When in Rome...
Trip Start
Jul 25, 2007
1
10
17
Trip End
Jun 22, 2007
Rome, Italy
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Anyway, let's see. I left this off a few days ago in Barcelona. We ended our last night by stolling out with our friend Jared again. We hit up a little cafe on the plaza de Catalunya off La Rambla. We shared another pitcher of Sangria and some laughs on the same subject as the night before, and then hit another spot called the travel bar. It really seemed to be the only place open on a Monday night, and we closed it out at 2. We met Marcus and Marcus there from Finland (i think) and learned all of their selling bicycle insurance as a job. fun. As we were pushed out we saw what I've only been told about which are the severely aggressive prostitutes that wander down Las Ramblas at night. Poor Marcus had to pry her off. We separated from the M's and went back to our hostel, where we first picked up the best falafels ever next door
colosseum
. Our hostel was Sun and Moon Hostel, and although it didn't get the best reviews, I honestly thought it was one of the best hostels we stayed in. Very clean, very cool people, good security...the whole thing. We met some great people staying here, which our next to meet was Mike from Canada. Mike was travelling solo, but hanging out with 2 german fellows (whose names escape me), but were perfect entertainment. Minimal English, maximum fun. We met them in kitchen area as we scarfed our falafels. I heard Mikes heroic tale of his run with the bulls, and played some German Simon says drinking game. Kacie and Jared headed back up to the room by this time, yet I somehow managed to spend up until 6am with my new friends. We sat outside the hostel and continued to buy the 1 Euro beers that people sell on the street. It's so awful, but it's also 1 Euro. The next day we continued on to Rome via flight by Clickair ($40)....tip: way better way to go than train which sends you up to Milan and back down. No baggage problems this time, we crossed our fingers.So ROME, right? the whole title of this entry and I have yet to discuss. (sorry, haven't caught up with you guys in awhile). Rome is fantastic, amazing, mesmerizing, wonderful....all of the above, yet I also can't shake a small feeling in my stomach where it tightens and I know something is really bothering me. Kacie and I arrived here in the afternoon Tuesday, caught some quick quintessential italian, and I walked her back to the train station to catch a bus to the airport
inside colloseum
. And then gone. And then sad. I feel very abandoned, but it didn't really hit me until right that moment. Yeah, I'm fine by myself, always have been. But I never would have chosen to be by myself on this trip, and feel very stripped of the one thing that I was depending on, which was a companion. I thankfully was staying with some very cool girls in the hostel, and although I did not join them out that night, I managed to get the sleep I deprived myself of the night before. The next day was amazing, but very hard starting off. For some reason I can't make decisions by myself because there's noone to agree with me. Do I catch hostel breakfast, what time should I get up, where to first, coffee first, no I need to run some errands first, but I want to go here, but is that on the way.... Ended up finally organinzing myself and walking down to do ancient Rome for the day. I'm one of the biggest fans of the movie Gladiator that you know, so the Colloseum was especially wonderful. This whole area with the colloseum and the Roman Forum, which used to be the ancient city center, and the Palantino Hill, where the Palaces stood. All breathtaking. You really feel like you walked into history holding Julies Caesars hand. Many of the books being sold by vendors would show what the areas used to actually look like, which I would steal glances of and then opt not to buy, whoops. Anyway, pretty much walked around this area all day. Did some audio tours, but nothing more. Had a fanta and snickers for lunch, but maybe that's too much detail. I ended up walking from here over to Capital Hill, and then on to the Pantheon. Viewed the dome shaped building that was apparantly the inspiration for St. Peter's Basillica, and then hit the bus back to the hostel. Took advantage of the free pizza here at the H, and met a new girl in my room, Tiffany. I had gotten to really get along with other 2 Turkish girls in our room, and we spoke the night before about going out wednesday night
arc de triomphe
. So that's what we did, Tiffany and girl from Japan (Pia?) also joined us. Turk girls were a blast! The other two ended up calling it early and taking a cab back. So the three of us hit a bar/club called Coyote, and then another place called Terrace bar, which was a club on the roof of a building. Actually met up with two OTHER girls in our room who were there and had made friends with locals, one of which owned the club. This club was very american, and felt like I had been placed right back in Vegas. We had a great time, stayed up way too late again, but hasn't really hit me yet. I don't speak ANY Italian, so the most entertaining part of the night was when an Italian guys would come up to talk and only knows how to say "Where you from?" Makes for a very short conversation, but happened alot. They all seem to know St. Louis and Nelly though....best recognize! Actually I'm always suprised that many people even know that. So on to this morning, as I welcomed my sister to Rome around 11am. We went to get her a much needed Cappucchino after the long flight, and then we headed straight for my day of Rome Round 2. She's already been around the town, but needed to stay up, and I think just enjoyed the pure fact that 3 days prior she was planning to maybe go to Canada for a little vacation and somehow ended up in Italy. hmmm. So we went to the Vatican, did the vatican museum, Sistene Chapel, St. Peters Basillica...walked around a fare share...had a slice of pizza and the best fanta I've ever had (with small crused ice, perfect), and that was most of today. Sistene Chapel was a good sight to see, and actually Rome is so full of notable art and famous names...Michaelangelo, Raphael, Bernini...it's hard to know what's not famous here. So much to see. So now were back for Laura's small fiesta before a little stroll to get something to eat and possibly go see that really famous fountain...starts with a T.
catch up with you all soon again...
Comments
EXTREMELY Jealous
When in Rome... ahhhh, use it while you can. Something gets lost in translation back here..I think?