All Roads Lead To Rome

We hit the ground in Rome at around 1:30pm on a hot Thursday morning, and I was hit with the intense heat as we stepped out onto the tarmac; it felt instantly like we had stepped into the middle of an Australian summer. Without any hassles, we collected our bags, and walked straight out of customs, no passport stamp, bag check, nothing! From the Ciampano Airport, we caught a cheap bus into the centre of Rome.

Something I learnt along time ago was that it's really important to (well, at least try to) not have any expectations of a person, place or experience before meeting, visiting or involving yourself...but, having known about Rome and Italy for such a long time, and studied the Italian language for many years, I had most certainly built up a picture in my head. To be honest, as I looked out the bus window on the way in from the airport, past the vineyards, homesteads and car yards, it looked like what I imagined Spain would. Upon expressing this, I was kindly reminded that we were in fact on the edge of the Mediterranean sea, and this was a Mediterranean climate and culture... However, I would see and experience my prior visions of Rome a bit further along the track...

Once we arrived at Termini train station, we made our way to where we were staying, the Alessandro Palace, to check in and leave our luggage. Given the heat, we tried to stay cool, and laid low in the cool and dark of our hostel room til the following morning, by which time I was really anxious to get out and start exploring Rome. We started the day by walking down through the Piazza della Republica, past loads of clothes and shoe stores, when we found a little cafe, where we stopped of for a lunch of salami and bocconcini, which was delicious, and proved to be good fuel for the task ahead, because after lunch, we walked down Via Nazionale, past the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, until we reached Ancient Rome.

We walked through amazing spaces such as Mercanti Triane, Colonna Tralana, Foro Traiano, Foro di Augusto, Foro di Nerra & Foro di Cesare, and down to the Colosseum- it was so exciting to see the wall (or what's remaining of it) come into view. We decided to pay the fee to go inside, largely because the pass would allow us to visit both the Colosseum, and go into the Palatino and the Roman Forum for the next two days if we wished to. These places astounded me- the ruins are quite incredible, but also those structures that have been standing there since the time of Julius Caesar. We passed the Arco di Constantino, and out of Ancient Rome, tired and hot, with grubby feet and limbs. The experience of the Colosseum and Ancient Rome (which took over five hours to walk in 32 degrees Celsius + temperatures, was hard and tiring work, but definitely worth the toil!).

Parched and tired, and wilting like flowers in the mid afternoon sun, we pressed on, past the mind blowing structure of the 'Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II' (see picture below) and the 'Palazzo Venezia', grabbed a pastrami sandwich, and caught the express bus back to Termini Station.

By early evening, we needed to re-hydrate and sleep, and found another restaurant close by, called 'Mamma Angela's' for pane, wine, lasagna and tiramisu, before crashing out at the Alessandro Palace. We had agreed to venture to the Vatican City early the next morning, and so we caught the Rome Metro train to Ottaviano station, which is only a stone's through from the Vatican City. Our first stop was Basilica Saint Pietro (St. Peter's Basilica- see picture below), which was a sight to behold!

We spent some time wandering about the square- the day was hot already, and the skies were clear blue; excellent conditions for taking lots of pictures! The line to get into the Basilica was nowhere near as long as we had anticipated, and within 10 minutes, we had walked through the front doors. I was almost bowled over when I walked in, which I imagine is the desired affect- the domes, the ceilings, the artwork, and the interior design is astounding. I was quick to notice Michelangelo's La Pieta (1499), which was standing behind a glass wall to the right of the main entrance (she picture below); but I decided to walk around the Basilica in an anti-clock wise direction, and return to the sculpture at the end of my self-guided tour.

From ceiling to floor, the Basilica's design and detail was decadent and excessive in every way; every tile, every painting, angel, sculpture, lead-light window, altar...so much to absorb. We entered into the sacred prayer room, and sat before the glorious, bronzed angels, and amongst nuns lying stretched out on the floor.

After stopping for sometime in front of La Pieta, we exited the Basilica, and walked out through the square, past the fountains and the sculptures, and over to the Vatican museum. Again, many had forecast a four hour long line to get in, and beggars waiting at the doors; but I experienced none of this, and walked straight in...and a line, a great wait, never appeared.

Walking though the the Vatican Museum, looking at the ceiling, through incredible rooms and passage ways, I tried to assure my poor little brain that it was okay to not be able to process and comprehend all the information before it! But I did the best I could- I particularly loved the Raphael's Room of Constantine. You could sense the anticipation building the closer you came to the Sistine Chapel...and I was overcome, I must say, by that amazing space! The height of the ceilings, the quality of the work, the sheer grandness, the mystique, the history, they story... my oh my! I sat on the seats along the sides of the Chapel, and stared up at The Creation of Adam and Delphica for a long time.

On the way out of the Sistene Chapel, we walked through the Basilica's crypts, past St. Peter's Tomb and Pope John Paul II's Tomb, where people had gathered and laid flowers and wreaths, until we made it back out onto the square, from where we walked down and around the Castel Sant'Angelo.

We wandered along the banks of Tiber River (Fiume Tevere), through the market stalls, filled with jewellery, leather, and vintage clothing, books and records stalls, and past the spectacular Ponte Sant Angelo, lined with majestic Angel sculptures, until we reached the Piazza del Tribunali- a superb structure, depite all the scaffolding. Not long after this, we decided to head back to the hostel, to charge our camera batteries, and escape the heat of the day.

By early evening, we were ready to head back out again, and decided that we would head to the Colosseum to see it by night, via the Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountain (see picture below). Both the Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountain were swarming with people, and the spray of the water coming from Trevi was tempting me to leap in...

We stopped close by the Trevi fountain for dinner (a little place with red and white checked table cloths and all!), before training it over to the Colosseum. In the night sky, the Colosseum boomed! There were many folks, gathered at the base, and there was a definite ambiance about the ancient place. We stayed there for a while, trying to get the best shot we could- could've stayed there all night I guess.

The following day was Sunday, and it was elected as a day of rest, of shopping and for me...food! Sampling bits and pieces from delicatessens and cafes I'd been eyeing off, but hadn't made it into...forget the architecture, the history...the food in Rome, my Lord, the food!

And then it was time for Florence.