Wow, where do I even begin??
I have only been here four days, and this is already one of the most amazing places I have ever seen!
Friday, my second day in Roma, I had the whole day to explore, and indulge. :)
I started my day off early (because I had been up most of the night...thanks to some serious jet lag),
and I found my way to a coffee shop around the corner from my hotel. They had many different types of pastries that all looked amazing, but I opted for the chocolate croissant...of course :).
After sitting and people watching for a while, I decided to venture to the Trevi Fountain.
I had a map, but it is very hard to read, and by hard to read, I mean that I am pretty terrible at reading maps.
So I went in the general direction of where I thought that it was located, and much to my surprise, before I saw the fountain, I heard the water! Believe me, I was shocked too.
When I actually saw the fountain, I was even more pleased.
It is SO beautiful.
There really are no words to describe how spectacular it is.
So, what else did I do, but sit.
And watch.
SOOO many people, from all over the world.
Speaking in languages I have never even heard of...
and so many fashions I have never seen...and hope do not make their way back to the states (one in particular). Picture this: patent leather, velcro, wedge heel sneakers.
Mainly black, sometimes blue.
No, I'm not joking.
I can just see your faces now, it's like you saw a ghost. A huge, hot pink ghost.
Right?
Well, that's what my face looked like at least.
After sitting for a while, and pondering all the ways I could prevent this from making its way to a top trend in the US, I wandered some more.
I had planned to meet Cristina (the young woman I am tutoring) in the evening.
The problem was, (in my head) we hadn't really made concrete plans of when and where to meet.
(Which was giving me massive anxiety.)
But I had to try and push my anxiety away for the day, and simply enjoy the beauty of this fantastic city.
So around lunch time, I wandered my way into a restaurant I had read about in one of my Roma books. They had described it as a very traditional restaurant, where mainly Itanlianos dined.
From the street, it looked much different from the other restaurants, which all had table seating outside, and hosts trying to lure you in by seductively saying "Ciao!", and "Bonjourno."
This restaurant was just an old, glass paned door, no people outside, just a menu written only in Italian.
As I walked in, a woman asked me, "solo uno?", and I replied "si", and she pointed me over to a large table where there were people already sitting around, a communal table.
'Perfect!', I thought. This was just the kind of experience I was looking for.
So I sat down, and was greeted by "Ciao!", from the other table guests.
However, everybody seemed to be so consumed in their dining, that the table remained quiet.
So I ordered my meal, and quietly sat, observing the scene.
When my food came, I cannot even describe in words how incredibly amazing it was.
Pasta Carbonara. I had never had anything like it.
It was like a food bomb went off in my mouth.
Cheesy, bacon-y, creamy fireworks.
So, I sat, and ate, and ate, and ate, and I still couldn't finish the bowl.
As I sat, I watched the other guests eat their meals, and I was in awe of what I was witnessing.
These people ate dish, after dish, after dish, and they still didn't look full!
I knew Italianos loved food, but I had NO idea what I was in for.
These people can eat. They are like bottomless pits.
And yet, they are still so slim. It is truly a myth to me.
After I finished my pasta, I still sat for a while, just observing the scene.
A young man had come in, he looked about my age, and was talking with the waitress and the man overseeing the restaurant. I quickly deducted that he was the son of these two, and that they must be the owners. Not long after my meal, an older man came in, and was speaking loudly, and friendly to the staff. He sat down next to me, said something to me in Italian, and I shook my head, insinuating that I did not understand. He caught on, and started speaking in English to me.
He asked me questions, and I was responding, but I don't think he was completely able to understand me.
He was very friendly though, and as the woman brought me my check, he quickly snatched it from me, and said, "no, no, no, a woman never pays!! I am the richest man in the world! You do not pay!"
He looked at the check, and said, "My God, eat some more!!"
To which I replied, "NO, NO, NO! I am already so full!"
And he said, "Well then have a glass of wine! Have some cheese! Have something sweet!"
So I said, "Well, OK, I'll have a glass of wine then...",
Me? Turn down a glass of wine? Never.
