Day 13-16

Day 13-16 August 30, 2010


Whew! It has been a looooong time since I last reported my doings in Rome. Sorry for the lapse. I am finally really feeling 100% and am back into fully enjoying and experiencing life here.

This weekend was really good. Friday was a normal day but in the evening we had a farewell party for several of our fellow students. Many of them were only here for two weeks. It was fun. I left before things got crazy. Which is a good thing because from the stories I heard…well, I was better off at the apartment snug in my bed.

Saturday was a day of sleeping in and then walking. Again, I just roamed around, jumped on a bus every now and then and when I saw an area I wanted to explore I would jump off and roam some more. There are so many little side streets here that it is both easy to get lost and to find your way again. I love just walking and then turning a corner to be surprised by a “new” Piazza to discover. Of course each one has its own unique statue or fountain in honor of something or someone. How do people walk here without getting whiplash as they turn to see the façade of a building or the artwork on the walls?!

By the time I got home it was almost dark. I was going to get ready for bed and then I got a call from one of the girls saying that they wanted to go out and walk around the city at night. It really is beautiful at night. Everything is lit up and even though there are still many people around – walking hand in hand, or having dinner at the sidewalk cafes, or enjoying some drinks and cigarettes while they browse the street vendors – there is still a kind of tranquility that descends on the city. We walked and talked and visited the many places that now seem almost like friends I am so happy to see them again. We just kept asking each other, “Dove andiamo?” (Where do we go?) And then we would head off in that direction.

We were sitting in front of Fontana di Trevi when we realized that it was 3.00 in the morning! Oh, but it was beautiful! There were only about 20 people in front of the fountain and other than some quiet murmers all we could hear was the running water. (During the day it is completely surrounded by hoards of people.)

We all sat quietly and drifted into our own thoughts and this is where mine went: What is it about this fountain that draws so many people to it at all hours of the day and night? For one thing it IS an amazing structure. But really it is the myth that brings everyone here: if you throw a coin into the fountain it will come true. I have watched literally hundreds of people do this already. (I have to confess that I have been here several times already.) I think that the whimsy juxtaposed with the severity of the structure lends itself to the lore. If the people-creatures depicted in the fountain can capture and ride the wild water horses, then maybe we too can rein in our fantasies. If the angels above are looking down with gifts of plenty in their arms then maybe they will bestow their favors on us. Maybe if you wish to return to Rome and do make it back here one day then you can trust that wishes do come true, and this is enough to believe in the fairytale. I love it because of all of this and simply because it draws so many people to it. ALL kinds of people come here. And every one of them throws in their coin. The old men in their suits, the little children who can’t stand still long enough to see the coin hit the water, the women dressed like they are ready to walk in a fashion show….every one of them takes a moment to close their eyes, squeeze their coin as if they are pushing their dreams into it, hold their breathe for one second, and then swoosh the coin is tossed over their shoulder.

Sunday morning I headed to the Vatican to attend mass at 12.30. On Sundays they do not open San Pietro for any tours as they have services all day long. Of course I didn’t understand a thing, again, but it was still great. The only bad thing was how very hot it was. But mass was beautiful, especially the music. It sounds like voices are floating down from the ceiling and coming from the statues and paintings all around.

After going to mass , I went back to the apartment to change. I had to get out of the long sleeves and pants. It was sooooo hot!!! As soon as I finished preparing myself for the rest of the day Olga came home followed by Tamara. They were going to go to lunch across the river and asked me if I would like to join them…which I did. The restaurant we went to was probably the worst one I have ever been to. Tamara even found a bug in her bread!! Eeew. Never going back there!! But it was nice to walk around a new neighborhood. This was near a Piazza across from Tevere (the river) a few bridges down from my neighborhood. Still so many places to go!

Once we finished lunch Olga, Tamara, Lorena and I sauntered back to my apartment, stopping at a gelateria so that Olga could have her last ice cream before going home. Yes, she left around 5pm Sunday evening. I am a little sad. I can’t believe that we only met two weeks ago! I will be getting a new flat-mate in a few days. A 20 year old German boy. No more walking around in my pajama!!!

