Look Around: Cavour, Termini, Spanish Steps

Ciao Stranger,

So I think I may be updating too soon. Dedicated readers (if there are any that is), I'm not sure I can keep up the regularity once school starts, so please lower your expectations. I will try my best but no promises. I know I'm incredibly entertaining but instead of checking up on me so often, why not go out and start your own adventure? :)

I have had yet another eventful day. I trouted out during the day to attempt to cross out more names on my tourist booklet. First stop, Circo Massimo, the chariot racing stadium. I have to say, this may have been the first disappointment I've had in Rome mainly because the area was pretty much blocked off since it's still being excavated and not much of the structure remains. I didn't even bother taking a picture so I'll link some from the internet. No it's not the infrastructure in the background but the scattered remains you see on the grass in the front. What did I tell ya? Disappointment.

 This is what it was thought to have been like back in the day. Much more impressive.

I almost ran back to the subway to find something more invigorating which isn't all that difficult here in Rome. So off I went to the next stop: St. Peter-in-Chains Church. Who needs a glass chandelier when you can have a painted ceiling?  

 The church is famous for this monument featuring Moses in the middle created by the ever talented Michelangelo.

 Wow, SO beautiful! I'm referring to the petite Asian girl obviously. Such fine features on her face, so delicate. I guess the artwork in the back is acceptable too, meh.

 The church is located around the Cavour neighbourhood packed with tiny alleyways with boutique shops, restaurants and cafes. It reminds me of Gastown or Yaletown but much more authentic.

 A typical tiny restaurant in the area. So cute, would love to try you but you're out of my budget.

 During my walk, I happened to find a tiny Korean grocery store. I was ecstatic and ran inside to see what goodies they might have, and what did I find? DUMPLINGS!!! As I got closer to examine them, I realized the price tag attached; 10 Euros. Seriously? WTF? For realz? Do these dumplings make me shit gold or something? I can find you for $3 at home. Who's going to buy them? Gold shiters? Needless to say, I walked out of there, empty handed and dumplingless.

 I walked all the way to Termini Station, the main train/bus/metro station. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't feel safe taking my camera out. I sped walked my way through that area which is filled with tourists rolling their luggages around and sketchy, questionable people who seems to be roaming the streets for no particular reason. Imagine a higher quality of East Van but 10x bigger with people selling various goods on the side of the street. I finally got to experience being followed after by an Italian guy telling me how I'm beautiful in 5 different languages. Did not have the same type of gratification I was expecting, was creepier than anything. To me, Termini Station felt like a human farmland. People come in herds ( on buses/trains/metro) and everyone seems to be going somewhere. It's a mess and very hectic. One word of advice: if you're coming into Rome, DO NOT make Termini Station the first place you see. This is not what the rest of Rome is like and it will ruin your first impression of this historical city.

I love having a place in Rome that's easily accessible since I can always come back home at lunch for a break, use the washroom, drink some water and the best part, being with my roomies and having lunch with them. Ascenzo made a cream based salmon penne pasta this time.

 I don't know how he can create a different pasta dish every day. 5th day and still going strong. Maybe I can get accustomed to this pasta everyday thing :)

 In the afternoon, Ascenzo and Salvo took me on a mini tour around the Downtown area. Walking around with locals is a whole other experience on its own. They know where all the best restaurants are, what each monument signifies and what would usually take you half a day to explore on your own would only take about 2 hours. Sure there were times where we had difficulty communicating but hey, that's what Google Translate is for. Ascenzo informed me that this coloum (located in Piazza  Colona) tells a story that starts from the bottom and swivels to the top.

Alright, it's finally time to meet SALVO & ASCENZO, my two sexy room mates :) Oh yeah, we're on the Spanish Steps, blah blah blah, but look at us! See, they are real, I haven't just been making them up.

And to end the tour, we walked to Piazza del Papolo, from which you can see the 3 major shopping paths. For your information, I did not shop at all today. Applaud please. Low budget student who wants to see the world does not deserve to shop. Hello frugal lifestyle!

