September 8, 2023 Panna Cotta – Margaryta, Madeleine I, Ernest
Ernest – Morning: Castel Sant’Angelo
As amateur historians (I’m considering all casual enthusiasts eligible for that title), I think we tend to view history through a very distant lens. Over the course of several hundred years, we see great empires rise and fall, and the future is given just bits and pieces in the form of written records, artifacts, and monuments. What we’re left with is scattered remains, and a difficult task attempting to imagine the civilization at its peak. As a result of this difficulty, we distance ourselves not just culturally, but on a fundamental level. What we often forget is that the people who walked these same cobbled roads thousands of years before us were actually there.
They were human, with human emotions and human struggles. which are overshadowed by grand palaces and statues deifying the era beyond belief. It’s because of this veil over the past that I love the rare moments when the humanity of the era is tangible. I’m talking in particular about the Castel Sant’Angelo, a fortified palace connected by a small walkway to St. Peter’s Basilica. This castle acts as a bunker for the Pope if he ever needs to be protected in times of crisis. From the top of the castle, the basilica can be seen in the distance, dominating the landscape. This is the same view that Pope Clement VII very well might have seen while imprisoned at Castel Sant’Angelo in 1527. During the bloody Sack of Rome, he was trapped in the defensive structure after escaping through the corridor from the Vatican. I like to imagine how he might have felt looking at that beautiful dome, being so close but feeling so far from home as the city around him burned and crumbled. Sometimes (though to a much less historically significant extent), I think we all can relate to such a feeling. Everything falling apart, looking back on an aspect of our past wishing things could go back to how they were. In that sense, I felt connected to the past. Am I potentially establishing a wildly false emotional correlation between two completely unrelated things? Maybe. Regardless, I did truly feel a connection to the past in a unique way, and I hope that other places I visit in the near future can do the same.
Madeline I – Afternoon
Following our morning activities, I separated from the group and headed back to the dorms in order to meet up with Virginia, a friend of mine I met during her exchange year at my high school, and her boyfriend Jorge. I did in fact end up going totally the opposite direction of where I needed to be heading, but after a quick little detour, I made it back to St. John’s University, where I would be meeting Virginia and Jorge. From the minute we saw each other again, it was as if no time has passed. There was so much to talk about, and we animatedly conversed for hours, just catching each other up on our lives for the last nearly two years.
Our first stop of the day was lunch at a pasta place near St. Peter’s that Virginia had recommended. She said it was one of her favorite restaurants in the city, and I was not at all disappointed. Virginia ordered for the table, a bowl of carbonara for each of us. It was seriously wonderful. Throughout the meal I was amazed at the way Virginia was able to switch quickly and effortlessly between Italian and English, as she conversed with both the restaurant staff, and Jorge and I. After an amazing lunch, we set off on our main outing for the afternoon.
It was a particularly scorching day in Rome, so we decided the best way to cool off was to go to the beach, which was only about half an hour from where we had eaten lunch. I was feeling more than excited, and after a quick train ride, we had arrived in Ladispoli. The differences between Rome and Ladispoli were apparent very quickly. Bustling city blocks and monuments everywhere you looked had been replaced by charming little shops and a salty breeze in the air.
After a short walk along the main strip of the town, we arrived at the beach, and were met with black sand and bright blue water. After adequately drenching ourselves in coconut scented sunscreen, we finally jumped into the salty, yet refreshing Mediterranean. The ocean always rejuvenates me, and I felt more energized than I had for a long time.
After a couple hours of swimming, chatting, and absorbing the sunlight, it was time to return to the dorms. After a quick boba stop, a train ride, and a beautiful walk through the Vatican, we arrived back home.
I loved spending the afternoon with Virginia. It was so interesting to view a foreign country through the lens of someone who has lived there their whole life, and I was truly given a whole different perspective. I enjoyed hearing her fun little anecdotes about the city throughout the day, as well as her guidance in a city that wasn’t yet fully familiar to me.
Margarita – evening
Bridge Tour: My debut as a tour guide
I thought that it would be nice to do something fun this evening. Especially sine I was in charge of documenting this evening’s activities. Since we were doing nothing with the class – obviously I had to be a bit adventurous and creative but it was very hard finding something to do. All the ideas we could come up with were either already done before by us or by others.
One of my friends suggested that I go for a boat ride and jokingly I told Penny (my roommate) that I might as well go and try to cross every bridge in Rome (I don’t know if you see the connection between boats and bridges).
Not long after I ended up coming back to my joke and considering it as an actual idea. And so – I decided to lead a bridge tour with me as a tour guide. But since we couldn’t actually cross “every bridge in Rome” we decided to start with Ponte Regina Margherita, a bridge so obviously named after me. How could I resist? So that’s what we did.
Proudly leading a tour group comprised of one person – we zig-zagged across the bridges from Ponte Regina Margherita down to Ponte Sisto where we did a little detour to explore the Trastevere neighborhood.
Compared to the rest of Rome where the streets were getting emptier – Trastevere was bustling with people as if the whole population of Rome got drained into these streets. And the streets, lit with lights, were breathtaking to see.
We made a stop at Otaleg (gelato spelled backwards) to get some late night gelato. This plaae was greatly recommended to us and rightly so.
Before heading home we made one final stop at Pizza Zazza to get pizza for a movie night. I didn’t attend the movie but I did hear that it was good.
I really enjoyed how I spent the evening and maybe if I’m in Rome again I’ll try leading another tour across Rome’s many bridges.
