Rome Gets a New Caesar

January 26-29
Rome, Italy

If you think I am bossy normally, don’t ever go on a trip with me (especially in Europe). I have only known the three other A&M girls for three weeks now, which is why they did not know what they were getting into when they agreed to go to Rome for the weekend. They got a dictator.

Caesar Emelia

We decided to go to Rome on Monday night of that week when we saw it was one of the cheapest ticket options. We bought our tickets a few hours later. Once the tickets were bought, I planned out a whole 3-day itinerary thanks to AI and Rick Steves. You either die or live long enough to become your parents and by the looks of my annotated Rick Steves's ‘Best of Europe’... I’ve gone to the dark side. It's the off-season right now, which was great for our procrastination. We got our hostel, Vatican Museum, and Colosseum tickets all on Thursday night.

Rick Telling me About the Colosseum 

We left Friday afternoon since we didn't have any classes. We flew out of Strasbourg straight to Rome. Friday morning we went to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. I made sure everyone downloaded the Rick Steves app and then downloaded his audio tours for both. The audio guides were very helpful because the Colosseum doesn't have any information plaques and the Roman Forum only has a few. One of the craziest facts was that the Romans had a 100-day festival to celebrate the Colosseum's inauguration, and so many men and animals were killed it was 1 death every 5 minutes. I applaud the Romans' stamina because I think I would have gotten a little tired of the celebrations and killings. Afterward, we ate lunch at one of the best sandwich places in Rome. I waited 45 minutes in line just to order a mystery sandwich. They moved so fast and I couldn’t see the menu, so the employee made me his favorite sandwich. It was amazing!!! I think it had jambon (judging from the pig legs hanging in the place), cream and pistachio sauce on focaccia bread, and maybe cheese too (I don’t remember). We grabbed our sandwiches and ate on the steps of a fountain 20 feet away from the Pantheon. Just a normal day in Italy. We then explored more of Ancient Rome.

Threw a Coin in so I'll be Back in
Rome for a 3rd Time

The next day we spent in Vatican City. We went to St. Peter’s Basilica and then the Vatican Museum which has the Sistine Chapel. I didn’t listen to Rick’s audio guide, even though I had it downloaded, but I still read the guide in the book, so I knew enough. We then went to a pizza place that I found thanks to TikTok (it gave me all the good food recs), and waited about an hour to order our pizza. Another girl and I waited while the other two decided it wasn’t worth it and went to a restaurant. The only people in line spoke Italian, which was a good sign. The pizza was the best pizza I’ve ever had!!! I don’t know what we got but it was delicious. We then walked around eventually making our way to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.

Day 3 I woke up early to go to mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Mass was at the front altar which was beautiful. I then came back to a giant flea market outside our hostel that stretched for miles. I don’t know how I feel about one booth selling an iPod shuffle. We spent the rest of the day wondering and ended with a ghost tour. We were the coolest people on the tour and the guide loved our enthusiasm. Dinner that night was pasta (and you know it's good when a Nonna's hand-making it inside).

Tiramisu and Gelato So Good I Had to Get it Twice

Our first hostel was a win. We stayed all four nights there. It had 5 beds and a bathroom in one room. The 5th member was an 18-year-old French Canadian who was traveling before he started pilot school. He became our obsession. He was super nerdy and weird but we ate it up. I could write a separate blog post on the stories he told us. Saturday night we dragged him to dinner with us, and after hearing he’s never had a Shirley Temple, we got them for the whole table. Édouard, you will be missed.

Overall it was a great first trip all thanks to me doing all the planning and controlling almost everything we did. I’ve come to the realization that if I ever seriously dated someone I would have to travel with them. If they don’t travel the same way I do or are willing to change to my way, it’s goodbye. I’m not playing when it comes to my future travel buddy.

Still haven’t processed that I can travel like this on the weekends. Maybe it’ll kick in when I buy my next ticket.

Au revoir!

Sing to me Paolo