Day Two: Wednesday 17th September – Roma awaits!

Weather: Sunny and Warm about 26deg.

After a restful night, we woke up at 7am and felt ready to take on Roma again. This hotel had switches by the bed that opened the blinds or turned lights on and off. It was cool. Upon opening the blinds, we saw that it was a beautiful sunny morning. This was day one of our Insight tour, but we would meet them much later so it was time to explore Roma.

Breakfast is served on the top floor with views of Rome. We arrived there at 8am - Radisson SAS Hotel provided an impressive breakfast. We could choose a variety of cereals, scrambled eggs, Italian sausages (how I loved these little beauties. I ate so many while in Italy it was surprising I didn’t turn into one,) bacon, a choice of delicious fruits, assorted breads, jams, juices and tea and coffees. As I left the dinning room, I grabbed some fruit and biscuits. Exploring a foreign city makes u hungry.

Today we were going to explore Piazza del Popolo and The Pantheon. With breakfast consumed, we found ourselves once again at the subway. After yesterday, we felt like we could tackle anything and knew our way around the tourist area of Roma. With our money hidden, we are ready for anything. Rome here we come! We boarded Line A and after a short ride, we disembarked at Barberini station.

We explored Piazza Barberini and its Fontana del Tritone (Triton Fountain) created by Bernini. Near Piazza Barberini is Via Vittorio Veneto (the street made famous in the 1960’s with film stars) where you will find the 17th century church Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Concezione. Underneath its chapel is the Capuchin cemetery where everything is made from human bones. Between 1528 and 1870, the monks used the bones of Capuchin monks to create this bizarre cemetery. I really wanted to see this but we arrived and found it closed and would not open to much later in the afternoon. Damn we would have to return. But my luck was against me again for we never had time to return to the monk church.

So we went back on the train and went to Piazza del Popolo, where in its centre is an Egyptian obelisk. I read that there are thirteen Egyptian Obelisks in Rome. Here we saw –
 The Pincio – a neo-classical landscape garden designed by Giuseppe Valadier in the 19th Century.
 The twin churches – Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto Every time I noticed a church door open, I revisited my childhood. It was similar to waking up early on Christmas morning to see what Santa had left. A thrill ran through my body and I quickly peeked inside. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I explored these churches. Something I did throughout my three weeks in Italy. This addiction of mine, irritated Stacey and by church number ten she refused to go into another “bloody church”. Around 60% of churches we visited, we were unable to take pictures.

 The Porta del Popolo one of the entrances to Piazza del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo became our outdoor cafe today. Sitting on one of the stone benches around the Piazza, we ate our fruit watching the bustle of the piazza and enjoying the sun on our faces. People watching was another of my favourite pastimes in Italy. Because we were on the go all day, this fruit became our lunch, who needs to eat while grazing at all this remarkable history and such interesting people.

Leaving Piazza del Popolo I wanted to find Largo di Torre Argentina - the Cat Sanctuary of Rome. I had read about this on the internet. We had no luck finding the cats today but we found the Temple of Neptune in Piazza di Pietra. This 145AD temple towers over the piazza. It’s amazing how ancient buildings stand beside modern ones in Italy.


We stumbled upon a couple of stunning churches.

Santa Ignazio di Loyola in Piazza di Sant’Ignazio



Piazza di Sant’Ignazio – Once again, Stacey’s back appears in the pic (pink jumper right)


Santa Ignazio di Loyola (above) and its beautiful trompe I’oeil ceiling (below). Stacey and I loved this church the most in Italy. Its interior is covered in magnificent paintings, stucco, coloured marble and gilt. The trompe I’oeil ceiling painted by Jewish artist Andrea Pozzo is astonishing.



Another church we explored was Chiesa del Gesu in Piazza del Gesu. It is Rome’s first Jesuit church built between 1551 and 1584 and its interior is made of gold and marble and paintings – breathtaking! The tomb of Ignatius Loyola (a Spanish solider who came to Rome and founded the Jesuits in 1540) is apart of the altar.

