Hey this a post about last week...it was done last week so it will be in present tense (well for most of it..cause i suck at finding weird tenses in my writing)
so enjoy!
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So this past week, I was able to go to Rome with friends, WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION! Sounds like fun?
Hell yeah it was.
Lindsay, Share, Diana and I set off at 8:45 a.m. to the train and carried off to Rome.
When we got off at Valle Aurelia, we headed to the metro to the Piazza di Spagna, and bam! The Spanish Steps were full of people (mostly tourists) crowding to take a picture with Rome’s famous steps.
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| Group pic davanti a Piazza di Spagna Picture by Maya Mariner (with Share's camera) |
Since my camera malfunctioned, I needed to buy a disposable camera. I went to the nearest vender, and I tried to speak Italian.
“Vorrei una macchina fotografia, per favore”
“Oh, Good try. Now, what do you want?” he asked me in English.
What? I thought Good Try??? I have been learning Italian for almost two months now and all I get is a ‘good try’ from a guy who’s probably first language is Hindu?
I knew this was going to happen…its Rome. EVERYONE speaks English in Rome (and literally EVERYONE. If someone says they do not they are lying to you---unless that person is a tourist).
I spoke to him in English and got my camera---paid too much for it--- and the crew headed up the stairs eagerly trying to blend in with the Italians that were chillin’ (and not the Americans taking up lots of space to take a picture).
However, we did act like tourist and did get a picture (disposable camera and hello kitty camera intact!)
“Rome, the only place you can be a tourist and nobody cares,” Diana said.
After walking in a square around the Spanish Steps, I decided to take the crew to the most infamous places of tourism…Fontana di Trevi.
We head down to the bottom to take a picture, with the full fountain in sight, but it was hard because EVERYONE is taking a picture…and its funny, I feel like I will be in everybody’s photo album more than once in my life. (So will a couple who took a picture there in full bridal and groom outfits)
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| Group pic davanti a Fontana di Trevi Picture by Share Chen |
I also tried to find an English movie theater, and in my Roma book, it said there was one near the Trevi, so when we went on the street…found out it was closed…and I checked the date when the book was published….2003 (GAH!)
After Fontana di Trevi, I lead the group to the Pantheon (also in Angels and Demons). We also made a pit stop in Piazza Navona to find a place to eat, and we actually saw Lena, Emily, Reed, Michael, and Eric chilling out….
After lunch, I decided to take everyone a stroll down the Tiber River….well we weren’t suppose to be there exactly….I took a wrong turn at one of the streets and ended up farther than we need to go for the Colosseo. There were a lot of “Check points!” and “Where the heck are we’s?”
So instead of walking through the Roman Forum…we walked around it….but fortunately we got to see Italians role-play Roman Empire soldiers and citizens in a field near the Roman Forum…all gearing up for battle.
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| COMMUNISTS!!!! |
We also saw the Communist Party protest (the one Amelia’s host mom warned her about) and we marched beside them (not with them mind you)…
“Hey, they’re gonna take us to the Colosseo, follow them!” I said and we headed around the Roman Forum and BAM Arch of Constantine was in my face, with the Colosseo behind it (thanks Communists!)
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| Che bella! Picture by: Lindsay Hong |
We took more pictures and got some crappy gelato, but I tried my Italian one more time, to see If it would finally work.
“Vorrei gelato... Um…piccolo”
The guy looked confused “In a cone or cup?’ he said with an Italian accent.
“Coppo”
“Ah, where are you from?”
“America”
“Oh where in America?”
“Indiana”
“Oh, Indiana….Indianapolis?”
My eyes widened with delight. He knew Indianapolis! He actually knew where I was from and did not hesitate!
“Sí!!!!!!” I said with excitement.
Lindsay and I paid for our gelato and said “ciao” to the guy and he smiled and said “ciao bella” (which made me even feel more special :D)
At that point, Share had to go home so we made it back to Valle Aurelia, where Lindsay and Share stayed for the next bus…since Diana and I had some time to kill, we decided to go out of the country... (Haha Vatican joke!)
The place was packed (San Pietro that is) and chairs covered the square for the early morning mass for the next day.
Diana and I walked to Castel’ Sant’ Angelo (also in Angels and Demons) to go tourist shopping…but it was delayed because we needed to go to the bathroom.
We saw a sign that said “Burger King 5 mins.” Pointing to the right from where we were standing. Excited for the possibilities of finding a Burger King we headed in the direction it told us…and kept going…and going…5 minutes later…no Burger King.
“Why do you lie Burger King? Don’t confuse the Americans!” Diana said.
Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a McDonalds sign…saying five minutes away from where we were standing…
Even though we thought it might be a trick, we decided to go, desperate for a bathroom.
More signs called out for the McDonalds…300 meters, 200, 100…but where was it?
“Where are we?” I looked around. We had no idea.
Finally, in the back corner (of what we presume is now Rome) was the McDonalds, but….there was No bathroom.
“There is always a bathroom in a McDonalds, how can that be?” Diana said.
“Ah, crap we gotta go. Its 6:30 and we need to catch the train!” I informed her.
We shoved fries down our throats and I fast walked to find the Metro, Diana trying to keep up.
“Oh god, which way did we turn?” I asked to nobody, looking around.
Dark was approaching fast and I looked around and saw a familiar street we were down before. We walked down it and eventually found the Metro.
We fast walked down the flight of stairs and down to the tracks…the clock just clicked to 6:45…
“Crap, Crap, when does the train come?” I tapped my foot impatiently waiting for the Metro.
The metro finally came and thank goodness, our stop was not far from Valle Aurelia.
“When we get off Diana, we are going to walk with ultra purpose”
She nodded.
The doors opened and I literally sprint out (feet never leaving the ground).
It started to rain again, but I didn’t care, I ran straight through it and up stairs to the train. I looked at my clock again 6:55…
The whole time I was doing this, others were springing to the top of the train place, going to the Viterbo train.
We finally made it up the stairs and the train came at 7:06pm…we were 10 minutes early.
“Oh thank god,” I said out of breath.
“I am never going that far for a McDonalds ever again.” Diana said.
“You got that right.”
--------------------------------------------------------Thank you Share and Lindsay for letting me use your pictures!
Ciao for now,
Maya
