Scary Day in Rome

Check out how this guy slept on the train! hahaha...his butt wasn't even on the chair.
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Today I woke up at 0800 to meet up with Sarah, Emily, Danielle, Jo, Ignacio, and Rodriguez for breakfast in the morning.  Only the first three showed up, not surprising.  We all ate another great meal together and talked about what we would do for the day.  Sounds like both they and I are just wandering randomly around the city.

I set out by foot heading north of the hostel because there was a castle nearby!  I found it easily but there was an art show going on called Arigianato I think.  Anyway, it was like a craft fair but you had to pay to get in.  The rest of the castle was not open to tourists ever.  That was dissappointing.  I continued randomly and found a swap meet.  I was hoping to find a neat souvenir but they were selling mostly antique...crap really.  Nothing seemed good.  They had some nice furniture but what was I to do with that?  I eventually walked back through the duomo area and across the Ponte Vecchio bridge.  That bridge was crazy crowded but had nice views of the river Arno.  I found a touristy t shirt shop and didnt buy anything because I want a shirt that says Ducati on it.  Saw them in the streets but wasnt willing to pay their prices because it was so cheaply made and poorly screened.

Roman ruins in the Ancient City of Rome
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I left everything and just headed for the Florence Santa Maria Novella station.  I bought my 15 euro train ticket to Rome and got on.  I only had to wait 15 minutes until the next train so that worked out well.

When I was on the train we stopped somewhere along the way and three guys boarded along with some other people.  I thought these guys were terrorists because one kept switching positions where he was sitting, and the other two never sat down...they put their stuff down and kept pacing up and down the aisles, giving each other looks.  I was looking for silent signs or something but didnt pick up on anything.  I considered getting off and getting the next train to Rome but decided to find an emloyee instead.  None to be found.  I just switched cabs.  One guy paced up and down through the entire train.  I think it turns out their were just looking for a place to smoke because they all eventually clustered in the middle of two cabs and started smoking there.  Scary but good thing nothing came of it.  I realized that security for trains in italia is minimal.  No guards, no checks, no metal detectors, etc.

This is a monument to the man who united Italy...it's made of white marble throughout.
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I got to Rome and took 30 minutes to find my hostel Roma Inn.  The place is nicely painted and stuff but it still seems not very nice because the worker now doesnt speak much english nor does he seem to know about the area (he speaks spanish).  I dropped off my bags and walked around through the ancient city area and saw many roman ruins.  Not as cool as Greece because they roped them all off and you couldnt walk amongst it.  Also, their ruins just werent as impressive as in Greece.  I like the city, only because it reminds me of Greece.  Otherwise its overcrowded and polluted.  After walking through the area I saw the Colloseum too.  It was large but not as large as I was expecting it to be.  I am still amazed at it but wasnt as wowed as I was hoping.

one of the preserved arches in the ruins.
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I walked through the Domus Aureas and then ate at Ristorante Africa.  On the way there I passed by Rome Termini and there were TONS of homeless people gathering around their for the night.  I didnt feel super safe but I just walked around like I knew what I was doing and people didnt mind.  Food at Ristorante Africa was amazing.  Eat it all with your hands.  Ingredients were super fresh.  Great ambiance.  Lets Go made a good recommendation.

I walked throuh Semtebre street and went to the Fontana di Trevi.  It was night sight even though water wasnt spraying high in the air, the facade was magnificent!  I hung there for a while and watched as tons of tourists threw coins over their shoulders in for good luck.  I didnt follow suit.  No money to spare, and I dont feel like my situation could get much worse.

In the back is Palatine Hill. foreground is more ruins
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I took out money from an ATM and hid it in my shoe.  That money now stinks badly...oh well, itll still work.

Went back to the hostel and took a shower and unwound.  Good night!