The image of two American teenagers drinking their way through a Roman lunch feels almost cinematic in its innocence and lack of foresight. It is a reminder that travel, especially at a young age, is as much about what happens in between the scheduled activities as it is about the official itinerary.
Your experience in St. Peter’s Square also reveals something about the nature of crowds and personal perspective. For the religious order leading your group the mass was an extraordinary spiritual moment yet for you it became a test of endurance in heat exhaustion and sensory overload. The miracle you describe of finding refuge against the light pole is telling. In a situation where you could easily have felt lost or unsafe you found a small pocket of relief. This is an understated but powerful detail because it highlights how in life moments of respite often arrive unexpectedly and not through grand design.
The image of two American teenagers drinking their way through a Roman lunch feels almost cinematic in its innocence and lack of foresight. It is a reminder that travel, especially at a young age, is as much about what happens in between the scheduled activities as it is about the official itinerary.
Your experience in St. Peter’s Square also reveals something about the nature of crowds and personal perspective. For the religious order leading your group the mass was an extraordinary spiritual moment yet for you it became a test of endurance in heat exhaustion and sensory overload. The miracle you describe of finding refuge against the light pole is telling. In a situation where you could easily have felt lost or unsafe you found a small pocket of relief. This is an understated but powerful detail because it highlights how in life moments of respite often arrive unexpectedly and not through grand design.