My first visit to Rome ten years ago was also my first time traveling alone. Other than Vancouver and a family trip to the Philippines, I had never been outside of the country. You can imagine the culture shock and homesickness I experienced. I felt like no one spoke English. I felt like everyone was a native and I was the only foreigner. But when I saw the columns of St. Peter’s Square and entered the monolithic doors, I found my connection through my faith, shared by the thousands of people who were in the Basilica with me. The world was large, but not so large as to leave me in an unknown land with no sense of solidarity.
Here I am a decade later, back where it all started. The zeitgeist throughout this city still astonishes me. The frescos still enchant me. The architecture still humbles me, mostly because of the distance between the top of my head and the ceiling. The streets and its denizens still charm me. And the food still stuffs me.
But now that I’ve seen more places, I’ve found that I’m drawn to things other than an ancient city’s greatness. I like the peace and awe of the ocean. Frescos don’t dance and breathe like the Pacific. I enjoy the quaint life of a small town. So far, I think I’ve enjoyed our walks around Adrienne’s village the most. And of course, food is an important draw for me. I suppose in that respect, Italy wins. For that alone, I threw another coin in the Trevi Fountain.
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