Ciao, Belllaaa!

...can't tell you how many times I heard that walking down the streets of Rome. Let's just say the Italian men are...friendly (haha)

And so begins my telling of a crazy week spent in one of the most historically significant places in the world...none other than Rome, Italy. I'm sure Gram & Gramps will be happy to hear that I made it back to the city after our big Mediterranean Cruise trip a few years back. It was even more amazing this time around, and I think this had a lot to do with the fact that I got to stay with two of my best friends: Irene and Caitlin, who are both studying abroad there at different universities. Other than getting to see my best friends again, I think what I enjoyed most about Rome was how culturally immersed I felt there. Instead of the largely tourist-y path I took in Paris as one staying in a hostel, in Rome I was able to live in really quaint, authentic Italian apartments and roam around as I pleased. I also got to meet Irene's Italian friends and see their ways of living, which was so great. One of Irene's friends in particular was extremely nice, and actually grew up in San Salvador, El Salvador before moving to Rome. Once I learned this I pounced on the opportunity to bombard him with questions about the country and teach me a little Español, since I will be visiting in December (I hope I wasn't too abrasive!)

Also, I must mention the food. Oh. my. goodness. Let's just say I was in food heaven surrounded by pizza, pasta, bread, gelato, more pizza...you catch my drift. I knew that I was going to go through food withdrawals, if you will, upon my return to Ireland. By the way, still recovering.

The first half of the week was spent with Irene in her apartment in Trastevere. She lived right by the cutest piazza (I forget the actual name of the piazza) and a pizza place that became my second home. This place also sold these rice balls that had rice, melted mozzarella, and tomatoes in them which were amazing. We visited the Pantheon and strolled by the ancient Roman ruins, while Irene gave me a crash course in Roman Art History. As I walked around, I was highly aware of how loud of a city Rome appeared to be next to Paris and how many more people seemed to be walking around. This was probably because the streets are so narrow, but it was all so exciting and different. Interestingly, I got a lot more incriminating stares from Italians than I did from Parisians, which really caught me off guard. Apparently shorts, flip flops, and dresses are no-no's in the springtime, because Italians dress for the seasons, not the weather (a direct quote from Irene). And let me tell you, it was hot for April! Irene wanted to show me the nightlife, so we went to a couple of her favorite bars and clubs. One night, I had the lucky opportunity to tag along with Irene and her roommates for a night on the town. One of Irene's roommates is dating an Italian who apparently has a lot of money, because he got us into this swanky club and took us back to his beach-house villa about thirty minutes outside of Rome. We woke up that next morning and laid out on the beach...it was a beautiful and relaxing day after a night of partying.

Outside the Pantheon

The expansive ancient ruins

A perfect day for the beach

The bridge over the Tiber River leading to Irene's apartment

Nutella gelato...mmm, mmm, mmm!

The next half of the week I stayed with Caitlin at her apartment, which was also in Trastevere and a short five-to-ten minute walk from Irene's, in which I could navigate all by myself (score!) My stay with Caitlin was comparatively more laid-back, and we did a bit more of the tourist-y stuff, which was so much fun. We walked to the Vatican and I finally got to see the inside of the Coliseum, which I didn't during my last visit because the line was so long. This time, Caitlin and I got right in and it was amazing to see the structuralism of the building. Caitlin and I joked that it would be pretty funny if they had live re-enactments of Romans strolling around in their togas and mock gladiator fights. I was trying my hardest to imagine what life could have looked like here so long ago, but it was next to impossible. In retrospect, I think I was very enthralled with everything I saw because it was so old.

The Vatican

Inside the Coliseum

Rome's version of the l'Arc de Triomphe

Caprese salad + Ciabatta bread= a perfect lunch

All in all, it was awesome to be back in Rome and see how Irene and Caitlin have been living for the past three months. They really have mastered the layout of the city and can consider themselves big-city girls now, it is amazing to see their transformation. I think that in albeit different ways, they have changed and grown just as much as I have abroad. 

Unfortunately, within the last two days of my stay in Rome I came down with a nasty case of bronchitis and have been in my sickbed for the past couple days. I have to say that after so much traveling, I'm thoroughly glad to be back in the quietude and cleanliness of Ireland. I have two full weeks to recover and recuperate before I have to start studying for finals. I can't complain much, though...I did just get to travel to Paris and Rome!