Landmarks
I like it when I get lost in something and all my thoughts are clear. That’s what happened at the Colosseum. I played heavy bass music, walked around, and took it all in. The combination of sheer size, history, and beauty was so impressive. They had a museum inside the Colosseum, which I fully immersed myself in. Something I found hilarious was the evidence that people would gamble on the gladiators.
Right next to the Colosseum was the Roman Forum. A collection of ancient Roman temples and ruins of a thriving city. I had the same feeling in there as I did in the Colosseum.
On the street next to the Roman Forum, street performers and vendors lined up for attention from tourists. One pianist caught my eye because of his incredible talent and because his name was Angelo. He even wore white gloves, which was crazy because I am a piano player, and I like to feel the keys with my fingertips. Check him out on Instagram @pianist_angelo.
The Pantheon and Trevi Fountain were less impressive than the remains of the Roman Empire. Honestly, I liked other, less-famous churches better than the Pantheon. I like a song called Pantheon by Seven Lions and his label Ophelia, so I listened to it a few times inside the monument. The Trevi Fountain was beautiful, but it was so packed when I went that it was difficult to fully appreciate it.
Vatican
This was one of my favorite paintings I saw at the Vatican. I love lasers, so I appreciated the depiction of them here before modern technology was invented.
Four kilometers from the Vatican City lies the Basilica San Giovanni Laterno. It is the only "archbasilica” in the world because it serves as the seat of the Pope. It was massive, having many stunning alters off to the sides. When I was there, a mass was happening at the main altar for a select group of people. It was roped off, and visitors had to stay far away. I could feel how sacred the place was.
On a rainy day, I went to The Vatican. The square was not that impressive, but the museum was spectacular. There was a long hallway with maps of all the regions of Italy on the walls. I spent almost an hour carefully glossing over each map, looking for all the places I visited. I spent the most time on the Sicily map pictured above. There was a one-way route all visitors must take through the museum that ended with the Sistine Chapel. My dad has used The Creation of Adam as a logo for his business for as long as I can remember, so I was eager to see the real thing. Everywhere I looked, there was absurd beauty. Every time I looked at a new section of the chapel, I found something amazing. There is a line from Robin Williams in the movie Good Will Hunting about never knowing what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. I couldn’t stop thinking about that line while I was there. Now I know.
I saw holocaust sidewalk memorials in Rome. They were truly everywhere in Europe. I was so surprised that these memorials are not discussed more in school or America in general. It was very moving to see them throughout Europe, especially in places I wouldn’t expect.
Overall
People say Rome is overrated, and I completely disagree. I loved it. I think it had a lot to do with the hostel I stayed at - Ostello Bello. It was probably the best hostel I stayed at on my whole trip. I met some incredible people, and it was centrally located right next to the Colosseum.