Adventures in Italy: a little film.

This is a little film I made of our time in Italy this summer. Oh, how it makes me nostalgic and gives me some serious wanderlust. I thought after traveling all summer I could cure some of my constant desire to explore the world, at least for a little while, but it's already back. It probably won't ever go away, and really, I welcome it.

Before we left for Italy, I really wanted to get a new camera that had video capabilities, but alas, it did not happen, and so I used my iphone, once again. Definitely not the best quality, that's for sure, but it was fun to make, so here you have it. 

>>video>> shot with the iphone

>>music>> "Orpheo Looks Back" by Andrew Bird:

     

          "There are places we must go to..."

Rome at night.

More wandering and eating for us. I ate pizza four days in a row in Rome, because really, it was that good. I will probably crave Pizzeria Bafetto for the rest of my life. 

Rome at night was magical, and not just because of the pizza. The heat and the crowds let up a little. The sites were lit up. We wandered the narrow streets and stopped for some gelato. One night we grabbed a bite to go and ate a picnic while looking up at the Colosseum. Another night we had some wine on the steps of the Pantheon. We took random pictures along the way, and mostly just soaked it all in.

P.S. My mouth is now watering for some pizza.

Renaissance Rome.

It's been decided that wandering and eating are our favorite traveling activities.

While it was beautiful to see the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica, it was also kind of weird. I mean, St. Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world and is really stunning, but it was paid for almost solely from indulgences (when people pay to get their sins forgiven). It just seems a little strange to me. And the Vatican Museum had so much art it was a little overwhelming- a whole room full of animal statues, an entire room filled with head statues, a room with statues on top of statues. Vatican City was all a bit much, although impressive.

However, wandering around the Jewish Ghetto, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and delicious pizza places was just wonderful.

Wandering and eating.

Vatican City.

Trevi Fountain.

 

 Spanish Steps.

Ancient Rome is extraordinary.

In this city, it seemed that every which way you turned, you just happened upon some piece of Ancient Rome. The Colosseum was absolutely breathtaking, as I imagined those that walked through before me two thousand years ago, maybe excited to see a fight. How the Romans built something so massive and architecturally sound is impressive. Even as we continued on to the Forum, I just couldn't wrap my mind around all that I was seeing, trying to piece together the ruins and imagine the busy center of Roman life it once was. Really, it was all quite extraordinary.