Rome at night

All the buildings look so magical and elegant when lit up.

arriving early

Arriving early sometimes has it's advantages. This gorgeous dog park is right next to my work and sometimes when the buses decide to be kind and arrive on time I just sit and enjoy the sunshine for a little longer. Although, a few days ago I left the gate open and got shouted at by an Italian dog walker. It was all settled though and we even got chatting about her dog and where I'm from in England!

tea anyone?

A cup of tea is the closest thing to home. 

summer vibes

My favourite type of summer lunch; salads, bread, cheese, pasta and wine.  

(just ignore the foreboding black clouds; they passed) 

attention seeking seagull

Today we explored the city some more and ate some great pizza. We began the afternoon by eating lunch in Trastevere, which is can area close to my house and probably one of my favourite areas to eat and drink in Rome. While reading about the area, during Rome's regal period the only connection between Trastevere and Rome was a small wooden bridge, it wasn't until later that fishermen and sailors began to occupy the area and settle there that it became more connected.

I love it's narrow, cobbled streets and roman feel about everything there, to me it's exactly what I imagined the streets in Rome to look like.

While we were at the Roman Forum (I think it's amazing that ancient buildings are still standing today, a testament to the skill the Romans had) a seagull was taking all the attention, literally everyone was more interested in getting a snap of the seagull than the surroundings...I'll have to go back and see if it's still there.

Perfect day for a picnic

Probably my favourite afternoon so far, spent walking down Via del Corso towards Piazza del Popolo then having a lovely picnic in Villa Borghese.

food

Now, don't get me wrong, the food in Italy is ridiculously good from what I have tried so far. But, for money saving purposes only, I have ventured in to the kitchen and made some meals. Although if I eat any more olives I may just turn in to one...

Vatican City

Living in Rome, you feel like every corner you turn there is something new to discover. To me every building is so grand and detailed, it makes you appreciate everything around you so much more. A few days ago we visited The Vatican and it was truly amazing. There was so much detail in everything, from the the statues, the ceiling, the artwork, even down to the intricate leaf detailing on the columns. A few of us said that we couldn't comprehend how much time and effort went in to creating a building so beautiful but also how much history a place like the Vatican has. Walking away from the Vatican and seeing the sun set across the River Tevere was the highlight of the afternoon and a perfect photograph opportunity.

daily commuting

For this past week, we have had 4 hours of Italian classes a day, which have been so helpful and rewarding, I feel like I've learned a lot in a short space of time. With Rome being so beautiful and the weather mostly sunny, the daily commute to these classes have been so nice. I'm starting to fall in love with Rome.

settling in.

I feel like I'm starting to settle in to my home for the next few months. It's everything I would imagine an Italian apartment to look like; wooden tables, odds and ends dotted around, a stove you have to light yourself, there's even a whole corridor dedicated to horse art. For my first meal, I cooked an Italian meal in my new Italian home, spaghetti. I feel like all I will eating these 3 months are carbs, carbs and more carbs...

Exploring a new city