The Ancient City of Roma

I arrived via plane into Rome on Sunday, September 30th for 4 glorious days.  I got into the city about noon and "checked" into my hostel.  I stayed at an awesome hostel, The Yellow.  I highly recommend it for those of you going to Rome.  My first day in the city was really a house keeping day.  After checking in I went out and got something to eat for lunch, then went to the internet cafe and checked my email.  I went back to the hostel and checked into my room where I pulled out all my dirty laundry.  I settled into my room as I was by myself for the time being.  I headed out to the laundry mat the hostel gave me directions to.  It was really nice I dropped my laundry off and someone else did it for me for the same price it would have been had I done it myself somewhere else.  So I spent my time in the laundry mat on the internet writing one of my blogs.  Which one it was I can't remember now.  After my blog writing and laundry was done I headed back to the hostel and repacked my bags.  That being done I headed our for dinner and ended up at the pizza place on the corner.  It was a buy a slice by the weight place with decent pizza.  I ate at the restaurant bar then walked back to the hostel and got a beer at the hostel bar.  I sat and talked with a nice British woman who was there for one night.  We chatted and exchanged the general travel info and advice.  I was exhausted having been up since 3:30 in the morning so I was in bed by 11:00pm.

The next morning I got up and dressed and headed out to see the sights .  I stopped off at a local cafe and had a cappuccino and white chocolate filled croissant for breakfast.  The white chocolate filling tasted like Betty Crocker vanilla frosting you buy in the tub for cakes.  It was awesome as I love my frosting.  After breakfast I followed my map and headed towards the Colosseum but got side tracked on the other side of Termini Station by a shoe store.  I went in and looked around and started trying shoes on.  The girls in the store were very helpful and said if I bought more then one pair I would get a discount as I had a couple of pairs in my pile.  I couldn't resist a pair of black suede ankle strap heels with a peep toe and a pair of ankle boots in a burgundy leather with a really cool sponge technique that makes them look shiny.  Having made my Italian shoe purchase I decided to walk back to the hostel and drop them off instead of carrying them around for the rest of the day.  I headed back dropped my purchases off then headed out yet again.

This time I got past the shoe stores and made it all the way to the Colosseum.  I took a few minutes from my perch on a street above the Colosseum to admire it's grandness.  Then headed down the steps and waded through the tour groups to get a closer look at it.  I've seen it before so opted not to pay the 13 euros to go in and instead walked around the outside.  It still amazes me that people built it thousands of years ago as a more or less giant sporting arena and it's still standing.  It continues to be a monument recognized around the world as one of the ancient wonders.  After walking around it I was hot and sweaty so I took refuge in the shadow of the Arch of Constantine and sat and cooled off and admired the structure of the Colosseum.  After I had my cool down I headed back into the sun and walked through the Forum to see the rest of the ancient ruins.

It never seems to amaze me how peaceful ruins feel.  To me they are a city at rest, quiet and lonely.  No matter how many people are around me I always feel alone with the ruins. Soaking in their ancient memories of times past, visualizing what the city was like in it's time.  I walked through the Forum pausing to take pictures here and there.  What's left of the massive Basilica of Constantine, the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, Temple of Julius Caesar, and Temple of Saturn.  I got some great pictures as I wandered through.  I got a picture of Julius Caesar's "tomb", the place where he was cremated and where Augustus Caesar eventually erected a temple in his predecessors honor.  On any given day if you go to the Forum to the Temple of Julius Caesar you will see fresh flowers on the mound of an alter.  Modern Italians still honor one of their greatest leaders and visionaries.  After about an hour of wandering I walked up the stairs through the Arch of Septimius Severus towards Capitol Hill.  I stopped at this point to get a make shift lunch made up of gelato.  I took a picture of the Forum from above and sat and talked with a Bulgarian girl for a few minutes.