Our next stop was Rome’s best-preserved ancient building - The Pantheon. As we drew closer, I became excited. This was one of those special places in Rome I wanted to grab a gelato and just soak up my surroundings. I wanted this place to remain in my memory forever.

We strolled along many picturesque narrow alleys or streets until we stepped into Piazza della Rotondo.



I stopped and just gazed at the busy Piazza. Piazza della Rotondo is encircled by buildings on all sides with the mighty Pantheon dominating. The Pantheon was truly remarkable on the outside. I felt like I had stepped back in time.



Backside of the Pantheon

This is architecture at its most impressive. What they could accomplish in AD 118 is remarkable. Inside - enormous. We brought lemon and choc chip gelatos and sat by the fountain enjoying our ice creams while we immersed ourselves in the surroundings of this remarkable piazza. There were many others doing the same thing. I could here various languages. The pantheon had captivated me. I wanted to stay here forever but we had to go and explore more of this amazing city called Roma.

We headed down one of the small alleyways leading away from Piazza della Rotondo. Now was our time to explore these charming cobblestone streets. We spent a couple of hours just walking around.



We came across this beautiful alleyway. I wanted to get lost here and never return to Australia, but my children were waiting for me back home.



I wanted to have lunch here but we didn’t have time to sit (what a shame…) Some of the neighbouring streets were like a dream. Next time I come to Rome I am going to have the time to just sit and eat at the various restaurants or cafes that capture my heart.

Soon it was time to jump on a bus that would take us to Termini Station and our hotel. We were very lucky our hotel was near the station. All we had to do was catch a bus or train heading to Termini station. We arrived at the Radisson at 4.40 just enough time for a quick toilet break and then it was 5pm and we headed to the dining room to the welcome drink where we would meet our TD and fellow travelling companions. Our Italian Escapade tour had begun.

Debra, our TD had just returned last night from her last tour group. She spoke for one and half hours. WOW, you say, but it wasn’t boring and it didn’t seem that long. We giggled at her words. This laughing would continue on the trip because Debra is a very funny woman. Tonight Debra informed us of what to expect on this tour. She enlightened us on Rome and its people. We were all captivated. I would absorb every word, remember every Italian phrase or little bit of history or some funny remark about her fellow countrymen she told us in the 12 days we were with her.

Debra warned us of the Roman drivers. All Romans (Really all Italians) love to speed. They never obey signs or traffic lights. A red light to us means stop and to the Italians it does not for they don’t stop - they continue on their happy way. I wanted to ask why do they have traffic lights in Italy for, but I guess it’s for the tourists who are courageous or foolish enough to get behind a wheel in Italy. Turning is another talent they learn from a young age. As you approach an intersection, You don’t look, no nothing that easy, you just rush on in and head in the direction you want to go. The drivers are not concerned about the Ferrari they just cut off or the tourist they almost gave a heart attack to. It’s a country with one of the lowest heart attack rates in the world. They don’t worry about the things you or I worry about. Debra also mentioned that there are not many accidents. They are good drivers she says with a smirk on her face. We were very amused when she told us that The Italian police do not book their own kind, just the crazy tourist drivers.

Oh and while we are mentioning about Roman drivers, she had to update us on something that would be one of our occupations while in Italy – The meek tourist pedestrian. For a country who thinks they are the sole driver on the road, would they change their driving for the humble person on foot? No way! What is a pedestrian? They get points for hitting as many pedestrians are they can, so Debra says.

Debra explained about the poor state of some of the buildings around Rome. Graffiti is everywhere. On the front of 15th and 16th century buildings and on trains, not many surfaces have gone unscarred. (Don’t forget this shocked Stacy at the train station.) It began about 8 years ago. Horrified, the government quickly painted over it. But the very next day it was back again. It began a vicious circle of painting and then doodling until some nut in the government suggested leaving it alone until this western phase goes out of style. It hasn’t happened. I hope it does soon.