Tour With Me :)

Ciao Stranger,

Let this be known that the following places were travelled to in the accumulation of a day and a half of aimlessly walking around. Some places were planned, but most were accidents. And as a dedicated blogger I should make the pictures look all fancy schmancy with filters and whatnot but I do not have that kind of time to spare. I could be exploring the city more instead of trying out different light effects. Sorry, what you see is what it is in real life, a rarity in today's society so appreciate it :)

Let the touring begin. First off, let me introduce you to Mr. WaterFountain. He can be found all over the city at random corners so if you're ever thirsty, drink this. Free is always good.

 Random street. I couldn't help myself, the building was calling for a picture.

Gas station in Rome. How quaint. 

 Pastry shops that can be found everywhere. Nom nom nom, I will eat all of you in time. Wait for me.

 Made a friend, followed her into the Metro station, came out and TADA~~~Colosseum in all its glory.

Night shot. Because One is just not enough. 

 Followed the friend into the church. From the exterior it just looks like another stereotypical building on the street but little would one know that it's actually a 12th-century church filled with marvellous mosaics on the ceiling. It's also built on top of a 4th-century church which was built over a 1st century aristocratic house. Yep, 3 layers. If I wasn't being led, I would've just walked right past this secret gem. I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside so I'll link some from the internet.

I feel like everytime I walk into a building in Rome, I find myself gasping for air. WOW. 

One of the underground levels. The place was closing soon when we got there so it was just the two of us meandering the tunnels. I'm glad I wasn't down there alone, it was pretty creepy. 

 Day 2 adventure:

Went on the Metro and had no idea where to go so I randomly picked a stop, got out and found this: Basilica San Paolo. It's one of the four great basilicas but since its location is slightly further away from the center, not a lot of people come here. Was pretty much empty when I went which is nice for scenic pictures but not when you want to be in the pictures. Being the shameless tourist that I am, I asked everyone for help, so here's me posing outside the church.  

 Before you enter...jaw starts to drop...

 I wanted to cry. Is that normal? I just stared in awe at how grand everything was. Pictures don't do this justice. Imagine this but x100 the awesomeness. Pretend you're an ant and you're looking at the world from their perspective? Don't laugh, I don't know, I'm not poetic.

 How did they build this in the 380 B.C......unreal...

 I know what you're thinking. "Michelle, you look photoshopped".

 I didn't want to leave. I think you can understand why.

 I patted myself on the back and left with full satisfaction and a big grin on my face. I felt unstoppable and couldn't wait to see more. So I jumped back onto the Metro and off I went to a new neighbourhood. What did I find this time? I got lost in a slightly sketchy neighbourhood and after asking various strangers the location, I found what was listed on my tour guide map. But Michelle, don't you have a working 3G phone? Can't you just Google Map it? Yes Bob, I could. But I felt that defeated the adventure aspect of the trip. I think part of the fun is getting lost in the process and running into the unexpected. Anywho, here's the one and only Protestant Cemetery. I didn't feel right wandering around a cemetery so I took a picture and left relatively quickly.

In the late afternoon I met up with a fellow friend from Vancouver who had been in Rome for a couple of months now and he showed me some of the must-see tourist traps of Rome.

Trevi Fountain and one of its many tourists. 

 I will come to see you again when there's less people around.

 Pantheon, the world's best preserved Roman building.

 Thank you stranger for taking such a skilful picture of us. Mad props to you.

 From the inside. It was too dark to take other pictures but it's okay, I need to come again when it's sunny and when it's rainy.

 Piazza Navona, Rome's most famous and dramatic piaza that's surrounded by cafes and restaurants.

 View of St. Peter's. I think this is a postcard worthy shot right here. May I remind you that there's no filter added here?

 Welcome to The Vaticans! Pope Francesco where are you???

 After a long walk, we treated ourselves to a homey restaurant.

 Buon Appetito! First real authentic Italian Pizza. Simple, fresh, and oh so good. Better than any Panago or Domino's you'll find at home. A great way to end a joyous day :)

I'm In Love.

Ciao Stranger,

You read it right: I'm in love! With whom you may ask? You don't care? Well too bad, it's my blog. For those that do, her name is Roma. I've only been here for 4 days and I'm already falling deeply in love with this ancient city. Yes there were things here that took me by surprise at first but I wouldn't change any of it. I was warned of the bureaucracy and the unavoidable long queues that was bound to drive me mad swearing profanity but honestly, all my paperworks went smoothly with no problems. I don't know if my expectations of the system was too low caused by hearing numerous horror stories or I'm just a genius with incredible luck (#2 seems far more probable) but what should have taken me 4 full days of dreadful waiting took me a total of an hour in the span of 2 days.

