When In Rome... Part 2

I woke up at 7:00am and was just a few minutes late for our 7:30am meeting. After we had everyone (one of us kind of forgot to wake up, and we had to go and get her...) we stopped by the cafe next to our hostel for a quick breakfast (cappuccino and croissant) and walked to Termini station.

Our Hop on, hop off bus was only for Saturday, so we took the metro from Termini to the Colosseum. It brought us right to the monument (not a mile away like the bus). We got in line and only had a few minutes wait before the gates were opened and we were able to go inside.

I don't know about you, but when I think Rome I think Vatican and Colosseum. So naturally those were two of the coolest things for me. The Colosseum is amazing for so many reasons. It's still standing after two thousand years. People built it, without modern machines or technology. Its crazy to think how awesome it must've looked back then.

The inside is like any modern sports arena. A hallway that circles all the way around the building, multiple levels for viewing, and a place in the middle where the event takes place. Very similar. Though instead of locker rooms, they had cages...

We walked around the first level first, taking lots of pictures. When we'd made it all the way around we went up to the second level, where there was better viewing and an exhibit with artifacts found at the site. My inner history nerd was kind of freaking out at this point. All of the information provided was great; from history of the building to games played by the spectators to various events held. Things like, "During lunch, executions would take place..." really give a reminder of the terrible things that happened here and the fact that the Romans actually enjoyed their "sport". Real life hunger games right here.

Content with what we'd seen at the Colosseum we walked across the way to the entrance of the Roman Forum and Palatino. Both entrances were included in our Colosseum ticket. The Forum was so neat! It was basically a huge area of Ancient Rome that had been preserved. We walked past temples, tombs, and other buildings and portions of buildings. Each one had an information sign out front and I learned a lot.

We finished there around 10:30 and the group and I parted ways. They were off to do some souvenir shopping and then get to the airport to catch their 2pm flight. I set off walking towards to Vatican to stand in the inevitably long line for St. Peter's Basilica.

Rome was a great city to walk around in. I didn't get lost once, and unlike the previous evening the weather was bright and sunny. I got to St. Peter's Square at 11:15 and got in line. The line wrapped all the way around the square, but I was prepared to wait. Over the next half hour the number of people in the square increased exponentially. Only when I saw flags and banners, and everyone facing one direction as if waiting for something did I realize that it was Sunday and the Pope was probably in, which meant he would stand at his balcony and say a blessing at noon. I'd read that tidbit of info prior to my trip, but forgot about it until then. 

Sure enough, at 12:00 the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Way far away on his balcony stood Pope Francis. I got a glimpse of him before the line pushed me further to where I couldn't see. But I didn't want to waste 45 minutes in line, so I stayed put and listened as I watched him on the huge screens they had set up. How cool though, to be that close to the Pope?!

He talked for ten minutes, part of which sounded like a prayer or blessing. Too bad I can't understand Italian. It was just a few minutes after he was finished that I reached the front of the line, went through the metal detectors, and walked up the steps through the giant doors and into the building.

I think of the cathedrals I've been in that have left me speechless. Barcelona and Toledo stand out in my memory. St. Peter's was even more so. It was jaw dropping. So huge, and so beautiful. The gold in the designs, the many statues, the huge pillars, the giant dome... wow. Even though it was full of people, the place was quiet except for the sound of mass going on in one roped off area in the corner. I walked around for a long time, looking at the art, praying, taking it in, thinking about the history of the place. This city, it's significance to the Christian church, is huge. St. Paul wrote to the believers in Rome and longed to go there, and he eventually did. St. Peter was crucified there. Many other apostles came to the ancient city at some point in time. The early Church faced persecution under multiple Roman Emperors. Christians were killed in the Colosseum simply for believing what they did. And yet, after all of that, it became the headquarters of the church, and the city from which Christianity spread. And here I was, standing in that city. It was one of those amazing, "oh my gosh, I'm really here" moments.

Under the basilica lies the burial place of some of the previous Popes. I toured the area and got to see the tomb of Pope John Paul II and the tomb of St. Peter. I then went and bought a ticket to go to the top of the dome. You could buy an elevator ticket for two euros extra or choose to take the stairs. I chose stairs. 327 steps later, I was standing looking down to the church below. Again, I was amazed at how big the basilica really was. I walked around the circular dome and then left the room, expecting to head back down. But wait, there's more! I was surprised to continue the ascent. The stairway became narrow and the walls slanted. My leg muscles were burning by the time I reached the real top. But it was worth it. People who'd made it all the way up were treated to amazing views of the Vatican and Rome. I took pictures while enjoying the cool breeze, a welcome change from the hot stuffy stairwell. Then after a few minutes I worked up the energy climb back down.