She mentioned about the price of eating in an Italian restaurant. If you park your butt on prime real estate, you pay double of what is on the menu. However, if you go around the building and stand at the hole in the wall it is cheaper. Its not just us tourists who pay these excessive prices but the locals have to as well. Gee, it looks like Stacey and I won’t complain of sore butts while in Italy.

Taxis also got a brief mention, as did the closeness of Italian people. Italians are comfortable with each other and love standing close to another person, even a stranger. “You westerners,” she said, “have this thing about people entering into your own private space. Well forget this while you are in my country. As you wait in a queue, you will find yourself standing about 3 feet from the person in front. This is normal for you all. But not Italians.” Not a good idea she says as an Italian family of 6 will move into that small gap you have left.

Debra also explained that at every hotel she would pin up a timetable with our wake-up calls and breakfast times. Also on the timetable would be the time of bus departure and our next town. This is just in case we are not listening when she tells us the night before. After her very funny talk, we had 10 minutes to take a wee break and get what we need from our rooms and were to meet in the hotel lobby to board our coach for a drive around the city and our first optional: Roman Dinner Party Euro 57

Once we are assembled, we are led outside and catch sight of our coach for the very first time. And there is the man who will drive us around Italy for the next 12 days - Tommaso. The coach was very roomy and clean.

We were taken to our restaurant for the night: Hostaria Al Gladiatore, which is opposite the colosseum. What a wonderful first night meal in Rome. The view was fantastic.



All you can eat anti-pesto, pasta and pizza and coffee cake for dessert. Oh and the most important thing - all you can drink. It was the night for our group to introduce themselves and find out were we all came from. During the evening, we were entertained by three musicians singing Italian songs.

After dinner, we had a drive around the city. The colosseum ablaze with light at night is stunning. We learnt that each arch you see in the colosseum once contained a statue and the Popes long gone, removed them. Debra took us to one of Rome’s oldest houses – Roman Insula. We admired the home from above as it was below street level. We learnt that all of Rome is built on ruins. Modern day Romans would love a better train service. However, every time they start renovations they encounter another ruin, which puts a stop to extending the rail system. Stacey and I did see many ‘holes’ in the ground where the government had begun a car park or widening of a road and discovered a ruin and had to stop. These ruins have become tourist attractions. I cannot begin to imagine what is under modern Rome today. It excites me a lot.

The house ruin is beside the staircase leading to Santa Maria in Aracoeli and at the bottom of the Capitoline. While Debra was talking, I wandered off and noticed two granite lions guarding a broad ramp, the Cordonato. I looked and noticed we were standing at the foot of Piazza del Campidoglio that was wonderfully lit up. I dragged Stacey up the steps for a photo of the massive statues of Castor and Pollux.

Rome is amazing doing the day but it becomes a different world at night. All the ancient and important building are illuminated at night. Making Rome appear fairytale-like.

While on the coach, back to the hotel Debra reminded us that we were not on holiday.
We could rest and sleep when we are at home. She was letting us know gently that our wake up call was early. Debra explained to us, that she was very happy at the end of the tour if everyone left her exhausted then she had done her job. So she told us we had to be up at 6am to get to the Vatican early. There were a lot of moans and groans from the bus. I was prepared, as I had done my research. Beat the crowd she said. She wanted to be one of the first tour groups in line.

We arrived back at hotel at 9.40 after a wonderful night. In bed at 10.45. What a fantastic and busy second day in Rome, Stacey and I have had.

Lesson Number Two: If you wish to progress in the queue become very friendly with the person in front or behind.



Day 3 18th September - another full and action packed day in Roma! Visiting Vatican City and the Colosseum today.

