Paul says that, with my love of food, you’d never know we saw any sites in Rome. He’s right. I’m more of a food blogger than a tourism blogger. While I think the sites are amazing and educational, I hate how crowded they can get! I totally prefer sitting at a little cafe, watching the people go by, engaging in conversation with locals, and just, relaxing. I learn the most just this way.
A few nights before this trip, my mother-in-law and I got into a heated debate about what’s most important to a traveler. I say, “it’s all about the food” and she says, “it’s all about the sites”. I say, “you need food to survive” and she says, “not if you’re in a museum”. I say, “food brings conversation” and she says, “so does the Trevi Fountain”. This debate went on and on for days and before we left we decided to settle on a healthy balance of food and sites.
Then, we got to Rome. What’s the first thing we did? We ate, and then we ate some more and, as a result, we learned. We learned about Italian culture, cuisine, and caught a small glimpse of what it’s like to be Roman. Our niece learned how to ask for the check (el conto por favore) and I learned how to confidently walk into a Roman restaurant and ask for a table for 5 (cinque). All without even stepping foot into a museum.
Some of our favorite memories are a result of where and what we ate. And what did my mother-in-law have to say after all this? “You’re right Michelle. Maybe it is all about the food”.