All Roads lead to Rome

by Nour Nasreldin (Egypt)

I didn't expect to find Italy

All Roads Lead to Rome The first time I fell in love with Rome, I was twelve-years-old. I was in Cairo at my grandma’s house munching on her infamous Friday dish: meat and cuscus. The television was on and an Italian film was playing in the background with no attention whatsoever being paid to it…except by yours truly. I was in the middle of devouring a fatty piece of freshly cooked kebab when my eyes suddenly fell on the small screen. I watched as Anita Ekberg roamed the intertwined streets of Rome with a tiny white kitten on her head. I watched her as she called out Marcello Mastroianni until she was abruptly interrupted by the unparalleled luster of the great Trevi Fountain that seemed to appear out of a surreal Roman dream. The next part is one that intensely lingered with me throughout my childhood, it’s the one where Ekberg completely dismisses the fact that she is in a strapless nightgown and jumps into the fountain like it’s the only way she can possibly soak up the might of the city we call Rome. Like any other Egyptian family, the volume was kept at a minimum so that those at the table could properly converse. That didn’t bother me. I went for the hilarious Arabic subtitles. This was the first time I fell in love with a city. Before my Twenty-fifth birthday, my best friend and I decided to visit Rome for a week. All I could think about when we booked our flight was how I was possibly going to fit thirteen years of dreaming and fantasizing into a mere seven days! I was going ballistic trying to set the PURR-FECT plan for us to follow when we landed as if I was absolutely conspiring to invade the city and certainly not trying to have the time of my life with my favorite human there. Besides the sights I have been picturing for years in my head and all the things I already knew I had to see, I rummaged the internet like a raccoon searching for snails and clams in hopes to find the best restaurants, the most divine gelato, the most impressive churches and museums, and I wasn’t even half done then. I took a crash course on how to differentiate between an authentic Italian restaurant and one that’s just smoke and mirrors. I’m not going to lie, I mastered the art of picking the right place to eat and I’m proud of it. Afterward, I revised all of Rome’s ancient history. I was that close to changing my name to Francesca Bosco. The moment we set foot in Rome, I started feeling my lens with which I see the world change. I have been to many European countries before, but none of them were quite like Italia…none could stand with the same poise as Roma. I even had a classic Italian theme song play on repeat in my head the whole time I was there. In order to document (Immortalize) every single part of my spellbinding trip, I decided to make myself of use to other Rome lovers who are still saving up for the trip by writing about all the things I wish I had known about before going. Shall we, mio caro? The best Italian restaurants are owned by Egyptians I solemnly swear that I was just as blown away as you are right now reading this. Example: The greatest and most famous pizzeria on Trastevere street is called Dar Poeta and it’s owned by an Egyptian man. Don’t believe me? Check the restaurant’s page on Trip Advisor. All the coins people toss into the Trevi fountain go to Charity Throwing a coin into the fountain doesn’t only mean that you’ll return to The Eternal city, it also means that you’re actively helping support Rome’s poor and homeless communities. Don't you dare return a complimentary dish In Italy, if the chef likes you (or if he/she feels like it), they might bless you with a free meal, usually, they go for (I decided to send my favorite piece even though I am well aware that it’s more than 700 words, my apologies)