Rome

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Following the attacks that took place in Paris, we were a bit nervous to be traveling to a main European city, especially as Rome was one of the next cities threatened. As soon as we arrived in the train station it was evident that Rome had upped their game and were on high alert. There were guards and army men on every corner holding machine guns, which is simultaneously comforting and unsettling.

In true Em and Mike fashion, we walked from the train station to our new AirB&B abode in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome- a little over an hour walk lugging our backpacks. Our walking route brought us through the city streets, to Ancient Rome, past the Jewish Ghetto, and finally across the river into Trastevere. 

We got settled into our little studio apartment, had some wine, and then headed out to a highly recommended bar (by one of my good friends who lived in Rome for years, and also by our Innsbruck bartender)- Me Che Siete Venuti A Fà. As we walked through the bohemian, tight streets of Trastevere which are lined with cool restaurants, terrace seating, and bars millions (not even an exaggeration) of starlings chirped and flew overhead. Mike got poo-ed on hehe... That's good luck, right?

When we arrived at Me Che Siete Venuti A Fà, we luckily found 2 seats at the bar that maybe sat 8 and had 10-12 (amazing) craft beers on tap. Mike chatted with the bartender about what to drink, stating that we enjoy IPAs, and then a fellow American sitting next to us chimed in offering his suggestion. Dave, a California local who was in Rome for a business trip, was nothing short of a beer connoisseur. Mike enjoyed chatting with him, while I made friends with a cool couple from Toranto- he was a television show editor/ producer and she was a food and drink writer for a magazine (such a dream).

While Mike and Dave hit it off, it became evident that Dave was ready to spend. He and the owner of the bar cracked open two aged sour beers- one from 2006 the other from 2007. "Both would cost €150 together, but for you.... €20?" the owner said to Dave. Dave shared some of them with us and they were delicious! Next, the owner tapped open a small wood barrel with a wood hammer holding a lager. Dave bought us one of those, too.. Ayeyaiyai! After enjoying a few hours of fun chit-chat and rare beers, we realized it was probably time for dinner since we hadn't eaten since breakfast at 10:00am (it now being 8:30pm). We invited Dave to join us for dinner at a restaurant the bartender recommended, and by the end of our meal Dave had paid for the whole thing! An awesome first night in Rome!

DAY 2
We woke up early excited for a full day of exploring this amazing city that greeted us so kindly. Mike scurried out to the fresh farmers market, just steps from our door, and bought breakfast fixings: fresh eggs, bread, chives, an apple, and fresh butter - all for €4! He made yummy scrambled eggs and then, all fueled up, we set out for Ancient Rome.

We wandered for 20 minutes through the beautiful Roman streets, enjoying every inch, and the next thing we knew we had stumbled upon Foro Romano (the Roman Forum) which used to be the political, religious and commercial center of the city. It was the place for religious processions, political demonstrations, elections, important speeches, and parades by conquering generals. It's so hard to grasp how OLD these ruins are. It feels very Disney-like, but then you start reading and learning about what these pieces of amazing architecture used to be and what they used to look like- all while you're standing right in front of them-- you get chills! Built in A.D.?! It's insane!

The Arch of Titus really blew us away, not only because of the beautiful detail, but because it is still in such amazing condition. We walked up as close as we could and absorbed the details and the precision that went into building this piece of massive art. 

From Foro Romano we walked to the Colosseum which is, of course, just the coolest. Unfortunately the iconic side of the arena was blanketed for cleaning and restoration, but it really didn't matter because it is so impressive. We walked around the entire perimeter, then sat in a "quiet" area reading our Rome guide book learning it's history. We learned about the building of it, how (later) Medieval builders removed the iron pegs from the Colosseum's side to use for their own buildings, and that's why the Colosseum has holes all over its exterior. We learned about the slaughters of animals and gladiators that took place- crazy when you realize you're sitting right beside it. Speaking of gladiators- the fake ones that are dressed up all over the city are the worst. Not only are they rude, but they demand money from you if you take their picture- with or without their consent. 

After the Colosseum we made our way to the Trevi Fountain. We are so lucky because it was just uncovered a couple weeks ago after having been being cleaned for the past 3 months- we would've hated to miss it! The fountain is just as beautiful as you would imagine and absolutely gleaming white with crystal clear water all around. Again, we stopped to read its history and facts. My favorite piece of knowledge we gained about the Trevi Fountain is that at the end of each day the coins are cleared out from the bottom of the pool (from all the tourists making wishes over their shoulders) and they use the money to take care of the homeless! Trivia: each day an average of €3,000 is collected!

