Roman Holiday: Part II

Ah, my beautiful Rome. I promised you I would unearth the embarrassing touristy pictures before long. Despite how boiling hot it was on this particular weekend, I can't help but recall how joyously stress-free this trip was. I think it was pure luck, having chosen the perfect location to stay in and effectively planning our days where we even accounted for about an hour of nap time to rejuvenate ourselves before dinner. 

Being in the Colosseum was almost unnerving, considering its age and current state of disarray. I was a bit afraid that the stone would crumble away beneath my feet with each step I took. Of course, that fear wasn't great enough to keep me from (illegally!) posing on the remnants of an Ionic column capital. 

I was dutifully informed by my friend Sam that the best gelato in all of Rome was to be found in a shop just around the corner from the Trevi Fountain. For some reason, I found myself incredibly addicted to pistachio ice cream this summer, so I indulged myself in a scoop of the aforementioned flavor. Our friend, who sent us a massively helpful email prior to our trip, told us to look out for pistachio gelato that was lime green in color, because that is a tell-tale sign that it's made with artificial ingredients.

One thing that struck me the most about Rome is how closely everything was set together. The only prior exposure I had to the city was through movies (Roman Holiday, The Lizzie McGuire Movie) and so I assumed everything was spread out, for some reason. Little did I know, the Trevi Fountain is not even a free-stranding structure but the back end of a building.

On our was to the airport early Sunday morning, we took the scenic route and bid our little Italian retreat farewell with a stop on the Spanish Steps.

Roman Holiday: Part I

This summer, after years of aspiring and longing, I finally had to opportunity to visit Rome, Italy. For a long weekend at the end of July, my friend Sam and I rented an apartment in the charming neighborhood of Trastevere. It's far from the historic center and filled with ivy-covered window boxes, winding cobblestone streets and charming outdoor restaurants. As per the suggestion of a very helpful student who happened to be spending his own summer in Rome, he hung around our neighborhood after dark to soak up the lively nightlife.

As per the recommendation of our reliable source, we had our first dinner at Freni e Frizioni, an apertivo bar. The bar scene was a bit chaotic, but the drinks were delicious as were the endless servings of fresh salads and food. Apertivo bars are apparently a distinctively Italian experience where you pay about six to eight euros for a flavorful cocktail, and with your receipt you're welcome to a diverse spread of appetizers and lite fare. During the day this location looks indistinct and forgotten with its heavy metal doors lowered, but we approached a scene of young, cool-looking Italians spilling out into a square and surrounding neighborhood streets.

We started each morning in a different nearby cafe with a cappuccino and chocolate pastry, where we planned that day's excursions. Don't worry, we didn't spend the whole trip wandering off the beaten path.