioritised and that it is one of the industries that can be used to uplift and assist the government to rescue us from our financial woes. Furthermore, research conducted by the World Economic Forum and United Nations indicate that developing economies such as South Africa benefit most from a vibrant creative industry. Additionally, the creative industries are largely recession proof and have seen consistent annual growth since the beginning of the Great Recession of 2008. One of the main reasons for the importance of creative industries, in developing countries, is that most creatives are self-employed. This, therefore, means they are more likely to become employers, therefore, generating much needed employment in suppressed economies.
This was clearly evident in Europe, where the arts are conspicuously prioritised as one witnesses thousands of people employed to cater to the needs of Cultural and Arts tourists. When we reached Belgium we visited another UNESCO World Heritage Site in the ancient city of Bruges, The Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde. This is where single ladies lived in isolation from the rest of society from about 1240 to the present day. In Paris we visited the biggest and most visited art museum in the world: Le Louvre. The museum was established in 1793 and contains 615,000 artworks, of which 35,000 are on display. Nearly 8million people visit the museum every year and it occupies just under 60,000 Sqm. It was the former residence of the King of France, until King Louis XIV decided to make The Palace of Versailles his residence in 1682. If one spent 30 seconds viewing every artwork in Le Louvre it would take about 36 days, at a rate of 8 hours a day, to see all the artworks in the museum.
What struck me were the cues of people, extending kilometres, trying to gain access to the museum. Fortunately we had tickets that precluded us from standing in those cues, but if one considers that the average price of admission into the museum is about €15, with an estimated 8million visitors a year, the least the museum makes is about €120million per annum, all in the name of art. One of my Louvre highlights was experiencing the Mona Lisa up close and personal. The Leonardo Da Vinci painting, completed in about 1517, is a captivating artwork. I had goodbumps in the presence of the enigmatic diva. I think what moved me the most was the fact that people from all walks of life, hailing from different cultures and parts of the world were so enamoured by the painting.
People treated their audience with the artwork as if it was an encounter with a Pop culture celebrity. It was moving that the painting was able to so effectively communicate its message across generations, centuries, millennia and cultures. Truly inspiring to see the power of art in action. My other Louvre highlight was being in the presence of The Winged Victory of Samothrace or The Nike of Samothrace. It is an ancient Greek sculpture from about 200–190 BC. The artwork is made of Parian Marble and depicts the Greek goddess, Nike, on a boat. The sculpture’s head and arms are missing, but it is so beautiful that patrons were naturally drawn to it. The artist is unknown, but it doesn’t detract from its brilliance and beauty.
Another amazing art museum visited in Paris was the Centre Pompidou, which was constructed between 1971–1977. It houses the largest modern art museum in Europe. Annually over 3million people visit the site and at an average entry fee of €12, the museum generates at least €36million per annum. The highlights, for me, were the Andy Warhol artwork of Elizabeth Taylor as well as a Frida Kahlo painting, which I almost missed, because it was so small and hidden in a corner. Both artworks were moving and I felt privileged to get the opportunity to witness works by these iconic figueres. Whilst in Paris we visited two additional World Heritage Sites: The Eiffel Tower and The Notre Dame Cathedral. Both are architectural marvels.
The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 for the Parisian World’s Fair and was named after engineer Gustav Eiffel whose company designed and built the broadcast tower. The wrought iron structure only had a permit to stand for 20 years, at which point it was meant to be dismantled. That never happened and today it is the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world. More than 6million people ascend the tower annually and with a basic entry fee of €11 it generates at least €66million per annum. My colleagues and I travelled by bus to see it. I was mesmerised when I was confronted with the iconic monument and was further blown away when it started sparkling. It was magical and surreal. The tower’s 20,000 bulbs sparkle on the hour for 5minutes, every hour, from dusk until 11:45pm.
As a card carrying Catholic I was not leaving Paris without seeing The Notre Dame Cathedral, even if it was closed. The church was built between 1163–1345, but has been closed since 2019 when a fire broke out as workmen were renovating the historic church, damaging large parts of the exterior and interior of the structure. It will be reopened in 2024 for the summer Olympics. We walked through various streets to find the church and when we finally arrived I was completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of the house of worship. It saddened me that I couldn’t go inside, but the church is breathtaking and I’m so glad that it is mostly still in tact and the renovations look like they have been carried out with the utmost care and respect. The banks of the Siene River, on which Le Louvre, The Notre Dame Cathedral and The Eiffel Tower are housed are considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We ended off our visit to France with a trip to Disneyland Paris. Oh my goodness! This was probably one of the highlights of my trip. Walt Disney was a genius and one of the greatest creatives of all time. The second you walk into Disneyland you are transported to another world. There is a soundtrack that plays throughout one’s entire stay at the park, a parade every hour and there are various themed sections, occupying large tracts of land. It is the ultimate wonderland and I felt like a real kid whilst I was there. The park was constructed in 1992 and occupies 700ha, 32 kilometres east of Paris in the courtryside. Over 17,000 are employed at the park and over 9million tourists visit annually. At a basic entry fee of €60 per ticket, the park generates at least €540million per annum.
