let’s talk Europe.
Woah…
I went to EUROPE! With my best friend!!! PLANS ACTUALLY MADE IT OUT OF THE GROUPCHAT!
Most of you are familiar with Abbie. She is my roommate and BEST friend!! And we decided to go to Rome. (literally what?)
We got on a plane and literally flew across the world… and it was the BEST TIME OF MY LIFE. I will go back. One day…
Let me just tell you, Rome is such a beautiful city. With THOUSANDS of years worth of history- and two thousand years worth of Christian Heritage- the city was absolutely captivating. From the food, the people, the architecture, the history, the art, the way of life… I am surprised that Abbie and I got on a plane back to Waco.
So, I am just going to tell you about all of it.
DAY ONE
The day before, we got there in the middle of the day. We proceeded to eat an insane amount of pizza and cannoli gelato, and explore the neighborhood that would be our home for the next week. We all made it to 9:30 PM before we were absolutely, knocked out, asleep.
We slept for 11 hours.
Nowwww it’s day one.
EEP! A food tour kicked off day one! As we stayed in Trastevere, we were quite central to all of the amazing restaurants in Rome (and definitely central to the nightlife). From Cacio e Pepe, to suppli, fantastic pizza (diavola is the best. Hands down), biscuits, chocolate croissants, fried artichokes in the Jewish neighborhood, and seriously some of the best gelato I tried…. I was spoiled. Our tour guide, Virginia, was fabulous. As she is Roman, she gave so much insight into the history of Rome- and its cuisine! It was so interesting to see how different areas and restaurants had been influenced by the history in Rome. I would say that one of the most surprising activities to do was espresso shots! You quite literally take a shot of espresso (straight up) and then take a sip of water. WHAT! I applaud Kelly and Paul for doing it!
Later that night, we did what was probably Abbie and I’s favorite activity…. A pasta making class! It was quite literally in the guy’s apartment with two (super sweet) total strangers. (hi nastia and alex!) And it was the best. thing. ever. I have never had so much fun squishing raw tomatoes with my bare hands. Abbie and I learned how to make pasta from scratch… and man. It was SO GOOD! It was so rewarding to eat something that we made completely from scratch (and it actually be delicious). The whole experience was so raw and authentic. The intentionality from our teacher and the joy radiating in the room was something that I will never forget, and definitely something Abbie and I will do with our own kids one day.
We also got more gelato after this.
DAY TWO
No one ever talks about how when you go to a foreign country how weird it feels when the people around you are speaking a language that you don’t understand. But I actually kinda liked it. The world felt so much more quiet. People watching slowly became my favorite activity while walking the streets of Rome. I was able to watch people live a life that I had never experienced before. A life that was their everyday. It is such a beautiful thing to admire.
We started off strong at the Vatican, which might just be the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I cannot even describe the way the Vatican made me feel. Filled to the brim with statues, paintings from Michelangelo and Raphaello, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica; it was just so special to even be in the building. With as much art and decorations there are in the building, I think that I could go a billion times and still never see all that the Vatican has to offer (or even get a glimpse of all of the knowledge it holds). I would say that my favorite statue must have been Laocoon and His Sons. Our tour guide, Karla, expressed how it represents the suffering and agony one feels as a human; and how that directly relates to the agony we feel when separated from Christ. Just wow. A large part of the Vatican lies within the art on the ceilings. It was riveting. The attention to detail. The meanings of the paintings. I will say, pictures of the Creation of Adam do not do it justice. It is far more breathtaking in real life. Quite literally jaw dropping. After the Vatican, we made our way to the Pantheon. I have never seen something like it. It completely takes you back two thousand years. With it being completely surrounded by apartment buildings and businesses, it truly is like a time machine.
Later that night, we went to the Trevi Fountain. This quickly became my favorite sight in Rome. I think we went back two more times over the duration of the trip. The fountain is absolutely stunning. I think that I could stare at it for hours. For the first time ever, I don’t really have words to describe how beautiful it was and the atmosphere that surrounded it. (This is surprising because I talk…. A LOT). So some pictures will do.
I do think that we had gelato three times that day.
