Spring Break
Roman rarities: peanut butter, ice, grass
Samantha Blassingame, Contributing Writer
Issue date: 10/12/05 Section: World Traveler
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Dear UA,
I have been living in Rome for two weeks now, and I must admit my fear of Italian drivers has subsided, as I have seen far fewer wrecks on the streets of Rome than I did on the streets of Fayetteville.
Rome is rich in historical value, with famous structures and monuments no matter where you look. Although Rome is filled with so many things, during my first week here, I couldn't help but notice what things I had not yet found. Ice, peanut butter, public restrooms, grass and squirrels are rare, if present at all.
I still have not seen a single squirrel in Rome and have come to the conclusion that pigeons are the Roman squirrels. I found ice at a pricier restaurant near the University of Arkansas Study Center, peanut butter at an international grocery store and public restrooms in Rome's train station, Termini, at a euro per trip.
My favorite discovery so far was definitely the grass. My apartment is located in the residential area of Rome, Trastevere, which is on the other side of the Tiber from Rome's historical center. This means prices decrease and sidewalk personal space increases.
Behind Trastevere is Monte Gianiculo, which I read in a guidebook had a spectacular view of Rome.
I made the 10-minute hike uphill on a Sunday afternoon, and as I neared the top of the hill, I started to see green trees. Having seen nothing but stone, marble and concrete for the past week, I began to get excited.
Sure enough, on top of Monte Gianiculo, I found grass, trees and a panoramic view of Rome. That night, as street musicians played violins and the sound drifted up through the smooth Mediterranean air into my window, I thought about what other secrets of Rome I had yet to find and looked forward to my next great discovery.
Samantha Blassingame is a contributing writer for The Traveler. She is studying abroad in Rome.
I have been living in Rome for two weeks now, and I must admit my fear of Italian drivers has subsided, as I have seen far fewer wrecks on the streets of Rome than I did on the streets of Fayetteville.
Rome is rich in historical value, with famous structures and monuments no matter where you look. Although Rome is filled with so many things, during my first week here, I couldn't help but notice what things I had not yet found. Ice, peanut butter, public restrooms, grass and squirrels are rare, if present at all.
I still have not seen a single squirrel in Rome and have come to the conclusion that pigeons are the Roman squirrels. I found ice at a pricier restaurant near the University of Arkansas Study Center, peanut butter at an international grocery store and public restrooms in Rome's train station, Termini, at a euro per trip.
My favorite discovery so far was definitely the grass. My apartment is located in the residential area of Rome, Trastevere, which is on the other side of the Tiber from Rome's historical center. This means prices decrease and sidewalk personal space increases.
Behind Trastevere is Monte Gianiculo, which I read in a guidebook had a spectacular view of Rome.
I made the 10-minute hike uphill on a Sunday afternoon, and as I neared the top of the hill, I started to see green trees. Having seen nothing but stone, marble and concrete for the past week, I began to get excited.
Sure enough, on top of Monte Gianiculo, I found grass, trees and a panoramic view of Rome. That night, as street musicians played violins and the sound drifted up through the smooth Mediterranean air into my window, I thought about what other secrets of Rome I had yet to find and looked forward to my next great discovery.
Samantha Blassingame is a contributing writer for The Traveler. She is studying abroad in Rome.
