When in Roma

Rome really wasn't built in a day.

The beauty of living in Europe is that you're a stepping stone away from many different remarkable cultures and sites just waiting for you to come and see them. I knew by moving to Spain, I would eventually make my way outside of its borders and experience more than what I bargained for, and the first stop on my list was Rome. We spend the majority of our school years learning about the Romans and how much of a role they played in terms of molding modern society. To be able to witness their ruins and see all that is left of them was absolutely incredible. That alone is enough reason to travel to Rome, but combined with good food, tasty wine, and fresco paintings... There is no greater decision than to spend a few days there.

From Spain to Rome in 15 seconds.

Make A Wish

When I came to Italy, I had a list of places that I wanted to see and only two days to see them in. There was the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Trajan's Forum, the Vatican, St. Peter's Square, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Plaza of the Republic, and Santa Maria Maggiore. That's a pretty lengthy list for someone that doesn't know their way around the city and can't speak Italian, but luckily for me, I have the navigational prowess of Magellan. I completed that list with time to spare.

The Trevi Fountain was one of the first sites that I visited. The legend says to throw three coins over your left shoulder (one at a time) and make a wish for each coin. Being the superstitious gal that I am, I spent days leading up to Rome  trying to decide what my wishes would be. The Trevi is just as beautiful as you could imagine. Despite the large number of people crowding around it, it was relatively easy to make your way down to the water. I read somewhere that about 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day. That's 3,000 wishes from hopeful people from all over the world. 

Though I have more to say about the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon was one of my favorite places in Rome. The famous painter, Raphael, is buried there. If you are familiar with Renaissance art, then maybe you are familiar with the Ninja Turtles. The Pantheon does not get enough credit. It's overshadowed by the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. The building is remarkably preserved for a temple that was built in 126 AD. The Italians have kept it well maintained. I was truly impressed. They also had a book that people could sign and I definitely represented Summersville, Kentucky. I know where I'm from.

Leave the gun, take the cannoli!

Ten points to whoever knows what movie that is from. 

Italy is home of some of the best cuisines in the world, and I don't know of anyone that doesn't occasionally like to treat themselves to some perfectly prepared pasta. Luckily for me, walking across Rome for miles and miles balanced out my calorie counter. Not that I was really counting anyway. Why worry about calories when you have pizza, lasagna, ravioli, spaghetti, ice cream, gnocchi, and cannoli's waiting for you to bite into it? 

I'm sure most of you are wanting to ask me the same question. Some of you even have..

Was the food as good in Italy as it is in the United States?

First of all, I think that whole concept of "is it better" is a myth. The only thing that makes food in Italy taste better than the food in the United States is the fact that you are eating it in Italy. Your tastebuds are blinded by the cultural experience and base the quality of the food on the location that you're eating it in. I hate to ruin so many rose-colored glasses, but the US has done well when it comes to mimicking the Italians. If you sat in a cafe in your hometown, turned on 'That's Amore,' and closed your eyes for a minute with the smell of spaghetti under your nose... You'd practically be in Italy. 

The only thing that I ate in Italy that the United States will never master is gnocchi. I'm obsessed with gnocchi. If you have never ate or heard of this dish, please do yourself a favor and go have a plate. Gnocchi, pronounced no-key, is one of my all time favorites. I tried to make it once in the states and failed miserably. My mother can vividly remember the mess I made out of her kitchen and I'll never forget the sour face that she made as she tried to eat it without making me feel bad. Though my gnocchi was salty enough to kill someone, the authentic Italian version made me want to kiss my waiter.

Have you ever seen The Godfather? If you have, you should have understood the quote in my header and will appreciate the fact that I finally was able to enjoy a Sicilian cannoli. After searching for a place that sold them, I managed to find a pastry shop near the Trevi Fountain. If you've never ate a cannoli, it is a tube shaped pastry filled with ricotta cheese. The taste is absolutely incredible and added to my much needed Italian experience.  I sat along the outer wall overlooking the Trevi Fountain and enjoyed my cannoli while Noah and I contemplated which site we were going to see next.

Are you not Entertained?

The Roman legacy is spread across the city, lying in ruins that looks more like puzzle pieces. You have to put each piece together in order to get a visual of what Rome was truly built to look like before it collapsed. A lot of people will not be as fascinated by the ruins as I was, but people who appreciate history would be enjoy seeing fragments of the past. Trajan's Forum was also a nice site to visit. Trajan was a Roman emperor that was born in modern day Andalusia, which is the state in Spain that I live in. 

Never go to Rome without going to the Vatican. Seeing the Sistine Chapel was one of the many highlights of my trip. Every art class that I have ever taken has mentioned Michelangelo's ceiling at least once, maybe even twice. It is one of the most recognizable paintings in the world and seeing a photo online doesn't hold a candle to seeing the real thing for yourself. I stood and stared at The Creation of Man for what felt like hours, enjoying every second that I could because I know I'll probably never see it again. 

I stood in the center of St. Peter's Square, I signed my name in the Pantheon, and I drank a fair amount of holy water on my two day excursion. There was nothing more rewarding than knowing that I fulfilled my dream of going to Italy. Being only 21 years old, I've been blessed with an incredible life. I've done so many things that most people only dream of doing and there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thankful for this incredible adventure. This experience is overwhelming and I'm humbled by the amount of support that I get daily from people back home. You have no idea how much your kind words mean to me.

The best advice I will ever give you is to travel. Throw caution in the wind and go see the beautiful world that God created. There is no greater feeling than losing yourself in another culture and becoming consumed by new experiences. Most people take life for granted. They say they'll get around to traveling without ever taking the initiative to go. Now is just as good of a time as any. Take your family, go with some friends, or even go alone if you have to. The purpose is to feast your eyes on something you've never seen before. Spin a globe and pick a place, or search deep into the back of your mind for that one country you've always dreamed of visiting. You are not guaranteed that tomorrow will ever come, so use every waking second to move one step closer to fulfilling your dreams. The world is yours.

I wish you were here. Xoxo