The next sight, just a stones throw away, was the Pantheon- one of my favorite buildings to finally see in person because no matter how many photos you see of it, they can never capture its enormity. It's not so much that it's a grand estate with sprawling acres, but it's just really epic. Heavy is the perfect word to describe it. Then, when you walk inside, the ceiling doesn't really make sense- it's so perfectly constructed. The building is mathematically perfect: it is the same height as it is wide. The hole in the center of the ceiling is unbelievably cool- it would be amazing to see the rain pour through it. The hole creates the largest pillar in the universe: the pillar of light connecting heaven to earth.

Time for a lunch break! We strolled through Piazza Navona admiring the artists' paintings, then into Campo De' Fiore where there was an awesome open air market selling clothing and Italian specialties. As we cluelessly wandered around this neighborhood looking for a non-tourist trap restaurant, we stopped to look at the menu of Ristorante Grotte deal Teatri Di Pompeo, a restaurant tucked away in its own little square. As we stood there, a woman sitting at a table on the terrace spoke up saying, "It's really good! I'm a tour guide and I only eat in 3 places- this is one of them." Sold. Mike ordered the 'best risotto in Rome'- riso con I fiori di zucca (risotto with zucchini flower) and I got an amazing eggplant with Parmesan and mozzarella. Holy moly. Both were so delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. As we savored every bite of our lunch we chatted with Jennifer (the tour guide who lured us in)- she was incredibly knowledgable and had great suggestions on what sights to see and places to find more classic food.  We spoke of the recent Paris tragedy, about the increased security, and about our future travel plans (she felt as though we should continue to set out and conquer while being aware). As we all finished our lunches and said our goodbyes, she pointed us in the direction of Piazza Farnese, which is where the French embassy is. When we arrived there was a blanket of flowers, notes, candles, and photos all praying for Paris. We circled the memorial looking at all the beautiful flowers and notes and letting it all really sink in. 

By now it was about 4:00 and most shops were closing until 7:00 or 8:00, so we went back to the apartment. Mike made de-lish bruschetta from this morning's leftovers, using just butter, white wine, tomatoes, chives and bread. Just butter.. You get it. Yum. After working on some blog work, we went out for dinner at Ombré Rosse for pasta and listened to a singer/guitarist sing Italian songs, mostly about gelato, or at least that's the only word we picked up on.

DAY 3
Up bright and early again for fresh breakfast goodies. Today's menu: scrambled eggs with chives, sautéed garlic with broccoli and cherry tomatoes, and a fresh baguette. We certainly aren't losing any weight on this trip.. We eat like kings! 

Behind our apartment, about a quarter of a mile away is Gianicolo Hill, which has an incredible view of the city. We walked all through the garden, taking photos of the hazy day in Rome, and walked far enough to be popped out at the Vatican.

The Pope had given his Wednesday morning sermon, which we missed by an hour or so. We had hopes to walk the perimeter of the Vatican but it was all blocked off by guards and fences. We weren't sure if it's always this way, if it was due to the Pope just speaking, or because of the recent events in Paris but it was too bad! The other alternative was to pay a pretty penny to be filed along like cattlewhile touring the inside after waiting in an absurdly long line to get in. As one traveler mentioned, "every trip you take will have a different purpose." This really resonated with us because we often feel guilty if there's a museum, monument, or piece of art that we miss during our short visits to these various cities. While 3 months abroad seems like a long time, the short duration of each individual trip paired with a tight budget causes us to be selective. I've been able to reassure myself that the trip we're currently on has it's own purpose: to push our limits, learn about the world, learn about ourselves, see as much as we can, and return home with a better understanding of (part) of the world we live in. Later in life, when we have the money to do what we want, we will return to the places where we wished we had had more time or extra funds to see it all.

From the Vatican we walked to Il Fornaio, a bakery in the Campo de' Fiore neighborhood, and bought sandwiches which we enjoyed in Piazza Navona gazing at Fontana del Nettuno. We set out towards the Spanish Steps, walking slowly because 1- Christmas decorations were being put up, which was thoroughly exciting, and 2- my blisters came baaaaackk! When we finally reached the steps we were bummed out to find that they were closed off due to cleaning. It must be because we're traveling in the "off season" that so many sights aren't in their prime. 

