This past weekend was one of the best I’ve spent in Rome. About a month and a half through my journey, I now have a decently solid understanding of this crazy city. As much as I know, there’s also so much I don’t. This weekend, I saw new things and old as well as new friends and old.
One of my friends from Emerson who is studying in the Netherlands and two of his friends came to stay with me. Rome was high on their to-do lists, and I’m sure the free housing bumped it up to the top. On Thursday night, we kicked of the reunion celebration with “The Coliseum Bar Crawl.” Despite the fact that it was an insanely fun night spent dancing amongst a sweaty mess of Americans, none of the stops were remotely close to The Coliseum. In fact, upon meeting the guide outside of the ancient amphitheater, we were corralled onto a bus, which took us far far away. The alcohol helped coax my “where the hell am I?” standards to rest.
The next day, I ventured out with Kelsi on a mission to find something new. Garibaldi Park, we had been told, hosted breathtaking views of the Rome, so we decided to head into Trastevere and up a windy sidewalkless road. We turned a corner, and BAM, just like that, I was blown away. Before me I could see the entire city, from Piazza Venezia all the way to the Vatican. As we continued to walk through the park, past endless busts of soldiers who assisted Garibaldi in the unification of Italy, the views only became more magnificent. Unlike Los Angeles, which I can see most of from the top of Runyon Canyon or Griffith Park, Rome is extremely cohesive. It’s dense, but everything fits together, whether it be color, shape, or height. It was like I was looking at Google Maps, only I wasn’t sitting in my dorm three months ago daydreaming about my future…I was really there.
We met up with the Emerson boys, who I showed the major sights to: Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, and the Wedding Cake. This was the first time I had done this walk since my first week in Rome, when everything was overwhelming and nothing made sense. Now, in comparison, I was able to apply my knowledge of Italian culture and history as well as my own affiliations with the places we saw. The main tourist sights all of a sudden became highly significant and I was able to really appreciate them.
The walk ended at the top of the Spanish Steps, which I had yet to climb due to the unfortunate weather conditions with which I’ve been confronted. Just as the sun was setting, I looked over the steps, with tourists spilling onto Via dei Condotti, its twinkling lights disappearing into the distance. My moment of awe was harshly adjourned thanks to the small Indian man who insisted I take one of his roses. We got into a scuffle when I said “no,” and then “no” again, and then once more, becoming exponentially louder as the confrontation proceeded. Roses or not, these were some pretty cool steps…as far as steps go.
The next afternoon was spent in the presence of another great view. After wandering through Villa Borghese in the warmth of what Italy’s winter should consist of, my roommates and I settled down for a picnic of Tuscan wine, Gouda cheese, and sesame bread. Our view was hardly lacking in comparison to the weekend’s other lookouts. Here we sat above Piazza del Popolo, where so many people gathered in celebration of Carnevale. Like little ants, they scattered around the square, dispersing onto the streets surrounding it. Beyond Popolo, I had another jaw-dropping landscape in front of me. All of Rome, but this time from the opposite perspective of Garibaldi, was visible to me. I could see the Tiber River and all that was in front of and behind it. This was the perfect end to a long weekend.
I found new places to view old places from above. And up close, those old places meant so much more than they did when they were new. Everything seems a little less confusing and a million times more significant now. As of this weekend, Rome truly feels like my home.
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