Roma and an Italian villa

Summer holidays: As usual, my time off lab went by much too fast. Nonetheless, the season didn't pass me by without a requisite escape from the city. (Let's not get into how first-world it is to consider a departure from Paris to be an "escape.") This year the destination was Rome and a nearby beach town, specifically the three-story villa belonging to Francesco's parents. But let's not get ahead of ourselves: first came Rome.

Esteban and I jetted off on Sunday. In town, there was pizza and pitchers of wine,

Outdoor dining after sundown: fresh pizza in the heart of Rome

churches galore,

Styling in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

The altar at the Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli. I just can't get over the beauty of the many colored stones employed in Italian architecture

A particularly haunting statue in the Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli

fresh pasta by the Colosseum (and tiramisu, oh yes!),

Il Colosseo

Il tiramisù

Roman ruins,

The Arch of Constantine, dedicated in 315 AD to commemorate a military victory three years prior

winged variations of the street sign art I've come to know à Paris,

The less angelic variety of this street art can be found near the Louvre, among other places, but I rather prefer the winged model

the original Pantheon (as opposed to the one I bike past regularly in Paris),

Inside the Pantheon, built in 126 AD, still the largest unreinforced concrete dome. Take that, Great Dome! (Er, MIT reference there...)

piazzas full of fountains I wanted to jump into (because that's right, in Rome there was most certainly summer sun!),

Piazza Navona

and finally there was lots of laughter, coffee granita, a fair dose of teasing, and some dragging feet through my first blast of summer heat. The day even wrapped up with a yoga class (in Italian no less!) at the DeRose Method school in Rome, after completing the nearly Herculean task of actually locating the school sans map. (Woops.)

There's just something about a city that's been buzzing for millennia. The day in Rome was charming despite the heat, and I'd have gladly stayed.

As our Monday drew to a close, we hopped on a train toward Francesco's beach house, you know, just the rustic summer abode by the shore. And this is where we arrived:

Francesco's family villa

This is the point where I am not allowed to remind you, my dear reader, that I am not cut out to spend my vacation time lounging and lazing around a pool. However, I will say that sleeping in, starting every morning with a complete yoga workout (ashtánga sádhana) in the shady grass, stuffing myself with gelato and watermelon, playing Apples to Apples, catching up on reading, and surrounding myself with good company were solid compensation for the time spent away from the allure and hubbub of the città eterna, the eternal city.

Now for summer vacationing part 2: Aunt Marie arrives in Paris today, and I shall attempt to do some lab work between playing tour guide/fellow traveler for the upcoming week!