So I sat and drank a glass of wine while he tried to speak to me in broken English, and I understood only about half of what he said.
What I did understand was this: he wanted me to email him (he wrote down his email for me).
The reason? I am not entirely sure. To teach him English maybe?
So I said, "OK...", and I was on my way.
(However, I have yet to email him...)
Cristina said that this type of man in Italy is called "Provolone", like the cheese...(hahahah).
I still have not decided whether to email him, or not.
In a way he seemed harmless, but in another way I was a liiiittle creeped out. Just the slightest bit.
After lunch, I still had about four hours of wandering ahead of me until I was set to meet Cristina, however I had still not been able to contact her to figure out where we were meeting.
So for the remainder of the day, I wandered around near my hotel, and back and forth between the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. Wandering into stores, down sidestreets, and dodging maniac Italian drivers.
I wandered past a market near my hotel, that I could smell before I could see.
The flowers and the fruit and vegetables were some of the freshest I had ever seen. You could literally smell them from a block away. Delicious.
I could not buy anything though, because I knew that if I did it would just be one more thing to lug around with my 51 lb. bag...not good....no bene.
Wander, wander, wander. All day long.
I passed this store...
I think they mean "Free Willy"?
And what a beautiful sight this was.
Sitting on the Spanish Steps (for the 394825 time that day), and watching the sun set on Roma.
This was like a breath of fresh air, after a long, exhausting, running on four hours of sleep, day in Rome. Right before this was when I finally made contact with Cristina. Can you see the relief on my face? Or maybe that's just tiredness...?
Either way, this was the perfect end to my day of exploring.
After this, I made my way to Termini Station, the Grand Central of Roma, where after just some more slight confusion, I finally found Cristina, with only three moments to spare before our train left for Nettuno.
After we arrived in Nettuno, Cristina offered me dinner, which her boyfriend had prepared, because oh yeah, did I forget to mention that her boyfriend is a CHEF!!!??
CHA-CHING!
Unfortunately for me, this means that I will not be going home with the same size jeans that I arrived with. But I am 100% OK with that.
On Saturday, Cristina, her mother, and I visited the local Saturday market (which has everything from those annoying yippy toy dogs that do flips, to huge hanging chunks of meat that make me never want to eat meat again, to majorly discounted clothing).
After the market, Cristina's mom cooked us fettuccine with mushrooms that was TO DIE FOR.
Never have I had fettuccine this good.
Then, Cristina and I walked into town, which is about 1 mile from her house.
The town center of Nettuno is right along the beach. There is a harbor with shops and restaurants right along the shoreline. It is much quieter than Rome, but in a good way.
She also showed me the next town over, Anzio, which is also very beautiful and quaint.
On Saturday night, Cristina and her friends cooked a huge fish dinner, with fresh fish (and octopus!) that her boyfriend had caught the day before.
It was quite a feast. Three courses, of course. Because one course in Italia just wont suffice.
OK, I know what you're thinking...me? Fish?
But, I have to say, it was quite delicious.
I still wouldn't consider myself a "fish person", per se, but hey, at least I tried it, right?
After dinner we all went out to a pub in Rome for a drink and some dancing.
It was a really fun night!...until 3:30 am when Cristina and I were on the way home from the pub and we ran out of gas.
Yup, that actually happened.
Luckily, we were about 100 yards from a gas station.
So, at 3:30 am, Cristina, wearing heels, in 45 degree weather, pushed her little car down the road, and I was the trusty captain, behind the steering wheel.
We made it to the gas station, 20 minutes later, and we were on our way.
Aaaaand...that was a first for me!
So here I am. Home for the next three months.
I have only been here four days, and this is already one of the most amazing places I have ever seen!
Friday, my second day in Roma, I had the whole day to explore, and indulge. :)
I started my day off early (because I had been up most of the night...thanks to some serious jet lag),
and I found my way to a coffee shop around the corner from my hotel. They had many different types of pastries that all looked amazing, but I opted for the chocolate croissant...of course :).
After sitting and people watching for a while, I decided to venture to the Trevi Fountain.
