First weekend of the semester and the buzz began as to wear we would travel to our first excursion opportunity. Well, most of us just decided to go to Rome. HA! “Just.” It’s only Roma! No big deal. It was a “short”, 2-day weekend (in regards to our usual 3-day weekends, sometimes 3 ½ if we’re allowed to leave Thursday evening), so we had to stay nearby. And next weekend will be our official “Rome Scavenger Hunt” where we will have to answer/de-code questions based on historical sites and take a picture in front of it. It’s stressful work I tell you! On a timeline and for a grade. Somehow I think we’ll make it.

The day started with a torrential down pour and a group of 17 girls (backbacks and rolling suitcases in hand) running from tabacchi to tabacchi in search of train tickets to make the 10 a.m. trip to Rome. Contrary to popular Italian belief, train tickets are not fully stocked at every tabacchi in town for every train ride going to Rome. We discovered this to our dismay, coming closer and closer to the departure time. By 9:55, five of the girls had found tickets and were on the train. Leaving 12 of us in the dust…or rain, that day, until we found the final stop for tickets. We run in in a hurry like full-blooded Americans, hustling for diecisette treno bigliette! We book it to the train station a block down (and a few slippery cobblestones later) and made it in the nick.  We caught our breath, sat for a bit laughing about the whole deal, and realized the train wasn’t moving. Hmmm. Did we run for nothing? Twenty minutes later, our question was answered, as the train departed perfectly on time, for the 10:20 departure. Awesome.

Figuring out the termini once the train dropped us off was quite comical, everyone kinda of wandering around, trying to interpret the blue and red signs. I, of course, whipped out my handy dandy traveling tourist guide, complete with every question a tourist could think of, and led us successfully no further than when we stepped off the train. I’m so glad I had it ready! One (or two) rides later, we made it into the Piazza di Spagna in the heart of Rome.

Olivia and me...TRYING to look like we know what we're doing!

When I climbed the stairs into the sunlight of raining Rome, my heart stopped. I realized, I’m finally in ROME! I’m STANDING in ROME! Complete with the Spanish steps, a fountain before us, roasted nuts on every corner (these ain’t just New York peanuts, either, they’re the largest nuts I’ve ever seen!), Trevi fountain six blocks North west, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel directly in front of us, and of course, an American Express to our left. And of course, who could miss the row of horse-and-buggy waiting for the classic tourists, or the gladiator impersonator waiting for you to take a picture and tip him 2 euros?

  In the Piazza di Spangna

We each split off onto our own journey, with varied group sizes, mine consisting or myself and Ali.  We asked eachother, “where to?” and we both responded, “who knows?” Perfecto! We began the day by ordering cappucchinos (much frothier and twice the size of those in Ariccia), and heading down the equivalent of America’s Rodeo Drive. Realizing we would be spending a whole day window-shopping and lusting after the untouchable fashion, we headed down another direction with steaming trattorias, sunglass shops, and crackling old apartamentes. Everything was breathtaking. We proceeded to hit up every shop that seemed to strike our eye, or simply had that glowing word on the window/my middle name— “SALDI” (SALE!). This weekend was the end of the winter sales.

However, we were not in Rome to merely shop, so we journeyed into three churches, the Trevi Fountain (after seven different attempts for directions and two hours later!), Piazza del Quirinale, and a couple other momunments we couldn’t identify, but were sure they’d be on our list for next week’s assignment…so we took pictures of them anywayJ. Two gelatos,

 200 pictures, and 2,000 wrong turns later, we found ourselves exhausted and having had the time of our lives.

Trattorias all over the streets of Rome. 

Ali enjoying her panino: eggplant, pomodoro, e formaggio...Mmmm!

    

Inside the church next to the Trevi Fountain.

Although some decided to stay overnight to get the full Roman experience, half of us returned to the Palace. I returned with Mary Hester and Sara Beth to catch the 8:20 train. Trying to change our luck from the morning events, we arrived with ample time, not a worry, and tickets out and ready. Jabbing the whole way home about stories, shops, and people, we arrived at the destination feeling proud of ourselves for maneuvering effectively around the city and homeward bound. Then Sara Beth mentioned she didn’t quite recognize the place, and I said, “O sure, I remember the graffiti concrete pillars!”

Mary Hester recognized the lake, Lake Albano, but something didn’t seem quite like home…until Sara Beth read the sign at the front of the train stop: “Castel Gondolfo”. Perfect. We all 

looked at eachother, and at that instant, looked back at the train, as the doors shut at that moment and chugged away. Look back at eachother, look at the sign. Begin to gasp, then cry, then muster a laugh. Then laugh hysterically. One hour, two rounds of “These are a Few of My Favorite Things” (from Sound of Music), and three sets of frozen toes later, our train arrived headed back to Ariccia, and we started jumping for joy. I have never felt so at home in Ariccia before!      

 Mary Hester and me passing the time for the next train.