When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do

Settling into Rome following the three weeks of Sorrento was interesting to say the very least. Rome is definitely a city that has a lot to take in all at once. Thankfully I'll be in Rome for two weeks (with the exception of two or three day trips) so I think I'll have plenty of time to explore the city to its fullest potential. With that said, there will be multiple blog posts for Rome.

To begin, let's discuss the first couple of days since there was a lot in terms of exploration. My guide on the first day was my temporary roommate (?) at the Airbnb I'm staying at (shout out to Gustavo). From there we made our first trek to the Trevi Fountain. Now honestly I didn't expect it to be where it's at. I pictured it being in an open space, maybe in a square; but I enjoyed that it was hidden in alleyways. It felt like, in a way, a secret that everyone was clued in on. It's also incredibly beautiful and there's no secret as to why it's such a hotspot and so iconic in movies that are set in Rome.

We also took a visit to Piazza Venezia which was such a marvel of a building, especially at the end of a busy street. The scale of the statues outside alone reminded me of the scale of that in the Archeological Museum in Napoli, only a lot bigger. It was such a cool location with so much history to it and again was absolutely beautiful on top of it. This would probably be a place I come back to maybe with an audio tour to learn more specifics about the building, paintings, and statues (that is if it's possible).

I did get to see the Colosseum and Pantheon but unfortunately didn't get to go in either because of long lines or because I needed a reservation for the day that I came by. Those will get detailed experiences when I'm fully able to go in. With that being said, both the Colosseum and Pantheon are incredible sights to behold just from the outside. Truly masterpieces I can't wait to experience in their entirety.

I also attended the Keats and Shelly Memorial House which was by the Spanish Steps. Another really cool place and I find it crazy that I almost overlooked it. Being in the house that John Keats stayed in whilst learning more about Mary Shelly, Lord Byron, and John Keats in the process. Seeing copies of Don Juan, signed copies of Frankenstein, and letters among the three were awesome. There was a moment of hanging dread and sort of creepiness when coming into Keats' room in particular, which I think was because this was his deathbed. Didn't want to be in there for too long. Insert the obvious empath jokes here. I kinda invite it.

Finally, we have the Leonardo Di Vinci Exhibit and Museum which was full of his inventions and artwork. This place was so fascinating for a multitude of reasons. I think being able to walk around and experiment with the inventions he made was wild and maybe a little scary in its own respect. In addition, seeing all these sketches and his famous artwork with these detailed descriptions was just eye candy to me. Seeing the human body in a mechanical sense reminds me of some of my favorite shows (Westworld being a massive one). And of course, seeing copies of the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper was crazy.

Of course, this is less than a week of adventures and we have more to come. I can't wait to continue to explore more of Rome and to add more to the world-building of my novel will be exciting. During that time, I'll continue to do as the Romans do.