It was time to head home for a siesta and a blister break, so Mike made another bruschetta: garlic bread- baguette, caramelized garlic and chive. Mmm. We were smelling like and sweating garlic for days. After spending a couple hours at home journaling and blogging, we went out to dinner at Grazie + Graziella. We had a fried artichoke as an appetizer, I got an awesome smoked salmon salad, and Mike enjoyed gnocchi with clams. For a night cap we went to Bir and Fud, where we met Phil, a brewer that was born in England, lived in LA, and now lives in Rome. He gave us suggestions on cities to check out on our upcoming path, and then gave Mike his card for future design work to help him with his logo in the future! 

DAY 4
(I'm officially a blister master because my blisters are already healed. Hurrah!)Another scrumptious breakfast made by Mike: eggs with chives and garlic home fries.

After a slow morning of enjoying breakfast, we went to explore the Aventino neighborhood, which boasts Circo Massimo and Aventine Hill. It wasn't much to look at or photograph, but Circo Massimo's history is so cool to imagine: 250,000 screaming fans cheering for chariot races. This old track must have been such a city highlight back in the day! 

From Circo Massimo we walked up the hill, passing a nice, small park with orange trees and another beautiful view overlooking the city. Just up the street from this park, we found the keyhole that perfectly frames the San Pietro dome. Looking rough the key hole, the lock and the rows of tightly trimmed bushes create the most beautiful frame of the dome. Mike and I spent 30 minute trying to capture the beauty (alas, our photography skills continue to need work..). 

We walked down the hill back into the city and explored the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood. Established in the 1500s, it is far from today's definition of "ghetto," it's the cutest, homiest neighborhood. Old friends sit outside at their favorite cafes and restaurants, cats walk by, women are hanging laundry out their windows- its really charming. We walked through and read about Teatro Marcello remains, which were unfortunately also covered by restoration blankets. But the Teatro Marcello is the oldest surviving theater, which was started by Julius Caesar and later completed in 11 B.C. by the Emperor Agustus. After a bit of history we then went to Nonna Betta to have an artichoke in the heart of the Jewish Ghetto. We had  Nonna Betta all to ourselves, which was amazing being this old school restaurant has been highly recommended by not only close friends but also Anthony Bourdain who said it was the best artichoke in town. The waiters were fun and friendly, taking our picture with our artichokes because we were so enthusiastic about having them. Oh man. Crispy leaves with a warm, meaty heart. 

After our delicious artichoke snack we wove through the Jewish Ghetto before heading to the grocery store for dinner fixings, in an effort to save up for our over-budget spending earlier this week in Rome. We made an aperitivo platter of Brie, crackers and olives which was followed by a masterfully created dinner of chicken, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. We had a wonderfully relaxing night listening to tunes, blogging, playing rummy, and planning our upcoming visit with Mike's long lost family!

DAY 5
An unexpected do-nothing day, which I think we needed. We spent the whole day cozied up in the apartment blogging, researching our final month of travel stops, cleaning the apartment and packing, and planning our day trip to Forano (which will be an amazing experience, but surely a mentally and physically overwhelming day). 

DAY 6

Read Mike's blog about visiting long-lost family in Forano, Italy here (*check back next week*)

After an unbelievable day visit to Forano to meet Mike's grandfather's Italian family members, we made our way back to Rome. Unfortunately earlier that morning we checked out of our AirBnB and checked into a not-so-great hostel (our first hostel in a month after being spoiled by great AirBnB spots). 

Not ready to be in our room for the night, we went down to the hostel bar for a cheap drink and to watch the younger guests hit on one another. The hostel, Alessandro Palace, was hosting a Saturday night club crawl, which included an open bar from 9-10. All of the club-goers funneled through the bar door like a school of fish, all sporting their pink bracelets and announcing their membership to the drinking party. 18-21 year old college kids sat cozily next to one another as they scoped the scene for tonight's late-night lover. Before thy left, the party host announced a game of "flip cup" (a drinking game) and Mike decided to get in the lineup and play a round, which he quickly realized was lame and not worth it. We scooted out the door as the games continued and found a slice of pizza before retiring to our squeaky, rock-pillowed bunks. Only one night in the hostel and vowed it would be our last one...