The World’s Largest Museum
City One: Rome
Like other many other students who grew up in Metro Atlanta, I distinctly recall how significant Stone Mountain was to the curriculum. In 6th grade, I remember how, after a week of learning about the rock cycle, igneous rocks, batholiths, etc. we actually took a field trip to Stone Mountain. I was completely awestruck with the fact that this picture in a textbook had become what I was standing in front of. The intangible concepts that our teacher had taught us were suddenly evident right before our eyes.
The Roman Colosseum (outside)
When I initially signed up for the Oxford Program, I was completely unaware that this same feeling- the astonishment rendered by learning the ins and outs of a landmark or an art piece in class and stepping out the door only to find it right in front of your eyes-would multiply tenfold in the first city.
The Roman Pietà- Michelangelo
The way our class is structured, our professor, Dr. Kemling will first lecture at the hotel, providing a brief summary of each piece of art or architecture we’ll see, and then lecture at the actual locations of each piece. Such a structure adds a new level of appreciation of what we see.
The Roman Forum
Seeing the Sistine chapel is incredible in itself. The beauty of Michelangelo’s frescoes is in surmountable and anyone from any culture could recognize that.
But to understand the iconography behind the work- the significance behind the poses of God and Adam, or why Michelangelo’s Garden of Eden is full of rocks, and whether or not God is really supposed to be shaped like a human brain- that’s what makes study abroad program like Oxford so meaningful.
Mosè-Michelangelo
Outside of the classroom, our 4 days in Rome were full of adventures. I had been told that the entire city felt like you were walking through the world’s largest museum- that statement couldn’t be truer. In each little nook and cranny of the city, you would find something marvelous- whether it be something larger than life like Trevi Fountain or the Vatican City...
St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City-taken from the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica
or a hidden gem- a small bas relief on a wall or the ruins of an Ancient Monastery.
Ruins of Ancient Monastery
It was these hidden gems that I truly love the most. Pedestrians would casually stroll past them, some stopping to add a cool photo to their scrapbook, some not even noticing them. Unlike the bigger names, they did not immediately demand your attention. They lie in wait for the right person to come around and pay just a little more attention than average, that’s when they emerge and their beauty becomes apparent to the passerby.
Via del Governo Vecchio
Now onto the clearly more beautiful and poetic subject- FOOD.
Here are just a few of the foods I enjoyed in Rome.
Pizza
Pizza
Caffe con Leche
Salty Peanut Gelato
Caprese
Fried Artichoke
You might notice how tomato-heavy this list of pictures is. While that does reflect how important this Italian staple is to the cuisine, I learned quickly that tomatoes in Italy are a force to be reckoned with. Every tomato dish I ever had in the US immediately became sub-par as I tasted some of the freshest ones I ever had. Some other highlights included gelato, pizza, and of course coffee.
Combining the language barrier with small, local restaurants made for several humorous interactions. See below Jackson who ordered a “latte” at a cafe close to our hotel. In any American Starbucks, such an order would be mutually understood between patron and barista. Jackson, however, failed to account for the fact that “latte” translates simply to “milk”.
Jackson with his “latte”
In another faux pas, Jackson and Ansley ordered two slices of white pizza and got, well, two slices of plain bread.
Jackson and Ansley with their “white pizza”
I want to conclude this first big post with the first installment of what I hope will be a tradition for every city- trying the local McDonalds’s. No, this isn’t what you’re thinking- your average American tourist refusing to branch out. Actually, the opposite.
The way I see it, there are very few constants between cultures-even those that are only 50 kilometers apart. The cuisine, the language, the music, the art and architecture, the local demeanor, the tourist culture- every discrepancy, small and large, between cultures guarantees absolutely nothing to the ignorant nomad.
McDonald’s, however, is a phenomenon. You go to any major city in the West and you are guaranteed that there will be a McDonald’s. It is one of the only cultural constants with which I can truly compare each city. Unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately) I wouldn’t give myself the honor (or perhaps, dishonor) of a McDonald’s Connoisseur, but I’ve been enough times to understand how the restaurant functions, the subtle taste of preservatives evident in each meal, etc.
I tried McDonald’s in Rome at about 9:00 PM. It was relatively empty compared to the bar next door which I found relatively interesting.
McDonald’s
Walking in, it looked almost congruent to the one by Georgia Tech. I noticed quickly, however, that an entire section of the restaurant was solely dedicated to McCafe which included a plethora of coffee options as well as several desserts and pastries.
Having had dinner recently, i opted to satiate my sweet tooth and try a shot of espresso and a slice of Cheesecake.
Cheesecake con fragole e una espresso
As much as it pains me to say this, the shot of espresso was one of the most delicious ones I had in Rome. And believe me, my already-cultivated caffeine addiction along with a bad case of jet lag was a recipe for MANY espresso shots. The cheesecake had a strange level of freshness- something I wasn’t expecting from a McDonald’s at night, especially in a different country. I’m eager to see if anything differs in Florence.
As I write this, we’re currently en route to Florence- the city which I am the most excited for on this entire trip. Expect a long, long post next time. Thank you again.
Alla prossima avventura!
-Rehan
