Roma Pt. I

Thursday, 23 November

Ah, Roma! One of the first things that struck me after stepping off the bus near our AirBnb was the immense amount of Roman structures still standing and being preserved. My brother and I were also struck by the terrible odor in our resting place, but that has been taken care of.

We arrived on a Thursday and settled into our AirBnb after a short two-hour trip from Pistoia. Right away, we walked around to explore the part of the city we were in. We planned to visit Naples one day, but I think Rome requires all of our time.

We visited the Teatro Marcello and its surrounding ruins. Fun fact, this theater was founded by Julius Caesar and pre-dates the Colosseum. There’s a great path with some markers that describe its history.

We climbed up the 124 steps to the Basilica di Santa Maria, where we could see over the western part of the city. The Basilica sits on a hill near the monument to Victor Emmanuel II. Imagine lights distant and near, the hum of a few conversations in multiple languages, and sitting on steps that are cold enough to feel wet (but aren’t). You can see dozens of Roman monuments. It’s quite lovely. I didn’t take a picture because my phone couldn’t do it justice, but I’ll take one during the daytime.

Everywhere you go are ancient Roman ruins. It’s really incredible to see so much history around you. I feel a little lost in time between honking cars and buildings 2000 years old. Will and I think that Rome feels like New York in a sense. It’s a bustling place, even more touristy than New York in many places. I’m super excited for the next few days to explore more.

Tip on dining: Rome has many thousands of restaurants. There’s tons of options, but you’ll certainly be seeing pizza and pasta everywhere. Most restaurants open from 12-14:00 and then close until they open again at 18:00 or so. They’ll be open until 22:00 or 23:30. As with most European cities I’ve experienced, they eat late. It’s something you get accustomed to.

Our first supper here wasn’t until nearly 10pm when we took a break from our explorations. While at the Teatro Marcello, a man from New York (state) recommended Ba Ghetto. This restaurant is real close to our AirBnb, which is in the Jewish quarter. Ba Ghetto is kosher and serves no milk or meat. We wanted both, so we went to Ba Ghetto Milky nearby. Highly recommend. Our server, Jose, had an amazing mustache. We taught him the words mutton chops and goatee.

At around midnight, Will and I decided to go out. We happened upon Scholar’s Lounge, an Irish pub that’s half live music and half dance club. We met Javier from Peru and some people from Canada, Greece, and New York. We stayed out late and danced the night…or morning away.

Friday, 24 November

Friday started late for us. But we got our tickets to see the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. That’s $22 (euros). Will and I visited the Roman Forum. When we got there, I wished for more energy, memory of ancient Roman politics, and food. We walked around for three hours from 13:00-16:00 without lunch in our bellies. And we’ll need to go back because there’s more to see. The Forum was ten times bigger than I had expected.

The Forum was built over a period of centuries and hosted temples to various gods and goddesses as well as monuments to Rome’s greatest. The Forum hosted speeches, gladiator fights, victory marches, elections, and criminal trials. It was really the center of the city in terms of politics and commerce.

Alongside the Forum was the Santa Maria Antiqua, a well-preserved church that dates to the 6th century. Wow! Just the whole place. Wow! There are beautiful frescoes and mosaics still remaining.

Tip on visiting: the church is considered a “Super Site” under this ticket option. The Forum is open from 9-16:30. The church and other Super Sites close at 16:00 with the last entrance at 15:30. Keep that in mind.

Will and I were still zonked from the night before, so we’ll go back to see the rest of the Forum. Finding your way back out of the Forum, the Santa Maria, and surrounding structures can be tricky (FYI). With Santa Maria closed, we had to find an alternative route, which directed us near the Colosseum. From there, it was a pretty straightforward trek back home. Thank the Gods!

We had dinner at two places, one for pasta and the other for chicken. Will’s gotta hit those macros. Pasta e vino Torre Argentina hosted us for the pasta. I had fettuccine, baby pork and sausage, and tomato sauce. It was savory and delectable. The tomato sauce was just a little sweet that mixed well with the meat. I really liked the tender sausage. However, gnawing on the pork around the bones and spitting them out may not have been the best method.

At Emma’s, nearby, I got meatballs and a bottle of wine from Abruzzo where our family originates from. The meatballs were juicy. I enjoyed the parmesan cheese and spices. Will ate his chicken and some vegetables. I recommend both restaurants. And where did we go out that night? Why, Scholar’s Lounge of course!

Saturday, 25 November

If the Roman Forum was overwhelming both physically and mentally, the Colosseum was a little underwhelming. It was also super crowded. I had a hard time envisioning it in Roman times, but as I’m writing, I suppose I got the best experience. I’m sure it was as crowded in ancient times as it was when we visited. Still, I prefer the Forum. I’m not saying the Colosseum wasn’t cool, but I think the Forum has more to offer. Will and I debated on which animal we’d prefer to fight: lion, tiger, bear, or rhino. Which would you choose? Furthermore, which animal would be the best to aid in your defense?

Tip: Try not to visit the Colosseum on a Saturday.

Will and I have certainly been getting on each other’s nerves; we’ve been traveling together for over two weeks. But it’s nice to see these cities with him. We had some delicious food and met nice people. I’m sure when he heads back to NYC we’ll both breathe a sigh of relief. Hehe. Love ya, bro! We still have two days together!