Rome via Brooklyn

629 words, 3 minutes read time – DOUBLE POST
I never get tired of looking out our apartment window. This morning I slept in a bit. I woke up thinking it was late and I was going to be late for our tour of the necropolis, but was relieved when I checked my phone and it was barely 8:30. I took my time getting out of bed, cherishing the lack of need for urgency since I had nowhere to be yet. I got up, made myself some coffee, and just sat and enjoyed. It was just a lovely, slow morning.

We left for Vatican, which was a cute less than 10 minute walk from our apartment. We had a bit of a hard time finding the entrance, but eventually we made our way to this giant bronze door. It’s so interesting to see how careful they are about letting people in. Guards opened the gates, checked our tickets and bags one by one, and once the guide arrived they escorted us through a parking lot to the necropolis. Once inside, the guards were always a few steps behind us. The guide explained that they’re very strict at the Vatican, and we can’t go anywhere without an escort. Someone in our tour group needed to use the bathroom, and we couldn’t leave until the whole group was back together again.

I took only a few pictures at the necropolis, but I was really shocked to see human remains. What I’ve learned about ancient Roman funerary practices was that the dead were typically cremated, so it was surprising to see such well-preserved skeletons. What was even more surprising was that the guide explained that the people buried in this particular spot were poor and they (nor their families) would not have been able to afford their own, private chambers. Even so, I would have expected cremation to be an inexpensive thing to do, so this deviation from (what I thought were) typical funerary practices was interesting.

The visit overall was incredibly successful and I had a wonderful time with this crew! After our tour, I headed back to the apartment on my own to pack for the wedding tomorrow. I’m pleased with how I’ve gotten a better sense of direction and was able to walk back to the apartment without opening Google Maps. A big win in my book!

As of right now, I’m sitting in my aunt’s apartment, watching some drama on tv and just hanging out. I really love where she lives. It’s the most charming apartment with such a beautiful garden right outside. I can’t help but romanticize a life here and what it would be like to actually stay in Italy long term. This apartment would be the perfect place to call home.

Tonight we shared a slice of pizza and some rice for dinner. It wasn’t much, but absolutely delicious. Since I’ve gotten a little more practice speaking Italian, we can communicate a little bit better – which I’m extremely grateful for. I was able to tell her (somewhat) about the things I did this week and what we have coming up. The language barrier is still very real, but we seem to vibe enough that we can get by.

Tomorrow we have my cousin’s wedding in Nepi and I’m really looking forward to it! Is it weird that I’m a little nervous, too? I just haven’t seen this side of my family in such a long time and I know they’re gonna fuss over me – and if there’s one thing you need to know about me, I hate being fussed over. Either way, I’m sure it will be a great time. I’ve never been to Nepi, but I hear it’s beautiful, so I’m sure it will be wonderful!

Hope you all have a great weekend!