When In Rome
Rome often has a special place in people’s hearts. Even folks who have never been to Rome dream about visiting the city, and it’s on most people's top 10 places to visit. I blame Audrey Hepburn. Anyone who has seen ‘Roman Holiday’ wants to book a flight to Rome immediately, including me.
I really like Rome and have done since the first time I came here in 2007. Every corner you turn, there is something incredibly old and interesting to enjoy. Turn left and hey presto, there is the Vatican. Turn right and all of a sudden there’s the Roman Forum, the very heart of the Roman Empire. Go for a walk and quite aside from all the well known historic sights at every turn, you’re sure to stumble upon something that wasn’t even on your map, but is spectacularly old and impressive.
Special guest stars Shaun and Angela were with us for another few days and spent our days wandering around the Trastevere neighbourhood where we were staying, an area packed with little cobbled streets and sunny piazzas. The WonderDog and I walked from there to the Vatican early one sunny morning to avoid the crowds, and then headed back along the riverside which runs right through the city. Mr T, Shaun and Angela embraced the crowds and went for the double - a tour of the Vatican in the morning and a Coliseum tour in the afternoon. That’s some dedication right there! They would all recommend doing both tours, but maybe not on the same day, so if you have the stomach for the crowds, it’s a good thing to do. Mr T’s top tip though is visit the Pantheon, it’s free, it’s easy, there were less crowds and it is very impressive. I remember doing the same the first time I went to Rome and it’s a stand out for me too. There were some tired feet that night let me tell you, but we managed to sooth all ills with a visit to a couple of great cocktail bars. Rome sure knows how to make a stellar beverage that’s for sure. We wandered around, eating, drinking and taking in the incredible sights.
But here’s the rub about Rome. Take your eyes off the majestic sights for a moment and you’ll notice that Rome can be a bit grubby. I’m sure any city would struggle with the massive influx of tourists, then there's the public funding issues as well as the garbage crisis. So when you visit, and you absolutely should visit, be prepared to over look the grime. If you have a four legged friend with you, keep your eyes peeled because there is glass everywhere - things you may not notice if your party all wears shoes. This is particularly true in parks and along the river.
Talking of the parks, I’d say stick to the amazing sights that are all around Rome and leave the park visits to a different city. I can’t imagine how many tax dollars are needed for the upkeep of so many incredible landmarks and buildings, and the city has to prioritize. The upkeep of parks are way, way down on the list priorities which is why they are generally overgrown and full of rubbish. I imagine the Botanical Gardens would be your one respite from the city streets but I can't say for sure because when Shadow and I walked there to check it out, she wasn’t allowed in so we gave it a miss. There is a new initiative in Rome using prisoners to help clean up the parks so maybe when you go, things will have been tidied up a bit. That said, you don’t come to Rome for the parks, you come for the history, and boy are you in for a treat. It’s hard to think of another city that delivers so much history and wonder.
One more tip for you when you’re hitting up those tourist areas, you should also be prepared for all manner of chancers and tricksters trying to hustle you for something. It’s the nature of the game, tourists with money equals easy pickings and that’s the same the world over. Of course there’s the usual hard sell for tickets, selfie sticks and photos of the Pope. But they’ve gotten smart and there’s now any number of friendly young men that try to strike up a conversation with you without seeming to sell anything so it’s harder to tell them to bugger off. One particularly enterprising young man followed me for three blocks telling me his life history. He became a father yesterday (apparently I was born yesterday too!) and he said he'd like to give me one of his father’s handmade wooden carvings as a gift to celebrate the birth. The child, he tells me, is called Simba. Feel like you’ve heard that name somewhere before? You certainly have! You have to give this guy credit for an entertaining yarn. I kept my hands firmly in my pockets and I suggest you do the same.
On our last day in Rome, we did what any self respecting foodie types like to do - we took a cooking class. We did an amazing Airbnb Experience to learn how to make fresh pasta (when in Rome, right?!) Our class was held in a beautifully decorated studio kitchen in a historical Roman pasta factory, which is now part of the University of Fine Arts. Our wonderful host Veronica learned how to make pasta from her Grandmother but sadly she passed away when Veronica was just 12 years old. Very few of her Grandmother’s recipes were written down, so Veronica has recreated most of the recipes that she didn’t learn by taste. A photo of her Grandmother hangs with all of the utensils in the heart of the kitchen, an homage to food and love.
We made egg pasta from scratch and then created three dishes; tonnarelli, ravioli and gnocchi. Veronica was also able to coach Angela through making all three dishes gluten free, which was greatly appreciated. We drank great wine, learned so many great tips and tricks for creating perfect pasta from scratch at home, and stuffed ourselves silly. Even if cooking isn’t really your thing, I would highly recommend doing one of these experiences in Rome and I’d say Veronica’s is the very best of them. We all walked away full and very happy.
So do go visit Rome. It's a confident, breezy and game for a laugh. You get the feeling Rome knows it’s not perfect. When you come around to visit, Rome knows that it hasn't exactly had time to get the house in order or get the kids to behave. I should imagine all of us know the feeling, having someone pop round and realising we forgot to do the dishes, hide all the crap in the spare room or the kids are playing up. But the city gives you a big grin, throws an arm around you and shows you so many amazing things, you forget about all the other stuff and just enjoy it’s company. And you love the place even more because of it. Without doubt Rome deserves a place in your heart.
