Roman Holiday

The Stranger

"Damn Romans!" I thought after having walked for 30 minutes more than planned to arrive at the same spot for third time! I was not willing to accept that it might have been because of my bad sense of direction or because I kept stopping at every other street to check something historic or artsy. "They could have made at least some alleyways different!" I paused. It was supposed to be a quick walk around the block before I go get something good to eat, may be some Ravioli or Pizza. My frustration might also have been because I hadn't had anything proper to eat from the morning, all because I wanted to do as the Romans do, when in Rome. As per my hours of research on Italy they eat very light breakfast, just a shot of espresso and sweet bakes and so did I.

"It's already been 5 days that I am in Roma, but I am still struggling with these damn alleyways!"
Despite the frustration I stopped and took yet another picture of the same 'damn' alleyways in awe. There were houses on both sides of narrow cobbled street, windows with wooden shutters, colourful flowers neatly arranged on each balconies and view of bright blue sky in between those houses at the far end of the street. Many trattorias along those already narrow alleyways had lined up small tables and chairs outside with tent coverings, decorative lights hanging around it, wait staffs trying to get attention of every passing by tourists with elaborate picture menu of "Cacio e pepe, Pasta Carbonara, Ravioli Amatriciana, Pizza al taglio".

Just the thought of famous figures like Julius Ceasar, Mark Antony, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and even Caravaggio had been here, in this city before and might have even walked these same streets was super exciting to my history geek mind. After all I was in the city where Galileo was put on trial just for supporting and talking about Copernican theory on planets, which is now the fundamental basis of our understanding on universe. I was standing in the city whose history has influenced most of the art, architecture, literature, science, technologies and legal system that we know today.

I took few shots from various angles and got ready to walk again. I felt I should just admit I was lost and turn on the Google maps after all. "I should have known my way around these streets by now!" I thought opening my phone with a loud sigh.
*5 minutes away* the app said. Upon closer look I realized my hostel was right around the corner. I slapped my face and started walking towards it. "So close!" my ego screamed.

Sweating profusely due to unplanned detour I went directly for shower. Freshened up I went down to the common area. I took one of the corner chairs and sat down with my mobile, so I could look busy and also so people won't think I was some weird guy gawking. Solo travel's con, this constant worry about 'Do I look pathetic? Do people think I do not have friends? Do I look lonely? Do I look sad? Or desperate?' I kept thinking "I should have gotten used to being on my own with so many solo trips that I do, yet still why do I feel awkward every time I sit alone?" I scrolled through my social media feed couple of times, same old news and gossips that I hardly care about but that was all I had got. I sighed keeping my phone down and looked around me.

Three guys on three different tables with their laptops open, looking busy. I wondered if they were really busy or they were pretending, just like me. I laughed at my thought and moved my eyes around. One girl was on video call, she had held her phone slightly high to make sure the person on the other end saw her best profile and one more guy with his headphones on scrolling his phone. Then I saw her, there she was in a red loose t-shirt and black leggings. She had a book in her hands, sitting on a meditative pose and very engrossed in the pages. I had passed by her earlier when I was rushing to my room, she looked friendly and we had exchanged very casual Hello – Hi.

"That's a familiar face" I thought. Immediately another thought passed and I wondered if she might want to join me for lunch. I had been eating alone for quite some time now and I felt like I wanted to eat with someone and chat. As a social animal, I was seeking for some sort of human interaction I suppose. So without thinking anything much I walked up to her, she did not move her eyes from her book to see me standing right in front so I spoke, "Hey!"
She finally looked up and replied "Hey, hi!" with the expression that she did remember me from earlier.