Roma

The train ride to Rome was even more beautiful – we passed really cute towns and gorgeous countryside with lakes and mountains. When we finally got to Rome we found our hotel much more easily than the other places – it was right by Termini train station thankfully!! We immediately headed out and saw almost everything in half a day. Katie and I don’t fool around – we walk everywhere and see everything. Roma was a very interesting experience because by this point in the trip we were tired and the first two places were so charming and small, and Rome is enormous and crowded. Everywhere is Times Square. So while I did like it a lot and everyone should get there, I can’t say it was my favorite.

We went to Santa Mara Maggiore first – an unbelievably beautiful basilica in a residential/business area. Just – wow – like jaw-on-the-floor wow. We then went to the piazza della Republica – which is a lot like Lincoln Center in NYC. It has an ancient basilica with this more modern structure highlighting it. We walked to the Spanish steps which were covered in people and purple flowers and then Trevi Fountain. A man somehow got to the middle and dove into the fountain and was then arrested – it was quite the show. We went into many churches which were really cool because from the outside they look like nothing – just a building, but inside they are trimmed in gold and deep blues or pinks or greens and angels painted all over the ceilings.

We saw St. Ignacious Loyola’s church (go Jesuits!) – which I actually really really liked. The outside and in are beautiful. We saw the Pantheon which is so cool because you can really see how old it is. Next up piazza Navona which is a long oval center filled with the cutest restaurants and cafes and the buildings are all these bright colors. People were painting and playing music or doing comedy routines. We strolled to the Monument Victor Emmanuel which is so impressive and HUGE – I loved it! I think we headed back at this point – I’m honestly not sure if we even ate we were so tired. But we met a really cool guy from Chile in our hostel and girls from South Africa and Spain.

The next day we got up really early and went to Vatican City – Sunday. We got mixed in with this crowd of really pushy old people - and not very Christian regardless of their crosses and banners and pictures of Il Papa. It was chaos and we somehow ended up in a very special private ticket-only section in front of St. Peter’s…but we had no ticket and on one bothered us. Next thing we know the Pope comes out and says Mass about 200ft or 300ft from us!!! Parts were in English, but it was great to listen to nonetheless – lovely music. I mean I saw mass by the POPE. I could never go again and I’m pretty sure I’d still be covered. We then strolled over the museums which were closed, and then saw the Castel Sant’Angelo – an enormous egotistical mausoleum for some ancient person I forget. We walked along the river for a bit and then got some gelato and headed for Ancient Rome. We saw the Sacred Area, the Campidoglio and then walked through the Roman Forum which was incredible. As you go through suddenly the Colosseum pops up and it’s massive. It was really impressive to see and walk around. We hung out around there for a bit then headed back and pretty much crashed. We got dinner at this ridiculous place with rude waiters who microwaved our food. Bizarre!! That night as we were getting ready for bed this guy walks in the room and we know him from Fordham!! It was so random – of all the cities and hostels and rooms, and this kid we hung out with in Galway and Paris is in our hostel. So that was fun.

Next day we got up at 6:45 and went to the Vatican Museums. We only had to wait for them to open which was a relief and we were pretty far up in line. The museums are filled with insanely good art and sculptures – you really need a full day there. But we had a goal: the Sisteen Chapel. It’s not what you expect – you’re walking along and go up and down stairs and suddenly you’re in this small little chapel covered in wall to wall paintings. It’s beyond worth seeing – the paintings are so humbling and just knowing one man painted that ceiling and those walls – quite an experience. We left there and saw some ancient Roman sculptures, and then went into St. Peter’s. I really struggle to describe how impressive this building is – it’s enormous and the alter is so big you don’t even believe it looking at it. We saw La Pieta and just walked through it with our eyes as wide as they can go. I’m still not sure how to put the whole experience into words – I guess surreal. You’re in the heart of Catholicism and it should be so sacred, but it’s almost too much – too much gold and decorations and designs and tourists and people taking cheesy photos in the confessional booths. It was breathtakingly beautiful, but something didn’t feel right. I expect basilica’s around the world to be ostentatious, but I guess I wanted this to be humble and sacred, and not such a tourist trap.

Next we walked to Piazza del Popolo and at this point you’re really north in the city and it’s so pretty, way less people, and just cute. We got great pizza and the piazza itself is really cool. The center has a huge fountain you can sit in and around and two enormous churches sit in the entrance. This day was honestly kind of miserable because of the heat and our exhausted we were, but we still had things to see and do. We walked all the way to the bottom of the city and stuck our hand in the Mouth of Truth – mine’s still here, no worries! And then saw the Circo Massimo, where all the chariot races took place. We walked by the Colosseo again, and crashed back at the hostel. At night we walked around saw the Piazza della Republica lit up with the fountain – just like LCenter in summer.

Rome is huge. Just huge. The people aren’t very friendly and barely anyone speaks English which was quite a shock and very frustrating. It’s a capital city for Pete’s sake!! However the gelato was unbelievable – this one place had a chocolate that might as well’ve been brownie batter. It’s way too crowded, but I really liked how it’s a city with all these ancient ruins or gorgeous churches that just pop up as you turn a corner. Everything is ornate and the churches are really stunning from the inside – even just itty bitty chiesas make you go “Wow.”
I was a big hit with Italian men had many men profess their love for me – one man dressed as an ancient Roman soldier put his fake sword to my neck and said “I love you.” The city felt like a twilight zone at times.
Also – I had multiple people tell me I don’t look American! I’ve gotten that before from NYC cabbies…I don’t know what makes me not look American but they didn’t believe I wasn’t English, Irish, or French. They thought Katie was American, but not me!!

Overall, Italia is bella!!! The people are so darling and I picked up more Italian in one week than I have of Irish in 5 months. Ciao bella, Prego, Gratzie, and many more phrases will be stuck in my head. The whole place just tests your senses – one minute it’s cool windy – the next smoldering heat. The colors are enchanting and I’m not kidding you could smell lilacs, gardenias, and wonderful food smells everywhere. I had many forms of chocolate gelato, as well as coconut, pineapple, orange, peach, mint, nutella, tiramisu and stractiatella. Even though I feel like I ate the country’s entire store of gelato, most of those flavors were combined on one cone!! Also – I’m aware I probably spelled most of the Italian words wrong, so those of you who are Italian, my apologies but I’m too lazy to double check!! I loved Italy, but I’m glad to be back – Gaillimh is still my favorite, followed by Paris then Venice!! Ciao!!!