DAY THREE
Okay. This day might just be the coolest thing that we did. We had the opportunity to visit one of the Seven wonders of the World- The Colosseum. Even with how mesmerizing the Colosseum is, there was a heaviness to the building that is hard to describe. The way it was built was mind boggling, the fact that it is STILL standing, the fact that it was in operation for 500 years, and that gladiators did not fight to the death is INSANE to me. Our tour guide, Karla, had us walk the path the gladiators would take out into the arena. I kind of felt famous at that moment. The thought of 70,000 people screaming while people attempt to kill one another (and animals) is crazy. And they would have these fights multiple times a day! For FIVE HUNDRED YEARS! What did add to the heaviness of the building was the nature in which Christians were treated in the Colosseum. Put on a stake, doused in oil, and lit ablaze, Christians were the method used to light the stadium at night. My heart broke at that moment. As terrible a place as the Colosseum was, one can only gaze at the building in awe. We later made our way to the Roman Forum, which was only a short walk away. There, we got to see what would have been the political center of Rome, the Arch of Constantine, Santa Maria Antiqua, and various other unnamed buildings. It was so special to walk through the Santa Maria Antiqua, as it is known to be one of the first churches in Rome, with beautifully preserved frescas depicting Jesus and the disciples. I was in AWE.
We also got to see the place where Julius Caesar was murdered. And a cat sanctuary.
I think we had gelato twice that day.
DAY FOUR
We had an early morning again! Which calls for chocolate croissants and cappuccinos. And almost dying (multiple times) in a taxi because “to drive in Rome is to fight” -a taxi driver. We made our way to one of the 63 catacombs in Rome on a Christianity tour. For those of you who are not familiar with what the catacombs are, they are the burial sights of martyred Christians in the days where being a Christian was not legal. In the catacomb that we went to, there were over 170,000 graves of martyred Christians. There, my spirit was heavy. Within the catacombs, although pictures were prohibited, I got to see some of the most remarkable things I have ever seen in my entire life. Inside, there were frescas (paint on top of plaster) that had various depictions of biblical stories. I got to see what is believed to be one of the first (believed) depictions of Jesus, Apostle Paul, and Apostle Peter, and the Chi Rho . This was absolutely insane for me to see. It led to a spark in my spirit to be able to witness something so historic and a first hand account of the looks of our Savior. There truly are no words. Getting to walk on Appia Way, which would have been where Apostle Paul delivered various messages, was also such a special place to experience. Later that night, we got to go on a bike tour of Rome. Although I almost had an anxiety attack multiple times, looking back, it might be one of my favorite things that we experienced. Getting to see Rome at night, riding on the cobblestone streets with my best friend, is a memory that I will never forget. It was breathtaking.
We hit all of the major landmarks…
And we got even more gelato.
DAY 5
As this day was our last day in Rome, we used it as an exploration day. We shopped. We ate REALLY good food. We stopped at the oldest Gelato place in Rome, Giolitti. It was stellar. I really don’t know how I will eat anything other than gelato in the year to come. This day was spent getting souvenirs, gifts, and window shopping. I am fully confident that I could spend every penny that I have in Rome and be fully satisfied.
We got gelato twice this day.
AND THEN WE CAME HOME!
I will say, as much as I love Italy, being in America makes me excited to one day go back. When I have talked to people about my experiences in Rome, I always bring up the fact of how hard it would be to go if you were not a Christian. There are such deep Christian roots in Rome. There is a basilica on every street corner. Religious ceremonies happening 24/7. It was a hub for expanding Christianity in the first century at the hands of Apostle Paul. It is the place in which Peter was imprisoned. The Vatican and Sistine Chapel bring people from around the world to see its beauty. Hundreds of years worth of persecution. Hundreds of years worth of redemption. Hundreds of years worth of renewal from the Renaissance. The city itself is just beaming with the presence of the Lord. I think that it would be hard to appreciate the beauty of the city without first having faith to back up the meaning behind the landmarks. However, I would not be surprised if the landmarks themselves stirred up a little faith in the people who attended.
I am so grateful to the Bullington family for allowing me to go to Rome with them. There are no words that could fully grasp the appreciation, thankfulness, and love that I have for them. Their intentionality, generosity, and love throughout this trip was overwhelming (in the best way). As my first trip out of the country, I owe it all to them. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. It truly was the best week of my life.
Until next time,
Liberty
