Water, You Never Disappoint

I was determined to make the most out of our short time in Rome before heading out to Tuscany. I had already toured the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Spanish Steps and trust me, it is every bit like movies make it to be. Simply beautiful from the inside out. But I wanted to venture out. I wanted to hit the streets and go into the unknown and explore. So, explore, we did. The night before we asked the cab driver if there was a beach or water near by? Rome is truly a must-see in your lifetime. But, being true to my water driven Cancerian personality, like a tiny crab, my soul was inching it’s way toward the view and sound of rolling water. Literally landing in Italy for the very first time a couple of days ago, I had no geographical basis on where anything was- at all! I am sure I could have done a ton of research the weeks prior. I am sure I could have mapped out everything before hand. But, most of the time, I am a planned, go by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I plan to just go and see what happens. Don’t get me wrong, I plan plenty. But, it’s mostly a strategy for the best and worst scenarios so I am never in a bad situation no matter what the outcome.

So, our trusty little cab driver friend told us the scoop. And, as it happens, when the locals have time off, they head over to Santa Marinella. It’s a about an hour outside of Rome by train. It was the most exhilarating feeling to learn how to take the bus to the train station. Asking people and hoping you can mix and match what you get. We just so happened to meet a lovely girl who was an American but living in Rome for over a year, teaching English. Now, the part of getting on the right train , now that struggle was real. The gypsies are always looking to push a few euros out of you to “give you help”. You have to learn the delicate art of getting help in short, nonchalant communication so you don’t “owe anyone, anything”. And, even that is hard to do. They are by the electronic train schedule boards, they are wondering around all over, lurking, they jump off and on the trains all day. The idea of just giving them a euro so they go away is here and now. Although, typically they stand in front of you, shaking their palms until you place more euros  in them. They are the Mafioso’s of the train station.

We climb on board and we’re off. Paying attention to each stop, looking, smiling, wondering….where are we going?

As you can see by this photo it was an amazing beach. It was my first time on a beach Italy. It might seem trivial but I just couldn’t get over the feeling of….love, is what I would call it. I loved the beach, the water, the freedom of walking around and feeling like a local who arrived like I was born there.

When I looked up this beach at a later time, I learned that back in the day it was home to Aquae Caeretanae which was a Roman bathing resort. And, that Ingrid Bergman had a villa here as well. Very cool.

Water. There is just something so soothing about you. The idea of submerging my entire body in crisp, clean water is cleansing and invigorating. It’s flowing, creating movement in my mind and body to be free and yet it’s as steady as the rock embedded below.

Water. You never disappoint me.