Impresionante

For Holy Week, my friends and I went to the Eternal City, Rome.  Like everyone in Western civilization, we have been taught about Roman history and its influences in our culture today.  So we took the opportunity to finally go and see the places I’d only seen as pictures in my history books.  It didn’t disappoint.  In the 3 days I was there, I got to see the Roman Forum, Palatine, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish steps, and Vatican City.  

Before getting into Rome, my friends and I memorized a few phrases in Italian to help us communicate.  The only words I knew in Italian before consisted of food, capiche, and a swear word so learning how to say “Do you speak English or Spanish?” Parle Inglese o Spangnolo was much more helpful.  Waiters and clerks would address us in Italian, we’d ask them if they spoke English, and they usually would.  They would repeat the question, and then we would accidentally answer in Spanish and the waiter would be confused.  More than once we received a raised eyebrow and a “Where are you from?”  Still can’t spit Spanish out in Spain fast enough, but go to a foreign country where you don’t know the language?  All sorts of mental confusion.

Rome was also a little overbearing as well.  Because with a list of places to see, came a list of food to eat……..to quote once of my friends, “If you go to Rome and don’t gain 5 pounds, you did it wrong.”  I did manage to cross off my food goals as well.  I had ravioli, brick-oven pizza, gelato every day, and a canoli.  Canoli’s are apparently Sicilian, which I did not know…

As I look back at my travels, I’m dedicating my trip to Rome to my Grandpa Larsen.  His birthday was April 20^th, he loved history as much as I did and we enjoyed talking about it.  So here’s to you Grandpa, for looking out for me and my travels.