Gelato jubilee

Ciao, amici. It is impossible to believe, but I am officially days away from my departure from Rome. My mind truly cannot comprehend this fact - I think denial is one of the stages of grief, isn't it? - but nonetheless, I am making preparations for the fateful day. To be honest, I can't even begin to form words for the occasion. Leaving Rome still seems like the abstract, faraway concept it has been for the past several months.

HOWEVER, I do recognize that - as we conclude the feast of life that this study-abroad experience has been - there needs to be some reference to the all-important dessert. And when in Italy, one dessert is king: ice cream, or gelato.

Gelato is a gift to humanity that has become a necessity for living, rather like technology or modern medicine. The creaminess, the flavor combinations, the sweetness. Superior to regular ice cream in ways that can't be fully described or understood. It's creamier than regular ice cream, but it's not like custard or soft serv. It's not as icy - or healthy - as fro yo. Forgive me for failing to provide an accurate description, but just trust me: Gelato is king. 

Judging gelato is a journey, no joke. I have taken it as my personal duty to sample as many different gelati and gelaterie (gelato shops) as possible throughout Italy, but especially in Rome. It is impossible to find one universal favorite among locals, tourists, students, or even experts: Each gelateria has its own quirks, its own flare, and its own flavors. Therefore, in compiling my top ten, a great deal of the ordering is based purely on personal opinion, taking quality, originality, cost, and location into consideration. I have found that most people agree with my choices (if not necessarily the order itself). So HERE IT (FINALLY) IS:

JENNIFER'S TOP TEN GELATERIE:

1. Frigidarium

2. Giolitti

3. Fassi

4. Old Bridge

5. Flor

6. Della Palma

7. Sweety

8. Punto

9. San Crispino

10. Grom

THE CRITERIA:

1. Quality (ranges from "Good" to "High" to "Very high")

2. Originality

3. Cost

4. Location (how easy it is to include it in one's travels)

1. Frigidarium
Quality: High (good combination of regular and unique flavors; ultra-creamy)
Originality: Cones and cups come dipped in white chocolate, dark chocolate, or cream, and the signature flavor is out of this world; pleasant student-friendly ambience
Cost: Excellent - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 2
Location: A bit hard to find but very centrally located near Piazza Navona and Corso Vittorio Emanuele

2. Giolitti
Quality: Very high (great assortment of flavors and whipped cream on top)
Originality: One of the most popular in Rome, pleasant old-fashioned style
Cost: Reasonable - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 2.50
Location: A bit tucked away but centrally located near the Pantheon and the Column of Marcus Aurelius

3. Fassi
Quality: High (great flavors, good texture)
Originality: Supposedly the first in Rome, very popular with the locals
Cost: Unbeatable - a small cup or cone (3 flavors) is EUR 1.60
Location: Not centrally located - southwest of Termini Station - but worth the trip

4. Old Bridge
Quality: High (creamy texture, good combination of usual flavors and unique ones)
Originality: Nothing terribly new but just good, basic gelato
Cost: Excellent - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 2
Location: Two nice locations, one in Trastevere and one near the Vatican Museums

5. Flor
Quality: High (good combination of classic and adventurous flavors)
Originality: It's a pretty well-regarded chain, but it also offers some other cool desserts
Cost: Reasonable - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 2.50
Location: Excellent - the one closest to me is right on Campo de' Fiori

6. Della Palma
Quality: Good (lots of flavors, well-made)
Originality: Over a hundred flavors of gelato, sorbetto, and mousse, including dairy-free options
Cost: Reasonable - a small cup or cone (2 flavors ) is EUR 2.50
Location: Just behind the Pantheon square

7. Sweety
Quality: Good (different flavors of self-service with lots of toppings)
Originality: One of (if not THE) first fro-yo-like gelaterie in Rome (like Milwaukee's Yo Mama or South Bend's Let's Spoon); hugely popular with young Italians
Cost: Depends on how much you get; it's all by weight, so it's pretty reasonable
Location: Excellent - right by Campo de' Fiori

8. Punto
Quality: High (excellent white-chocolate raspberry flavor)
Originality: Lots of unique flavors (like "pine"), plus other desserts like semifreddo
Cost: Reasonable - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 2.50
Location: Decent - close to the river, between Campo de' Fiori and Trastevere.

