Italy - brillianto..perfectto...magnificento..

Day 42 - 2nd September - Rome..the Eternal City

Reached Rome around 10.30..the train was late and they did not even apologize!!! A visitor's first impression of Rome as the train chugs from the Rome Tiburtina station to the Roma Termini station is that it is really old...The buildings are dilapidated...everything has an ancient look...its almost like you’re travelling back in time...

Checked in to the Alessandro DownTown hostel…all people reading this who are looking for a cheap way to explore Italy..I highly recommend this place..decent facilities..free breakfast..and they always have a free pasta/pizza party of sorts happening for dinner..besides there is huge kitchen so u could make Maggi etc and in general save on some expenses...and more imprtantly..its a stone's throw from Roma Termini..you will come to know why this is important a little later..

Went to see one of those city tour places...got a map of Rome there...and decided to do Rome myself on foot!!! Best decision ever! got a one day metro pass..Rome has 2 metro lins..and they both pass through Roma Termini..so u can reach home from anywhere in Rome easily..

First hit the Colosseum...interesting tip again for those planing to visit Rome..to buy tickets for the Colosseum, dont wait in the humongous queue there..instead walk across to the Roman Forum ( Fora Roman in local lingo) and in the Palantino you can get tickets at the same price sans the hassle of waiting 90 minutes for ur ticket! The Roman Form is what is left of the political and religious centre of the Roman Empire...it is said that Caesar himself walked through this Forum..gives you a major high knowing that you’re walking in the footsteps of Caesar...

Picked up tickets to the Colosseum..walked past the almost mile long queue smugly...and entered the Colosseum...spell bound...its just a ruined old building..but even a slight shred of imagination is enough to imagine the people cheering…we could see the cages where the hungry lions were kept...we could see the place from where the Gladiators would enter..I watched that movie after a year of having the CD :-)...and standing inside the Colosseum, I was thankful for having watched it...I could at least imagine the significance of the place..its a standing testimonial to the might of the Roman Empire…to still be standing...albeit in ruins for so many centuries...Humbling...

Then had a typical Italian lunch of hot margherita pizza followed by a pistachio gelato with the Colosseum leaning over us...very nice...then took a bus towards the Pantheon...got off at the nearest stop..and walked..saw a huge pillar at Piazza Colonna..not sure of its significance though..shall Google later..then saw the Temple Adrianno that is now a theatre of sorts..and then the Pantheon…every nook and corner you will have some remnant of ancient Rome..which is what makes it the perfect place to explore on foot..the Pantheon..pagan temple converted to Christian church..very pretty..

Then Piazza Navona..this is a beautifuul square full of sunshine and colour...A huge fountain dominates the centre of this square...and you have lots of artists making watercolours of the scene around them…Took a bus that dropped us off near the Vatican. Crossed the Tiburina River via the Ponte De Saint Angelo...Castel St. Angelo is this mammoth edifice. Now a museum..unsure of its earlier purpose..but you just look right and there you see Saint Peter's Basilica in the distance..I know the Vatican was one of the biggest churches etc..but nothing prepared me for the scale and grandeur in front of my eyes..only superlatives befit the Vatican...its just amazing..huge walkway leading up to St. Peter's Basilica..a bigger square and then the mammoth church..entered in to see the tombs of all the previous popes...Dan Brown's Angels and Demons coming alive in my head..saw all the tombs including that of the apostle Peter..the Sistine chapel was closed until Monday! a sign that I have to visit Rome again...:-)..returned from the Vatican…and headed towards the Spanish steps..

Spanish steps are just steps in front of Piazza Esapgna..apparently a cool place for the Romans to hang out...connects the Piazza with another building above whose name I cant remember..then headed to Fontana Del Trevi..the most highly rated tourist spot in Rome...we walked forever to get there..and the fatigue removed some of the joy in seeing the place..besides it was packed!!! got our pic taken..it is said that if you throw a coin over your right shoulder you will come back to Rome..so mom and me promptly threw a coin…and then left for home..

Reached in time for the Pasta..yummy penne in spicy Arrabiata sauce..nice end to our day in Rome...the Eternal City

Day 43 - Join the dots again...

The problem with trying to see as many places as possible in one short weekend..means that u spend most of Sunday travelling..it happened last Sunday…its happening again today...left for Pisa at 7.30 after a nice breakfast at Alessandros..reached Pisa at 10.30 and took the bus to Campo Mirablio where the Leaning Tower is...it actually leans!!I mean its obvious and all..but when u see the tower actually leaning, it takes u by surprise..at least it took me by complete surprise...enjoyed seeing the place...bought some souvenirs...and then…I realised the importance of 1 minute

We missed our bus back to the station by 1 minute..the next bus which was supposed to come 9 minutes later came a whopping 25 mins later..this meant that we missed our train to Florence...and in turn our connecting train from Florence to Venice..so by the time we reached Florence, we had just 10 mins before the EuroStar left and we obviously could not catch it since we did not have the tickets..the next Eurostar was already booked..so we ended up taking a train to Bologne..then Bologne to Venise!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaah...join the dots..the upside..we got to travel 1st Class inter city from Florence to Bologne and it was brilliant...ppl there are seriously pampered!!! enjoyed that..managed to get hold of an English magazine...the dowside was..I just got to spend 24 minute in Venice…the city of my Dreams...its ok..guess it was meant to be shared with someone else....saw a canal..saw a gondola..saw Murano glass..so I at least got a taste of Venice..

Back to Paris..travelled with an Italian family where the Dad looked just like Al Pacino...dead ringer I tell you...and in case I forgot to mention it in this post…. Italian men are hot!!! and they flirt with all things female..so watch out...

Photos..the one on the left..Inside the Colosseum..Centre with a Roman dressed as a Gladiator..Right..outside the Pantheon