Rome- Day 1

Rome-wow, what can I say. Rome was awesome. It was definitely both of our favorites. We got off the metro in the middle of ancient Rome and immediately we are surrounded by these ancient, half standing buildings!!!! It was amazing! I couldn't believe how OLD everything looked! I was starving so we grabbed a sandwhich and sat down by the colosseum and had lunch. It was incredible just to be there. 2 feet away from us was a couple (a younger woman and older man I might add) that were totally making out! I mean eating each others faces nonstop all thru lunch and beyond. Pretty hilarious. Yeah, I kept seeing young girls with older men EVERYWHERE!!!! We also saw 8 or so brides! Weddings everywhere in the middle of all the chaos!

This was later in the day, but I thought it was a cool shot.

Out of all the amazing things we saw, for some reason I loved all the arches. They were always incredible to me! They were always so MASSIVE! And they always came with a story.

For me, this was the best part. Palatine Hill. It really was just ruins of a city, hardly anything still standing, but it was so incredible! This ancient city and what remained I could just envision this HUGE PALACE that once was. People walking around in there cloaks/dresses/whatever just "roaming" around. I loved it.

We walked around all day. Stories about everything. The heat was killing me. I'd never been so tired in all my life. It made me nauseous. I had to keep sitting down. And my BACK! It was killing me.

Pillars also always were magnifecent to me, as well.

This door is the original door. The only one on its ORIGINAL HINGES!!! We're talking 1000 years old people! How nuts is that?!? Ceasor walked thru this door!

This arch was the best because it had a TERRIBLE story. (I hope I'm not boring you) The Christians conquered some Jews and made them BUILD THIS and I don't remember it all but I just thought, "How terrible to build something that represents my defeat for my enemy who has now enslaved me and taken away my religion." Just terrible!!!

It was just incredible!


There were these "live" statues everywhere!!! We thought this one was cool so we took a picture. Once I gave him money he turned to me and started miming, asking me for my number. Lots of people were watching, it was hilarious.
This was one good thing about Rome: drinking fountains. EVERYWHERE!!!! They were awesome and they were always COLD. They would often come out of statues and they flow nonstop. And they were FREE!!!!

And TA DA!!! The Colosseum. AMAZING!!! This was Greg's favorite part (he's on the audio guide). I couldn't stop thinking of the movie, Gladiator. It was JUST LIKE THE MOVIE. This thing held more people than Atzen Stadium. INCREDIBLE!!! I guess they had these elaborate sets- one in particular- a huge fake whale came out of the ground and 50 LIVE BEARS came roaring out of it to fight the gladiators!!!!!

These Romans, man, were INCREDIBLE!!!! They were geniuses! Their capablities! I just couldn't believe how advanced they were SO LONG AGO!!! It was just an incredible thing to witness.

First dinner in Rome. We went to Campo de Fiore, Rick Steves recommended it. It was a a happening little spot. Musicians playing music, very crowded, everyone eating outside in this big square. I had ravioli, it was excellent. Greg didn't really like his. So first dinner in Rome, we learned some things. Water is not free. Nor is the bread they set in front of you before they bring out dinner. And the guy who plays that delightful music? Yeah, he hangs around your table with his hand out toward you and doesn't leave until you give him some money. It ended up being a lot more than we were orignally thinking so . . . we didn't tip.

After dinner we followed this night walk in our Rick Steves Book. We were so tired. Our bodies hurt so bad, mainly our feet. We definitely over did it our first day, but it was still incredible. We ran into the Pantheon on our walk. The picture doesn't compare. It was magnificent.

We ended the night with the Trevi Fountain. I hate this picture. It doesn't make it look cool at all. We were both so exhausted we couldn't really enjoy it. There were TONS of people. So this man carrying roses tries to give me one and I wave him away and say, "No thank you," with a smile. I realized after to NEVER smile or they won't leave you alone. He gets right in my path and is literally shoving the flowers right into my hand and says, "No, it's a gift. I'm GIVING them to you." I had to say no 5 TIMES and finally I say, "A GIFT??? Ok. Thanks." And walk away. Then he stops us and looks at Greg and rubs his fingers together and says, "A little something." I was so mad. I gave them back and he wouldn't take them at first. SO ANNOYING!!!! The rose men were EVERYWHERE!!!! We came back another night and just watched the rose men try to con everyone. It kinda ruins the atmosphere.

And this is what I came home to. Do you SEE how this blister DOUBLES the size of my toe!!!?? I didn't pop it until the next night when I couldn't take it anymore. And this is going to be gross. You pop it with a needle right? Yeah, we didn't think to bring one of those on our trip, but I did find a paper clip. Yeah, it took me like 5 hard stabs before I broke into my toe, but it worked and then I could walk again, well sort of. Oh yeah, and there was a matching giant blister on my other pinky as well. It was terrible. Each footstep hurt.