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When in Rome...
So here I am in Rome and it's been a perfect day! Yesterday we drove from Florence and I caught up on my other journal. I think I wrote 16 pages...it's full of funny little stories and odd tid bits. I tried to hold back on the picture taking as I took more than 100 on the drive from Nice to Florence.
On our way into Rome we saw what we had been preparing for...fake babies! These guys were pushing along a baby carriage with a plastic baby and then tipped it over coming over a curb. I didn't see what happened next but it got us ready... As beautiful as Rome is there are certainly some dodgy people hanging about.
First stop was the Colleseum. Luckily for us it was June 2nd - Rome day...which meant that entrance was free! bella! Another pleasent surprise was that since something like 300 000 people were in town to see the Pope we got bumped from our orignial hotel to a much nicer one! After checking into the hotel and having some down time we loaded back in the coach and went out for dinner. There are two types of meals: optional (which means that you pay extra) and included. The included meals are always pretty odd, last night was no exception. Fun table though, so that was nice. Had a good sleep last night and charged up for the day of adventures.
Because of the excess people in town they had to cancel our guided tour of the Vatican. Instead they linked us up with a guided tour of the old roman ruins and then try to tackle the line to get into the Vatican later in the day. It worked our perfectly! The ruins were sooooo interesting and our guide was really cute and very enthusiastic about everything Roman. I took loads of pictures so I'll give a mini tour upon my return. Speaking of which my tour manager asked me when I was planning to stop being a student and start being a tour guide. I laughed it off, he didn't. Don't worry, I still have my plane ticket home...for now anyhow....
Instead of taking the subway up to the Vatican, JB (tour manager) took us through the streets where we stopped at the Pantheon (a huge dome) and Trevi Fountain (incredibly beautiful). We got to the Vatican and had about a two hour wait to get in. We just made it in too as they close entry for two hours at 1:20 and we made it in the doors at 1:10.
The Vatican was wonderful. My neck is strained from looking at the ceiling the whole time though! That, and carrying my backpack on my front and being on the lookout for the dodgy ones. They allowed pictures with no flash throughout with the exception of the Sistene Chapel. I stayed in there quite a while. There was just so much to see in one place!
The group I had gone to the Vatican with quickly got seperated once we got inside so I had an afternoon of exploring on my own. I did quite well too! Julie's birthday present has been taken care of and both Dad and Andrew are off my list too. Mom has gotten little tid bits from all over - prehaps I'll see what the blanket men have for her....
Rome can't be done in a day, but I sure gave it my best shot. Tomorrow we stop in Pompeii before catching the overnight ferry to Greece. We'll be on the island of Corfu for three days and then back up the Adriatic Sea to Venice on the 8th (i think). Not sure what internet will be like but I'll try to post an update.
Hope all are well!
hugs,
Laura
previous travel blog entry
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