9. San Crispino
Quality: Very high (no artificial colors or anything, but I was very disappointed my vanilla bourbon flavor)
Originality: One of the more "artisan" gelaterie in Rome
Cost: Expensive - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 3.50
Location: Just behind the Pantheon square

10. Grom
Quality: Good (popular chain all over Italy; a bit icy but reliably good)
Originality: Flavors of the month fluctuate, plus other standard flavors
Cost: Reasonable - a small cup or cone (2 flavors) is EUR 2.50
Location: They're everywhere

So the next time you're in Rome, looking to indulge in something dolce, I insist you check out at least one - preferably more - of these fabulous gelato stops. Think of me when getting the Frigidarium flavor at Frigidarium - and stop for a Magner's at The Abbey Theatre across the street. For everyone who's been to Rome, let me know what your favorite gelato experience was! 

Because gelato is more than a dessert. It's a way of life. And a pretty sweet one, too. 

My first gelato in Rome (sniff)

Split down the middle: A weekend in Europe's hidden masterpiece

Sixteen hours of busing. Three countries. Three days. Why? Our trip to Croatia, of course!

Five of my friends and I boarded a coach bus last Thursday evening with twenty-five other American students for a long weekend in one of Europe's least-discovered - but fast-growing - destinations: the beautiful city of Split on Croatia's pristine Dalmatian coast. It's almost a straight shot eastward from Rome, but due to the minor presence of the Adriatic Sea, we instead curved northward through Florence and Venice and skirted the coast through Slovenia and Croatia. We booked the trip with the student-oriented tour company Bus2Alps and drove through the night, which could have been more comfortable but ended up being worth the cramped necks and un-stretched legs. Our hostel was less than two minutes' walk from the waterfront and in the heart of the historic center, so our excitement got the best of us and after a quick breakfast and change of clothes we headed out to explore.

Like much of Eastern Europe, especially in the Balkans, Croatia has a checkered history of occupation, leading to a very strange concept of cultural identity that almost seems to be lacking altogether. Like the rest of the Mediterranean, it was once part of the Roman Empire; in fact, the city of Split was built in and around the remains of the Roman emperor Diocletian's palace, who apparently enjoyed the natural splendor of the area as much as modern tourists do. The Austro-Hungarian Habsburg dynasty ruled beginning in the 16th century; it then became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during World War I, was established as a fascist puppet state during World War II, and eventually seceded from Second Yugoslavia, declaring independence in 1991. Therefore, it's a unique blend of Mediterranean culture - shared by countries like Italy and Spain - and Eastern European; we saw almost as much Italian as we saw English on menus and signs, and most restaurants offered seafood and Italian cuisine.

Friday, after our arrival, we headed to Diocletian's Palace and explored the unique conglomeration of ancient ruins and modern enterprise that it has become; truly, the city has developed itself within and around it. We explored nearby markets and enjoyed a delicious Italian-influenced lunch - reveling in the great exchange rate between the euro and the Croatian kuna - before exploring the remaining lower levels of the Palace. Mold and moss grew in abundance on the damp brick walls, but the structure remained remarkably intact; but for the presence of some suspiciously foreboding pigeons, it was a pleasant trip to the ancient Mediterranean outside the "usual" Roman fare.

The inside of Diocletian's Palace, which has been filled with shops and restaurants in addition to ruins

One of the ancient ceilings of the Palace's lower levels, covered in green moss!

