What a dumb title. It's hard to come up with something clever to say for the amazing parts of life. I can be clever beyond words for a blog post about our pile up of laundry, or medical care in a foreign country, but give me the task of titling a post about Rome and I've got nothin'. I've got a lot of pictures. I've got a lot of memories. But clever titles...not so much. Give me time. I may come up with one. This blather. It's all part of the writing process. Part one is this. Part two will be just photos, from my better camera. Not my *good* camera...but better than my iphone, camera.
One of the many reasons we decided we wanted to give international teaching a whirl was for the opportunity to travel. When we decided we were going to Rome, one of the first questions people asked was, "Why Rome?"
What? I have a better question. Why not Rome? Okay, to answer that question: at some point, Steve and I had a conversation about our dream destinations and Rome was one that made the top five for both of us. I kind of have a crush on Europe and, as far as continents go, it's probably my favorite (okay second favorite, only because I'd be a bad American if I didn't rate my home continent first). Part of Steve's family is originally from Italy, so he was excited to find brethren with equally impressive noses. Ha! I kid! That's just my nose envy talking.
We wanted to really feel Rome, so we searched for an apartment we could rent in the heart of the city. We wanted to live it, experience it, not just vacation in it. I'm all for room service and tour bus rides, but for Rome we wanted it to be a more authentic experience. Maybe even a little bit educational for the kids.
Poor kids. They probably just want a week in Disneyland, a heated outdoor pool, continental carbalicious breakfast daily, Mickey Mouse ears to take home, churros to munch on when you run out of energy under the hot afternoon sun, and a plastic bag full of glittery goodness to take home after visiting the endless row of princesses. Nope. Instead we gave them history!
Tours through the streets of an ancient city, riveting lectures on a day in the life of a gladiator, cooking lessons, gelato tasting, and souvenirs in the form of books and pictures and lasting memories. They did get their carbalicious overload on a daily basis, though. It wasn't all bad. The truth is - they loved it! Thank goodness!
We rented a cute little apartment within walking distance of the Spanish Steps.
Although we were just there one week, we lucked out in finding a private tour guide (who was amazing!) to take us through the Colosseum one day, through the ancient city of Ostia Antica another day, and best of all, she taught us how to order coffee with an extra shot of espresso. Although they don't call it espresso because all they serve is espresso, which is why it's called cafe. Coffee, which is like drinking swamp water to them, is called "American coffee". Shoot. Why do we have to be associated with that, especially since what they serve as "American coffee" is Nescafe from a jar. It may be my life mission to educate the world about what we truly drink over in America. It most certainly is not crystalized coffee chunks from a jar. Ew.
Focus. Okay. Two of our days were tour days. One of our days was spent in the home of a chef who gave us private lessons on how to cook authentic Roman cuisine. It was fantastic! We made ravioli, tortilini, traditional meat sauce, a béchamel sauce, and three different flavors of gelato. The best part was eating all of it when we were done cooking. I have to say we completely lucked into meeting a host of fantastic people. It all started with the apartment rental that we booked through Silvio, who introduced us to Gina, who set up amazing tours with Priscilla and a cooking lesson with Francesca. If any of you ever want to visit Rome, let me know because these people are amazing and I'd be happy to give them more business.
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And because who doesn't love a top 10 list?
The top 10 things I thought I'd never do in Rome:
10. Um, be in Rome.
9. Walk on the ground, the very ground, where Julius Caesar was assassinated.
8. See Steve get in a yelling match with a street peddler who wouldn't leave Drew alone while trying to sell us a flashy laser light ditty.
7. Be so cold that I had to (no, really I *had* to) by a pair of Italian leather gloves. They're beautiful. I may need them to survive the summer in Oregon.
6. Eat at a one of the top ten most unusual McDonald's in the world. True story. Check this link. It's located in a 2,000 year old building. That seems so wrong, on so many levels.
5. Hire a street vendor to paint a picture of the Colosseum for us and watch him do it in about 12 minutes flat.
4. See the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's real true paintings, and walk the macabre corridors of Saint Peter's Basilica. Steve scolded me for using the adjective macabre, but listen, when there are dead people entombed in glass boxes...that's macabre. Saint Peter's Basilica was stunning. Breathtaking. Awe inspiring. Yes, all of those things. Also, macabre.
3. Stand on the roof of a crazy old building and see the Roman cityscape beneath a golden sheen of February sunlight.
2. Devour a plate of ribs, onion rings, and New York cheesecake, with a Shiraz chaser.
1. Put my son in a time-out on the Spanish Steps. (Yes, that is Drew, second photo down, in the lower right hand corner of the following image, in a time-out.)
One of my all time favorite moments in Rome was in the Vatican Museum. It was the tail end of our last full day in Rome and we were all weary. Steve was being the good grandson that he is, and writing his grandma a postcard from the Vatican City. He thought it'd be cool for her to get a postcard from the actual post office there. Such a sweet guy. So, we all waited while Steve polished his halo. I found a little bench to sit on. The kids found souvenirs to bide their time. We were all content. While I was waiting, Livy comes strolling on over and sidles next to me and, as she leans her head into my shoulder says, "Well, when was the last time *you* sat next to an ancient bust?" Bhahaha! That kid. She cracks me up. Livy in the upper left hand corner, sitting next to an ancient bust.
And that, was Rome.
But, there are five Canfield coins in the Trevi Fountain that say we're coming back! Until next time...
