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| Trevi Fountain |
We decided to do a 'look see' around Rome taking a bus tour that showed us where all the best sites were. From this, we planned our next day. After the bus tour, not wanting to head back to the hotel too early, we took a walk to see the famous Trevi Fountain. Each of us tossed a coin into the fountain to ensure our return to Rome. We crashed about 6pm and slept for 14 hours.
Friday we woke still suffering from a bit of jet lag but wanting to get going. We spent the day at the Vatican and following a suggestion from a Rick Steeves guidebook, we agreeded to a tour from one of the locals. It cost more, but you get a small group and bypass the enormous line of people waiting to get in for self tours. We saw the highlights of the museum getting great stories and history. Our tour ended in the Sistene Chapel which was more than one can explain. When in there, you are expected to be silent, to observe, enjoy and contemplate your worth. But people need to talk about what they are seeing and when the volume gets a bit high, the guards make a shusshing sound or will tell you to be quiet. After the tour we were on our own and toured St. Peters Basilica. When you are told this is the largest church in the world, you understand why when you walk in. The Vatican is a country apart from Italy, and is the smallest country in the world (probably one of the richest as well) with only 110 acres and has a population of 800.
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| Panaorama of Vatican. St. Peters on the left, Museum on right |
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| View into the Coliseum |
Saturday we headed for the Coliseum and once again we took a tour with a local group. We saw both the coliseum and the Forum where Rome actually began. Pretty amazing when you realize that our reference to Capital Hill for our national capital was taken from the original Capital Hill here in the Forum. Something else we learned was Rome was named after the emporer Romulus. He slayed his brother Remus because they could not agree on where to build the new city. Therefore, Rome was named after Romulus..... had Remus been the victor, the city could have been called Remmey! One tragic fact we learned was that the day the first 100 days of celebration of the new amphitheater, 9000 wild animals were killed.
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| View from the top of the Steps of the crowds |
From the Coliseum we walked to the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps are a set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base with a fountain designed by Bernini and the Piazza Trinità dei Monti, at the top dominated by the church of Trinità dei Monti.
The Spanish Steps are the widest staircase in Europe with 138 steps. As we were walking to the Steps, we encountered a mass of people, so many they filled 3 streets from side to side. What we realized when we got to the top to look down, was they appeared to also visiting the Steps. Not sure who everyone was, where they were from or why they were there, but there was an incredible crowd.
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| View from Wine bar next to Spanish Steps |
After finishing our refreshments, we headed back to the Coliseum as the day was ending and we wanted to view the Coliseum at night. Pretty amazing!
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| Colleseum at dusk |
We have learned to ride the subway and that has saved us some shoe leather, not to mention sore feet. We have met people from all over the world, and are amazed by how many children are here. Both students as well as families. It is spring break everywhere and Rome seems to be a place for many to come.
We have come to realize it is not one world.... things we expect at home are not what you get here. Deane ordered onion soup for dinner tonight and got a bowl of onions in a broth. It was tasty, but no bread or cheese on top.
We leave for our cruise tomorrow. We decided to ride the train to the port about 1 1/2 hours away. Should be an experience. Ciao