When my break was over I started the hike to the famous Roman Pantheon.  I walked by the Capitol building, Church of Gesu, and Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva and finally to the Pantheon.  Now I have been to Rome before on a tour when I was 18 and I thought we had hit all the big stuff but for some inexplicable reason we never went to the Pantheon.  I was shocked to see it in such amazing condition.  According to the signs, the Pantheon was built by the Romans during the height of their empire.  The dome on top was the largest dome in the world until the Renaissance when Michelangelo topped St. Peter's Basilica with a larger one.  Yet the Pantheon's dome and it's construction still astounds and perplexes architects in all ages all over the world.  The reason this is such a masterpiece beyond the dome is the fact that it is still intact.  It was turned into a church during the early Christian era and it was therefore saved from the barbarians and locals alike.  I can't properly describe to you the beauty of the Pantheon.  The floors are beautiful marble mosaics which extend up the circular walls.  There are outlets all around the circle that I'm sure at one point had Roman statues of the Gods and Goddess (as it was a pan roman temple) but now hold Christian paintings and statuary.  While I was in the Pantheon there was a choir singing hymns which I usually love in churches but felt so out of place in the Pantheon.  I felt like there should be incense burning and alters set up all around with food and other offerings on them.  Maybe it's just my over active imagination but still.  After my visit to the Pantheon I took off walking back the hostel.  My feet were killing me and I was getting hungry having substituted gelato for lunch.  I walked passed Trajan's Market and Column and past Termini Station to the hostel.

Once back I took the opportunity to shower off the sweat of the day.  I got dressed is my cute going out top as I was planning on going out on the pub crawl.  I headed across the street to Mama Angelo's a local restaurant and got a nice pasta dinner.  I talked with a American couple sitting next to me while we ate.  Before I left I got hit on by the waiter asking me to come back at 11:30 when he got off work.  I told him I had plans and he asked me to remember he was there.  I escaped the restaurant and went to the hostel bar for my free glass of pub crawl prosecco (italian champagne).  I sat and talked with a couple of the staffers before we left.  The illustrious tour guides Dustin and Tad lead us first on a walking tour through Rome.  Along with some very interesting fun filled facts we saw the city at night.  I also made friends with a couple of Kiwi girls, Megan and Andy, sisters on vacation with their parents.  As well as a three some of America Army guys on vacation from Iraq and a random Polish guy Michael.  We stopped at the Barberini Square and got a view of one of the famous Bernini fountains, the smallest in all of Rome called the Punta Fountain.  Yes, for those of you who speak Italian or Spanish you know what that is.  More or less the story goes like this.  Pope who was a patron of Bernini's and got pissed when he got really famous and started mouthing off.  So the Pope who was a Barberini (uber powerful roman family) commissioned him to do the smallest fountain in Rome thinking it would put him in his place.  Well Bernini not being happy did a little background check on the Pope's family and found out one of the nieces was quite the harlot.  So he made a fountain in the Piazza Barberini of a giant vagina to show the world one of the family members transgressions thus embarrassing the entire family.  Hence the name of the fountain.  I hope Tad is proud that I remembered all that!

After that we walked to the Spanish Steps the supposed home of the Italian males prowling for dates.  I saw mostly tourist hanging out.  And then we were off to the Fountain of Trevi easily the most famous fountain in the world.  Yes, Grandma I promise I threw some coins in the fountain for you and Grandpa.  While we were there Tad treated us to a famous local ghost story and at then punch line Dustin grabbed me from behind so while all the girls screamed I screamed the loudest.  I don't remember all the details but when you go to the fountain check the top floor right corner window.  What you will see is that it was bricked up and painted to look like a window.  Apparently the young noble man living there was murdered by being thrown out the window.  And workers found the body in the fountain before it was finished.  After that people kept seeing a man being thrown out the window and when they got to the fountain nothing was there.  So what better to do then brick up with cursed window.

After that we got to the drinking portion of the crawl at the first bar.  It was an open bar that got paid for with the pub crawl fees.  The older gentleman owner of the bar took a shine to me right away and gave me his special "sexy wine", a sweet strawberry wine.  It tasted like candy and I was thrilled to be selected to have a special drink.  He told me it was dangerous wine because it makes you feel sexy (hence the name) and if a couple drink an entire bottle they fall in love or at least serious lust.  I don't know if it's quite that intoxicating but it is dangerously tasty.  I had two glasses of the sexy wine then had a half a beer before we headed to the next bar.  I was still pretty sober where as a couple of Canadian girls were already ripped and could barely stand.  Some people just can't pace themselves!

