Roma!

Although it is the end of March, I felt before my memory is filled with old age and dementia, I would write about my trip to Rome this Spring. Ah, just magical (as Alyssa would put it). No big deal, "monumentally pre gamed"....Trevi Foundtain, the Pantheon, you know the usual? That was a typical night...just roaming Rome (no pun intended) with boxed wine costing close to one euro that was NOT like Franzia..no bag slapping necessary. Well, the minute I was off the plane, Alyssa (the greatest host /friend ever) met me and greeted me with the greatest sense of warmth and compassion to let me enter her exciting new life in Italy. Wow...the sights, the smells, the food, the people, the drinks, the LOVE- just indescribable. Typical sunday morning started with some crack coffee...I'm almost out...too addicted ...so sad :(...anyways, yes then...went to the Vatican, saw the Pope, listened to him speak his insightful words in many languages (including English). Feeling empowered, we go off to galavant and explore the city ( which had begun the moment I stepped off the plane and did not end until I was back in Vermont). So much self-exploring and exploring with Alyssa and some of her friends including Lo (shout out :)!) . .. espeically to our last night at the authentic restaurant, that was just PERFECT. Gelato I miss you so, towards the end of the trip it was a twice a day occurrence to have some gelato. It was perfection in a cone.

In conclusion: Italy- a place of beautiful people who may seem rugged on the outside and so loud and full of life, are the sweetest people. . . I think one night I compared them to Fererro Rocher chocolates. Roma- a city of smiles and celebration (not to mention Carnival was going on all week - which was full of amazing spectacles and parades!), a city of history and ancestry, a city that brought me back to Vermont with the clearest mind ever. One place, so much beauty and culture- makes me want to explore all the cultures our world has to offer. Great people are everywhere, we just need to find them, some of them are right under our noses and we may not even know it.