The European Nomad: Roma amoR

I slept in until 9:45 today...now that really feels like home! I took my time showering an eating breakfast. I chatted with a couple from Canada and learned that their milk comes in bags which they put in a pitcher...still in the bag. Weird huh?

I headed to the train station to reserve my ride to Venice. After waiting in line for half an hour, I bought a ticket for an overnight train tomorrow night. Or so I thought. I walked out of the ticket office and felt funny about it so I checked my ticket and realized it was for Sunday night! Crap! So I waited another half hour in line to get that fixed. Luckily it was easily changed and everything was okay.

I rode the metro near the Trastevere, the neighborhood I would be spending the day wandering in. The Trastevere is just across the river, and it's where today's Romans live. Before I got there, I visited the Circus Maximus which is where the chariot races took place. This is Ben Hur territory. It looks a lot cooler in the movie, but at least now I can say I've "ben thur." ;)

Next, I visited the Bocca Della Verita, the Mouth of Truth, which is in the Santa Maria in Cosmedin...famous from Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn...I've never seen it, but I love her! Supposedly if you put your hand in its mouth and it eats it then you are not truthful. So everyone lines up and waits their turn to get a picture with their hand in The Mouth of Truth for 50 cents.

I wandered about two miles off track before I ended up at Vatican City, found the right path, and made my way back to the main part of Rome. The views were great, and I really enjoyed this part of Rome. I do not care much for city life...Bruges has been my favorite city because it was the quietest and quaintest. Today I got to see the real part of Rome...the clothes hanging from the windows, the patio gardens, the elderly walking their dogs, and the kids playing soccer in the street. I don't think any of those people have ever crossed the river to the other see of Rome. I loved Trastevere. It was so fun to wander the cobblestone streets and see real life. That has been my favorite part of the trip. I wonder why America is not more like Europe in some ways. I wish America were more like Europe in some ways.

I visited St Maria in Trastevere which is one of Rome's oldest. It's portico was covered with fragments of stone-lids of catacomb burials and what I would call tombstones. There were lots of people worshipping in this church, and I felt awkward so I did not stay long, but the mosaics behind the altar definitely stood out and were really pretty. It was so symbolic but also just a really nice piece of art.

It started getting dark and I wandered back over the river to see Rome at night. It is so different! There are twice as many people, hard to believe, but definitely true. I went from the Campo de Fiori to the Piazza Novana. Both are main squares with lots of ristorantes and activity. I watched a lady dancing with fire for a while as well as a mini parade and many artists/musicians. I gave the musicians playing typical Italian music some coinage because they really completed my Italian experience...walking by an outdoor ristorante in the backstreets of Rome, Italy with that music was totally different than without it. I felt like I was in Lady and the Tramp or something.

I walked by the floodlit Pantheon..beautiful...up Via del Corso...also beautiful. It was dark so I was able to see the red, green, and white lights lining the entire street. I loved those! I went to the Trevi Fountain with a thousand other people. It was amazing. I tossed a coin over my shoulder and into the water for good luck. I envied the couples experiencing Rome together...so romantic. I took my jealousy to the nearest gelato shop and treated myself to some amazing gelato. I knew I wanted coconut, but I couldn't decide on a second flavor. I don't have a favorite anything so it makes it difficult to choose. I went with cherry, and it was probably my favorite flavor so far! I ended my walk at the Spanish Steps which were also very different at night than during the day. The entire city is floodlit and shines in just the right places.

I took the metro back to near my hostel with a thousand other people. Rome's public transportation is seriously crowded. It's a problem.

I made it back and chatted with two hostelmates about different languages and countries. Those conversations teach me so much about every day life in other countries!

I had stopped at a grocery store during my walk and picked up a big bag of pasta for 85 cents, some sauce for €1,15, and a big bag of salad for €2,50. So that's what i made/had for dinner around 8:30 (it was crap compared to my Florentine feast). It was fun to cook at "home" even if it was just boiling noodles and microwaving sauce. :)

Tomorrow I see the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica!!! Yay!

Ciao!

Ps Sorry I have made Rome sound so boring. I just haven't really felt like blogging while I've been here. It's much better than I make it sound.