Weather: 25deg lovely and sunny

Wake-up Call: 6am
Breakfast: 7am
Board the coach by: 7.30am
Today we are touring the Vatican and going inside the Coliseum. What a day to look forward to. Upon waking, I found out that Stacey is sick. She seems to have a dreadful cold. She is not pleased about the early wakeup call. All she wants to do is sleep - Poor thing. My bottled water from the supermarket spent the night in the fridge and it’s not cold. I knew this before I came to Italy but it’s still a shock to the system. My body is crying out for icy cold water. After a delightful breakfast, we headed down to the lobby where everyone from our tour had assembled to wait for Debra. Everyone was early.
This was very important throughout our tour as if anyone was late it made us behind schedule for the next destination and then we would have less time there. I am pleased to say that no one was ever late, most were early. While driving to the Vatican, Debra informed us about pickpockets (hehehe a little late for me.) Rome is a very safe place. No violent crime. Just the pickpockets. It is only the gypsies who pickpocket. They have fled their country and call Roma their home. Their children don’t attend school and are taught from a very young age to steal. Debra said that a child with a baby in its arms would come up to you and go to drop the child. Your first instinct is to reach for the baby and in that second they have taken your wallet. The baby is strapped to them (you don’t see these straps). So far Stacey and I have not seen any of these gypsies but then Debra said now they are getting smart and dressing like a tourist with cameras around their necks, bumping into u and taking your wallet or camera. You must hold your camera at all times and hide your valuables. I wanted to ask Debra if the people who have fled their country, can they obtain work in Italy, but I thought it might be rude to ask.

A quick trip and we arrived at the Musei Vaticani (The Vatican Museums) to be second in line. There are two queues for the Vatican. One for the tourist who do it on their own and one for us who do it with tour guides. We get in earlier than the humble self- tourist does.



Entrance into the Vatican

Our local guide for the Vatican joined us (Debra was not to be our tour guide in the Vatican as she is not allowed), while Debra handed out the personal audio headsets This device became our responsibly for the whole tour. I believe if we lost it we would have to pay for a replacement. Once the doors opened, the line moved quickly and we found ourselves following our guide to the Cortile della Pigna where she asked us to gather around some easels which had information and photos on the Sistine Chapel. Here she gave a small talk, explaining about the paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. I couldn’t stand still and listen with so much beauty around me. So I found myself wandering away from our small group to admire the grandeur of the courtyard. My camera was clicking away madly. I adored this courtyard. Would like one back home like it. The courtyard is named after a huge bronze pine cone.



There is also a giant bronze ball. Not too sure where it came from or what such a piece of modern art is doing in the Vatican. Should have been listening.



Going back inside we were lead to various galleries - I think it was Classical ancient statues and The Gallery of Tapestries and Maps.



Detail work of one of the statues in the Vatican.

Then it was onto The Sistine Chapel, which is the most famous room in the Vatican Museums. Between 1534 and 1541, Michelangelo, painted The Last Judgment on the altar wall. From 1508 to 1512, he also painted the vaulted ceiling. Michelangelo was 60+ when he was pulled away from one of his many cravings by a Pope to paint the Sistine Chapel. Never had painted anything in his life before – WOW! What a brilliant and creative man he was. What I found very interesting was a self-portrait of Michelangelo in The Last Judgment painting. It’s on a painted piece of skin that one of the people in his painting has in his hands. We were given about 30 minutes on our own to explore the Sistine chapel. People packed every inch of the chapel so after wandering around for a about 10 minutes I found a seat and sat down and just stared up at the ceiling – magnificent!

We left the chapel and headed to the Basilica of St Peter’s – Michelangelo designed the huge dome of St Peter’s, which is visible from all over Rome. We also saw the haunting marbled Pieta which (Michelangelo created in 1499 at the age of 25) is protected by glass. Some idiot attacked this lovely work of art in 1972. I would love to show you a picture of it but our photo did not turn out too good. Bernini created the twisting Baldacchino canopy (photo below) that stands above the crypt of St Peter.



Below is a picture of a gate inside St Peter’s – don’t know what was behind there. Such lovely detail.



