Rome

Rome, Rome, where to begin with Rome.  This was one place we definitely wanted to get to while we were in Europe. It had the quintessential European big city vibe, but with a major difference; artifacts and ruins throughout, actually embedded within, the city. We’re talking about huge, show-stopping sights: the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the largest monument I’ve ever seen, Piazza Navona, Arch of Constastine, and more. I can only imagine how much a real history buff would enjoy that place. The presence of the Roman Empire is just staggering and impossible to deny. While we were in Prague, I remember reading that it had been the capital of the Roman Empire in the 14th century. Prague is so far away and to think that the empire’s reach extended to the Czech Republic really says something. And then seeing the Colosseum in true form, it really puts it all into perspective.

Our first stop when we arrived that late Friday afternoon was just a jaunt around our hotel neighborhood.  St. Paul’s Basillica resided a few blocks from us so we walked over to it in the early evening after settling into the hotel. It was a beautiful summer evening with people eating gelato and playing soccer and walking their dogs, no one in a hurry to get anywhere, including us. The church is next to a park, so we walked around a GIANT wall and the clock tower. We were hungry from the side effects of not eating – starvation – so we decided to find a bite before we went into the church. All we could find was some pretty dissapointing, heat lamp pizza. Not to worry though, our Italian palates would be quelled the following evening. When we finally went into the courtyard, it was stunning; not very large, but well kept, and green and refreshing, with huge marble columns lining the courtyard. Then we heard music from within the chruch. We thought we would soon be kicked out because of a concert or something. Turns out it was a free concert open to the public – AWESOME. To hear people singing in those acoustics was simply amazing. We hung at the back of the gigantic hall, drowning in marble and an Italian choir. It was pretty insane.

The next day was our big, jam packed, see-it-all-in-a-day day. The Colosseum was our first stop and geez, is it formidable. We got trapped into a tour, but thought it might be worth it. It was €20 each, but that included the €12 entrance fee and we got to jump to the head of the line, which was pretty long even as early as we were. It was our only paid tour, so it was kind of nice hearing about its history. It’s too bad it was such a place of bloodshed for all of those poor lads, Christians, and tigers. We walked inside, and around the different tiers, and each vantage point held a unique perspective on the city. I thought it would look the same everywhere, but surprisingly, you saw something different from every angle. None of the stadium flooring or the inner, central flooring remained because of some fires and earthquakes, but it still retained its dominant quality. They restored a few sections here and there to help give you a feeling of what it would have been like back in the day. Very, very cool.

Near the Colosseum was a huge, unbroken arch, the Arch of Constantine (of Constantinople).  Near the grounds, there was also a huge archeological site. And I mean huge. Many, many city blocks worth of ruins and toppled pillars. We missed the exit (and the entrance) and still had much more to see, so we just walked alongside it as we worked our way through Rome. The next imposing structure to catch our eye was this humongous Monument.  The statues that sat on top of it must have been the size of stadiums. People were walking up the stairs and they looked like ants. We continued walking down the busy Roman street, with all of the other tourists I imagine. Eh, but who cares, when in Rome…

It was really hot though and there weren’t really any grassy areas, and the humidity was too much, but we pushed on. We went to find the Trevi Fountain, thinking the mist might cool us off. Apparantly  everyone else had the same idea. The fountain was tucked away in a small crossroads of alleys, so it was just packed with people sitting and standing around it. But we did find some yummy gelato to cool us off before we headed off the find the Pantheon.

Even though it’s a big building, the builldings around it stand taller and there aren’t any main streets near it, only building alleyways. It would have been hard to find except for it’s spherical top. It has grand marble pillars guarding its entryway as well as a fountain (those Romans like their fountains).  Inside are gorgeous fresco’s and intricate mable floors and walls and the “eye” poking sunlight through. Pretty amazing.

We then found a couple other famous piazza’s with fountains, more marble pillars, and ornate statues on our way to the Castle St. Angelo.  We crossed a short bridge, also decorated with roman marble statues leading up to the gates. We walked inside a bit with absolotely stunning fresco’s before viewing the city from the best vantage point. Why is everything so cool looking at those perspectives? Vatican City was some distance away, but it reached the height of the top of the castle because it is so grand.

After the last of our sightseeing, we went to find a spot for dinner. We ended up in a resutrant in one of the smaller alleys. Lots of foot traffic, but not too much, and only a vehicle or two. The alley’s are fairly narrow and the quaint buildings that frame the alley all have flower boxes in the windows and people are talking loudly in their melodious Italian. We had a fantastic dinner of the best ever spaghetti and meatballs and mouth-watering bruschetta with perfectly soaked olive oil and basil. Oh man, so delicious, and a bottle of wine to boot that helped relax the joints after walking all day. Everyone was happy and Skye was having a ball eating perftectly cooked spaghetti with parmesan. She absolietly loved it. It was that perfect time of the evening when everyone is transistioning to night time. It was a perfect meal with my adoring family and charming Italian atmosphere — one that I will not soon forget.

We made it back to the hotel and the anxiety of Skye in a hotel room started to set in. But she slept like a doll and went right down and stayed down all night!  Since we weren’t quite ready to go to sleep, we started watching the last few episodes of the last season of Battlestar Galatica. Geeks no matter where we are!

Our last day in Rome we planned on going to Vatican City before heading to the train and the beach. We had our first experience with a real “continental breakfast” and boy does it put the state’s to shame! We’re talking meats, cheeses, pastries, fruit, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, yogurt, a variety of juices, sausages, bacon, a variety of baker’s bread, fabulous Italian coffee, pomodorro and on and on. Filled us up quite right before heading out into the sun.

We were told to head out pretty early, but it’s always sooo hard to get out of those hotel beds. You know it’s a bad sign when the subways are empty except the one you are on and everyone gets off at the same stop as you. The line into the Sistine Chapel was ridiculous, like 2-3 hours in the sun, there was no way we needed to see it that badly. We went instead to St. Peters Basilica and the big area you see on TV where the Pope comes out and waves to everyone. The entire city is monumentous. It was a modern-day religous region similar to that of some of the relics we had seen in other cities and civilizations of the past. Some day people will look at the Vatican with the same awe and wonder that we did in the Pantheon.

So after our two days in Rome we boarded our 3 hour train ride to Tirrenia, a small beach town near Piza. It was pretty exciting watching the city fall behind us and the coast and screamin’ blue water ahead of us. The train went right along the coastline and at times we were only a few meters from the water. It was one of the better train rides of the million we took on this trip.

Rome was a highlight of the vacation and I would do it again in a second. It was unforgettable and so much fun. However, the loud, busy, lived-in city would be too much to stay in for too long, especially at that time of year and in that heat and humidity.