Roam.

The view from our temporary home.

Rome, Italy - As we crossed the park this morning, we were suddenly swarmed by a pack of gypsy women cradling babies. They kissed their hands before pushing them out to us with pleading eyes.

Slipperily, their hands extended toward our bags, before a sharp rebuke took them aback – incredulous – in mock offense. In an instant, their seeming meekness evaporated in a hiss.

Rome is a tourist city, and one must always be aware.

We spent the day riding the Archeobus, sampling some of the ancient wonders the city has to offer. My eyes widened upon seeing ancient columns laying on roadside lawns like stray logs.

As they likely have for hundreds of years.

We drove past the real-life postcard that is the Colosseum and scoffed that was only built in the year 7 A.D. Amazingly, we had discovered sites that were much older. Seeing its crumbling arches, however, made our presence in Rome that much more real.

We drove down the Appian Way, and past countless relics. On Tiber Island, we stopped for gelato. The Spicy cioccolata was an tongue-tickling dichotomy of heat and chill. Delicious.

As the lights hanging above the street shook from their slumber and danced alight, we stopped for a delicious thin-crust pizza at a sidewalk restaurant.

It was the first time I'd gone for a pizza and had to pay a cover charge.