Another reason I'm having the time of my life right now is all thanks to my room mates. They've made my transition here so smooth I really have nothing bad to say (and I'm not writing this because they may or may not be reading this). When I told people my plan was to live with 4 local Italian guys, the reaction I got were either people congratulating me on my bravery, calling me mental for wanting myself murdered or fearing for my safety and telling me to buy tasers/locks/pepper sprays. Regardless of what others thought, I made the impulsive decision and boy oh boy do I not regret it (at least not yet). Reasons why:

1. Our place is spotless. I've never lived in a cleaner apartment (I don't know if all Italian guys are like this but I ain't complaining). No piled up garbage, no plates in the sink, not a single thing out of place. Truly amazing.
2. They ask me every lunch/dinner to eat with them and will cook amazing food for me (I'm going to get fat soon).
3. They force me to write down Italian vocabs to memorize so that my Italian can improve (I'm pretty damn good with my kitchen items now). 
4. I feel safe. I have 4 bodyguards living with me. Try coming to my house to hurt me. Just try.
5. They're quiet at night. Notice how I specified night because when they gather together during lunch & dinner, chances are they're either watching football, or having a heated discussion/argument about football. Hands will start moving and I just sit back and enjoy the show.
6. No one smokes. Thank goodness. I didn't realize this before but many local Italians regardless of their gender smokes. A lot.
7. I have a question, they answer it. Saves me the trip to Google.
8. Need I say more??? 

In the future I'll post pictures of my golden boys. Girls, my room is available in August ;)

Aside from being incredibly lucky with the documentations and housing, Rome itself is a spectacular city. Yes there are graffiti everywhere, but you soon learn to enjoy the artwork, especially on the subway station.

It's no Canada Line that's for sure. The interior is far from classy and it moves at an awfully slow rate but hey, it gets me from point A-B so meh. Feeling generous? Tip the musicians who will regularly jump onto a compartment and perform a song or two. I was too cheap. And when you get out of the station, you'll be amazed at what you may find. I'll get into that in my next post where I'll take you around to the places I went to so far :) 

First Impressions Count

Ciao Stranger,

As promised, today's blog will include lots of pictures. I know, you're welcome. First off, some updates. I got a local phone number with 2G worth of data, 400 minutes calling and 400 texts for 14 Euros (21 Canadian Dollars) each month. Can you say cheap? Say it with me..C-H-E-A-P. Why can't everything else be this affordable as well? Alright, before I go on a tangent...here's what I've noticed on the first real day out and about in Rome.

1. It's not even that cold out (~10 C) and everyone seems to be wearing parkas and hats.
2. The women aren't dressed as stylish as I first thought (maybe its just this neighbourhood that lacks fashion sense? Or maybe they lose it when it get's "cold" out?).
3. Men do not go about telling how beautiful you are as I had read about on various other blogs. They lie, they lie! (Or just not to the Asian girl. RUDE. But no, I didn't hear any compliments given to any females walking about).
4. Lots of florist shops, and apparently they're open 24/7.
5. People do what they want: rules are not meant to be followed but to be broken. Drive however you want, park wherever you like, just do whatever pleases you. 
   
6. I saw a total of 2 other Asians since I've been here. The first one was a Korean man running a small convenience store, the other was a straggler crossing the street who seemed to be a little surprised to see me.
7. Everyone seems to know a little English, so I can get on by just fine. And when I try to speak/learn Italian from them, they're all super friendly about it. 
8. When you see someone you know, you kiss them on the cheek, left cheek then right, regardless of the opposite's sex. Two guys? Completely normal, no homo.
9. I can't say this for all the Italians but from my room mates, the following are true. Breakfast is a glass of milk or coffee around 8-9 AM. Too little? Alright, maybe a biscuit or two, and that's it. Lunch is around 2-3 PM. It will be pasta, every single day. What rice is to China is pasta to Italy. I love pasta but everyday? Goodbye carb-free diet, you ain't happening any time soon.  Here's a picture of the pasta my room mate Ascenzo made for lunch yesterday. Home made pesto with sliced tomatoes. Simple ingredients, but holy shit, was it ever good! Italian restaurants of Vancouver, you got nothing on my room mates. For bragging rights, here's a picture of his delicious masterpiece.
   