We rested that afternoon, still recovering from our fractured night's sleep, and ventured out for more Italian-inspired food for dinner. The next morning we got up to explore the beautiful vista from atop the hill in a nearby park, where we enjoyed spectacular views of the city and the sea. Behind the flat coastal plain on which Split was sprawled, long ranges of rocky mountains stretched parallel to the shoreline; it was rugged and looked remarkably untouched, unlike the hills and mountains of Italy which - though lovely in their own right - are always dotted with towns and farms. We didn't have long to spend in the park, for we had to return to the city center to catch a ferry for our island hopping tour with Bus2Alps.

Beautiful Split, with the sea on one side and the mountains on the other

The Croatian seaboard is dotted with hundreds of islands, and we visited two villages on one of the largest: Brač (rhymes with "watch"). We were treated to a gorgeously sunny day, and the water glowed aquamarine as we sailed and beached on the Adriatic. The water was crystal clear - so transparent that we could count the rocks at the bottom and see the shadows of docked boats on the seafloor - but also outrageously cold. Nevertheless, with a little encouragement from my friends, I put on my swimsuit and waded in for a few frigid but exhilarating minutes. The view could not have been more spectacular, with the azure skies, rolling mountains, and charming village in the backdrop. The chaos of the past several weeks in Rome - preparing for finals and the approaching departure from Italy - melted away for a few delightful hours, leaving us refreshed and relaxed by the soothing beauty around us.

Split from offshore

The mainland from Brač

One of the villages on Brač

A harbor on Brač

Crystal clear water!

FREEZING (but worth it)

After another delicious Italian dinner, a brief nighttime stroll near the seashore, and some coffee and dessert near our hostel, we awoke the next morning and left Split with the rest of Bus2Alps for a few hours at Krka National Park. It is a protected stretch of mountains and woodlands surrounding the Krka River, famous for its magnificent waterfalls. Blessed with more sunshine, we spent our last kuna on figs - a traditional Croatian snack - and dipped our toes in the icy river water, trying (and failing) to take photographs that might have a hope of capturing the scope of the scene. Two of my friends decided to really get the full Croatian experience and fell spectacularly on the slippery river shore, which required a quick dip in the Krka to wash off the mud. We all wanted more time, but before we knew it we had to trek back up to the bus and begin the long drive back to Rome. Thankfully, it was largely uneventful except for a thrilling twenty-minute stop at border control between Croatia and Slovenia. We got our passports stamped and stood for fifteen glorious minutes on Slovenian soil before being shepherded back on board and continuing toward Rome, at which we arrived by 2:30 Monday morning.

Waterfalls at Krka National Park

Another set of falls on the River Krka

Excited to be in Slovenia!

It was a trip totally unlike the others I've taken this semester. It wasn't jam-packed with city exploration or sightseeing. There wasn't much of a new culture to embrace or new cuisine to try. (That's no insult against the Croatians, who are very pleasant people with a rich history and great food; there just wasn't much in terms of overt societal differences.) The magic and allure of Croatia is the land itself, which the people have been brilliant enough to leave largely in its natural state. The mountains, the beaches, the water, the greenery, the towns themselves were beyond photography (though I've included some here anyway). After so much intense learning and listening and seeing - all wonderful, all life-changing - Croatia was a place where we could just be, enjoy each other's company, and marvel at our surroundings without taking notes or memorizing dates. After visiting and being taught about some of the greatest triumphs to come from human hands, we now could witness just one of the beautiful corners of the world that no human could ever recreate.

"Caput mundi": Rome as a world city

Ciao, belli. Time is winding down for me in the Eternal City, as much as I'm trying to deny it; the semester ends officially in two weeks, and my departure from European soil is just over a month away. Nevertheless, I'm determined to keep sharing the magic of Rome as long as I can.