At the next bar I spent some time talking to Eric, one of the hostel staffers, and Megan.  I had my free entree shot then switched to a glass of water.  I had no wish for a bad hangover the next day.  We were only there for a half hour or so and met up with another pub crawl.  Then we were off to the last bar and club.  Megan and I had our free shot, I got an extra for answering one of Tad's history questions right, and I think we took one more that Megan bought.  We danced and talked and finally about 2:30 Megan, Andy, the army guys, Michael the Polish guy and I left to go home.

Going home was an experience in and of itself.  I was the most sober person around and lead the way to the night bus stop.  We patiently waited for the bus which eventually stopped ahead of us and while we all ran for it, it took off barley stopping.  We were pissed so we decided to walk since we had 4 male bodyguards.  But Megan's feet were killing her (she wore heals, I wore my tennis shoes and Andy wore flats) so we caught the first bus we saw which happened to be going in the wrong direction.  So we got off at the next stop which happened to be next to a cab stand.  Us girls decided to just split the cab home instead of wandering around Rome trying to find our way in the wee hours of the morning.  The boys followed suit and got there own cab.  We made it back to our hostel and said good night (they were staying at a nearby hotel) and I went upstairs to find my once empty room full.  I changed quietly and practically fell into bed as I was exhausted and my ears were still ringing from the club's music.

The next morning I got up almost bright and early and I dressed and headed for my cafe for breakfast and cappuccino before going to the meeting spot for the Vatican tour.  Unfortunately I went to the wrong place, again my map skills are not all that great especially when I'm not at my best in the morning and after the night I had.  I missed the tour so I ended up going back to the hostel changing out of my "Vatican" clothes and into something else.  I wasn't feeling all that great so I laid in bed and read almost all day.  Okay I know that is like sacrilege when in a place like Rome but really that was about all I could manage.  I emerged about 3:00 and went down to find the Army boys and Michael the Polish drinking at the hostel bar.  I don't think I ever saw them without an alcoholic beverage of some sort in their hands.  But then again they can't drink at all on base in Iraq (or so they say).  I sat down with a cappuccino and chatted with them.  I got there life stories and what not.  I'm not going to release anything but their first names of Jesse, Joseph, and Chris.  They were nice guys and when we all got hungry we headed out in search of a good meal as it was their last in Italy.  They had to fly back to Iraq the next morning.  A hostel staffer had told me San Lorenzo had really good restaurants so we walked over but couldn't find anything open at 5:30.  We headed back and had dinner at Mama Angelo's a place they hadn't been yet.  The same waiter was working and still tried hitting on me.  I thought he would be intimidated by the fact that I was having dinner with 4 guys, but no.  That didn't bother him at all and he asked me out again.  I'll give the kid credit for persistence but really I thought the other guys would give him the hint I'm not interested.

After a tasty meal we all went back to the hostel bar and sat with Megan and Andy who had arrived.  We chatted with them and just hung out in general.  Megan and Andy were exhausted as they had gotten up early to do the Colosseum and Forum with their family.  All us girls left about 10:00 to go to bed and said our goodbyes to the guys.  I wished them well and told them to be safe.  I sincerely hope they are!  I went upstairs to find two Brazilian guys sharing my room.  They were nice and we talked a bit before I headed to the shower.  I was in bed asleep by midnight.

I woke up much brighter then the previous morning and got dressed and walked over to my cafe for breakfast then headed to the right place for the Vatican tour.  Where I met my old friend Tad who was running the tour that day.  I went and bought my metro pass at his request then ran through the Diocletian Baths that were turned into a church (surprise, surprise).  When I came out I met the other people on the tour.  A Lithuanian girl, Tad's parents visiting form Iowa (Jim and Terri) and Kathy an Asian American girl living in Shanghai and in Rome on vacation.  Once the group was assembled we took the metro to the Vatican and walked to St. Peter's Square.  It was Wednesday which is one of the days the Pope addresses the public.  So I got to see the Pope, although he was pretty far away, and the square was packed.  We took a few minutes to wander the crowd and get picture of the square.  We met back and waited for a bit but seemed to have lost the Lithuanian girl.  After about 20 minutes of waiting we gave up and went and got in line for the Vatican City Museum.

