36 hour in Roma!
Pre 36 Hours: 2 days of Roma seaside
Okay I was actually in Roma for 4.5 days, but the first two
days were spent at work located near the airport then, of course, drinks and
dinner. This area of Roma is not the
popular touristy area where a gigantic arena stands. The benefit of this area
is being located in Ostia, which is settled next to the ocean, a completely
different lifestyle! It was amazing to experience the Roman seaside life full
of beach goers, sailboats, and, of course, water! I enjoyed running and biking
the bush (forest or park as we call it) and eating! My host, Stefano, was
great! He took me to several places to taste Roman food like Suppli, Foire de zucca,
Oxtail, and my favorite……..CARBONARA!!!!!!!! American style Carbonara is, well,
not Carbonara. So, coming to the
motherland of Carbonara and eating it again was AMAZING!!!!! One night we went
out to dinner and had four types of Roman pasta dishes which we shared. They
were all amazing, but of course, the Carbonara was still my favorite, creamy
sauce made out of egg yolk and Guanciale, the cheek meat of a pig melts my
heart!
Carbonara!
Deliciousness from the Sea!!!!
Day 1 – Bike Impossible
The weekend came and by Saturday afternoon I was ready to
take on the Roman streets I meandered through eight years ago. Thanks to
Stefano and Federica, they arranged a bike I could borrow so I could have
FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!! A bike really provides a different aspect and outlook of the
city in a in a short period of time. I
have already done many of the guided tours of the historical sites the last
time I was here in this ancient city. For this trip I only had what was left of
Saturday and Sunday (36 hours, but who’s counting?) to get my fill of Roma. Today’s
mission: view as many sites in the city in one afternoon. Lettttttt’s go!
A quick train ride into the beating heart of Ancient Roma.
Now it was now time to pedal to the metal towards the Colosseum to start this
adventure because, when in Rome, you just have to see it all! Oooooooo the
Circus Maximus, where the chariots once raced!
And of course, Palatine Hill as the backdrop! A few snaps of the camera…
abundant clicks and back on track to the Colosseum! I whizzed by tourist traps
like pictures with Spartans, selfie sticks, and expensive water. Because I am
not a tourist, I am incognito as a local! I am most definitely not a local nor
do I look it, but my bike does! Throughout my day, tourists would point at me
and state, in desperation, “Local!” Then, in a foreign tongue, start asking for
what I believe was directions. I would politely interrupt, shake my head and
exclaim, “New York State!” and continued onwards. The closer to the Colosseum I
got the slower I pedaled as the crowds thickened. I took a few minutes to snap some photos but swarms
of tourists overwhelmed me so I hightailed it outta there itching to find the
next site to see.
Down a little alley I thought I was beating the tourist
traffic, but I was wrong. There is not a street within a 15 block radius of the
Colosseum that isn’t packed like sardines. Pedaling carefully creeping around
the sea of unaware tourists. With and against the crowds dodging them as I
went.......crap! Damn dude walked right into me and I was on the ground. But
with my ancestors’ ninja reflexes I was up brushing myself off, thanking those
around me, and took off again. Get me the hell outta here! I know I am not a local
but freaking tourists are too much!
Sooooooo, I forgot to mention at the Colosseum I bought a
selfie stick and I love it! Definitely not a local! I had been thinking about
getting one so when I travel alone I can be in the memories I create……. you
know, be part of the beautiful view?
Swallowing my pride of trying to live like a local or at least avoid
being part of the school of sardines, I have fully accepted that I am a fish!
Did you know selfie sticks are good at taking pictures above the crowds?!?!?
Now that I am armored let’s keep swimming, literally swimming, though the
crowds to the next monument!
SELFIES!!!!!
I am a tourist!!!!
