Keep the Waters Flowing

I went to bed early last night after a long, fruitful day and woke up to carpe diem again.

It was raining, but I figured that was just another way to enhance the experience of living in Rome. So I grabbed an umbrella and took a walk.

It's a Monday. I was shocked to find my street relatively busy; think downtown Manhattan during office hours. I walked with only vague intentions but more importantly, I walked by myself. I want an unfiltered digestion of this city from my own senses.

Just like New York, just because it was lightly raining, the streets are swarmed with middle eastern men with umbrellas draped from their arms. The good part was, I didn't need any italian to tell them NO since they don't even speak italian, and I proudly waved mine so they would not even bother.

So I reached the river, dry, unbothered, and still without a plan and instinctively crossed the bridge. Like in Paris, and I guess even in Queens, all the REALLY good stuff is across the river.

I waltzed into Piazza Navona like I owned the place and could easily feel like I did. The rain had driven away the art vendors and street performers and left only the surrounding tented restaurants and umbrella men. It was even more beautiful that you could hear the water of the fountain rather than the hundreds of tourist voices and the vacancy around it let you get a full view of the monument.

So then, I had an epiphany: Trevi.

I ventured through the narrow streets and busy intersections where traffic laws don't exist for the second day in a row. The rain was subsiding and reduced into sporadic drops. I was able to put away my umbrella as all of the umbrella leaches crawled back into their holes and it dawned on me.

The Pantheon first!

This square was also relatively deserted. I was actually a little upset because there was a keychain I wanted from this one guy and he wasn't there (This is not just any keychain I can get in any shop... I'll let everyone know what it is when I get it.)

So I went into the Pantheon, just after the rain, able to catch a sight of the puddle collected in the middle of the floor.

It's just a puddle...

NO, BY THE THUNDER OF ZEUS, IT IS NOT.

This puddle is inside, by no mistake. It's not a leaky roof, it's not a lot of rain boots dragging in the mud. It is a very intentional puddle that can only be experienced by those lucky enough to be in Rome during the rain. What other place on earth makes rain part of the spectacle?

ONLY HERE.

So I left the Pantheon and all of it's saturated wonder and headed towards the big guy.

How the streets are so much easier to navigate than Paris is quite a mystery. I'll just attribute it to it being in my blood.

I entered Piazza di Trevi to sunlight and a small crowd. I would finally get my real experience with it. Like the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, I could hear the loud crashing water, symbolized by the wild horse of the left side of fountain, but this experience was calm like right horse. The air was a perfect temperature and the sun was hitting it just right.

Another moment where I could have cried of happiness.

All the pictures in the world could never do justice to how it feels to stand in front of this fountain. This was my second trip already and I know it won't be my last. It was a perfect way to begin my day and the week.

I'm giving myself so many history and self lessons that I have no idea why I have to go to class for the whole afternoon.

All roads lead to Rome

…apparently all planes do too. Because when our initial flight in was cancelled, the group of 75 orphans was split across 4 groups, assigned to several different trips.

I, for example, left Paris for Barcelona and then arrived in Rome. There was a group lucky enough to have a direct flight from Paris if they waited for three hours, and there were two groups unlucky enough to have to be flown all the way to London before reaching Rome.

doesn't get any more authentic than this!

Needless to say, after all of us helpless Americans somehow found our way out of the French airport and onto Italian soil, we were tired and hungry. We got our strange electronic keys and our first taste of Italy: pizza.

GOODBYE BAGUETTE.

What Americans think of pizza is an absolute abomination that admittedly, I adore. But then I had some pizza that reminded me of L&B and died it a little inside.

Don’t worry, bridezilla, workout routine starts Monday.

After I ate this, I cried of joy.

So someone mentioned today how this is our second day in Rome. I feel like I’ve been here forever. I don’t speak any Italian besides the words that I can relate to Spanish.

Pretty sure the first night I had a full conversation with the cab driver; my end was in Spanish and his was in Italian.

Regardless, this city is absolutely breathtaking. The history of it is more extensive than that of Paris, more intricate, and for me it is much more appealing.

King Louis got beheaded but the Romans were doing much more brutal things way before he even took the throne.

I haven’t gotten to the epicenter of their murders yet; that moment is the coliseum. I did visit a few other sites though, like the Spanish steps, the Trevi fountain, the Pantheon.

NO BIG DEAL.

The best was definitely the Trevi. From seeing pictures I always assumed it was in the center of this massive spacious piazza. By the sunlight that penetrates it, I can defend my assumption. When I got there, it was in the middle of a square, of course, but enclosed by gelaterias and shops. It was still bathed in sunlight.

SUNLIGHT? It’s true. Paris was hardly providing us with dry days and Rome immediately welcomed us with 50ish degree weather and a sun that amps it.

There's the big bad Trevi.

The whole of the orphanage is sick, but hopefully some fresh air and good food will help us to kick the bug.

Rome is one of those places where you feel at home instantly. Maybe it’s because everyone reminds me of my dad and the food is exactly what I would expect at my own dinner table. It just really all hit me when the moment I landed, I had this strange sensation and all I could think was “I’m never going to want to leave.”

Now just to master the language.