The Good Old Times

We all know that Rome is known for the best delicacies. Knowing that Rome is in Italy (yeah, that’s basic geography, we know), we also know that the food served would always be tasty and of its best. Just think of pizza and pasta and all its yummy goodness.

But did any of us know what the people in ancient Rome have been eating back when pasta and pizza weren’t on its top list yet? If you ask us… nope, we didn’t know it yet – not until today. So here we are scribbling what we know about the ancient food in ancient Rome.

During the ancient times, Roman meals revolved around corn, wine, and oil. The elite ones, however, enjoy exotic foods aside from the staple ones. Fish and oysters were rich source of protein while those who could afford meat enjoy pork. Other sources of protein include some exotic food like snails and dormice.

Pastries were already present during ancient times. Together with tarts and cakes, pastries were sweetened with honey. They were made available commercially and were even made in every household.

Ironic as it may seem, although the great and tasty food were available right then and there, but vegetables and fruits were imported.

The basic order of meal among Romans was breakfast, dinner (which is the largest meal of the day) and a small supper. Eventually, they changed the order of their meals to breakfast, light lunch then dinner.

The rich and the poor have different kinds of meal in a day. Those who could afford have three courses per meal: an appetizer (basically consists of egg, fish, or raw vegetables), main course (consists of vegetables and meat), and lastly, desert consisting of fruits and pastries. Those who barely have anything eat porridge or bread with meat and vegetables.

Foods were cooked in a different way. Most of the times, it is cooked in an open fire with a little hole at the top of the kitchen to give room for smoke to flow out of the house. Cauldrons were either hanged by chains or seated on gridirons. Pastries, however, were cooked in circular dome ovens.

Most Romans sat upright when eating. The elite usually have recliners and have dinner parties outdoors. On the other hand, food was eaten with their fingers and was cut down using a knife. Spoons were used to eat eggs and other liquids.

On the other hand, if you're visiting Rome, you can try some of our accommodations in Rome. There are great vacation rentals in Rome in Piazza Navona. And you know where to log on the net when you're looking for apartment in Rome. :) See you online and we hope you'll share your travel stories with us.

Getting Physical the Roman Way

When it comes to greatness and strength, the Romans have something to brag about that. Even centuries ago, the Roman Empire and artillery have shown such courage and might in battle and war. Besides that, Romans (like the Greeks) are also known for its strength in sports. This was never taken for granted by the Romans because every year, they give importance to sports and sportsmanship with its yearly celebration of Ludi Romani.

Ludi Romani, which means ‘Roman Games’, started out as a religious festival during the ancient Rome. Through time, it has evolved into something more than just a religious festival. Around 1st century B.C., Roman drama was introduced to the festival. These dramas, however, were based on Greek ones.

Through the course of time, games were incorporated in the said festival. These games were made in honor of Jupiter on his conquest of the Latin Apiolae. During that time, no triumph or victory is inclined in the games. If you come to think of it, it’s just like playing for fun and for fun alone.

Fast forward to the present, the Ludi Romani is celebrated by many Romans in different ways. Some make silly games for fun. Some makes it a bit of a competition thing. Some (especially in school) compete both for the mind and the body by having quiz bowls and other physical games later.

The Ludi Romani is a popular festival in Rome even today. They celebrate it every September (sometimes, the entire month) and have series of activities for the festival. And since it is already halfway of the month, you probably have heard of it now. It is currently going on and Romans are currently having fun.

But don’t fret! You haven’t missed it yet.

If you want to witness this event, the best thing to do is visit Rome. If you’re currently in Rome, then why not join the festivities? Don’t worry about a lot of things to prepare for travel. Accommodations in Rome are everywhere and are affordable. There are a lot of Trastevere apartments in Rome which a lot of travelers usually book and stay in while they are in Rome. These Rome vacation rentals perfect for you and your entire stay in Rome as you witness the Ludi Romani.

All Alone but Never Lonely

Okay. So maybe you're thinking of traveling alone. Nothing wrong with that - you can totally do that wherever you want to go. Traveling doesn't really require a 'buddy', right? And if you're totally comfortable with it, then, why not?

But sometimes people are quite doubtful of traveling alone. There are the fears and doubts of getting lost alone and being fooled around by people who would like to take advantage of your tag as a 'traveler' (you know how some would take advantage of you when they know you're a foreigner and barely knows anything of the place).

We don't want you to undergo that. That's just sad and unlucky. Here's what's happy and lucky! Here are some tips we would like to impart to you when you want to travel alone. Rest assured, we designed each one to make things comfortable and safe for your travel.

