Saturday September 17, 2011
Daylight and I was up learning how to make coffee in an Italian Expresso Coffee Maker. It took 7 cups to to satisfy me but I figured it out. Ty got a boot out of bed by 7:30 am and right after a shave and shower we were off like a shot to the Coliseum just up the street.
Unfortunately the crowds skipped coffee and beat us to the Coliseum... they were lined up an hour back and after 15 minutes (we aren't very patient), we decided to put it off till tomorrow in favour of starting at the Vatican today because tomorrow the Pope is giving Sunday Mass which will obviously be busy and maybe the line-ups at the coliseum won't be so bad on a Sunday. (Good suggestion Hailey!)
Now, bear in mind that no camera lens will do justice to what we saw today and be barely scratched the surface of Rome. In fact, alot of ancient Rome is still buried under present day Rome! We walked almost non-stop for 14 hours today and never ran out of incredible jaw-dropping things. Rome is bigger than life. The doors are 20' tall, the ceilings in the cathedrals are a hundred feet up there, the marble columns and statues are just incredible and the fountains... OMG! But so are the crowds! Our stops included the following:
Fori Imperiali
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
Piazza del Campidoglio
Colonona Traiana
Palazza-Galleria Doria Pamphili
Fontana di Trevi
Fontana del Tritone
Plazza di Spagna
Colonna di Marco Aurelio
Ponte Sant Angelo bridge
Castele Sant Angelo
Piazza San Piedro
St. Peter's Square and The Vatican
After walking around for a couple hours in northern Rome, we had Spaghetti and a beer and caught a taxi to to Trastavere, now voted the most romantic spot I have ever been in my life. Here are the quintessential narrow winding streets and alleys, lovers walking hand in hand, sidewalk cafes and restorantes, music, wine... sigh. Lovely. Just lovely. Ty and I got our haircut in an old barber shop, bought a bottle of red wine (Italian Chianti of course!) and drank it followed by a couple slices of pizza as we walked back to our piazza through Ghetto. Time doesn't permit me to sort all my pics yet but enjoy... enjoy!
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| Just cant resist a good boat shot! |
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| Me keeping up with my notes! |
Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
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| A pidgeon was flapping around caught in the neck so I caught it on the bridge and untangled it. No other tourists would help it but I' a country boy... and they gathered around like it was an act! I should have taken up a collection! |
