Wow. Rome. At every turn this morning Matt and I had to chuckle because there would another monument, another ruins another church another obelisk. It was pretty funny. We started out pretty early. The hostel staff here are ridiculous for sure. About 7:45am the man out front (this isn't a big place) turned on the loudest movie and it was impossible to sleep. So annoying.
We got going just to get out of this hell hole. Hate this hostel for sure. Matt agrees!
We got to the metro in time for the Roman morning commute. There is one. Its the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I've seen crowded metro cars in London, but here, you literally push yourself onto the train and hope the door closes! Wow! So crowded. Luckily we didn't have to go far and we knew we were going to walk alot so it was a nice start to be "driven" there.
Our first stop was the Spanish steps. We walked right by them. It was really funny. They were empty of people and we thought for sure it wasn't them. It was funny.
Then we went on to Trevi fountian. Good luck finding that! We did manage to find a walking tour of Rome though so they sort of led the way there. Pretty cool for sure, built right in the building, not sure which came first the building or the fountain!
We moved onto the Pantheon next and then onto Piazza Navona and had a cappaccino. Not as grand as St Marks square but nice. The chairs were pinkish purple too so I liked that.
We were trying to make our way to the Vatican and we wanted to hit it at a certain time. All the guide books said around noonish its not as busy. Well...we hit it around 11ish and it was so busy. the line to get through security at St Peters was areally long but it moved pretty fast so we just hopped in. We went and had a look inside with 1,000 of our closest friends and then went and got in line to climb up to the Cupola (the top of the dome) you pay less if you take stairs all the way so matt and I put our game faces on and up we climbed. Wow!! 551 stairs altogether. The sign told me that I didn't count!
It was awesome. Matt and I and 200 of our closest friends all gathered up there to see the view and then climb back down. It was worth it. When you climb up a big dome like that the stairs are going up but the walls are on the curve of the dome. Its freaky! So cool though!
Oh and when you are looking at the front of St Peters Basilica the apostle on the left hand side next to the winged thing that's Saint Matthew. Just so you know.
We were really in search of the entrance to the Sistene chapel. And not having read up on it we didn't know you have to go into the Vatican Museum to get to it. Who knew. So we lined up and 45 minutes later reached the entrance and then 1 hour of slow walking with 1,000 of our closest friends (again). Oh my gosh!! Did they have the heat on or what. It was insane! So many peopole and they just lead you this way and that and through the room and this way and that and always a sign of hope that the sistene chapel is just around th corner but no! So we made it to this little room and viola! There it was. AMAZING! All i have to say. No photos aloud. Lame but thats okay.
Matt and I were so tired by then that we ran to the exit, which isn't easy to reach either. Good grief! Same thing with the signs. always seems to be right around the corner but no! We did get outside and find there was NO line though which made us want to cry. Seriously! We would have had no crowds (or much less :(
After that whole ordeal we sat down and took a break, we'd walked like 13 miles by this time and its only 4pm. I wanted to see the mouth of truth so we decided to power through and go see it and then try to find the entrance to the forum again.
Ont the way to the mouth of truth we passed the Campo di Fiora and then into the Jewish Ghetto area and then we stumbled onto these ruins, literally you round a corner and there are these ancient ruins. So amazing.
We found the mouth of truth and a bus load of 50 of our closest friends unloaded (they were everywhere, such good friends...please!) and got in line to take their photo. They gate it off now and you can pay .50 to have someone take a photo of you with your hand in the mouth so that was cool. We did it. Matt and I are both not liars.
From there we walked up a hill to what looked like an entry point on our lame map and alas, just gates. I fianlly asked and a nice man sent us back the way we had come the other day. Yeah right. So frustrating!!
So we had to walk around the giant buildings etc to find it and when we finally did (because it does exist) we were greeted by the ticket lady and a 12 euro entrance fee. SO LAME!! After all that Matt and I were too tired and broke to care so we didn't go in. I mean, what a struggle!! So annoying! It wasn't even marked. We had to really hunt to find it. Rome and signage are not friends.
At that point we walked back toward the Hell(hostel) and found a place to have pizza :) Matts batteries aren't lasting so we came back here to recharge them until we go back to the vatican to see it at night. We are taking the metro back there though because its too much walking for our weary feet!
We are in Rome until 3pm tomorrow and I don't know what we'll go see. I want to go see a crypt and some sculptures etc so we'll do that. On to florence tomorrow.
Photos to come soon. Sorry about that. Its just hard to be doing this with Matt here. Internet usage is retarded in this country. I'm not as connected as I have been so its been hard.