From Paris we travelled to Venice in Italy. I finally got my wish to witness this marvel. It must of been the coin at the Trevi Fountain in 2013. The ancient floating city, where no vehicles are allowed, is made up of 126 interconnected islands and it along with its main lagoon are considered a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Over 50,000 people live on the island, which attracts over 20million tourists annually. We happened to be there during the annual “Venice Bienalle”, which has been organised since 1895, making it the oldest festival of its sort. It is a celebration of Architecture, Design, Art, Music and Film. In the city we learnt about the tradition of mask wearing by the ancient residents and glass blowing, which is taken to an elevated artform in the region, especially the magnificent Murano Glass. One of the most breathtaking sites on the island is Piazza San Marco featuring the magnificent Byzantine, Saint Mark’s Basilica, consecrated in 1094.
Next we travelled through the picturesque Tuscany to get to our next destination, Florence. This town is “the Arts” personified. The Statue of David by Michelangelo, the exquisite Duomo di Santa Maria del Fiore (1436), alongside the Florence Baptistery (1059–1128), which features the awesome “Gates of Paradise” by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Michelangelo after viewing the gate said it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. The highlight for me was the Ponte Vecchio (1339), which connects one side of Florence to the other. It is famous for being a centre of the jewelry trade, with the most beautiful pieces on display. To commemorate my visit I bought a piece of jewelry on the bridge, a sterling silver blue agate Cameo ring. The Vasari Corridor (1565) was another highlight. It was originally used by the Medici family to get around Florence, without having to interact with the commoners, for security reasons. It goes over the Ponte Vecchio to another one of my highlights, The Church of Santa Felicita (1736). This is a church off the Vasari Corridor, which has a little balcony from which the Medici family observed Sunday mass, without having to interact with the locals. It took me a long time to find this one as it is hidden, but it was all worth it.
My final two highlights from Florence were The Uffizi Gallery and Il Porcellino. The Uffizi is an art museum, which originally served as the offices of the Medici family from 1581. The Vasari Corridor actually starts at the Uffizi and ends at the Palazzo Pitti (the Medici Palace) on the other side of Florence. The Medici housed their art collection at the Uffizi and when the family died out the last remaining member, Anna Maria Luisa, donated everything to the city of Florence. The Art Gallery was opened in 1769 and receives about 1million visitors annually. At a basic entry fee of €12 per entry the gallery generates at least €12million per annum. The museum contains artworks by Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, but the artwork that moved me the most was “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli. I had a similar moment when I encountered the Mona Lisa. I think it’s the lore surrounding these artworks and years of exposure to these masterpieces in the media. The reality, however, is that it is so much more beautiful in real life. The artwork is magnificent and it wasn’t just me. People were clamouring to get a look at this masterpiece.
My final Florentine highlight was Porcellino, a bronze wild boar that I would have missed had I not seen a group of people gathered in a random location, outside an open air leather market, Mercato Nuovo. The bronze is a replica of an ancient Roman marble sculpture, which is housed at the Uffizi. The bronze has, however, eclipsed the popularity of the marble. The original bronze was moved to Museo Stefano Bardini at the Palazzo Mozzi and the one situated where the original used to be is a replica created in 1998. The legend goes that if you rub the snout of the boar you will return to Florence, a tradition dating back to 1766. Considering that my coin in the Trevi Fountain brought me back to Italy, I decided to rub the boar’s snout, I had nothing to lose after all. The entire ancient city centre of Florence is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site
After competing our trip through Florence, we hit the road toward The Eternal City. Incidentally the ancient city of Roma is considered another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The last time I visited the city my heart was stolen, so I was really looking forward to this part of the trip. Back in town one of the first visits was to the Trevi Fountain, where another obligatory coin was tossed. The Spanish Steps were next on the list, designed by Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi. Construction commenced in 1723 and ended in 1725. The steps got their name as they end in the piazza in front of the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See (The Vatican). Our guide pointed out that we would see 13 ancient Egyptian/Ethiopian obelisks scattered throughout the Eternal City, commissioned by Pope Sixtus V, who wanted them used as landmarks for pilgrims visiting the town. These structures are impressive considering they are all made of one piece of rock and had to be transported on rudimentary transportation, thousands of kilometres, to inhabit their current locations.
