Roma

My train rides between cities in Italy were all lovely. They were inexpensive, comfy, fast, and ran on time (take that, Mussolini!). When I was riding from Florence to Rome, I was drinking wine out of a plastic cup, while propping my feet up on the opposite seat. When the ticket collector walked by, he chastised me for having my feet up, but said nothing about the wine. As an American, this struck me as so unusual and so, so wonderful.

To be honest, I had very low expectations for Rome. I anticipated a hot, overcrowded, overly-touristy behemoth of a city that would serve simply as a box to check on my life check-list.

But Italy just refuses to disappoint me!

As with anywhere in Italy, the people were overly friendly. Italians seem to be less likely to speak foreign languages than other Europeans, but find a way to somehow be more communicative. Vocal tone and hand gestures get you quite far in this country. Plus, when my limited Italian failed me, I could usually pronounce the appropriate Spanish or French word with an Italian accent and be understood.

The best way that I can describe Rome is an anachronistic mosaic of ruins, cathedrals, and piazzas. On any given square, you'll find Egyptian obelisks, elegant churches, Roman ruins, and grandiose state buildings. Some of my favorite such piazzas were Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona.

Seeing art in Rome is quite a neat experience, since many of the city's most famous pieces are housed in churches, not museums. Thus, it is not only free to see them, but one feels like one is witnessing them in their natural habitat.

Here are some examples. Note the folds in St. Teresa's robe. Or the musculature of Moses's arm.

Or the way the light reflects off of St. Matthew's face.

Seeing the Vatican was also pretty cool. I had heard rumors of its postal service being much more efficient than Italy's, so I decided to test it. I sent postcards to my parents from both Rome and the Vatican on the same day. Result? The Rome one arrived about a week earlier!!! Superstitious oppression AND slow postal service? If it weren't for the magnificent art that they inspired, I'd have some choice words for those Church guys!

My favorite part of Rome was the Trastevere neighborhood. It is sort of the Kazimierz (for those who know Kraków) of Rome. I had some fabulous evenings there with delicious food and friendly Italians. It's across the river from most of the main tourist sites, so it's easy to ignore... but don't! It's a can't-miss if you want to experience real Italian culture!

~A note on GELATO~
When searching for the best of this frozen magic, make sure to avoid places that have it in neon-rave colors. Pistachio shouldn't light up the dark. It should be more of a babyshit green (read: natural) color. You might enjoy crap gelato today, but try the good stuff and you won't be able to go back (as with any delicacy - beer, wine, etc.). My favorite was at a place called GROM. It's a chain that exists in most Italian cities. If you come across it, try it. That's an order.

In my travels throughout Europe, I seem to come across fewer Italians than I do other Western European nationalities. For example, Kraków is flooded with French and Spanish erasmus students and British tourists. Relatively few Italians, though. Now I know why. If I were from a country like that, I'd never want to leave either.
Extremely friendly, passionate people. Beautiful scenery. Beaches. Mountains. Fascinating history. The world's greatest aggregation of art. Exquisite food and drink. Oh, and some of Earth's most marvelous cities.

All of this has an interesting consequence on the country, though. I had a fascinating conversation with an Italian guy at my hostel in Florence about Italy's history "holding it back." It concerned him that Italy  had so much culture and history to preserve. This cultural "maintenance," according to him, occupies so much of Italy's focus that the country has had trouble moving forward. This is especially evident if one compares Italy with a country like Germany that actively tries to move on from its past (and understandably so). And today, Germany is an economic leader, whereas Italy is in crisis. It's interesting to think about. Still, I wouldn't trade Italy's culture for any number of gold bricks.

If you ever get a chance to visit this gem of a country, please do. And don't be afraid to ask me for advice on things to see!

-Riccardo