Roma

Even though we landed in Rome in the evening and didn't get to our hostel till about 7, we weren't going to waste a day in Rome. We dropped off our bags and headed for the Trevi fountain which was pretty close to our hostel. The Trevi fountain was amazing, the sculptures alongside the fountain had so much detail. I have never seen so many tourists in one place, this was a foreshadowing for the hundreds of foreigners who were touring the ancient city along with us.

After fighting through that crowd, we realized just how hungry we were so we headed towards the Pantheon. We got pizzas at a restaurant directly in front of the ancient temple. The first taste of Italian cooking was very delicious, a cheese and anchovies pizza stirred our appetite for more Italian delicacies. After walking around the Pantheon, which we initially thought was the Roman senate (turned out to be a former pagen worship place) we got some "viagra" gelato. Filled up we walked along the water and then over to Circus Maximus where they used to hold chariot races. The wide open field of rocks and grass used to be filled with marble seating along the hills for nearly 100,000 spectators.

The hangover which was Ibiza began to set in and we were feeling exhausted so we all headed back to The Yellow. Pat went to bed while Mike and I relaxed downstairs. Doing laundry I was left me only in a Ibiza tank and some shorts. The night began with a "round house kick to the face" drink which consists of sambuca, jager, tobasco and vodka with no chaser. Most potent drink I've had and will not have again. We ended up meeting some American girls who wanted to take the party to a local disco, a proposition to which I couldn't say no. We took two taxis and finally wandered into the place, little did we know it was a gay club we left shortly after realizing we were with the only girls in the place.

The next night we woke up late but we decided to make a full day of the tourist sights. We started with the Forum and went to so many things in the Forum. We saw the Romulus huts, Nero's temple and house, a ton of artifacts, the temple of Agustus, the sanctuary of virgins, and so much more history. My camera was losing battery so Pat took enough pictures for the both of us. After the Forum we went back to the hostel so I could charge my camera After charging the camera and ourselves for an hour, we headed back out on the tourist trail. We went to the Colosseum which was AMAZING! The history from there was pretty powerful the games which thousands of Romans enjoyed were held to commemorate battle victories or festivals. The coolest story was how the ruler Trajan after winning a battle sacrificed over 10,000 gladiators and 11,000 beasts.

From here we went out to find some espresso and Gelato, which was way better than anything in the states. After all of that, we found the Spanish Steps which were an honest let down, the steps overlooked a small fountain and finding the significance behind them was hard. That night we realized how great the Yellow hostel bar was we met more Americans and traded off buying drinks with our New Zealand roommate yas.
We had a group tour at the Vatican at 9:30am and had to be there by 9:15am. We all were feeling a bit dusty as our Aussie friends would say, but we managed to hop on that train and head to the holy city.

The Vatican was a short ride on the metro away from where we are staying. Patrick's family had previously booked a guided tour for us so we were able to beat the loooong lines out front. The center of the Catholic universe, the Vatican's murals and paintings were crafted by some of the best artists in the world by the demand of the Pope. My personal favorite was Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine chapel. Standing and gazing at the ceiling couldn't help but feel in awe of the painted depictions of the stories of the Bible.

We exited through St. Peters Basilica the largest monument in Rome. Nearby was a castle which overlooked the Vatican, we walked to the terrace to enjoy the sprawling views of the Vatican and the western parts of Rome. Continuing back to the hostel we napped and planned the rest of our adventure. The public transportation workers were threatening to strike on the day we wanted to leave. Unsure if there would be any available transportation, we booked in anticipation that this strike was mere bluff.

Our last night in Rome we enjoyed authentic Italian cooking at a family owned place near the hostel. Red wine, fresh bread and cherry tomatoes with basil were the perfect appetizer to our pastas. All our dishes had made noodles and sauces, I personally enjoyed a house specialty of oxtail pasta, a tasteful delicacy of Italy. Full and satisfied we reclined to the Yellow for a quiet last night in Rome.