Okay, thats about it. We go see the vatican again tonight and then to bed.
K
We got going just to get out of this hell hole. Hate this hostel for sure. Matt agrees!
We got to the metro in time for the Roman morning commute. There is one. Its the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I've seen crowded metro cars in London, but here, you literally push yourself onto the train and hope the door closes! Wow! So crowded. Luckily we didn't have to go far and we knew we were going to walk alot so it was a nice start to be "driven" there.
Our first stop was the Spanish steps. We walked right by them. It was really funny. They were empty of people and we thought for sure it wasn't them. It was funny.
Then we went on to Trevi fountian. Good luck finding that! We did manage to find a walking tour of Rome though so they sort of led the way there. Pretty cool for sure, built right in the building, not sure which came first the building or the fountain!
We moved onto the Pantheon next and then onto Piazza Navona and had a cappaccino. Not as grand as St Marks square but nice. The chairs were pinkish purple too so I liked that.
We were trying to make our way to the Vatican and we wanted to hit it at a certain time. All the guide books said around noonish its not as busy. Well...we hit it around 11ish and it was so busy. the line to get through security at St Peters was areally long but it moved pretty fast so we just hopped in. We went and had a look inside with 1,000 of our closest friends and then went and got in line to climb up to the Cupola (the top of the dome) you pay less if you take stairs all the way so matt and I put our game faces on and up we climbed. Wow!! 551 stairs altogether. The sign told me that I didn't count!
It was awesome. Matt and I and 200 of our closest friends all gathered up there to see the view and then climb back down. It was worth it. When you climb up a big dome like that the stairs are going up but the walls are on the curve of the dome. Its freaky! So cool though!
Oh and when you are looking at the front of St Peters Basilica the apostle on the left hand side next to the winged thing that's Saint Matthew. Just so you know.
We were really in search of the entrance to the Sistene chapel. And not having read up on it we didn't know you have to go into the Vatican Museum to get to it. Who knew. So we lined up and 45 minutes later reached the entrance and then 1 hour of slow walking with 1,000 of our closest friends (again). Oh my gosh!! Did they have the heat on or what. It was insane! So many peopole and they just lead you this way and that and through the room and this way and that and always a sign of hope that the sistene chapel is just around th corner but no! So we made it to this little room and viola! There it was. AMAZING! All i have to say. No photos aloud. Lame but thats okay.
Matt and I were so tired by then that we ran to the exit, which isn't easy to reach either. Good grief! Same thing with the signs. always seems to be right around the corner but no! We did get outside and find there was NO line though which made us want to cry. Seriously! We would have had no crowds (or much less :(
After that whole ordeal we sat down and took a break, we'd walked like 13 miles by this time and its only 4pm. I wanted to see the mouth of truth so we decided to power through and go see it and then try to find the entrance to the forum again.
Ont the way to the mouth of truth we passed the Campo di Fiora and then into the Jewish Ghetto area and then we stumbled onto these ruins, literally you round a corner and there are these ancient ruins. So amazing.
We found the mouth of truth and a bus load of 50 of our closest friends unloaded (they were everywhere, such good friends...please!) and got in line to take their photo. They gate it off now and you can pay .50 to have someone take a photo of you with your hand in the mouth so that was cool. We did it. Matt and I are both not liars.
From there we walked up a hill to what looked like an entry point on our lame map and alas, just gates. I fianlly asked and a nice man sent us back the way we had come the other day. Yeah right. So frustrating!!
So we had to walk around the giant buildings etc to find it and when we finally did (because it does exist) we were greeted by the ticket lady and a 12 euro entrance fee. SO LAME!! After all that Matt and I were too tired and broke to care so we didn't go in. I mean, what a struggle!! So annoying! It wasn't even marked. We had to really hunt to find it. Rome and signage are not friends.
At that point we walked back toward the Hell(hostel) and found a place to have pizza :) Matts batteries aren't lasting so we came back here to recharge them until we go back to the vatican to see it at night. We are taking the metro back there though because its too much walking for our weary feet!
We are in Rome until 3pm tomorrow and I don't know what we'll go see. I want to go see a crypt and some sculptures etc so we'll do that. On to florence tomorrow.
Photos to come soon. Sorry about that. Its just hard to be doing this with Matt here. Internet usage is retarded in this country. I'm not as connected as I have been so its been hard.
Okay, thats about it. We go see the vatican again tonight and then to bed.
K
No comments:
Post a Comment