Like I said before, this chapter isn’t really planned, just
an idea of the places and things I want to see. So I often get lost finding the
plotted point I was looking for and… “voila!” I would stumble onto a different
place to explore! Sometimes I would find the destined site, sometimes not, but
when in Rome… get lost and enjoy it! My fast paced adventure was a race against
the daylight but also, to take a breath and inhale the culture, history,
weather, people….. so many things I get to be a part of, to be thankful for, in
one moment. Part of my dash around historical monuments was to reach the top of
one of the seven hills where I could view the city below. Now this is how to
view the city, a safe distance from the crowds looking down identifying all the
monuments I passed by a couple of hours ago. My favorite view: from afar,
wondering what the people in the ancient past did and where the current people
are headed… except the tourists. We know they are headed back someday soon to
wherever and whatever their daily lives holds for them, like me in 10 weeks.
I could’ve relaxed there until the sun went to sleep but my
eyes have not had their fill. So I steered along the Tiber River passing many
bridges, a castle, a fountain,and piazzas. The best part was the sun setting on the flowing water along my way! After crossing the river, my haphazardly
planned journey was at its end. So where to now?
Palazzo di Giustizia
Castel Sant' Angelo
I pedaled to a known point,
the Colosseum, but in the process I got turned around several times and enjoyed
heading down an unknown path. Eventually, I stumbled upon the Circus Maximus
where I started this expedition. Palestine Hill was warmly lit behind the
ancient stadium defining its massive features. I sat in the dark with the other
passersbys enjoying the view and sweet scent of spring until my stomach started
to rumble. I had not eaten since my croissant this morning because who has time
to eat when you are on a time crunch? Crunch….I could really crunch on some
bread right now……
Palestine Hill & Circus Maximus
I headed for the train station but the Gladiators in my head
were challenging me to return to the arena. Ignoring the wailing cries from my
belly I made a 180 turn towards the massive circular structure which was now radiantly
glowing with lights in every arch. The tourists have left to fill the bellies
with wine and pasta leaving the few that remain to enjoy the hot summer night.
I sat there with Freddy, my loaned bike, and listened to the sounds of the city
and whispers of what once was. I was lost in my own whimsical world until the
growling turned into roar. It was time to head home to consume Roman food. I
finally sat outside in the sea breeze at 10:00 eating my fill of both pasta and
meat. I slept like a gladiator that night.
**********More pictures of Roma at the very end!!!!!!**********
Day 2 – Off the beaten path
The next morning arrived with a bite of breakfast and back
to the train. I looked up bike tours off the beaten path to plot my own route.
To the Appian Way! Made of cobblestone, it was the main road that connected
Romans to southern Italy. On my way there I successfully found my first plotted
point: the Baths of Caracalla and fell in love with these beautiful structures!
If I had more time I would go and visit to learn more about this place but this
trip is too short to take a bath!
Strike 1! Lost finding the Appian way,
because I am using a crappy little bike map on a bike tour website. But……….I found a cool residential
neighborhood that just so happens to be on the OTHER SIDE of wall of the Appian
way. So I biked in this area enjoying
the peace………it that a pull up bar?!?!?! And a dip bar?!?!?! Sweet! Impromptu
workout because these days I never know when I will actually get to go to
Crossfit and I miss it like crazy. The
locals stared in what I hope was comical relief at the crazy redheaded tourist
in biker pants AND a skirt (cute and functional biker that I am!) getting her
sweat on doing pull ups, dips, L-sits, and air squats for a ten minute AMRAP. After a few beads of sweat rolling down my
forehead it was time to get on the OTHER SIDE of that wall.
I found the beginning of Appian Way!
Next stop catacombs
to learn about where Catholics were buried!
I wasted too much deciding to go underground but because I could not
physically see this site I had go and experience it. What was the point of this
adventure if I did not at least put eyes on the site I visited? Plus my tour
was with Americans! Oh My God!! It sounds so foreign to listen to English with
no accent! It is even more strange to talk without several pauses to think of a
word that both languages would understand. I also realize I am a chatter box
when nothing is holding me back! After ascending from below the earth’s
surface, leaving the buried to wait for resurrection I waved goodbye to the
Americans and continued down Appian way!
