Rome again, humble this time
Here’s a funny old picture of us in Italy. We had just started dating, and I was there for the summer intensively studying Italian so I could get all my language credits in and graduate on time. Joe wanted to come visit but I was sort of like “I’m doing my own thing over here.” And then, when I had one month left I was like, “Hey come visit! please come please come” So he dropped everything and splurged on a ticket and showed up (I’m not sure I would have been so gracious, in his place).
I took him on bus rides to my favorite hill towns, checked him into his hotel because no one there spoke English, brought him to the best gelato shops, and showed him the fine art of an afternoon apertif in the sun. We took long walks during the typical evening passeggiata and drank too many espressos.
Then we went to Rome for a few days, where I am always out of my element. I get flustered when Italians insist on speaking English, when things feel crowded and commercial, and the streets are filled with crummy tourist things for sale. But he, an architecture student, was over the moon about every nook and cranny of the city. Oh, the perfect cafe is closed, I would complain. Oh, but look at that wall, he would say. This pizza is overpriced, I would sigh. I think this was done by Bernini, he would exclaim. I wanted to have leisurely breakfasts under porticos, he wanted to actually see every last old stone (as I fondly referred to them). 
And surprise surprise, two summers later, he went on a drawing trip with his architecture class. They stayed in the city and walked every street of Rome, setting up on street corners, spending the entire day drawing. His initial crush on the city turned into headlong infatuation (two of our four living rooms walls are covered in Rome maps).
I think every couple has those leitmotifs in their relationship, things they reference constantly that form a strong part of their history together. When we realized we really wanted to get one more trip in before Lux turned two (the mental doomsday on parents’ calendars when children need a full priced air ticket) Rome was first on our minds. Of course I’ll be going for the salami shops, the cappuccini, the food, the markets. Joe will be going to draw.
Honestly if you put a photo of the Pantheon in front of me, I would probably barely be able to identify it. And if you dropped Joe into a new city and asked him to find a delicious affordable dinner at a tiny spot critics recommend, he wouldn’t have a clue. I didn’t get this when we over there before, so young and so new together, but we can graciously divide our skills and share our knowledge. This time, I’m looking forward to saying to Joe, “what is this place again?” over and over.
And since psychologists have verified that the best part of vacation is the anticipation, I’ve got my planning-anticipating fired up. Finding language memorization apps, following new blogs written by Roman foodies, examining airbnb rentals, attempting to at least faintly learn some of the history, checking out old travel issues from the library. If you’re a travel junkie and have some favorite blogs, apps, websites, tell me about them please. I’ve got till April to learn every last thing.
21 Comments
Sarah Joseph
I’m absolutely sure you use him, but Rick Steve’s guides are invaluable. When my husband and I went to Spain for two weeks a couple years ago, we used his recommendations to book everything. That way we could stay at the little out of the way hostel but also know we would not get mugged…always a plus.
Rachael Ringenberg
Thank you for checking. I too adore RS, his recommendations prove themselves every time. The first time I studied abroad over there, I even sent him a letter editing a few of his notes and suggesting more!
wishful nals
how utterly amazing! honestly, i love the anticipation of travel: spending hours researching and re-living past stories/trips. what a wonderful adventure you’ll have revisiting old stomping grounds and seeing many new ones. also, i just love how you write about relationships. it is so true – we each have our own ways in which we view the world and it is so neat to see how certain things evolve as relationships do. i can only imagine how beautiful joe’s drawings will be & how many amazing restaurants you’ll find!
Rachael Ringenberg
you are my consumate travel junkie : )
Julie
Oh, how great you all are able to return to Rome! We talk all the time about returning to our study abroad locations together.
I had a similar reaction to Rome during my time in Italy – so bustling and commercial compared to sweet Perugia. I wonder what I would think of it now that I’ve lived in cities for much of my young adult life – I have a feeling it would be a very different experience!
Rachael Ringenberg
me too. I was coming from both Perugia (and another time, Orvieto) and at the time living in a small town in the states. It might seem positively provincial by now! (though I doubt it…)
Shannon Schreiber
amazing, amazing, amazing! and you two, so young. So excited for you to be going to Rome! We just booked tickets to Boston for February and sighed that we now have three passengers in our family. Our under two officially expires tomorrow.
Rachael Ringenberg
I DO think though, that the airlines just force us to do something we’ll be grateful for, right? “in arms/in lap” is more like “in aisle” these days, and they are a handful.
noelle
You can always do the Roman Holiday thing and buy an ice cream cone (oops, I mean gelato) and a cute pair of sandals.
girlpolish
this is awfully simple, awfully good, advice.
Rachael Ringenberg
Such simple good advice as always. I had some soft moccasins I bought in Lake Como and wore for years. Shoes are probably the best souvenir ever, especially if they are rescue shoes that save your feet from blisters.
noelle
p.s. and you absolutely must do the head scarf thing again
Rachael Ringenberg
Beginning that habit again stat.
Sarah
love this post! especially how you describe relationship shorthand. Totally agree. I am going to rome this spring, my first time to italy! please post any advice + where you are going onlinefor your preliminary research, I’d love to know…
Rachael Ringenberg
Wonderful! Are you going before or after mid-April? I’m definitely ordering a new copy of Rick Steves (he just has the most practical advice), and hunting down more blogs. I will try to keep this updated.
Sarah
Most likely late April. Not sure yet. I will probably just miss you! Will definitely look up rick steves, thanks.
I love joe’s drawings here – any idea if they are pencil or charcoal? Looking for drawing classes for this winter, so am curious. I wish I was that talented!
girlpolish
They are charcoal (you can see more here http://jringenberg.com/graphics/sketchbook-rome/). They used charcoal because it was supposed to be extra-challenging. But if you were just starting out, I would use pencil. I know he said the charcoal could be really frustrating at times.
Joe Ringenberg
Thanks! The top is charcoal, which I always ended up being too messy. For sketching I found blocks of graphite shaped like chunky, rectangular crayons which can be controlled like charcoal, but are way, way less smeary.
Jessica
Ooh, I can’t wait to see where you go! P.S. I think it’s so sweet and romantic that you and Joe were staying in separate hotels 🙂 XX Jessica
Rachael Ringenberg
I think my parents were involved in that decision : )
Jessica
haha! sweet nonetheless 🙂