The obelisks reminded me of the others I’d seen in Florence, Venice, Paris and Holland. It just confirmed this common civilisation to which we all belong. The Colosseum was a major highlight. I had not visited the ancient monument the last time I visited Roma. The structure is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and was originally built in AD 70–80, as an entertainment amphitheater that accommodated up to 80,000 people. Incidentally it is a location that is still sometimes used for musical concerts today. It is quite something to consider that engineers were able to build such a sophisticated structure over 2,000 years ago. The monument receives over 6million visitors annually, and I am very grateful I had a skip-the-line ticket that enabled me to escape the human ocean attempting to gain access to the ancient structure. A basic ticket to gain access to the Colosseum is about €16, which means the ancient monument generates at least €96million annually.
From the Colosseum we went to the Forum, which was the centre of Ancient Roman civilisation. The location housed the economic hub, courts, temples, monasteries and churches. Citizens also presented speeches, as well conducted processions at the location. It was founded between the 8th century BC to AD 608. Although, mostly ruins it is still an impressive site. The Forum welcomes over 4.5million visitors annually and with a basic entry fee of €23, the ancient site generates at least €103million per annum. Our final stop was the Vatican City, which included a visit to the Vatican Museum. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It has its own bank, army, churches and general infrastructure one would expect a country to have.
The Vatican Museum is the second most visited museum in the world, after Le Louvre. It houses over 70,000 artworks by some of the most significant artists in history including Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Chagall and Picasso. Over 5million people visit the museum annually, and officials have responded to this by placing efficient systems in place to facilitate the movement of cultural and religious pilgrims. Once again the cue to get into the museum snaked for kilometres and I’m glad I didn’t have to do that. With a basic price of €17 to get into this iconic location the site generates at least €85million per annum. For the third time on this trip I was struck by the enormity and beauty of an artwork and this time it was on a massive scale, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. The whole chapel is an artwork. I think, as a Catholic, who has observed the conclaves that give us a Pope, I was struck mostly by the importance of the site. The fact that art is so highly prized by the church that they commisioned the master artist to create this work for the place where they choose leader is moving.
St Peter’s Basilica is one of my favorite places. It is the biggest church in the world and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church was built on a former smaller church and was consecrated in 1626, 120 years after construction commenced. Some of the most important figures in Catholic history are buried in the site, from popes to martyrs and key social figures. The original church was commissioned by Emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th century. The grandness of the church always takes my breath away, with the mosaics, tapestries, paintings, sculptures and history adding a cherry on the cake. It is such a privilege that I have been able to witness the greatness of this church twice. One of my favorite artworks in St Peter’s Basilica is The Pietà, a marble sculpture of Jesus and his mother. It was one of Michelangelo’s first sculptures, it is absolutely exquisite and as with the Mona Lisa, The Birth of Venus and The Sistine Chapel, I was in awe. Once again, I wasn’t the only one, with an ocean of people trying to get a glimpse of the sculpture, which was vandalised in 1972 by a mentally ill person and now resides behind bullet proof glass.
After witnessing at least 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites in two weeks and some of the most amazing arts and culture experiences in my life I was struck by how interlinked we all are. As the old saying goes, “all roads to lead to Rome”, although metaphoric, there seems to be a commonality in all our existences. What I mean is we all have a shared heritage, humanity, and people from all around the world seem to want to converge in these ancient sites to access a piece of that and feel like they belong to something greater than themselves. When one considers the intersection of various cultures, religions and ethnicities in these different locations, owing to thousands of years of wars, colonisation and emancipation, this becomes all too apparent.
We saw the same things repeated wherever we went from Holland in the north to Italy in the South. One can literally see the layers of history stacked on top of each other in the walls. It reminds me that we need to get along and stop with the atrocities that we inflict on each other. Of greater importance to me is the Arts economy. Doing a quick calculation on eight of the sites we visited (Le Louvre, The Centre Pompidou, The Eiffel Tower, Disneyland Paris, The Uffizi, The Vatican Museum, The Colosseum, The Forum), I worked out that they generate at least €1.1billion per annum and employ hundreds of thousands of people. This proves the viability and value of Arts Tourism and is something we as a country should harness for the upliftment of our economy and people. We also have beautiful things people from around the world want to see, but we need to be more cognisant of their preservation and monetisation. This is something we desperately need and if it’s curated properly could be a valuable contribution to our shared world heritage and domestic economy.
