RaRaRoma/A trip to the motherland

the Roman Forum

I'm starting to realize that there are too many places in the world that I want to live in. I might need to figure out how to clone myself so that I can be in all of them at once...but until then I can just relive my memories of visiting Rome. On a Wednesday afternoon I left Bordeaux with a backpack full of fringe and plane tickets and landed in Italia, where Kelsey (best friend since age 8/lover of all things ancient and roman) was there to meet me with some fresh foccacia.This is why we are friends. We spent the next three days traversing Rome by foot and bus, and I absolutely fell in love. Aside from all the famous monuments that are, of course, spectacular and incredible, just walking down the streets of Rome feels like a step back in time. Strolling through cobble stone alleys (usually while nibbling some prosciutto), we would literally just RUN into ruins, ancient piazzas, old fish markets, columns that are the only remains of the first temple to Apollo, and beautiful marble statues dedicated to emperors, rivers, gods, you name it. After walking for hours we would stop once, maybe twice (okay, sometimes three times a day) for a gelato or cannoli to boost spirits. The best gelato place in Rome is a small Sicilian joint a few blocks away from the Vatican (never been more proud of my Sicilian heritage!), where I got the server's recommended pairing of pistachio, Modica chocolate, and cannoli. Words cannot describe, so here's a picture: 

I wonder how much it costs to airlift gelato from Rome to California...

the beautiful Tiber River

In addition to eating an impressive (alarming?) amount of gelato, we managed to visit almost every famous ruin ever. The Colosseum reminded me a little of the football stadium at Cal (cracks in the foundation included) and left me with a weird craving to watch Russel Crowe movies. The Vatican and St Peter's Basilica were in a word- impressive. St. Peter's is GIGANTIC (it measures 2 football fields in length) and full of beautiful ornate architecture and Michaelangelo's famous Pietra sculpture. Michaelangelo is every where in this city, including the Sistine Chapel, which was crazy cool but neck-cramp inducing because the ceiling is SO high and there is SO much to look at. We cruised by the Trevi Fountain, made some wishes, lounged on the Spanish Steps, took goofy pictures at the Pantheon, and marveled at how the Romans could build structures that, even today, remain impressive feats of architectural genius. I was really really sad to leave Rome, Kelsey, the cheap bottles of Prosecco, and the vita italiana...this summer I'm buying some Italian books and some leather sandals and preparing for my triumphant return. Prego!

 

 

 

 

Let's play Spot the Tourist!