Go Italiano in a day

Language barriers could ruin a trip.When you're in a foreign land and people don't speak much English (or perhaps you don't speak their language that well), things could go crazy. For example, you're asking for directions. You speak in English. They pretend they understand. And they will answer you in ways you wouldn't know was not right. Or probably you speak Italian, but didn't get it right. Then they interpret it another way. So they answer you wrongly.

The point is, when you travel, you should try to learn at least the basic of the language especially in basic manners and basic questions you need to ask when traveling. May it be asking for directions, time, cost - anything. So here, we made a little list of the basic Italian words you should know when you get to Rome.

ENGLISH	ITALIAN	EXAMPLE
Hello	Ciao
Goodbye	Arrivederci
Thank you	Grazie
You’re Welcome	Prego
Yes	sì
No	no
Excuse me/Sorry	Scusi / Scusa
Please	per favore
“Where is…?”	Dove si trova ...?	Where is the train station? Dove si trova la stazione ferroviaria?
How much does that cost?	Quanto costa?
Do you speak English?	Parli inglese?
I don't speak Italian	Io non parlo italiano
Waiter	cameriere
Do you have...?	Avete ...?	Do you have red wine? Avete vino rosso?
I'll have...	Dovrò ...	I'll have a lobster, please. Avrò un astice, per favore.
What's your name?	Come ti chiami?
How much does that cost?	Quanto costa?
Can you help me, please?	Potete aiutarmi, per favore?
I can't find…	Non riesco a trovare ...	I can't find our Rome accommodation. Non riesco a trovare il nostro alloggio a Roma.
Can you tell me where...?	Mi puoi dire dove ...?	Can you tell me where is the nearest apartment in Rome in Termini, please? Mi puoi dire dove è il più vicino appartamento a Roma a Termini, per favore?
I’d like to cancel/change my reservation…	Vorrei annullare / cambiare la mia prenotazione ...	I'd like to cancel/change my reservation for my Rome rentals in Termini. Vorrei annullare / cambiare la mia prenotazione per i miei affitti a Roma Termini.
Where can I park the car?	Dove posso parcheggiare l'auto?
Is there a lift/elevator?	C'è un ascensore / ascensore?
Can I leave my luggage until...?	Posso lasciare i bagagli fino a ...?	Can I leave my luggage until 8:00 AM tomorrow? Posso lasciare i bagagli fino a 8:00 di domani?
We're leaving at 7 tomorrow morning	Partiamo alle 7 di domani mattina

Traveling Rome and Their Stories

Every travel or tour experience have their stories. Every story started from something that sparked that very decision to travel. May it be around the globe or just a mere visit down the neighborhood. When you go and travel, there is that WANT or NEED to be at that certain place. Reasons may be different, but all the same, there are reasons - good or bad. And whatever that reason may be, it leads to a story.

We gathered a few different stories on their travel in Rome. Each experience tells us a story on how and why they got to that situation and how it affected them in the end. We share to you direct quotes from traveler's own account and let's see if any of these experiences would somehow relate to you.

Here's a romantic story about two people who met in a hostel in Rome:

"But then, one evening, after a long day of sightseeing, my friends and I happened upon John and his friend eating in the communal kitchen. They seemed nice enough, so we sat down to join them. We talked for a long time, and I remember thinking that it was terribly unfortunate to meet such a wonderful guy all the way in Rome. ...

 ...I moved across the country for a man I’d met completely by chance in a horribly sketchy hostel in Rome. Now, five years later, we are happily married and enjoy reminiscing about our happenstance meeting."

Complete story here.

 Here's another story. This time, it's a hilarious one!

"We climbed the few steps that would allow us passage through to the inner area of the square and then it was as if an alarm went off. As soon as our feet stepped into the open area of St. Peter's Square, a torrential downpour, the likes of which I believe may be compared to a Category 5 Hurricane opened up and sent the visitors to Vatican City running for cover. ... 

...Kevin and I looked at each other and gave a nervous laugh. I don’t know if we will ever give the old joke about our less than spectacular attendance at church again, you know the old, "We are worried if we walk in, the walls will tumble down on us." Because when you think about it, they just might."

Complete story here.

 And this one is quite an unfortunate one. May this not happen to you.

"From impossible transfers to breaking the language barriers, backpacking in Europe can build stress and heartache.  While I backpacked for a month, the journey was exciting, whimsical, and amazing.  But, only one problem haunts me today and I swore after it occurred, I would inform future backpackers about the so called "Italian Transportation System" that failed, disappointed, and pissed me off."

Complete story here.

So whatever your story may be, share it with us! We might publish it here on our blog.

On the other hand, if you're visiting Rome, you can try some of our accommodations in Rome. There are great vacation rentals in Rome in Piazza Navona. And you know where to log on the net when you're looking for apartment in Rome. :) See you online and we hope you'll share your travel stories with us.