Giorno n6 (cont.) - Our train arrived in Rome early Wednesday afternoon. We took a taxi from the station to the hotel passing thousands of years of human history during the five minute drive. Also exciting, the amount of film sites I recognized from the Lizzie McGuire Movie. (Annie, watch it again before you visit.) Rome is unbelievable - if Florence is Italy's D.C. - Rome is New York.
We had lunch down the street from our hotel (the first of several visits to this café) afterwards visiting the Trevi Fountain, Parthenon, and Piazza Navona. We took the first day in Rome at a leisurely pace since I was the only first-time visitor in the group and had more time after their departure to tourist-around. The restaurant around the corner came highly recommended by the concierge who, however, neglected to inform us that our waiter would make only animal sounds and reveal a fake breast halfway through the main course. I think I will return there on my next visit.
Giorno n7 - Thursday morning I woke up early and went for a run around the Colosseum and Forum. Next trip I will concentrate more energy on that time period. We spent the morning around Piazza Navona moving in the direction of the Vatican where we had a tour with our new friend Michael who has been attending seminary school there for the past two years. Mom, Michael and I "waited" (waited as in the way Italians wait - they don't, you just fill in the gaps) in line for about 45 minutes to enter Saint Peter's Basilica. The inside of the Vatican was incredible and thanks to Michael's insight we were able to appreciate the various intricacies and details which would have otherwise been overlooked.
After St. Peter's, we headed back to meet Aunt Jill and Lindsey at the Spanish Steps for lunch and split up again at the Villa Borghese, a massive park in the middle of Rome. I talked Mom into renting a rowboat for 2 euro and twenty minutes of hilarity ensued. We are not the most seaworthy of women. I'm sure there is a youTube video out there titled "Why Didn't Anyone Stop Them?" featuring us - one ore each - frantically splashing around this tiny pond discussing whether or not the turtles thought in Italian or some universal Turtle language. We hadn't even had our first glass of wine that day.
The Cianciotta Rome restaurant is in a neighborhood past the Villa Borghese. I think this was the best meal of the trip - Aunt Jill went three for three in the Italy restaurant department. No train pizza this time, in fact, no leftover anything. We somehow managed to lift ourselves into the taxi which returned us to the Hotel Barberini - a lovely end to a wonderful visit.
Giorno n8 - Mom, Aunt Jill and Lindsey had an early flight back to New York so we said our goodbyes at 6 am, half asleep in the hotel hallway. I enjoyed my complimentary breakfast alone (concealing some extra yogurt, bread, spoon, etc. - complimentary lunch for the train ride home) and set off for the Sistine Chapel, the final attraction before my 13.20 train back to Florence.
When I arrived at the Vatican Museum, the line to enter was an estimated three hours. Thirteen minutes later I had entered, purchased my ticket, and, I am embarrassed to admit, was booking it past pieces which otherwise would have required hours of study and contemplation. I had a train to catch! After traveling for that many days, home was what I needed more than artistic inspiration. The Sistine Chapel took an extremely long time to reach, even at a full speed-walk pace. I have heard many so-so reviews, a lot of "I thought it would be bigger..." type statements regarding Michelangelo's Chapel - What on earth were they looking at? It was one of the most impressive works of art I have ever had the privilege to lay eyes on. Absolutely gorgeous. The only problem was, if you kept your eyes skyward for more than a few seconds - someone would knock you over. My attention was split evenly between the admiring the fresco and avoiding being trampled by bustling crowds of people. Even so, it's a popular place for a reason and it was worth the thirteen minute wait.
After the Vatican Museum, I met with my friend Jared who is studying architecture in Rome. He walked with me back to the hotel - explaining details of Rome's finer architectural feats along the way. We picked up my luggage at the hotel, said goodbye at the train station, and after a very successful week of traveling it was time to go home. The final highlight being, of course, train yogurt.
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