   You Jelly? I know you are. And what do you do with the leftover sauce on your plate? Why you grab some bread and clean your unfinished sauce with it of course. As for dinner, it's usually around 8-9 PM and once again, the roomies gather together and hangout in the kitchen while one person cooks for the herd. Only thing is, I've never had dinner with them cause by 8 PM I'm about to pass out on my bed. Opps.

Below are a series of pictures from one of the many local supermarkets that can be found around my place. It's about the size of half a basketball court, in other words, very small. No Target or Costco here!

Fruit Section. No Pomelos. SAD FACE. 

Cheese Section.

MORE CHEESE

  Kinder Surprise, I was wondering how long it would take before I found you :)

 Deli & Meat Area

PASTA. Pick one. Go ahead, just pick one.

Alright, if you're still reading, then you're a dedicated individual and you deserve the right to see pictures of my new home.

The outside of the building.            

  My room! Oh la la indeed. Lots of open space with access to a terrace and a super comfortable bed. SOLD. 

I IS HERE!

Ciao Stranger,

Guess who made it to ROME?! Wow, what a journey that was. I still can't believe I'm here now. How did that even happen? I'm so proud of myself, so to commemorate it, let me just walk you through my last 24 hours. Be warned however that I'm not my usual self today due to my nasty companion, the fever and the fact that I haven't slept in two nights.

I left Vancouver with tears in my eyes, not ready to leave everything behind. I may have shed a tear as I walked into the security checkpoint. There were crowds of people huddled together crying and saying farewells to each other, how could I not cry? The 10 hour flight to Frankfurt was surprisingly quite pleasant. I slept and watched movies along the way. Can't ask for much more. 

The Frankfurt airport is modern and clean, with a almost industrial like feel to it. And it's massive since it took me well over half an hour to get to my transfer flight location. And as stereotypical as it was, the first thing I noticed in the airport were stalls and shops full of pretzels and sausages! Hehehehe.

And the flight from Germany to Rome? I lucked out and got 3 seats to myself, which meant...time for Michelle to spread out and sleep comfortably! I passed out like a cold turkey. The second I landed, I attacked a solo female traveller and started chatting about how lost we both were and once she found her program helpers, they even lead me to the train station where I had to trolley my way to Roma Tiburtina to meet two of my room mates. 15 minutes of hide and seek later, I found my room mates and I have to say, so far so good! They're all ever so friendly and Mauro even made me pasta. I don't know if I'm slightly biased but his pasta was so damn good! Apparently the boys eat dinner together every night (how cute!) and religiously watch football (soccer) together as well. I wonder if I'll be joining them on their rituals. Must learn Italian faster somehow!!! Also, a kid (I'm assuming) plays the piano upstairs and I've heard him/her practice the same song for the last 20 minutes. I feel like I'm in China again...maybe I'll get used to this place faster than I expected!

There's so much more that I want to say but my brain is dying and I really need to get some rest soon. Next time I'll post some pictures, I promise :)

Goodbye Vancouver.

Hello Stranger,

Can you please tell me where did the time go? With my last post, I still had over a week's worth of time to kill, and now I feel as though my life is a ticking time bomb that's about to go off at any time. I've been looking forward to this day for over 8 months, and now that it's finally here, I'm shaking with trepidation and anticipation. 11 hours till take-off. This is bizarre, almost unreal. For the first time in my life, I'm leaving my family and friends behind to go on an adventure in a land I've never been to before, with people I've never seen before in a language I know very little off (aside from various food items, I know absolutely nothing). 

Two of my room mates have kindly offered to pick me up at a nearby train station so I don't get my little Asian ass lost in the crowd of tourists on the first day there. I hope they're not creepy rapists. Otherwise I'm screwed. 

This past week has been one of the best weeks I've spent in Vancouver. It was filled with birthday, CNY, going away celebrations. And on the off chance that I did have some time off, I was busy running errands getting things for my big trip. I think all this joyous time will make leaving Vancouver that much harder. I couldn't wait to get out of this city in December but when you're having the time of your life, it really changes things. Leaving my beloved friends and family to go to a land of unknown strangers is going to be a difficult task. But I'm sure I'll overcome it :) 

I'm a big girl now.

The next time you hear from me, I might be a fluent Italian girl. HA.