We’re not in Kansas anymore! That’s Roman Live!
After spending the first 18 years of my life surrounded by trees and mountains and giant moose, I must admit the thought of living in a city, with cars always zooming around and public transport and big scary people that you certainly wouldn’t see walking around in New Hampshire, was a tad bit daunting. However, after spending eight months living in Madrid, I came to love the vibe that a capital city had to offer so I was ecstatic at the thought of having a completely new place to explore when I arrived in Rome.
The capital of Italy has a ridiculously insane number of things to offer to all different types of people. One day I can be all cultured and go to the museums and stand in awe at the intricacy of a Raphael or Michelangelo painting and the next day I can be going out for drinks with a couple of my classmates at a fancy bar in Trastevere. The myriad of events is truly endless. However, the most memorable and exciting moments have been those one time only events in which the whole city had come together in celebration: May 1st concert in Piazza San Giovanni, Night of the Museums in mid May, and the university march near Termini Station.
The atmosphere on May 1st was truly electric. People from all across the city gathered in Piazza San Giovanni to witness Vasco Rossi (the super duper famous Italian singer/songwriter) and a clan of other performers rocking out to thousands of fans throughout the day. Street vendors lined the piazza selling everything from giant pizzas to the infamous Kanye West sunglasses. Men were climbing on top of bus stands to get a better view of the concert. People were pushing and shoving, trying to get closer to the music. It was true madness. But as a group of five of us from the school stood there, watching the crowd sway as the music blasted across the city and seeing the fireworks going off in the distance, it was easy to forget about the crowds and just enjoy the moment, absorbing the fact that this was something I would never be able to recreate on my own. A truly fantastic night and a great omen for the rest of my time in Rome.
While most tourists want to go and see all the museums so that we can claim to be all artsy fartsy, the prices always seem rather steep when you get to the ticket window. So when I heard that there was a night in which all museums were free, it seemed like a bit of a godsend. While I had planned out a few places that I definitely wanted to see, I decided to aimlessly wander and see what I stumbled upon. Surrounded by Romans and tourists alike, I passed by a choral performance in the Pantheon, a guided tour of the Baths of Caracalla and spent the last few hours of my night sitting and enjoying the ambiance of the night with all the lights in front of Museo Capitolini while listening to the solo pianist in the background whose music filled the air and placed everyone in the piazza in a trance. Truly a magical evening.
Have no fear, all you non musicalites/museum goers/archeological friends. Rome is not just a city for the dull and boring. In fact, it is a true melting pot (no pun intended) of people from all walks of life. I experienced this when passing by the Termini station one afternoon to be suddenly transported into HIPPIE LAND. Thousands had seemingly emerged from hibernation in celebration of Marijuana day – the day in which their blessed green leaf was legalized throughout Europe. Music blasted while these 20 somethings sauntered along, nodding their heads and beers in unison with the pulse of the music. As a pure outsider to the event, it was hysterical observing the stark contrast between the old hippie dressed in a neon orange robe waving some stick around while chanting under his breath and the priest who stood on the sidewalk gaping in awe at what unholy event was passing before him.
These type of events are happening every day and are extremely easy to find. While guided visits have been fun and informative, what I will truly remember the most are these unique moments that can only be found in such a dynamic, interesting city such as Rome.