The entire Basilica visit was awesome, but took a lot longer than I had expected. It was 2:00 when I left and since I hadn't rated much for breakfast (and since breakfast was at 7:45am) I was starving. I walked towards the center of the city, down side streets and piazzas. I came across a crowded take away place selling sandwiches. I got the mozzarella and tomato. It was a huge sandwich made with fresh, fluffy focaccia bread, tomato, and slices of the best mozzarella I've ever had. It was delicious, and I was SO full afterwards. Best part? It was only 3 euros!

I ate it while walking around Campo di Fiori and looking at the items for sale at the outdoor market. They had some great looking stuff: pastas, fruits, spices, and more. When I'd finished my "pizza" I continued my walk, again taking the smaller streets and ending up in Piazza Navona, a large open square with restaurants all around and a beautiful fountain in the middle. Near the piazza I found an authentic looking gelato shop. Neither of the gelatos I'd eaten yesterday were amazing, and I was hoping to find something that beat San Sebastián before I left. I got a cone with three flavors (you pay by size here, not flavor, so you can get as many as you want!) that ended up being my new favorite flavor combo: Hazelnut, chocolate, and pistachio. It was the real deal. I'd found the amazingly delicious Italian gelato I had dreamed of. And though I felt as though I might burst after finishing it, it was worth it :).

Full of gelato and exhausted, I found it much more difficult to walk from that point on. Moving more slowly I again passed the Trevi Fountain. A few minutes later I came again to the Pantheon. We hadn't gone inside on Saturday so I decided to have a look. It was one big, round building with art and statues on each section of wall. At the front was a sort of chapel, with an alter and crucifix and benches. I made my way around the building and then headed back out into the now rainy evening.

Like the previous day, Rome decided to reserve the "100% chance of rain"  for 5pm onward. It poured. I ran from souvenir shop to souvenir shop trying to stay dry, which was impossible even with an umbrella. I bought a few souvenirs and looked in a couple really cute wood carving shops. At 5:30 I found the metro and took it back to Termini Station. It had been a long day.

I got back to the hostel before 6:00pm and collapsed on the bed. My legs were so tired, my feet so sore, and my stomach so full that I was pretty content to stay right there for the rest if the night. I checked Facebook and followed the game on Twitter while looking at pictures and enjoying the down time. At 8:30 the incredibly stuffed feeling had passed and I was actually feeling a bit hungry. Plus, this was my last chance for Italian food. So I crossed the street to a tiny pasta place called "Mama Angela's".

I sat down and ordered the first thing on the menu, "Spaghetti cacio e pepe". It was just noodles with cheese and pepper, but it was so good! Better than the ravioli or any of the other dishes I had sampled the night before. It was the kind of meal you eat slowly, so you can enjoy every bite. When I'd finished I ordered Tiramisu for dessert. It was the best I've ever had, which actually isn't saying much because I don't think I've ever had tiramisu before. But it was very good. By the time I'd finished everything it was almost ten. I set my alarm for early, made sure I was pretty much packed, and fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning before my alarm, which was strange. I'd planned to get up at 6am, check out, and get to the bus stop by 7am. Since I was early waking up I made the 6:30 bus, and was at the airport and through security less than an hour and a half later. 

Ciampino is a very small airport that caters to the budget airlines of Europe, mostly Ryanair. There weren't a lot of options for breakfast, so my breakfast ended up being a chocolate cannoli. Not a great morning meal, but really yummy, and plus...when in Rome! :)

My flight back to Madrid left on time at 9:25. I was sad to leave. I could have easily spent a couple of weeks there. The architecture, history, and food was all more than I had hoped for. It was wonderful to travel with friends for part of the trip. I had a lot of fun hanging out with them, taking pictures, and exploring the city. At the same time, it was also a great place for solo travel. I felt totally okay walking around the streets by myself. If I had to choose a city in Europe to come back to, this would definitely be a top choice. It would be difficult to pick between London and Rome, they're both amazing cities with so much that I still haven't seen. Either way, I love Rome, and I really hope I can make it back someday.