#WhenInRome: Gobsmacked

My favorite recent pictures from photo:

Basketball. The sport of the UNIVERSE.

Rome is so full of character. Thursday on our photo walk, our professor found this hidden little park/garden with a basketball court, a soccer pitch, a fake rock fountain, and an old playground. Several men were gardening, and my whole class had a field day taking pictures. Photo is such an amazing opportunity to get to see this alternate face of Rome - wander onto back streets, up hills, through closed gates, into churches. I've gotten a different impression of the city each day we go exploring. I think I'm falling in love with a city, haha.

I continue to be blown away by the Italian generosity and personality. About fourteen of us from the program went out for dinner last night, and this tiny little restaurant accommodated all of us and gave us free samples of a bunch of their different pastas (SO GOOD. Oh my gosh. I'm going back to this place - they succeeded in whatever they were trying to do...), and we're pretty sure the owner (who spoke wonderful English) was our waiter. They were so kind. And they made fun of us and taught us how to order in Italian. They won me over, for sure. Of course, anyone that gives me free samples typically has my approval...

Several of my friends and I took a late night stroll to the Spanish Steps last night. So the Spanish Steps during the day are kind of lame and really crowded, and I've always been a little confused as to why they're so famous...now I know - the night wakes them up. It was the coolest atmosphere: locals and tourists just chilling together on the stairs, a guy strumming his guitar for his own entertainment, cool air, Rome lit up at night spreading out before us. It was perfect. These are the things I will miss when I leave.

Things that I love: 

*Ed Sheeran. He is my new musical obsession. I'm a sucker for (good) acoustic soul singers.

*Gelato. Old news. But I had a massive gelato cone last night full of mint, coffee, and cream flavors - it tasted like a mint mocha, and I got to eat it in front of the Pantheon. Even better :)

*Cities, in general. I like that I am not the only one awake at two in the morning!

*Making up narratives to go with my pictures. I have like twenty stories I want to write inspired by my photos. Now, to find the time to do so...

*Bruscheta. 'Nough said.
*Olympic Fever!! 13 daysssss!