Stop #3: Roma, Italia

Due to the upcoming Hallmark holiday of Valentine's Day, I made my next blog post devoted to Rome, Italy. In doing some quick Wiki-research to make sure I get my facts straight, I managed to completely convince myself Valentine's Day may be the biggest waste of media and consumer time! So to sum up what most scholars would say: St. Valentine was a martyred saint in ancient Rome. It is believed he was buried on February 14th... So my question is: how did we go from someone being buried to celebrating the day with a lover?!  Instead of even expressing more of my confusion, here is my Valentine's Day experience 4 years ago when I visited Rome, Italy with my sister Carolyn.

Rome, the capital of Italy, is located on the Tiber River. The city has be a major city for over 2500 years, thanks to all the Caesars, stabbings and fires that occurred there. Archeologist have found evidence of human life dating to way back, and let me tell you, it is reflected all over the city. It's a early-European history buff's dream city, along with all those native Latin-speakers! As the 11th most visited city in the world, Rome offers tons of eye-popping things to see and do. Not to mention the average daily temperatures only ranging from 53-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Oh and some great pizza, pasta, coffee and gelato (lots of gelato!).

So, here is my quick list of great things in Rome:

• Um, that big thing called the Colosseum. I may not be that big a fan of Russell Crowe, but one has to be in awe of the remains of the Roman Colosseum. First of all, watch out for the men in plastic armor! All they want is your money! Secondly, I love the European lack of safety. As anyone who's climbed the steps up in the Colosseum, great googly-mooggly! Not only are they large and in-charge, but they have been walked on for oh 2000+ years. They are smooth and when they are slightly wet, let's just say I feared for my life! But the view from the top is nothing but amazing. Those Roman's were good at a few things. Building large rock structures, check! 
• Trevi Fountain: The first time I visited the Trevi Fountain, my sister had me convinced it was this small fish fountain the the plaza over. Let's just say, when I saw the real thing, I was a little more impressed! Not only did we throw a coin over our shoulder, but we were surrounded by oodles of couples celebrating Valentine's Day. There were Roman's trying to sell us roses all over the place, so we did the next best thing... 
• Got gelato! In fact, we went back the next day, same place, for more gelato and the gelato man remembered us! We may have splurged one more time for some. You can't go wrong with any flavor. And let me tell you, any gelato in Italy can take out the best gelato in the USA. 
• Speaking of things to eat, you can't go wrong with any pizza, pasta, coffee or wine in Italy. Let's face it, these people perfected it. They know what they're doing. And it's ALL good! 
• Tons of ancient buildings, decor and surroundings. From the Roman Forum to the Pantheon and just passing bridges and parks, one feels like you just walked off the set of Gladiator. It's just amazing to think these pieces of buildings/structures have been around for thousands of years.  
• Scooters. I have a feeling, scooters are just an Italian thing. They are all over the place, the drivers are crazy, and one day, I totally want to rent a scooter and do the same!!
• Maybe the best perk to visiting Rome in February... walking around in t-shirt and jeans. 

 The only downfall is the language barrier, but the plus is the slightly smaller size of the city. One can easily walk from sight to sight or hop on the bus and get across town. Do watch out for pick-pockets around touristy areas and on buses. Although Rome was a little touristy, it is definitely a place I would go back to visit (especially in the winter and with my friend Sammie, my favorite Latin teacher)! Thanks to a well-know blue tourist's book guide, we were able to get a nice hotel for a cheaper, off-season rate. I would also recommend picking up a city guide book to help you figure out what landmark you just walked past!

Pictures: Colosseum and Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy, both in February of 2007.