I had a map, but it is very hard to read, and by hard to read, I mean that I am pretty terrible at reading maps.
So I went in the general direction of where I thought that it was located, and much to my surprise, before I saw the fountain, I heard the water! Believe me, I was shocked too.
When I actually saw the fountain, I was even more pleased.
It is SO beautiful.
There really are no words to describe how spectacular it is.
So, what else did I do, but sit.
And watch.
SOOO many people, from all over the world.
Speaking in languages I have never even heard of...
and so many fashions I have never seen...and hope do not make their way back to the states (one in particular). Picture this: patent leather, velcro, wedge heel sneakers.
Mainly black, sometimes blue.
No, I'm not joking.
I can just see your faces now, it's like you saw a ghost. A huge, hot pink ghost.
Right?
Well, that's what my face looked like at least.
After sitting for a while, and pondering all the ways I could prevent this from making its way to a top trend in the US, I wandered some more.
I had planned to meet Cristina (the young woman I am tutoring) in the evening.
The problem was, (in my head) we hadn't really made concrete plans of when and where to meet.
(Which was giving me massive anxiety.)
But I had to try and push my anxiety away for the day, and simply enjoy the beauty of this fantastic city.
So around lunch time, I wandered my way into a restaurant I had read about in one of my Roma books. They had described it as a very traditional restaurant, where mainly Itanlianos dined.
From the street, it looked much different from the other restaurants, which all had table seating outside, and hosts trying to lure you in by seductively saying "Ciao!", and "Bonjourno."
This restaurant was just an old, glass paned door, no people outside, just a menu written only in Italian.
As I walked in, a woman asked me, "solo uno?", and I replied "si", and she pointed me over to a large table where there were people already sitting around, a communal table.
'Perfect!', I thought. This was just the kind of experience I was looking for.
So I sat down, and was greeted by "Ciao!", from the other table guests.
However, everybody seemed to be so consumed in their dining, that the table remained quiet.
So I ordered my meal, and quietly sat, observing the scene.
When my food came, I cannot even describe in words how incredibly amazing it was.
Pasta Carbonara. I had never had anything like it.
It was like a food bomb went off in my mouth.
Cheesy, bacon-y, creamy fireworks.
So, I sat, and ate, and ate, and ate, and I still couldn't finish the bowl.
As I sat, I watched the other guests eat their meals, and I was in awe of what I was witnessing.
These people ate dish, after dish, after dish, and they still didn't look full!
I knew Italianos loved food, but I had NO idea what I was in for.
These people can eat. They are like bottomless pits.
And yet, they are still so slim. It is truly a myth to me.
After I finished my pasta, I still sat for a while, just observing the scene.
A young man had come in, he looked about my age, and was talking with the waitress and the man overseeing the restaurant. I quickly deducted that he was the son of these two, and that they must be the owners. Not long after my meal, an older man came in, and was speaking loudly, and friendly to the staff. He sat down next to me, said something to me in Italian, and I shook my head, insinuating that I did not understand. He caught on, and started speaking in English to me.
He asked me questions, and I was responding, but I don't think he was completely able to understand me.
He was very friendly though, and as the woman brought me my check, he quickly snatched it from me, and said, "no, no, no, a woman never pays!! I am the richest man in the world! You do not pay!"
He looked at the check, and said, "My God, eat some more!!"
To which I replied, "NO, NO, NO! I am already so full!"
And he said, "Well then have a glass of wine! Have some cheese! Have something sweet!"
So I said, "Well, OK, I'll have a glass of wine then...",
Me? Turn down a glass of wine? Never.
So I sat and drank a glass of wine while he tried to speak to me in broken English, and I understood only about half of what he said.
What I did understand was this: he wanted me to email him (he wrote down his email for me).
The reason? I am not entirely sure. To teach him English maybe?
So I said, "OK...", and I was on my way.
(However, I have yet to email him...)
Cristina said that this type of man in Italy is called "Provolone", like the cheese...(hahahah).
I still have not decided whether to email him, or not.
