Arrivederci Roma

Now that I am home, back in the States, in my air conditioned home, I long for the cobble stoned streets of Rome, crowded with tourists, with the sun pounding down relentlessly. I loved Rome and I miss it already. This experience was everything I could of imagined it to be and more. I fell in love with the city and I loved being immersed in the Italian culture. It was an eye-opening experience for me, seeing how people live in another country, soaking up all the history around me. And I couldn't of asked for better people to spend my time with. I enjoyed myself so much, I am already planning other places that I want to travel to.

Too Much Food

I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to taste all of the delicious food throughout Italy and in Spain. I have loved it all and I fear that once I return home, nothing will be able to compare. From the plate fulls of pasta to the huge pizzas and the fresh vegetables in salads and paninis, I will miss it all. I am usually a very picky eater so I was surprised at home much I enjoyed trying new foods while I was here. Now that I have experienced authentic Italian food I don't think I will enjoy the Italian food at home nearly as much.

So Long Garden Dream

Today I bid farewell to the beautiful Pincio Gardens, a place I have come to know very well through the past seven weeks. It is a place where both natives and tourists come to relax and roam the peaceful streets. From the charming water clock to the dignified obelisk, people are taken with this unique place. I enjoyed exploring this lovely place and to say goodbye I walked the tree lined and marble statue lined streets one last time, taking in the beautiful weather and people watching as I walked. I have become very familiar with the gardens and I have loved the peaceful getaway from the city. I will miss this romantic place very much as there is no place like this in western Pennsylvania.

That's Amore

"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's amore." I always want to sing this song when we order pizza here. The pizza is delicious, whether we are grabbing a quick slice at the pizzeria down the street from the Sede di Roma or ordering a huge pizza at a retaurant, it is always good. I like the pizza here much better than at home. The crust is very thin and flaky and the cheese is always fresh.

Coffee Culture

Italy is known very well for its coffee. While I don't usually drink coffee at home, I have tried a cappucino and an espresso. Italians are very particular about their coffee. They drink their cappucino in the morning but not after 11:30, they think that milk is bad for the stomach after the morning. But an espresso is okay at any time of day. Today when we walked into the bar to get our cappucino, it was crowded with men in suits quickly drinking their espresso before jetting back off to work. I actually liked the cappucino which surprised me.

"The only word Elizabeth knows in Italian is Bvlgari" -Richard Burton

Today we went to the Bvlgari exhibit at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. It was fabulous. The exhibit was set up in a series of rooms, each devoted to a certain time period. Each room displayed the jewels famous for that time period. There was even an entire room devoted to Elizabeth Taylor's collection of jewels. In one room there were small televisions set up showing the stars wearing Bvlgari jewels on the red carpet. I liked seeing the jewels that Anna Magnani wore. She was a famous Italian actress that we have seen in a few movies as part of class on neorealist films. I had no idea she was so famous and so fabulous. She wore a 25 karat Bvlgari ring on her pinky finger. The jewels were amazing to see. It was by far my favorite museum I have seen in Rome.

Back to Roma

Today we began our journey back to Rome. We walked to the bus station, taking in the last of the city as we walked up the Rambla. From the bus station we took an hour and a half long bus ride to the airport in Girona. From there we boarded our RyanAir plane back to Rome. The plane was late taking off and as we tried to land at the Ciampino Airport we encountered a thunder storm. So we circled the city for over an hour, experiencing some rough turbulence the entire time, upsetting a few stomachs. Finally, after an hour of circling, they decided to land in Rome's other airport- Fiumicino. From there we were able to take a train to Termini and then walk home. Our short plane ride turned into a rough experience for all us and it took much longer than expected but we finally arrived back in Rome. I was happy to return to the cobblestone streets and quaint Italian shops and cafes, a stark contrast from Barcelona.

My time here in Rome is nearing its end. We only have four full days left here before we return back to the States. I am already sad at the thought of leaving this amazing city and anxious as to how much I can cram into the next four days!!