When In Rome . . .

Today was the first day in our trip where we planned to be in the same city for two nights in a row. Knowing that there was no rush to check out of our room and hop on another train we opted to sleep in a bit. Sleep has been a luxury in short supply so far. I think we are all averaging around 3-5 hours a night depending on the city. The idea of getting something close to a full eight hours sounded like heaven.

Breakfast was served at our little hotel from 7:45-9:30. We decided to meet in the breakfast room at 8:30. A typical European breakfast of meats (salami, prosciutto etc) with bread and cheese were served with some yogurt and coffees. The cappuccinos were also flowing if you wanted one made for you. It was a great way to start off the second day in Rome.

Once we were all assembled for the day we hit the road. On the way we grabbed some take away pizza from the local shop. We tried a 4 cheese pizza and one with cheese and mushrooms. Both were delicious and hit the spot as we walked to the closest metro station. It turns out, the closest one involved a walk down a very large hill. Which is fine, if you are walking down the hill, but we were not so excited about the long walk back up the hill. We made a mental note to shoot for a different metro stop that may have been a little further away on the map, but would be more agreeable when returning from a long day of hiking around the city and sightseeing.

We headed first to the Colosseum. This is where the Roma passes we bought the day before came in handy. For a small extra fee (plus unlimited use of the metro for 48 hours) we were able to jump in front of the line and walk right in. When you get into the center part of the Colosseum you quickly realize how big the building is, and how many layers there are all folded into one space. Thankful for the Rick Steve's audio guide we began the tour into history while orienteering by means of the iron cross erected as a memorial. Being it was a hot day we were thankful for the shade we could rest in and the fountains we could refill our water bottles at. While waiting in line we observed a little boy trying to drink as the water poured down from the spout above his head. This is not an easy task at any age and the crowd chuckled. We needed this moment as the history of the Colosseum is filled with woes of death and unfortunate plundering through the ages.

Once finished with the Colosseum we headed over to the Palentine Hill. Tim and Michelle had tried to visit this before, but in some way turned the wrong way and could never quite find it. This time they were determined to at least find it and see a little bit on the way to the Roman Forum. There was a new security checkpoint added to the front of the entrance that had not been there in prior years. This meant that there were now a number of people that we could ask for directions to the entrance. It turns out that there was a small side door that you could enter if coming from the direction we took that would allow you a path to access Palentine Hill. We thought we would take a few moments to look around and then head out, but quickly realized that the Palentine Hill complex is very large. And descriptive signs were there giving information in Italian and English on the details of the site. We could have spent hours there trying to take it all in.

Wanting to be mindful of the time, we took a few pictures (This is Susanne and I must interject that a few pictures does not describe the true amount that I have taken! Tim and Michelle have been very patient as every where we go is another picture spot that must be treasured...click! Oh, and a must needed selfie that proves I was here...click! This usually means I walk behind and sprint to catch up. I believe this is called interval training to those that workout.) Then we headed to the Roman Forum. The Rick Steve's audio guide that we used was very helpful in understanding not only the buildings we were seeing but why they were important. It's challenging to convey the awe of being surrounded by the once was grandeur of an ancient civilization. The Roman Forum is a must see and definitely requires several visits to take in the amount of ruins there are to walk through.

After the Roman Forum we headed back to the Pantheon to see the inside. The Pantheon is a round shaped building whose purposes have shifted and changed over time. It has been used as the home of many religious at various times. The engineering within the building, to have such a high dome and an open rooftop was impressive given when it was designed and constructed. And the amount of marble, even precious purple colored marble, makes your jaw drop.

Back outside of the Pantheon we decided to stop off for a recommended drink from one of the Rick Steve's guides (are you seeing a theme in the planning for this trip?). Tazza d'Oro is one of the oldest coffee shops in Rome and is located in the Pantheon piazza. We dropped in for their afternoon/hot day special, a refreshing granita di caffe con panna. An espresso slushy and whipped cream that is delicious and gives you a nice caffeine boost. There must be some way we can recreate this at home. I'm sure Tim and Susanne will be working on this. From here we pick up the last part of the Rick Steve's walk that we had not finished the day before.

On the audio walk, we pass by the Trevi Fountain. A daytime visit to the Trevi fountain is much different, the mob of people fill every step and niche overflowing to the surrounding streets. We were thankful to have had a peaceful experience the night before, so this time we could stand back and watch the sea of humanity reach the waters of the fountain. With an eye out for a fun dinner restaurant, we strolled down the streets in the general direction of the Spanish steps. An alleyway had a few restaurants with the inside empty and the outside tables packed. With many miles under our belts, we decided to go in for a quiet dinner. The waitstaff soon became delightful jokers poking fun at each of us. One even shared a glass of wine with us and another posed for a picture with Susanne...and then much to her surprise kissed her cheek just before the camera went off. We had a great laugh. As the evening rolled on, the inside of the restaurant became as lively as the outside. An Australian family was seated next to us. The mother had three young kids - 7, 6 and a baby. Surprisingly (sarcasm), Susanne and Michelle were drawn to the young baby and a fun exchange of travel stories ensued.

Theoretically we were supposed to end the day early and catch up on more sleep. But the city is so magical at night when the Romans come out to play that we found ourselves staying out later than anticipated. These are the times where you really feel like you are a part of the city, not just a tourist passing through. We made it to the Spanish steps and spent some time taking pictures and soaking up the last bit of the city. In the morning we had a busy day planned. We would leave early in the morning in the direction of the Cinque Terre. There would be one small stop off on the way in Pisa, where Tim, Susanne and Christyn would leave Michelle with the bags to make a quick trip into town to see the leaning tower. Michelle would then access wifi and make some phone calls to secure a room for the night in Vernazza. There were no rooms left on the hotel booking website that we usually use, so we were leaving Rome with no lodging plans in the Cinque Terre. Apparently we decided to travel in Rome during the beginning of their holiday season, and on the weekend we would be in the Cinque Terre it is their Republic Holiday, kind of like our 4th of July. This means lots of Italians will be traveling and celebrating. So we were hoping that there would be a room for us somewhere once we arrived.

Off to bed now, more adventures to come!