Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Rome on our own.
So, no update yesterday because I was too tired to concentrate on what I was writing. We had a brilliant day in Rome and, whilst it is true that Rome was not built in a day, you can also be completely certain that you cannot view it all in a day!
My goodness though, how we tried to see as much as we could in the six or seven hours we had to explore. Rome is......incredible. The architecture stunning and the people really really friendly. We decided that in order to get the most from our day we would attempt to walk as much as we could. I think that all in all, we walked in excess of 15 miles and that is pretty good going considering the heat. By mid day, the temperature was 40-41 degrees which Gary assures me equates to around 107 in other money.
By the end of the day, even I was flagging a little bit. Poor Barbara was struggling from the outset with her swollen ankles and not really liking the incredible heat but, to her credit, she kept going and walked the entire way around with us.
From the ship, we had a private train journey which dropped us very close to St Peter's square and the Basilica. There were already thousands of people queueing to get inside the church but we decided to head off on foot and try and cover as many of the other landmarks as we could. We were inside Vatican city and even managed to find a Vatican flag to add to our growing collection proudly displayed around our living room at home.
I think that my favourite landmark of the day had to be the build up to and the actual viewing of the Colosseum. It was mind numbing to think how long that building had been standing and just how incredible it actually was. Before we actually reached the Colosseam, we passed building which was partially in ruins but still incredible to behold. We later learned that this was The Forum. The ruins consisted of half standing ancient archways and domed ceilings. Although clearly having seen better days, it was possible to imagine the meetings which once took place in this area.
From the Forum, the many arched windows of the Colosseam were visible and I took a few photographs from this vantage point. The closer we got, the more incredible the building became. The structure loomed over you and trying to take a decent photograph was difficult because nothing seemed to do the building justice. One side of the Colosseam appeared to be being renovated but the side that we approached from was clearly still orginal. Again, the queue to get in was immense and so we satisfied ourselves with walking around it's perimeter. I think, had we had more time, we would have loved to go inside.
By the time we reached the Colosseum the sun was incredibly strong and everyone was happy to stop for a beer and something to eat. In Rome there are fountains dotted around which constantly pour a stream of water from which you can fill up your bottles, dunk your head or, if you choose, lie underneath. The water from these fountains is completely potable and tastes amazing. During our long walk we also saw the Spanish Steps.....pretty much a large flight of stairs none of us fancied climbing up! We also saw the Pantheon, a huge dome shaped structure built in around 100 BC....we are still not entirely sure what the purpose of the Pantheon was. We ate ice cream next to it. :-)
The Trevi Fountain was the only real disappointment because it was completely covered up due to being renovated. I know that these things have to go on but still, it was a bit of an eyesore rather than a delight!We took in many of the large squares that Rome is famous for including the beautiful Piazza Navona. By the end of our fifteen mile treck I can safely say that we were all four of us exhausted and sore. You have to remember it was plus 40 degrees and the sun was intense and relentless.
We tried to seek some shade at one point but it was not actually possible to find any! David and Gary together read street maps and ensured that we made it back to our station in time to meet the only private train back to the ship. Once back we were treated to a fantastic light show.
we had been warned us that we may have a thunder storm last night and boy did he not disappoint. It highlighted to us exactly why we LOVE having the aft view cabins. Before we left dock, we could see the dark clouds starting to roll in and hear the low rumbles of thunder.
The first lightening strike made both Barbara and I squeak and then it got louder and louder and closer and closer until the storm was just above our heads. As the ship pulled out of port the lightening was striking the cranes in the harbour, a few of the bolts even seemed to strike in the sea.
It was breathtaking and I managed to get a few pictures and video using my various different cameras. I won't be able to sort a lot of those photos out until I get back because I took so many it will take me hours to hunt through and find the best!The storm continued into the night was remained behind us which meant that, from our balcony, we had a front seat view.
I am hoping that I have managed to get footage which will be equally as stunning as it was to us first time round.All in all a baking hot but a really good day in Rome. One of mine and David's favourite ever stops for sure!
- comments