May 16th, 2024.
It’s 7am, and the streets of Rome are quiet. I walk from Roma Termini to Monti, a neighborhood that’s supposed to be less visited by tourist. On my short visit to Rome, I’m looking for a glimpse of Roman life. For this, I decide to skip the coliseum.
Yesterday I arrived to Rome from Laos in the evening. Here, I want to see the people, and I want to learn about food. Not recipes, nor obscure dishes, but to learn about taste. How’s the best gelato in the world supposed to taste? What makes a Margherita great? What are the characteristics of an authentic Carbonara, or Cacio e Pepe, or Amatriciana.
In Monti, I sit at Piazza della Madonna. Sparks of life start to appear. Cafés around the plaza organizing tables and opening up. A young teenager girl climbs the stairs to the plaza’s center fountain. “Mama, mama!” She calls her mom. Her mom scolds her and takes her away from the fountain. That marks it, I’m officially in Rome.