In a way he seemed harmless, but in another way I was a liiiittle creeped out. Just the slightest bit.
After lunch, I still had about four hours of wandering ahead of me until I was set to meet Cristina, however I had still not been able to contact her to figure out where we were meeting.
So for the remainder of the day, I wandered around near my hotel, and back and forth between the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. Wandering into stores, down sidestreets, and dodging maniac Italian drivers.
I wandered past a market near my hotel, that I could smell before I could see.
The flowers and the fruit and vegetables were some of the freshest I had ever seen. You could literally smell them from a block away. Delicious.
I could not buy anything though, because I knew that if I did it would just be one more thing to lug around with my 51 lb. bag...not good....no bene.
Wander, wander, wander. All day long.
I passed this store...
I think they mean "Free Willy"?
And what a beautiful sight this was.
Sitting on the Spanish Steps (for the 394825 time that day), and watching the sun set on Roma.
This was like a breath of fresh air, after a long, exhausting, running on four hours of sleep, day in Rome. Right before this was when I finally made contact with Cristina. Can you see the relief on my face? Or maybe that's just tiredness...?
Either way, this was the perfect end to my day of exploring.
After this, I made my way to Termini Station, the Grand Central of Roma, where after just some more slight confusion, I finally found Cristina, with only three moments to spare before our train left for Nettuno.
After we arrived in Nettuno, Cristina offered me dinner, which her boyfriend had prepared, because oh yeah, did I forget to mention that her boyfriend is a CHEF!!!??
CHA-CHING!
Unfortunately for me, this means that I will not be going home with the same size jeans that I arrived with. But I am 100% OK with that.
On Saturday, Cristina, her mother, and I visited the local Saturday market (which has everything from those annoying yippy toy dogs that do flips, to huge hanging chunks of meat that make me never want to eat meat again, to majorly discounted clothing).
After the market, Cristina's mom cooked us fettuccine with mushrooms that was TO DIE FOR.
Never have I had fettuccine this good.
Then, Cristina and I walked into town, which is about 1 mile from her house.
The town center of Nettuno is right along the beach. There is a harbor with shops and restaurants right along the shoreline. It is much quieter than Rome, but in a good way.
She also showed me the next town over, Anzio, which is also very beautiful and quaint.
We watched the sunset over the ocean, and a familiar feeling came over me.
It's amazing how you can be so far from home, but still feel so close at the same time.
It was quite a feast. Three courses, of course. Because one course in Italia just wont suffice.
OK, I know what you're thinking...me? Fish?
But, I have to say, it was quite delicious.
I still wouldn't consider myself a "fish person", per se, but hey, at least I tried it, right?
After dinner we all went out to a pub in Rome for a drink and some dancing.
It was a really fun night!...until 3:30 am when Cristina and I were on the way home from the pub and we ran out of gas.
Yup, that actually happened.
Luckily, we were about 100 yards from a gas station.
So, at 3:30 am, Cristina, wearing heels, in 45 degree weather, pushed her little car down the road, and I was the trusty captain, behind the steering wheel.
We made it to the gas station, 20 minutes later, and we were on our way.
Aaaaand...that was a first for me!
So here I am. Home for the next three months.
Cristina's house is incredible. I will take more pictures later so you all can see.
She has a huge plot of land in her back yard, where she has 10 or more different kinds of fruit trees, and spice plants (lavender, thyme, rosemary, and about 5 more), and geese!
Three geese, and one duck.
Molto bella!! It is like nothing you have ever seen.
Everyday I learn something new about Cristina, the way she lives, and the way Italians live.
Learning the culture through living it, and keeping my eyes open to every new experience.
A wise Aunty once told me, "And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." (Anais Nin) ;)
Could not possibly be more true.
Until next time,
peace, love, and pasta!!!
Ciao!
I am jealous. I want to move with you. Has Cristinaa spare room, I will teach her French. Gigi
ReplyDeleteHello all,
ReplyDeleteAllison, Your posts are more fun than a good movie and I cant wait for the next episode. Have fun, be safe, and have a bowl of pasta for me.
XOXO ST