Kathy, Terri and I spent the majority of the wait chatting with each other.  I give Tad props for having such cool parents.  I really enjoyed talking with both of them. It was only about a hour wait to get into the museum, which I hear is pretty good.  We got in and got a little background from Tad on Vatican City.  Then we walked to a courtyard that has pictures of the Sistine Chapel.  We stood in the hot sun and listened to all Tad's fun historical facts that go along with the chapel and its making.  I hate to say it but there are to many to remember.  But I promise if I turn this into a book I'll do my research.

We walked through the different chambers of the museum stopping to really look at the big stuff, Roman bronze of Hercules (only 4 bronze statues survived the fall of the roman empire), big purple Egyptian marble bath of Nero, and what not.  When we finally got to the Sistine Chapel where we had 15 minutes so we split up.  It is such an amazing piece of art, and the fact that it was done my a sculptor makes it all the more magnificent.  If you haven't seen it there is no way for my to describe it and do it proper justice.  I only wish the ceiling wasn't so tall so you could see the entire thing more clearly and close up.  We met back up at the back of the chapel and then left and headed to St. Peter's Basilica.

We went through more security and got into St. Peter's.  I have been there before too but didn't remember any of it.  I remembered the Square outside the Basilica and the outside of the church and the guards hassling my about my tight capri pants the first time.  But the inside looked more or less new to me.  We walked around and got the highlights from Tad.  We saw Pieta, the marble sculpture that made Michelangelo famous as a young man of 24, the bronze statue of St. Peter that has been standing at the sight greeting pilgrims for roughly the last 1,800 years give or take.  We saw the alter crowned with Bernini's bronze super canopy the Baldacchino, Raphael's famous Transfiguration and many beautiful marble sculptures of saints.  It really is extremely impressive to see.  I hate to say almost oppressive as it's scale is so overwhelming that you go into overload before you even get a quarter of the way through it.

The tour ended in the basilica and Tad and his lovely parents took off.  Kathy and I stuck around a bit longer then headed back to Rome.  We stopped off for a late lunch at a local restaurant.  I had an awesome pesto pasta.  We did a little shopping on the way back to the hostel were we split up.  I ended up borrowing one the hostel laptops and downloadingthe pictures off my camera to my memory stick so I had room for my upcoming travels to Naples and Greece.  After that little chore was done I went down to the bar for a beer and ended up getting roped into a game of beer pong, my first ever.  I teamed up with the Albanian born Simon against Eric and his cousin.  Although Simon carried the team I made the last cup so we won.  I was very excited.  After my victory I went back upstairs to the main bar and found Megan and Andi and sat down to chat with them and their parents.  I got Megan's email for when I get to New Zealand.  When they took off I started talking to a nice Aussie from Perth, Justin.  He and I sat and chatted until about 12:30 when I left to go to bed.

I got up the next morning, Thursday, and planned to catch the train to Naples so I got dressed and packed up and checked out of my hostel room.  I left my luggage in the storage locker and went to get breakfast at my favorite cafe then went to the train station and got my ticket.  I ended up running back to the hostel and grabbing my luggage then walking as fast as I could with luggage entow to the train station to make my 11:00am train.  I made it with 5 minutes to spare.  I found a cabin and settled in.  A nice Italian business man helped me put my suitcase up on the luggage rack (20 kilos/45 lbs is a little more then I can put over my head by myself).  Although it was ironic as the guy who helped me was at least 2 inches shorter then me.  I settled in and wrote in my journal and read for the majority of the 4 hour train ride.  I got yelled at in Italian by the ticket man for not having my ticket validated but the he didn't fine me thank goodness.  And come 2:00 I was in Naples.