There are soooo many things to see along the way! Along the
path are random broken statues and ruins which I believe the street was lined
with statues. Pretty cool to view what I was physically seeing and envision
what it once was! So much character! Strike 2! I was supposed to get off the
Appian Way to visit a couple other places but I went too far, distracted by my enjoyable bumpy Roman ride. Plus the
bike map I was using I was guessing where and which site I was looking for. So
much for not planning my trip! Oh well it was a beautiful day so I kept smiling
along the Appian Way until I hit the train station to check out times to go to
Castel Gandolfo. Two hours before the
next train! I really wanted to go because it is a lake town and I love water. But
by the time I would get to the lake I would not have enough time to explore it
in day light and make my train back to the sea. Shrugging my shoulders and not
wasting thoughts of what could have been, I continued ready to see what will
come my way! To the Aqueduct Park!
Appian Way
Villa di Massenzio on the Appian Way
Castrum Caetani
Strike 3! Because I was coming from the train station and I
didn’t really know where the Aqueducts were located so I got really lost. Deep
in the boring modern life. Nothing scary nothing crazy just gas stations,
buildings, and no cool interesting historical stuff. I gave up on the Aqueducts
and decided to make it back to the Appian Way because that was fun and I like
having fun. In doing so I stumbled upon a park full of happy family picnics,
teenagers playing soccer, and lovers sharing a blanket. I loved it! Real people
doing their daily life enjoying the beauty around them. It really was a perfect
day! I love human behavior especially interacting with each other within the
society created around them. I took an elective anthropology course in college
and it was my favorite class in all my studies.
It made me realize why Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite books. I
find it fascinating to observe why we do the things we do in society combined
with our natural animal instincts. So here living Romans interacting with each
other and their surrounds………….and what do you know this park IS the Aqueducts!!!!!
The massive ruins in the fading sun were enormously beautiful. The clash of
modern civilization with these proud structures, proving they were once part of
a great civilization was my favorite. I
sat in the grass and watched the modern Romans live life while it’s past
created a border around them. The rest
of the day was spent visiting two other parks to enjoy modern inhabitants at
its best: enjoying life’s moments.
Parks
Bittersweet
I had a blast the last 36 hours and I still have a half day
on Monday to bike the bush and explore the Ostia Antica ruins, a place bigger
than Pompeii! When I awoke my head was pounding and my sinuses were acting up.
The catch 22 of so much outdoors time! So I took an allergy pill mixed with
ibuprofen and rolled back asleep. By the time I stopped snoozing the ten alarms
I set there was not enough time to bike Ostia Antica before my train to Napoli.
More importantly I wanted to relax….yes even the energizer ginger needs to
recharge her batteries! The problem with relaxing is getting lost in your
subconscious which keeps tapping you on the shoulder not to ignore it. Eight
years ago I went to Roma on my two week leave from my Iraq deployment where I
met up with my then husband. After not seeing each other for 10 months you can
imagine it was romantic and a beautiful vacation. Visiting Roma again only
brought these blessed memories to surface along with a punch of failure in the
gut. One step forward two steps back on my progress of my guilt-free mentality.
But my new experiences reminded me and confirmed why I took the step to be
divorced and single. I was happily biking freely anywhere I pleased creating my
own memories in this new chapter. I was lost a lot in Roma, a city mixed with
colliding modern and ancient civilizations. But in the last 36 hours I always
managed to stumble upon something beautiful in my misguided tour of the
crumbling ruins. It only seems fitting to be here as a wandering soul mixed with
old and new experiences here trying to find the beauty in all my emotions. So today I biked without a purpose. I passed by
the bush, through the busy streets, and along the beach. Eventually I settled
myself on a ledge looking into the ocean to enjoy my last hour grappling with
colliding experiences and emotions. It was a sunny day cooled off by the
continuous breeze, great for sailing something I do miss but have not done
since I asked for the divorce. The water called to me relaxing my body as I
melted in my thoughts. Not every day is an adventure but every day has its
purpose.
Roma Pictures Continued!
Palestine Hill
And More!
I Spy how many cats?!?!?!
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