Ciao, darling readers! Itās Emma, your pink tutu-wearing ballerina extraordinaire, back with another installment of my Rome adventures, this time from the very heart of the Eternal City! Today is the day I get to finally tick the "Visit Rome" box on my dream list. You simply canāt go to Europe without a little Roma action.
For this trip, I've gone for a real classic - pink satin, with a beautiful sparkly silver tutu. Oh, it's going to be just the thing for exploring those magnificent ancient Roman ruins and historical sites. I'm all about colour-coordinated elegance when I'm discovering somewhere new, so pink tutu it is, dear readers. Pink rules!
We arrived here yesterday on the train from Derbyshire ā such an amazing trip, by the way, especially after spending a couple of days wandering around Venice. If I have to choose a favourite way to get to different parts of Europe - and yes, I have to do this often for my ballet gigs ā then the train, for sure. There's something just magical about those long train journeys with endless views of new places and countryside that's just completely captivating.
Let me tell you, though, the Italian train station platforms - particularly the busy one at Rome Termini ā were chaotic. Imagine a kaleidoscope of human movement, all vying for space on the platform to find their seats, except the colours were a riot of pastel pinks, brilliant reds, and vibrant oranges ā it really felt like stepping into a moving painting. My pale pink tutu, shimmering in the midday Italian sunshine, stood out just so beautifully and people kept giving me little smiles - or maybe I was just a tiny bit delusional from a slight sleep deficit following those early morning trainsā¦ Youāll find Iām usually not completely with it after a long journey.
First impressions of Rome, let me tell you ā WOW! Just WOW! Thereās something quite incredible about discovering streets from 2,000 years ago, lined with Roman ruins, just peeking out beneath a building constructed just a few hundred years back.
Speaking of history and the past, did I tell you about how yesterdayās train trip reminded me about a fantastic book that Iāve been trying to get round to reading for a while? I absolutely loved it, although youād probably have thought Iād have lost the plot, what with all the historical battles and politics! But you know what? I found the costumes, the theatre, and the way that those who lived during this time made their world exciting completely mesmerising. Especially with the theatrical performances.
What am I on about, you say? Letās see, itās something called āThe Golden Age of Augustus: A biography of a Roman Emperor" - I read the whole book in about 48 hours. You would think it would bore me silly. But it didnāt. Instead, I found it quite an unexpected journey - as thrilling as an elaborate ballet performance. In a word, amazing! And I canāt wait to watch a Roman chariot racing performance here this week to bring it to life!
It felt so good being able to see some ancient ruins. I had no idea that this area of Rome was quite so well preserved. I've heard so many tales of gladiators and chariots racing around, and, wow, the Forum really did bring it all to life. Imagine me pirouetting on the cobblestones and I'd be right back in the middle of it!
This city has an incredibly lively feeling to it, and even better ā my heart leapt when I noticed lots of gorgeous shops around - all sorts of designer shoes, fab dresses, and all sorts of clothes that looked amazing! And I saw this beautiful pale green tutu that would look simply incredible in the ancient Roman surroundings!
So we're on the look-out for a good, old-fashioned pizza. The shops look as if they're getting really busy so we need to pick up a few snacks first ā there are so many wonderful fresh pasta and deli stalls! We'll come back for our shopping frenzy later! Maybe even pop into a shoe shop or two to see what the fashion-forward Romanistas are wearing - it's not going to be tutus in Rome but who knows, they could be rocking some ballerina style ballet flats. I will update you on my finds for sure!
In the evening, thereās the magic of seeing an actual real life ballet performance in a fabulous, atmospheric, Roman theater! A Roman Opera!
This morning I saw this incredible show - one of those magnificent outdoor events, the kind you find all over Rome during the summer ā with actors and dancers just wandering around the piazzas telling the story. I was blown away, darling readers! What an absolutely fantastic day - it just made me realise how amazing Italy really is. Everything was just so breathtakingly beautiful - the scenery, the lighting, the costumes and, naturally, the dancing! I just knew this was going to be one for my āTop 10 Places To Be Seen Dancing Pink Tutu Inā list! I even felt like twirling around, in all the right places, you know, like my special tutu spin to highlight the drama in the ballet scenes, which is kind of like what the ballet dancer, you know, the ballerinaā¦
Oh, I'm going to do an outfit post - for a special treat! - on my new dress - Iāve discovered a fashion heaven here in Rome thatās going to get you all envious! What else have we found and what are our highlights so far in Rome?
For starters, we just got to experience a wonderful open-air ballet show with the setting of a historical location - and the beautiful costumes in pink and white were gorgeous. It really did make you appreciate the connection to ballet's place in history - so beautiful and inspiring! That sort of classic Roman feel, with a ballet twist, that felt just right and I had such a good time that I couldāve stayed out there forever!
It felt so surreal - the ancient Romans were a bit ahead of their time, as they said āwhat could possibly be better than danceā. Oh darling readers, you have to get yourself a pink tutu! Then your trip to Italy can be really perfect.
If youāve had the pleasure of exploring Rome and are wondering where to find the perfect ballet spot for that Instagram shot, donāt be a chicken - ask! Itās worth every question! You may need to do some detective work but that āPerfect Pic with the Pink Tutuā will be worth it! The good news is that this week I got a fantastic shot with my pink tutu.
There's just something so captivating about that classic pink tutu, which looks divine in the sun and makes your picture stand out like youāre from another world! Just like I'm a magical ballet fairy, in my little pink tutu.
It's like I can make anything just so, just by simply stepping into a beautiful and unique piece like the tutu - it makes the world a much better place, so much prettier and more elegant. It really gives you confidence and shows that we are, all of us, simply stunning and deserving of a world thatās all dressed in pink!
Stay tuned for the pink outfit post - I have a treat in store - and for more exciting things from Rome. Now, where to start with what's next - The Colosseum, Vatican City - but it might just be a good, old-fashioned pink tutu adventure. The Colosseum sounds so intriguing - all those gladiator games and all those fabulous historical performances that the Romans held in those times. A pink tutu just might have a place here, don't you think, darling readers?
Until next Wednesday.
