When in Rome...

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Ever seen the Da Vinci Code? Better question- ever read the Da Vinci Code (sorry Tom Hanks your Robert Langdon was terrible)? If not, go read it. If so, I think you know of the almost unbelievable amount of history centered in Rome. Home of the Roman Empire and the Vatican, we had a jam packed three days to round out our time in Italy. Heading in, Lauren and I actually couldn’t remember if we had two nights or three nights in Rome. Luckily, the latter.
Our train pulled into Rome two hours before our friends Megan and Cayla arrived form L.A.. We knew they would be work out so we grabbed a welcome snack of baguette, cheese, and wine. A big thanks from all of us to Cayla for booking us the Hotel Palladium. We loved the four stars and our fantastic location! We received some terrible news when we arrived- due to the Beatification of Pope John Paul II, all of the Vatican would be closed throughout our Rome trip. In other words, no Sistine chapel, no St. Peter’s Square, no Basilica. I was devastated by the news. Luckily, further investigation gave us better news. Though mostly closed, we could enter the Vatican the day of our arrival. Poor Megan and Cayla walked off the plane and were immediately dragged out into Rome. We made it to the Vatican ten minutes before last entry- another close call. The Vatican was every bit as ornate and decadent as you might imagine. We wandered corridor after breathtaking corridor. Though we enjoyed the sights, all the grandeur was overshadowed by our desire to see the Sistine Chapel. With Michelangelo’s Genesis on the vaulted ceiling, the low lit chapel was beautiful. Similar to the Mona Lisa, this famous piece was far smaller than you imagine. We all took time to sit and soak it all in. Megan was so tired she dozed off. Next up was St. Peter’s Square. The already bustling epicenter of Catholicism was humming with excitement for the Beatification. The festivities drew several million pilgrims from all of over the world to Rome. Covering the square was a sea of people waiting, singing, and praying. The faithful all had flags of their home countries and camping gear so they could remain in the square. It was certainly a spectacle to behold. More than anything else, the four of us were moved by the almost tangible faith of the pilgrims. After the Vatican, we searched for a delicious Italian meal for Megan and Cayla. Enticed by champagne, we landed at a delicious eatery near our hotel. Lauren and I dove into massive dishes of white and red lasagna while the girls shared gnocci, Italian potato pasta. Tired from travel, we called it an early night after some gelato.
Sunday proved to be our power sightseeing day. Piazale Venezia, check. Pantheon, check. Trevee fountain, check. Spanish steps, check. Picnic in Villa Borghese check. We were dazzled by Rome’s sights. A bright blue sunny day lit up all the city’s streets. Linking all of our agenda were quaint old buildings with cobble stone streets. After a day out walking, we had a crazy hotel party, just the four of us. Complete with dancing and bouncing on the beds, before venturing the streets at one am to see the Trevee Fountain. (Sorry sisters, I couldn’t remember the Mary Kate and Ashley scene for you.)
Day three in Rome was all about the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. “For those about to die, we salute you.” Inside the Coliseum, all I could picture was Maximus in Gladiator. Still incredibly intact, the massive ancient slaughterhouse gave an exquisite look into the glory that was Rome. Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum were home to the Roman Senate. Large pillars and buildings dotted the beautiful green hill. Unfortunately, I spent the whole day fighting a nasty sinus problem/coldish bug. No illness was going to keep me from seeing the sights though. A few anti-histamines and I was able to recoup. In bed early and drugged up, I was shocked to hear the news that Bin Laden was dead from CNN. Being so far outside the loop for two months, it was lucky to get such a significant piece of news in real time. Packed up we had an early flight to Greece!

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