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Published: April 30th 2006
Pantheon
The famous oculus of Pantheon.Be polite; introduce yourself, so it can introduce itself to you
- Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
Roma!
I got Goosebumps on my neck when the Immigration Officer finally grabbed his rubber stamp and striked my passport with the European Union Italia entrance mark. This was how our adventure in Italy started.
It was almost too easy - I had prepared to have some complicated conversations in Italian, but the officer just asked, in English, for my first and last name and found no alarming problem with my valid EU Student Visa. Jason and Ryan even did not get their passports striked with entrance stamp.
Arriving in Ciampino Roma Airport around 10pm, I was eager to finally settle down in my new home for the next couple months.
My rusty Italian helped to navigate ourselves to the bus stop that took us to the Anagnina Metro Stop at the end of orange Metro line. We were heading to our new address, via degli Scipioni 121, and the Metro brought us to the Ottaviano/San Pietro stop in the Prati neighborhood - next to the Vatican in northern Rome.
After dropping off our luggage and meet our new roommate Jason, we headed out to
Testaccio window
An architectural window style of Testaccio, Rome. have a dinner around 11pm. Rome is still pumping this late - we found an excellent local pizzeria a couple blocks from our apartment and discovered how different the American pizza and its Italian counterpart.
Our current home is a cozy, furnished, elegant by my standard apartment on the fourth floor of the palazzo. The 30 feet by 20 feet living quarter, with marble floor balcony facing a small courtyard complete with a parked Vespa, and other units view (across from us is occupied by an Italian family, including a crying baby and grandparents.), hard wood floor and even a bidet in the main toilet. There are three bedrooms in the unit, one of which Jason and I have to share, including the queen size bed.
Strictly speaking, our kitchen is more of a strip - it barely fit two people preparing food on the counter.
Back in the ol' U.S.A., we always consider Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, DC as old cities as we wonder around 'old' structures and historical landmarks that were completed in the late 1700s and 1800s. Rome can laugh at that, as everything here is at least twenty times older than the United
A random arch
Rome wasn't build in a day. See how an unknown old structure is protuding out from any newer structures. States.
It is a mind blowing thought to realize that Rome has existed for almost 2,700 years. Every inch of the city is significant, and modern Rome is literally built upon layers of history. A good example is the Piazza Venezia, the home of the grand Vittorio Emmanuelle II monument, which was completed in 1911. It was built on top of the 2,500 year old Roman houses, which can be seen underneath the street level, next to Michelangelo's Piazza Campidoglio that was completed in 1300s. In the nearby view is the famous Colosseum and its Roman Forum, which were completed around the first century.
Our studio is located in the Pigna region, at the via dell’Arco della Ciambella - two blocks east of the ancient Pantheon. According to Patricia, our Roman host professor during our orientation day, Pigna consists some of the oldest part of Rome.
Pantheon is an ancient building that is still in use to this day, famous for its occulus - an opening on top that allows day light to penetrate inside its perfect spherical hollow. It was first completed as a pagan temple some 3,000 years ago, and was converted into a Catholic
Pantheon
The ancient Pantheon, with more than 3,000 years of history. church to this date. As many churches in Europe, several high profile individuals are entombed inside the Pantheon, including King Emmanuelle II’s wife and Raphael (the painter, not the turtle).
Although Rome is notorious for its hot summer day, it has been comfortable for us - of course it is still in May. Via Nationale by the Piazza Venezia offers natural ventilation, as the breeze blows through the narrow pedestrian passageway, something to remember in the next couple months as the weather gets hotter.
It seems that there are a lot of Americans here. On our first day cruising around Piazza San Ignatio, we met a group of two nice middle aged ladies and a policeman from California, who were so excited to see other Americans here in Rome. The American quarter in Rome is located around Hard Rock Café in via Veneto, including the old American Embassy in historical Palazzo Margharetta. As a typical American Embassy around the world, the place is heavily guarded by Roman carabinieri, perhaps especially after our recent Iraqi invasion effort, which drops American popularity around the world. This area is also the home of Santa Susanna, the only ‘American’ church in Rome,
Prati
On the way to the Olympic Stadium, north of Rome. which gives out service in English.
Due to our foreign citizenships (a.k.a. non-EU residents), by law we are required to apply for stay permit Soggiorno di Permesso, meaning that we have to deal with infamous, inefficient Italian bureaucracy. I’m not exactly sure on how this works with the officials; our landlord helps us to arrange the permit. Lots of photocopies, pictures, and some cash; and a couple days later, the permit is stapled safely in our passports.
Italy used to be a very cheap place to visit, but things are changed by the currency replacement last year. Some places still accept liras, while most of the residents including the older generations are fluent in using Euros by now. Prices are relatively cheap, for example, an original Panini or a sandwich in Tramezzo Café in nearby Torre Argentina cost €1.70, and €1.80 for a bottle of Coke. Except when I paid €3 for a bottle of Orange Fanta on top of the Spanish Steps, I should’ve known better than getting drink in a street vendor over a popular tourist spot.
If I had to pick an element in Rome that I enjoy the most, it must have been
San Pietro Basilica
Many pilgrims that day, and I live in Prati! the drinking water. I’ve never drink anything purer and refreshing than Roman water, which runs limitless since it was catered by Imperial Rome around 2,000 years ago. Many aqueducts carry water from its springs around the city and being distributed throughout the city with gravity; as the result, Romans have plenty water to play with. I must admit, that drinking from a Roman fountain is addicting. Almost every churches and streets have some kind of water work highlights, including Piazza Navona’s Michelangelo four rivers fountains.
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