Una Bellissima Panorama

On Monday, my friend Joanna and I decided to explore somewhere new, taking advantage of our class-free afternoon and the beautiful warm and sunny Rome weather. We headed to Gianicolo Park, a huge park South of Vatican City that is known for its great view of the entire city. Although the park is pretty close to our school, we got a little bit turned around and it took us three different buses and a lot of walking to get to, but half the fun of going somewhere new is getting lost and exploring new areas. I found a street that is lined with cherry blossoms, which was a surprise reminder of home. We finally found the park, and enjoyed our relaxing passeggiata. We climbed to the top of a hill in the park, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. The entire city was laid out in front of me, like it was there just for me. The view was incredible no matter where I stood. We just stood there for awhile, taking it all in. We could see all of the monuments and basilicas perfectly, and we picked them out like we were playing I Spy Rome. It was so peaceful up there, and it felt like time had stopped. As I sat there eating my Nutella sandwich and staring at the giant mural-like Eternal City in front of me, I fell in love with Rome all over again.