Saturday, September 11th, 2021: There’s No Place Like Rome
By Jarvis Carrol
Last week I went to Rome for the very first time. And as they say, there really is no place like Rome. I grew up in Toronto so I didn't think It would be that big of a culture shock given I have lived in the city for the past 16 years, but guess what? I was wrong. (Don’t get used to that). Before going to Italy I really took a liking to Julius Caesar and ancient Rome. So I was very excited to walk through the city that he ruled, the city that endured iconic civil wars, and according to Mr. Matthews, was exempt from bombing in World War II because of all the history it housed. I slept on the bus, of course, because we had to get up at 5 am! But when I stepped off the bus I was absolutely mesmerized by the buildings, the bright blue sky and even the roads. We did a lot in Rome. We went and saw churches like no other, with beautiful mosaics and golden floors, fountains crafted out of stone with the precision of a surgeon. After an hour or so of visiting these historical monuments, we were given some free time to get to know the city a little bit, walk around, and look at shops and really take in a different aspect of Rome. Which I must say, was appreciated. Me and my friends went to get a slushie, which was two euros, but it was one of those stingy office water cooler cups. But when we all got sandwiches for three euros it all evened out. Then we all went to meet up for our trip to the Roman colosseum. I am not going to lie, it was rough. The sun reached its peak for the day and a couple people didn't bring enough water. But once we got in, I'll tell you I would do it all again. When we got to the top and looked down, I felt, dare I say it, giddy...This is where the gladiators fought, this is where the people of Rome cheered and jeered, and that is where the emperor would sit. You really do feel all that when getting to the top. Believe me, the colosseum is definitely the place where you could go for a good gladiator fight. After the colosseum we had free time. And the Roman night life is much different then the day life. I was walking down the street and there were tons of street performers gathered by crowds of people, there was even someone just jamming with some pipes. Loud music, great smells and all around a good vibe. When I was waiting for the bus near an anti vax protest. I just thought what would Julius Caesar think of his new Rome. And then we left. It was a great day with lots of experiences I won't forget, and I am really excited it wasn't our last trip to Rome. Thank you CCI!