As you may or may not be aware, President Obama made the trip to Rome to visit Pope Francis, the Colosseum, the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, and the new Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The weekend before, Rome had also hosted its annual marathon, which was attended by thousands from all over the world. Though it's known mainly for its monuments and as the capital of a nation globally endeared for its food and hospitality, Rome is still very much a living metropolis, alive with socio-political activity as well as cultural allure. The ancients called it "caput mundi" (head of the world) for a reason, and even today it holds onto much of its prestige and importance in the global spotlight.

Stationed at kilometer 37 of the Rome Marathon

Runner in a toga. Classically classic.

Rome is of course the seat of the Italian national government, which in spite of some severe political shortcomings - some still the indirect results of Fascism's dark entrance into Italian history - remains an important player on the European and world stage. Depending on how engaged you are with overseas affairs, you may have heard of a man named Silvio Berlusconi, media-mogul-turned-politician who's dominated Italian politics for over twenty years and is now under house arrest for tax fraud. If you're really current, you'll have heard of Italy's new "bulldozer" prime minister Matteo Renzi (appointed to office this past February!), formerly mayor of Florence and now the youngest P.M. since Italian unification in 1861. Though it hasn't affected me personally as an American student, Italian politics have been quite colicky these past few months; during the U.S. government shutdown, Italy faced its own shutdown when five cabinet ministers resigned under Berlusconi's orders (even though he's been evicted from the Senate) and almost caused a dissolution of Parliament. The ever-popular Berlusconi's friendship with Vladimir Putin, in spite of a history of supporting U.S. interests, has also seasoned Italy's perspective on the recent tensions with Russia; there were anti-U.S. government protests near the American Embassy in response to Obama's visit.

"Rome stands with Putin. Obama [is] an unwanted guest."

And as I'm sure you know, Rome is also the home of the Roman Catholic Church, whose political base is the Vatican City. Italians in general seem to be strongly culturally Catholic and not as spiritually devoted as I expected, but the presence of the Church is certainly a major one in Rome. Tens of thousands from all over the world flock to Saint Peter's Square every day - especially on Wednesdays for the general audiences and on Sundays for Mass - while thousands more crowd the impressive Vatican Museums in the meantime. All over the city, street vendors offer everything from bracelets to posters to flags to spoons with the Pope's face on it (or, recently, the two popes about to be canonized: John XXIII and John Paul II); rosaries and religious medals; icons, mini statues, and prayer cards; and my personal favorite: calendars of handsome priests instead of scantily-clad firemen. Every day I pass dozens of sisters, nuns, priests, deacons, and monks on the streets: some native Italians, others pilgrims from every continent, others seminarians or students like me. The Sunday after Easter this year, two enormously popular Catholics - Popes John XXII and John Paul II - will be canonized, an event during which Rome will be braced for an onslaught of millions of international devotees. At the risk of being spiritually punny, Rome is the Mecca of Catholicism, and its hundreds of churches and famous spiritual works testify to this.

The famous PopeMobile

Ciao, Papa!

Tens of thousands gather in Saint Peter's Square every time Papa Francesco appears

Rome's unique global importance culminated for me last week when within the span of about twenty-four hours I had been five feet from Pope Francis and a hundred fifty feet from President Obama. I was lucky enough to attend my second general audience with Papa Francesco - my fourth time seeing him in person - on that Wednesday, and the following day I was hanging out of the SMC library window to watch President Obama's motorcade zoom past on his way from the Vatican to the Colosseum. Dozens of people - Americans, Italians, and others - ran to watch POTUS wave out the window. It's interesting that the closest I have been - and may ever be - to an American president was in Italy. Che strano. 

Living in a world city - particularly this one - has been quite the experience. Marked with traffic, celebrities, politics, strikes, protests, demonstrations, and excitement, it's been a thrilling roller-coaster of activity since day one. Returning to the quiet American Midwest will surely be an adjustment, a relief, and a major letdown all in one. But until then, all I can do is revel in the noisy streets, the smoky city air, the flurry of shoppers and vendors and commuters, and the boundless opportunities for as long as I'm still here.

And lest you dare forget: SPQR!