So, Tamara and I saw Olga off and then went for a walk. Yes, this is pretty much all we do, walk. But it was a very slow walk because of the heat and the humidity. The day was slightly overcast but not pleasant at all. We were hoping that more clouds would come in and that it would just rain and give us some relief. After a few hours we stopped at a random bar for a café (espresso) and decided to split a pizza for dinner. As we were waiting for the food to arrive my phone rang. It was Mama, Baba, and Haila!! I was so happy! It was just nice to hear their voices and be able to send my love verbally. It was a quick call, but good. Shortly after I got off the phone, the food arrived. After dinner, we decided it was time to go our separate ways and rest in preparation for the coming week. I waited with Tamara at the bus stop (we were in my neighborhood again) and then went home.

Monday morning was difficult to start. I didn’t do anything before getting to school. I had agreed to meet Tamara at noon but was even about 20 minutes late for that appointment. Ooops. Maybe I am starting to acquire Roman time: they are typically between 15-20 minutes late to everything. Class was especially difficult for me to concentrate on today as well. And no, it didn’t have anything to do with the new attractive male student who arrived today….well, maybe just a little bit. We did another one of those pretend conversation lessons and for some reason I couldn’t say this one simple phrase correctly: “La batteria e completamente a terra.” (Meaning: The battery is completely dead.) I just kept getting stuck over the word completamente and then Tamara started laughing which started me laughing and…well, I wasn’t a very good student today. I apologized to Federico (our new instructor) and the class. I plan to do some serious studying tonight so that I make up for today’s shenanigans.

After class Tamara and I wanted to go somewhere but didn’t know where. We asked Tomas (the new student) if he has seen anything yet. He said no. We asked him what he would like to see….and so on until we were headed off to see….yes, once again, Fontana di Trevi. If the different places and things here are becoming my friends then Fontana di Trevi must be the best one I have so far. (ha ha) Instead of taking the easy way by bus, we decided to…yes, it is predictable by now…we decided to walk. On the way there we passed the Spanish Steps, took a peek at the Monumento de Vittorio Emanuel, walked through Piazza Borghese, went into the Pantheon, and saw I don’t remember what else. We ended up going in circles trying to find the fountain from school, but all of us enjoyed the trek. We joked that we gave Tomas an hour walking tour of Rome because we saw so many things on the way. It was fun.

We waited around at the fountain for another student, Marianna, to join us for dinner and then found a decent little place right around the corner. It was a nice meal, but I still haven’t found the restaurant that I MUST go back to...I will have to put this search on my “to do” list. But I am missing food from home. I think I might try to find some curry here and make chicken curry with potatoes and rice. That sounds delicious right now!! After dinner we parted ways with Tomas and us girls went to Corsa di Fiori and had a drink. We spent some time there chatting, watching the roaming musicians and people dancing in the square.

Now I am home and finally back to my journal. I missed doing this! I know I’ve “said” this before but it is so nice to think back on my day(s) and share them with you. I know that I too will enjoy reading all of this and remembering my amazing excursion to Italy.

Speaking (I feel so much like I AM speaking to you, but of course I mean writing) of excursions, I am still trying to figure out what I am going to do with the 12 days after my classes end. It is so expensive to book things at all of the places I am looking at. Unfortunately, I have the complication of needing a refrigerator wherever I go so that I can keep my medicine in it. I am now starting to think that I will find a place in Rome and make quick little trips to the cities I want to see. I need to do some more research and figure that out by the end of this week. Any advice, suggestions, comments, would be appreciated to help me decide….

Instead of a small phrase for a closing remark I would like to share a “fortune” I received in a candy wrapper the other day:

“Raccontare i tuoi desideri el primo passo per avverarli.”

(Telling of your desires is the first step towards making them come true.)