Heading home, and future plans.

Tonight is my last night in Italy. Tomorrow morning I head to airport for a 9.5 hour flight home to a suprisingly warm New Jersey. Although the trees have probably lost their leaves, and Halloween is just around the corner, I'm hoping to hold on to summer for just a little longer. Certainly being in Roma has helped me do that. It has been very warm here, which has been the most enjoyable thing about this place. There are a few good things about Roma and I got to experience them all today.
First, here is this gelato place called Gelato dell' Angelo which is on a little seldom traveled street called Via del Panico near the Ponto Sant' Angelo (near the Castel Sant' Angelo). It is by far the best gelato I've had in all of Italy. It's made right in the shop and it's actually cheaper than many others. Since today was my last day here, I had to go for it and get the 6Euro cup and try some more flavors. Absolutely the best!! If you come to Roma, it's worth walking over there (and go to the Castel Sant'Angelo while you're at it) to get their gelato. They have a sign at the doorway that says something along the lines of "gelato that you'll never foget." They are totally right. I went there last year, and it was so good I remembered exactly where it was to go again. I went yesterday, and you wouldn't believe how far out of my way I walked today to go there again.
Second, Trastevere. This old part of town has the best restuarants, the cheapest prices and somehow remains quaint in this gigantic city. On the recommendation of the hotel clerk, I went to a place called Ristorante Il Corte del Montecristo. Great food, hidden away on a little back street. I even got a pizza for the plane tomorrow. After a month of eating all around Italy, there is no way in hell I'm eating airplane food. If the whole plane smells like Porcini, oh well. The Italians on the flight will understand.

Third, the Basilica at the Vatican.
My day started out by going to Vatican museum. Once you're in there, you're stuck. It was even worse than Versaille last year. You can walk at your own pace, you can't change direction. There is one path through the place and the crowd is rediculous. I felt like we were cattle. It was the most terrible experience. And it all led to the Sistine Chapel. Before the Sistine Chapel, they make you go through the modern art. It's like they put that there so you get really bored and it builds up your anticipation. But the time I got to the Sistine Chapel, I was completely sick of it. As far as I'm concerned after a while it all looks the same. I don't think I even looked up. There must have been 5,000 people in that one room. At one point, after exiting the chapel, there was a women who worked for the musuem pushing a cart. I could tell that she was taking the fastest path out of there. I employed my bike racing tactics, "got on her wheel" and moved right up the pack, straight out the door. It was miserable and a complete waste of about $27. I thought I had finally found a place that I dislike more than Roma itself, that being Vatican City.

After taking the Metro back to my hotel to eat some lunch, I then decided I should probably go back to see the basilica. I took the Metro back, but only to Piazza del Popolo so that I could get my gelato. That turned out to be an incredible walk. I guess my knowledge of the city's geography is slightly off. I then walked back to the Vatican, went through the security, and finally to the basilica. Ok, that place is amazing. Granted there were tons of people, it's so unfathomably fast and beautiful. If I were the Pope I'd just go in there at night when no one else is around and sit in a chair right in the center of it all. You can only imagine how beautiful it must be if it were empty. Or maybe it would be really creapy. Who knows? Maybe not even the Pope.

And forth, if I come to Roma at the end of every trip, it really makes me want to go home. It's an interesting place, I just have no interest in it. It's not for me. I find more beauty in the olive trees or bunches of Tuscan kale, in wheels of cheese, and in switchbacks and tiny mountaintop chapels. This will be my last trip to Roma. Next time I come to Italy, I will fly to and from Milano if possible. Roma makes me ready to come home, or at the very least get out. For as much as I love Woody Allen, I can't see how he loves Roma, Paris, and New York so much. Granted I don't think I'd like LA just as much as he doesn't, I belong in the country and small towns. I'm exhausted.
So, a little summary:

Best meal I ate: Tortellaci Spinachi e Ricotta ai Funghi Porchini at Osteria Cento Poveri, Firenze
Best ride: Gran Fondo Toscana Franco Ballerini, felt like a true pro bike racer that day
Most beautiful scenery: Chianti
Best day in general: BOk, this is tough but the ride though Chianti to Siena, taking the train back after eating a great sandwich and gelato, then catching the end of the bike race. Any day I get to see some amazing scenery, ride my bike and see a bike race is a pretty great day, especially when you're in Italy.
Worst day in general: Arriving in Magreglio after five hours of traveling to only have potato chips for dinner.
Favorite people I met: Everyone, you've all made this trip so special. To everyone I've met and got to know along the way, thank you so much!! You can't even begin to know how much I mean that.
Best gelato: aforementioned place in Roma, but that place in Orvieto had the best cone
Best bakery: Forno Vecchio, Firenze
Best pizza: Regina Magherita, Osteria Cento Poveri, Firenze
Worst food I ate: Penne al Arrabiata, some place in Roma
Favorite market: There was something really special about the market in Orvieto
Favorite thing I bought here: Those shoes.
Thing I wish I could have bought:, but didn't or couldn't: More shoes.
Best road I cycled: Madonna del Ghisallo at dusk.
Worst road I cycled: Every road between Firenze and Pisa.
Most memorable bike race watched: Team Time Trial, Worlds for the people and Il Lombardia for the racing and atmosphere
Favorite off the bike activity: Madonna del Ghisallo Santuary and Museum
Most memorable moment of the trip: Dropping a group of 40 riders on the "Cima Coppi" of the Toscana Gran Fondo, coming over the top alone and grabbing a bottle from the souigneer (actually just a volunteer in a Conad shirt). That moment in time was perfect.

The Furture:
I don't know what my future is with Italy but I know Italy will be in my future.
I've also learned a lot more about myself on this trip. I feel like a lot more is possible. I think this trip will prove life changing. If anything, that trip has helped me to recognize that I want to change my life, and that is life changing enough.
What I do know, is that this blog will continue. Why stop writing? Am I going to keep you all up to date on the mundane details of my daily life... no. But I have a whole bunch of product reviews that I want to write based on things I've used on this trip. Aside from that, I'd like to continue to write about cycling, food, traveling, music, whatever else. Keep an eye on this space. Just because I fly home tomorrow doesn't mean the blog will end. Lot's of ideas flowing!
With that, I bid Italy "arivaderci, see you later".