My First Impressions of Rome - Part II

Despite the appearance, the Carabinieri, or military police, are not guarding our architecture studio (behind the rolling metal door) - President Silvio Berlusconi's condo is next door.The tiny and ubiquitous Fiat 500 - these cars are seen everywhere you go in Rome, and manage to make the Mini look spacious. Fiats are perfect cars for Romans - they're cheap, can be parked anywhere, and easily navigate narrow, ancient streets.The rotunda of the Pantheon, the world's larges non-reinforced concrete dome, unmatched since 126 AD. The oculus (circular opening) alone is over 25 feet in diameter.Shopping for produce at Campo de' Fiori (the field of flowers), one of the largest public markets in Rome. Chain supermarkets are competing with the traditional markets, but it seems that most Romans still prefer farm-fresh fruit and vegetables from their familiar greengrocer.I felt obligated to post the stereotypical Rome tourist photo of the Colosseum, but it didn't seem so colossal when compared to Beaver Stadium...

Until later, Ciao!

My First Impressions of Rome - Part I

I arrived in Rome a little over 5 weeks ago, and have been working through some technical roadblocks with the internet connection. I'm living in an 11th Century former monastery inTrastevere, across the Tiber from center-city Rome (hence the bad wifi). Trastevere is a middle-class neighborhood, with a good mix of permanent residents and international exchange students living here. It is much quieter and less "touristy" than many other parts of Rome, as it pretty far from most of the well-known sites in Rome. Trastevere is full of narrow cobblestone streets lined with centuries-old apartment buildings and too many old churches, family grocers, and fantastic restaurants to count. Anything you could need while living here for a semester is within walking distance. I'm feeling very much at home already!