Then it was time to go outside and explore Bernini’s Piazza San Pietro - St Peter’s Square where in its centre is the Eqyptian obelish that was erected in 1586 by Domenico Fontana. Once our local guide said a few words and we all gave her our tips and then Debra gave us an hour to walk around St Peter’s Square and grab some lunch. Stacey was feeling awful so she parked herself on a bench while I went into the Vatican shop and looked around then brought some postcards to post back to Australia. The Vatican has its own postal service and I wanted a Vatican stamp for keeping so I posted one to myself as well. When we arrived back home, there was no sign of those postcards. They turned up a week later. Debra did warn us about the Italian Postal Service. All true! While walking around I managed to have another gelato – yummy!

Then it was time to board the bus for Piazza del Colosseo and the Colosseum. It has survived damage by fires, earthquakes and looting but remains standing beautifully and proudly.

Debra gave us a quick talk on the colosseum then once again, we are let loose for an hour to explore. Stacey and I went upstairs, viewed the colosseum from above, and visited the gift shop. Outside the Colosseum, there are men dressed up as gladiators that you can have your photo taken with. I noticed one of the Gladiators talking on his mobile phone – very funny when dressed up in ancient attire. Time went quickly and it was time to depart the Colosseum and board the coach, for our trip back to the hotel. We arrived at the Radisson at 2.30pm. Debra gave us a free afternoon until 5.30 when the ones doing the optional - Introduction to Rome Euro 31 had to meet her in the lobby. Introduction to Rome was a tour of Pantheon and Trevi and taken to Piazza Navona were you dine on your own.

Disappointment surged through me - I wanted to be offered the Catacombs or Villa Borghese. Stacey being sick yearned for bed and sleep before we ventured out on our own for the night. If we had been offered one of the above, I could have let Stacey sleep and gone with the tour group. Oh well, instead we ran across to the station and went to the supermarket and brought some cheese, crackers, lollies and chocolate (so important) water, coke and bananas. We were thrilled because we managed to weigh and price our fruit ourselves. Not an easy job when it’s all in Italian. I must tell u what I saw in the supermarket that surprised and delighted me - Customers walking around the shop with dogs on their leads. The Italians must love their dogs to allow them in shops. In Australia no animals are allowed in shops. We noticed this throughout Italy. And these Italian dogs were very well behaved. Stacey was shocked but I thought it was funny. Oh I love these Italians. As we left the supermarket we passed a news stand were I brought a home decorating magazine. It was in Italian but I didn’t care. (I still have it. It came home all the way to Australia with me). Then it was time to cross the road again. That day as we crossed the road to return to our hotel, I became a real Italian. After waiting and cursing for about 5 minutes, I stepped from the curb and held up my hand. It worked like a charm. They stopped to let us cross. I finally wasn’t scared of the Italian traffic any more (well a little). Stacey then went to bed and I headed up to the rooftop sitting at a table beside the pool with my chocolate and Italian home magazine. Sometime later, I ordered a coke and some antipasto - yummy. To be honest I did enjoy my time of relaxation after our few hectic days. And I knew we were going to have many more to come. The warm Italian sun on my skin was like heaven.

Around 5.30, Stacey rang. She had woken and it was time to explore Rome at night. We were on a mission to find Piazza Navona and have dinner there ourselves. I wanted to spend as much time in Piazza Navona as we could. All the tour tales I had studied informed me that your time at Piazza Navona was not enough while with the TD. So we would do it our way.

We decided to forget transport and explore on foot. We left the hotel and turned left. In a small side street, we discovered a small church - Chiesa di Santa Andrea al Quirinale


While in Italy, we found each church more beautiful than the next.

Next, we discovered Chiesa di San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. It’s a small church but what we loved was the intersection where we found the church. The roads are known as Quattro Fontane. There are four fountains on each corner of the intersection. They represent Fidelity, Strength and the rivers – Arno and Tiber.



Here are two of the statues.



