EuroTrip 2005

First Night in Rome

I met up with Mikel and his friend Anna tonight. It was a great first night in Rome, we walked first to St. Peter's Basilica, the first time I saw it, and all lit up at night. Absolutely beautiful. They showed me Castel S. Angelo, walked down the Tevere and into a beautiful church with mosaic tiles. I saw my first purse snatching on a passing vespa, which was a good wake-up call to hang on to my bag at all times!! We walked to St. Maria in Trastere and had some dinner in a very quaint area of Rome. We drank wine, I tried some grappa (which has to be the strongest drink I have ever tasted) and their friend Giovanni joined us for drinks after. He is a true Roman, born and raised here. They had a surprise for me after dinner, and I rode with Giovanni on his Vespa while Mikel and Anna met us there. It was a tiny key-hole in a door but when you looked through it, you could see a beautiful green walkway and at the end, St. Pietro lit up at night. It was beautiful, a hidden gem of a view in Rome.

We went out for more drinks and dancing until about 3 am, after which Giovanni drove me home on his Vespa (as he lives just up the hill from where I am staying). It was a great night, I am thankful to have met such great people in this city and they've showed me a side that not many outsiders see. I'm attaching a picture of Mikel in this post, my great guide in Rome.

posted by Donna Weeden @ 12:09 PM