In a last minute whim fostered by my friend Bryan, I packed my bags Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day at 5:30 a.m. I made my way to the airport and headed to Rome, Italy. Christmas Eve I had headed back to Stuttgart from Berlin, after dropping my cousin off at her plane. Landing in Stuttgart, I realized how really alone I was feeling since I had absolutley no plans for Christmas or anywhere to go. Bryan says, "Hey, do you want to go to Rome?" and I think, well, "Why the hell not?" Turns out it was one of the best decisions that I have made in a long time. After a semi-long journey and a change plane later, I was walking down Via Cavour from the Stazione Termini (main station) and just through the cars in the street I spot the Colloseum. I couldn't believe my eyes, and on Christmas Day - in a couple of meters I would be standing in front of the Colloseum. I took in with complete awe how massive it was, still relativley intact, surrounded by trees and large crowds of people. Just to the west were the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) which consisted of intriciate ruins of many plazas, temples and columns.
The walk continued and we headed to the western part of the city to find a hotel, passing by the Piazza Venenzia we stopped to take some pictures and Bryan watched me stare at things some more.
After walking some, we managed to get a super sweet hotel right in the middle of the western part of the city, close to everything and super-renovated. A huge contrast to what I had read about hotels in Italy, but I guess Bryan knew I didn't feel like hosteling it this one.
Christmas Day was spent walking around the city, checking out Piazzas and walking the city from top to bottom. I was totally enamoured by the City of Rome. I never thought that I could be so uterlly impressed by a city like I was there. Everywhere I looked, things looked so old I couldn't even fathom, then a corner would be turned - and there would stand something even older. For dinner on Christmas Day I had some authentic spahetti with meat sauce, some great cheese and a fabulous merlot that melted in your cheeks. Headed out to a couple of bars, the most famous being The Drunken Ship, a well known tourist bar that had Elephant Beer on tap. Only problem was the lack of toilet seats in Rome, so after a couple of wines and two large pints of Elephant beer...I have to admit that it got pretty tricky. The rest of the evening was spent walking around the city at night and making our way to St. Peter's Basilica located in Vatican City. The sight of this place at night, with pretty much no one there is something I will never forget.
Day two woke up pretty early and did a lot more sightseeing, we headed back to St. Peters Basilica, but after seeing the probably 45 minute line to get in (and a little bit of a hangover literally hanging over my head) I decided that I would okay with not going in, besides, Bryan has it on video. After that, we went past the Pantheon for a little bit, took some pictures but left rather quickly due to the very thick crowds and the Gladiator impersonators trying to milk you out of your cash. I've never seen a gladiator with a beer belly, but they exhist in Rome, haha.
The next major spot that we hit was the Fountain di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), which I would have to say was my most favorite spot that we went to in the whole city. it has to have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my whole life. We spent a considerable amout of time, taking lots of pictures and I threw a coin in there for some good love luck.
The most impending thing I felt in the city was how old it was. Yes, we all know that Rome is old...but I have never been anywhere would I could actually feel that. I would walk through the streets there and in my minds eye, I could smell the city as it was thousands of years ago - the smell of spices and sweat, people yelling, dogs barking, fountains running and smoke swirling. It was a truly magical experience and I will never forget my time there, hopefully that coin in the fountain will ensure my return.
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