I am in love with Roma. At night she is exciting, crazy, busy, thrilling, stunning …. You name it Roma was it. We saw so much that night. We stumbled across the colosseum, Forum and the Victor Emmanuel Monument again. But somehow, Rome’s most beautiful Piazza evaded us. We could not find Piazza Navona. I hate to admit this but we got lost. But hey we are in Rome and getting lost in Rome is apart of the Italian adventure. I would have had a few giggles and taken pleasure from seeing so much more of Rome. But Stacey still not well (poor thing), was not happy about us getting lost. If looks could kill, I would have fallen down dead in Rome. We had a few cross words with each other. Fancy travelling all this way and having a mother and daughter conflict. Suddenly, we found ourselves standing at a busy traffic junction ready to exchange blows over our silly map, when all of a sudden I screamed. There was my cat sanctuary. Remember yesterday, I had been searching for Largo di Torre Argentina – the home of Rome’s stray cats. Well there it was - a sunken ruin – The Area Sacra and the remains of four temples. Humans cannot enter the ruin that was found in the 1920’s but its home to many stray cats. www.romancats.de

For at least 10 minutes, we were happy. We watched the cats cleaning themselves then continued our argument. In which direction is Piazza Navona? The trouble is both Stacey and I have a different sense of direction. I said one way and she said the other. I am sorry Stacey but your sense of direction is appalling. You showed that a number of times on the trip. Giving up I ran over to a police officer, asked for directions and YES, he pointed the way I kept saying we should go, and finally we stepped into Piazza Navona.



Oh my god. I have a weakness for Piazza Navona that has something going on day and night in its pedestrian area. We walked around admiring the three Baroque fountains – Fontana del Moro, Fontana di Nettuno and in its centre Bernini’s Fontana di Quattro Fiumi (the fountain of the four rivers). Cafes surround the square as well as artists selling their crafts. Oh and I must not forget the musicians playing their instruments and the mimes entertaining the crowds and the rose sellers persuading you to buy their flowers. What a breathtaking environment. The fountain of the four rivers was undercover while we were there. They were cleaning it for the movie Angels and Demons from Dan Brown’s novel. We sat at one of the outdoor cafes and ordered a bowl of pasta and meatballs each and a coke and lemonade. This cost $90 Australian dollars. However, the real estate our butts sat on was first class. It was wonderful to watch the people enjoying the piazza.



I wanted to soak up these beautiful surroundings and remember this night forever. Piazza Navona used to be a stadium built in 1st century AD and could seat 30,000 spectators. You can view traces of the stadium below the church of Sant’ Agnese in Agone. I finally got my final wish to have a gelato at Piazza Navona.

We did so much walking after 5.30pm I don’t know which I love better Rome during the day or at night. It’s a tough decision. People were out everywhere - walking the sidewalk, cafes were spilling over with people enjoying their meals. I wanted to stay here all night but we had to get to bed for tomorrow was another busy day. We were off to Florence and Siena. So then began our small adventure to get back to our hotel. We didn’t want to walk all the way to the hotel, so we decided to catch a bus. Trouble is, we didn’t have a ticket and all the Tabacchi were closed. There was nowhere to buy a ticket. As you can guess, Stacey was quite upset. There were plenty of buses passing us on their way to Termini but we were unable to board them. Finally, I had enough and when the next one stopped, I did something very naughty. I boarded the bus and sat down without a ticket. Stacey just stood on the sidewalk with mouth open. I told her to get on. She did and I said that if an inspector came aboard we would just act like a dumb tourist (not hard to do) and say we couldn’t find anywhere to buy a ticket as all the Tabacchi shops were closed. I would like to report that we never got caught, but I would never take that risk again. Arriving back to the hotel at 11pm we fell into bed and I am sure I was asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.

With three days in Rome, I realized how much we know our way around. It’s a very easy city to explore on foot or on public transport, which we used with ease. Next time I visit Rome I want to stay for at least two weeks. I have a secret desire to live in Rome for a few months.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: maufr,