Bella Italia

Sara and Tasci

 There is a reason that all roads lead to Rome. It is because Rome is the most beautiful, the most graceful and the most truthful city. It reflects who we are as a western culture. It makes you breath slowly and deeply. It makes you fall in love with living.

Around Christmas last year I got a call from my friend Sara. We go way back to the days of Zanesville High School, and it is always a treat to hear her voice. She was itching to travel for a couple weeks in Europe. She already had some destinations picked out, but she was looking for one more city where she and I could meet up. Rome was one of the first places out of both of our mouths. It just felt right.

Look at those veggies!

pray

I flew into Rome late and experienced my first scam as the ticket salesman for the bus tried to give me a 20 cent coin back instead of a Euro coin. I politely pointed out his "mistake" and my money was returned with a sheepish grin. I haven't been traveling in Europe for over 10 years to fall for that old one! Finally I made it to the hotel where Sara was waiting up patiently. We wandered out into the Roman night to find a late night dinner of pizza and gaze at the Colosseum ruins, which were only a few blocks from our hotel. *Sigh* I'd arrived in a little piece of pure happiness.

What I love about Rome is how OLD it is. You know it's old when you are going but to sit down on a piece of marble and realize it's been hanging around the city center for about 3000 years it is a staggering moment. In Rome people live in history. History surrounds them in their living rooms, in the streets, in the churches and markets. It's this living history that I believe make the Italians so free from worldly worry. They can look around them and see that "this too shall pass". We are but a moment in an eternity. Where better to learn that lesson then in the Eternal City.

A map full of lies, Wine full of truth=)

Sara and I passed our long weekend with walking and shopping and eating and drinking. We had a lot we wanted to see but we wanted to see it in our own time and without any hustle and bustle. We quickly adapted to the pace of Roman life, enjoying lingering breakfasts of cappuccino and croissants at "our" local cafe and every lunch was accompanied by wine. We found hidden treasures, we had a moment of crisis when we wanted to rip up the map and curse the man who had designed it and thought the streets of Rome where in any way mappable. And we laughed a lot.

Rome, you stole my heart....and made my stomach very happy.

Roman fashion!!!

Living in history

The Vatican