It has been a wild week in the land of ruins and pasta. Always one to keep it interesting, my first challenge in Rome was getting to the airport to the apartment we had rented. With my luggage. By myself. At night. Although the map that I had ended up being less than accurate, with some application of my wiles, some deep breaths, and a friendly bartender who took pity on me and gave me the WiFi password, I made it!
The apartment was perfect for the week: 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a washing machine. There was even a terrace! We ended up making ourselves quite a few fabulous Italian dinners, accompanied by bottles of wine of course. Saying wine is cheaper than water here is no exaggeration: a bottle can cost as little as €2. And it still tastes great! It is an understatement to say that I have been broadening my wine taste in the capital.
As hard as it is to organize 6 people to get out and do things, we got it done. It did not hurt that the weather has been absolutely beautiful the entire time that we have been here – 60s and sunny. On Monday we went to the Colosseum. While impressive from the outside, there is no way to describe the feeling of standing at the top, looking out over the entirety of the ancient amphitheatre. It is insane how so much of the Roman’s work still stands, and how they managed to create such magnificent structures.
From there we went to Trevi Fountain, to which pictures hardly do it justice. The whole marble structure is simply stunning. Although already packed with tourists, despite the season just beginning, we were able to toss in our coins. Clearly the legend is true, because we came back the very next day!
Tuesday we went to the Roman Forum, which I consider the most amazing part of the trip. Just being able to walk among the ruins of what was once the epicenter of Ancient Rome constitutes a step back in history that just cannot be experienced anywhere else. The ruins are so indomitable in their own right, the splendor of the city at its peak is almost too much to contemplate. The greatest moment for me was walking through the ruins of the temple of the famous Vestal Virgins. These women, so renowned in history, once walked these same halls, keeping the fires burning night and day, ceaselessly. The area was just so peaceful and quiet, it was almost as if their legacy had been absorbed into the very stones.
After, we were finally able to meet up with Maddie and Steph, studying in Rome. It was such a treat to see them – Maddy and I were jumping out of our skin. It is crazy how even halfway around the world SLU kids always find each other and get together. We went to the Trevi Fountain again, got our first gelato, and then made our way to the Spanish Steps. All the way at the top, we were able to sit on the wall overlooking the plaza, with a fantastic view of St. Peter’s Basilica growing dark as evening began to fall. After, the girls came back to the apartment with us, and we made a huge family-style dinner and hung out on the terrace. I could not have asked for anything more!
On Wednesdays, the Pope does his public address at the Vatican, and I was determined to go, in spite of having to wake up at the crack of dawn. Maddy and I got up early and went out and got eggs and bread to make everyone breakfast. After our scrambled eggs, we made our way to the Vatican.
In spite of us being getting there over an hour and a half in advanced, we still failed to get seats. The entire horseshoe ended up packed, from wall to wall. There must have been thousands of people there, locals and tourists alike, to listen to the Pope. He drove around in his Pope-Mobile for a while, which consists of a Mercedes with a platform replacing the back where the seats would go. He circled around, waving, saying hello, and then stopped to bless people and kiss babies. The energy in the crowd was incredible – it was like being at a huge sporting event. Countless people even held up painted bedsheets with writing on them, waved flags, and chanted “Papa Francesco.” Although the Pope himself only spoke in Italian, the proceedings took so long in part because the ministers outlined what he was about to say in every major language. It was incredible to experience first-hand just how wide-reaching the Catholic Church is around the world.
From there, we visited the Galleria Borghese. Although small, the size is more than compensated for in how stunning the space is. Every inch of it was decorated in the most ornate style, with granite columns and walls, elaborately painted and frescoed walls and ceilings, and gilded molding. The contents of the gallery were equally as impressive, with countless marble sculptures and paintings by the great Renaissance Italians, including titian and Caravaggio. The only slight downside was that I was feeling really sick already and the museum was stiflingly hot, leading to me being unable to appreciate the work as much as I usually would have.
My feelings were not unfounded, however. As soon as we got back to the apartment, I realized even more acutely just how awful I felt, and napped. During that time, the fever I had developed throughout the afternoon broke, leading to a greatly increased sense of well-being. Feeling refreshed, Maddy and I got dressed up and ready for a night on the town.
But sadly, it was not to be. After getting dressed up and successfully navigating to Tony’s, an Italian restaurant that everyone and their mother had recommended to us, we sat down to dinner. As soon as we sat down, food appeared on the table, and we gave our orders within 60 seconds. Not even looking at the menu, I ordered pesto – big mistake. When it came it was handmade and delicious. But also bright green and smothered in cheese. Needless to say, my stomach was not taking it, and the restaurant bathroom and I got real close. The worst: being unable to eat food in Italy. So depressing. Since I clearly was unable to keep the contents of my stomach where they belonged, Josh opted to take me home instead of going out. On the bright side, Italy at night is beautiful!
On our last day in Rome, we returned to the Vatican to see the Sistine Chapel. We had gotten out of the area as quickly as possible after the audience with the Pope, as it was so crowded. It was crazy to go back and be able to see across the entirety of the horseshoe, packed wall to wall with people only the previous day. Today, though, it was much clearer, and we could move across the courtyard with ease.
The Sistine Chapel was absolutely beautiful. You stand on the floor and do not know which way to look: the paintings are everywhere. I totally snapped a contraband picture of the central illustration, Adam and God reaching out to one another. But every inch of the walls and ceiling is decorated with some painted scene. Billy just kept quoting the famous Michelangelo line, and it made so much sense when seeing the intricacy and detail of the work: “I am finished when I am finished.”
The Vatican also contains a maze of museums, various popes leaving behind art and exhibits now displayed in the building. While clearly not the main attraction, it was illuminating to travel through all of the rooms with various objects from the time of historical popes. Mostly, I find it rather crazy how much stuff the papacy accumulates and how widespread the fervor is – Catholics around the world honor the Pope, and it is mindblowing how one man can bring together so many people of different cultures.
We also went to St. Peter’s Basilica. Words cannot even do it justice – it is one of the most elaborate and magnificent religious buildings I have ever seen. Huge marble statues mark the tombs of previous popes, and the whole building is made of marble, polished granite, and intricate stone work gilded with gold. To my mind, the whole thing demonstrated the wealth amassed by the Catholic Church over the ages, whether that be for good or ill. Still, the remnants of the corruption are breathtaking. For me, though, seeing La Pièta was the most amazing part. Although it was dwarfed by nearly all other statues in vast expanse of the basilica, it shone with its own light. The statue’s historical significance alone makes it utterly breathtaking, let alone how masterfully and beautifully it is sculpted.
For our last dinner in Italy, we did it big. We met up with Maddy and Steph and went to a beautiful little restaurant in an alleyway near the Pantheon. It was the quintessential Italian dinner: outdoor seating, wine, music, candlelight. It was beautiful. Maddy and I got sea bass, thinking it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Apparently, they sell those things by ounce… Regardless, it was absolutely delicious, and the most perfect way to cap off our time in Rome. Then it was on to the stunning city of Firenze…
