Dining at "Papa Rex" in Rome: Dinner with Flair

Sometimes in life it's good to have a little 'cheese'.  No, not mozzeralla - I'm talking about tacky, wacky, and even a bit cliched type cheesy.  What's travel without a little 'over-the-top' now and then?

When my husband and I visited Rome, we were there for three days with a tour group. On our last evening in Rome, our group was invited to an evening meal at a restaurant called "Papa Rex", which offered amazing food and, even better, dining entertainment.  After eating a delicious multi-course meal, we were surprised by a man, fully dressed in gladiator regalia, leaping into the center of our tables.

If You Can't Go There, At Least You Can Read About It: Books on Italy

I have decided to begin a new series of 'thematic' posts on my blog (as if I didn't have enough already). Currently I have my main "Travel Bucket List" articles, my "Backyard Bucket List" posts about traveling around my home province of Alberta, and my "Foodie Bucket List", which currently consists of one post about eating haggis in Scotland. (I need to write about food more, but it makes me hungry and then I get distracted - hence why only one of those posts has been published...)

The Catacombs of Rome

I am a morbid person, but not in a bad way - at least, I don't think. I am a morbid person in a 'historical fascination' way. I think graveyards are interesting, and went through a phase where I did grave rubbings or photographed really old or unusual headstones. I used to do cemetery tours as part of my museum job when I lived in Lethbridge, Alberta.

I like stories about how famous people died, or learning about the places they were buried at. When I went to Seattle, we had to make a special trip to visit the grave site of Jimi Hendrix, one of my favorite musicians. When I took my Junior High students to Paris, I convinced several of them to accompany me to the Paris catacombs to check out piles of bones.

How to Conquer Rome in 3 Days: Things to See and Do

Ah, Rome! How I miss thee! Rome is such a beautiful city, filled with fashion, fun, excitement, and steeped in history. I have written several times about Rome, Italy, in this blog (see posts on the Trevi Fountain, Vatican City, and the Coliseum.) This will be my last post on Rome, unless I have the luck and joy of visiting the city again.

There is so much more to see and do besides the places listed above. Granted, I found that the Coliseum is among one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my life, but if you happen to be in Rome, be sure to explore beyond the Coliseum! It's not hard to do - actually, it's literally impossible not to see more sights.

Visit Rome and see the Coliseum

It's hard to put into words those moments where, upon encountering something truly magnificent from the past, you feel literally dumbstruck by what you are seeing. You feel small, insignificant, and meekly awed, but at the same, feel energized, powerful, and vibrant. It is a meeting of the past and present, and you are there to witness it.

Visit Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica

I will admit it: I'm not a religious person. I am, at times, spiritual. Seeing a gorgeous sunset, viewing the world from a top a mountain, or tasting the salty sea air while lounging on a tropical beach all give me moments where I truly feel spiritual, like I am one with the universe. But I have never been, and most likely never will be, one for organized religion. This is not to say I consider it "bad" - it is just not for me. In fact, there are some things about organized religion that I admire, particularly religion's penchant for aesthetics and beauty. No matter what religion you study, you will always find that it breeds beauty in architecture, art, and music.

Throw a Coin Into the Trevi Fountain and Make a Wish

This item on the bucket list I have already done twice. I am one lucky lady! The first time I visited the Trevi Fountain was in January of 2010, when I won a free trip to Rome through a travel company called Explorica. I had booked a school trip through this company, and as I was a first-time group leader, was put into a draw to win a trip for myself and one other person. Hurrah! Me, who can’t even win a free coffee with Tim Horton’s “Roll Up the Rim to Win”, was selected as one of the lucky free travelers and given three options: Rome, Paris, or London.