european beauty.

There are some things in life that are so beautiful you want to bottle them up, make them available for future use when you can't remember what beauty looks like in the world. This morning was one of those moments for me:

I walked alone through the cobblestone streets that line the Trastevere neighborhood in which I'm staying during my time in Rome. I headed towards a small coffee shop and bakery, I dolci di checco, while the morning sun bounced off the walls of the neighboring buildings. I stepped inside, ordered "un cappuccino" and the man behind the counter asked if I wanted anything to "mangiare", pantomiming eating. I shook my head "no", accepted my drink, and sat down to enjoy it. I could still feel the sleep fogging my eyes, felt the weight of my freshly washed hair piled on top of my head in a bun, knowing I probably looked very much like a tourist, but not caring one bit.
I have felt few more perfect moments than in the 10 minutes I say enjoying my coffee. Leaving tomorrow is incredibly bittersweet for me. This trip has been many things for me including breathtaking and stressful, jaw-dropping and frustrating. I met new people, made new friends, strengthened the friendship between Jamie and I, and discovered that I actually can read a map if need be. Hah.
I'm so glad and so lucky to have experienced a trip like this in my lifetime. I hope it's not the last.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting highlights of each city: Amsterdam, London, Paris, Barcelona, and Rome. I kept excellent records while I was here, but was unable to attach pictures to the posts so they had to wait.

See you soon, America.
-e.