Rome: a visual diary

Building on my Vienna diaries post, I created a visual journal of our most recent trip. I'll try to do this more frequently in the future because it's fun and helps me preserve memories better than just keeping pictures. However, it is also a lot of work, so we'll see how this project turns out.

A month ago, we went to Rome for a long weekend to see all the beauties the city can offer... and so that the guys could watch the AS Roma - Juventus game live. Unfortunately, the city was so packed with tourists that it was a bit harder for Rome to shine through the hordes of buses at every sightseeing attraction. I wanted to send a picture to my parents with my hands in the Mouth of Truth, but we only managed to do it the second time we went there because of the crowd. I guess the reason why I found this very funny is only known to Hungarians and tourists: we had knock-offs of this at Lake Balaton in the 90s, and if you put your hand (and, of course, some money) in it, the machine told you your future.

I was amazed by the typography on the buildings; everything was unique and eclectic and reminded me of my childhood when there were no malls and far fewer franchises. I loved that the city managed to preserve this side of its history as well. We even had coffee at a place where the barista is a 70+ year-old man who made the same coffees at the same place his entire life. The weather was great, we ate the best food, and altogether had a really great time. I still wonder how I could gain weight while walking 25,000+ steps a day, but I guess the answer is pasta.

If you want some tips on where to eat and drink when in Rome, these were my absolute favorites:

• Antico Falcone - I ordered the simplest but most delicious Cacio e Pepe here, and the red table wine tasted really good as well. If I could choose only one flavor to have right now from this Rome trip, this would be it.

• Pasta e Vino - There are more restaurants with the same name; I'd recommend the one at Trastevere: we ate here twice within four days. Everything was super flavorful, but my absolute top was the artichoke served in three ways (confit, deep fried, and as a paste).

• Ma Che Siete Venuti A Fà - If you're into craft beer, this place is a must-see. There are a lot of Italian beers on tap from microbreweries, so it was a really hard choice what to get.

So after all the talking, let the pics speak for the rest.