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Well what a day! The first day in 4 that I haven't been moving at 200mph, the only transport were my boots which have put some rubber down! Today was my first full day in Rome/Roma and I thought I'd hit up an early morning and get sightseeing with the now obligatory; Clark City Sightseeing Tour, Part 6.
I got up nice and early, (12pm, whoops!) and headed straight for the Vatican City. Now I wasn't sure what I would think of the Pope's little church, as you probably know I'm not religious in the slightest and I find it all a bit overbearing. I do however like looking around churches and cathedrals from an architectural sense and you can't get more impressive than St. Peters Basilica!
I went a lap around the downstairs and I've got to say, it's an utterly spellbinding place. Ceilings 80-100 feet high, all marble, vast arches and glittering in finery. Also surprised at the crypt underneath the High Altar of St. Peter, a grave 1940 years old. Some going that. On the way out I passed a sign for Cupola, which is Italian for Dome. 2 + 2 = 510 steps to the very top of the Dome of St. Peters Basilica and the best views you can get of Roma, speechless. How is this not more popular than a handful of people I do not know, people paying €40 to see the Sistine Chapel do really need their heads looking at. I think it's fair to say I'm not that impressed by a bit of art, buildings all the way for me.
From Vatican City I walked back across the river and down to the Pantheon. A stunning igloo shaped building housing the grave of the artist Raphael and again, a fascinating piece of 600 year old architecture. How it's still standing I don't know. Next to this is the Piazza Navona, a huge open oval shaped square currently home to a massive Christmas market and bustling with young Italians drinking espressos and smoking. Shocker.
From here it was a good 40 minute walk down to the colosseum. Now I could have taken the metro or a series of gaudy coloured opentop buses. But for me this kind of misses the point. I love nothing more than aiming for a monument or venue and trekking off to find it, sometimes overshooting it or winding your way through backstreets or even coming across something other tourists don't. Things like the Pizza House just off Vittorio Emanuele which provided me with a massive slab of hot pizza, and a cute wink from the Brunette Italian behind the counter for 2 Euros. You can't even sneeze in Roma for 2 Euros. I had lunch.
So after 30 more minutes of walking, 28 of which with a Pizza induced stitch, I bumped into the great Colosseum. A huge behemoth of a Roman structure, also hugely closed as it was past 4pm. If only I'd caught the Metro...
From the Colosseum I took myself off back up to take in the Trevi Fountain again and this time do it with an Ice Cream. Three choices for Gelato flavour and I came up with Mint Choc Chip, Caramel and Coffee. If I could be summed up in an Ice Cream that would be it; Sweet, Sickly and Bitter. After the Trevi and me remembering why i don't like Ice Cream; majorly sensitive teeth, I had an urge for an espresso (not like me I know), and found another small espresso bar near my hotel on Piazza del Silvestre. Another great place to witness the darting eyes and shakes associated with caffeine addicted Italians. My kind of people.
From here it was a little wander around the shops and boutiques of the fashion district and back to my humble little hotel... Nap time and a shower.
Dinner was in another little ristorante just off the main shopping street the Via Del Corso; Veal stuffed Cannelloni with a tomato sauce. The Italian people understand my food likes; lots of carbs, lots of meat and not a lot of green garden stuff. Winner. Afterwards, and this may surprise a lot of you, I had something called a Tiramisu. I'm going to look like a Tiramisu at this rate. On the way back to the hotel I had a bit of a window shop in Prada/Versace/Gucci/Fendi/Dolce & Gabbana etc in preparation for tomorrows shopping spree. Put it this way, if I'm buying you a present this year, it probably* won't be from any of those. *for probably read 'definitely'.
Right, I'm off to dream of a Black, single buttoned Gucci suit. It is Christmas after all.
Night,
Si x
- comments
Jan Mmmmm....tiramisu! My fave! If you bring Leanne an Aston Martin back can I have some tiramisu.... :-) xx