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or in English "a lifetime isn't enough for Rome". For those of you who have been there, you probably agree with this statement. Besides the long list of archeological sights and museums, there is something eye-catching around every corner. Whether it be one of Rome's gigantic monuments, or one of the MANY churches or statues, or just the beauty of people-watching in a place that's so cultured and alive, this city has it all.
If a lifetime isn't enough for Rome, then 3 days DEFINITELY isn't enough, but we tried our best to see as much as possible in a small amount of time. I did this trip with one of my university friends, Ciara, who is also living in Europe as au pair. She was a great travel buddy as we were both very anxious to see and do everything possible.
On the first day I arrived in the evening before Ciara whose flight was arriving later that night. I met my couchsurfing host and simultaneously another fellow couchsurfer, Lizzy from Colorado! Gualtiero, our host, offered to give us a mini-tour of Rome before Ciara and another couchsurfer arrived that night. We walked around the historical centre of
Rome and managed to see the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Spanish steps (where we even spared time to join the crowds on the steps to people watch and enjoy an overpriced gelato!), campo dei fiori, the pantheon, trevi fountain and much more in a mere 3 hours! It helps to have a personal tour guide who knows all the short cuts!
The following morning the 4 couchsurferes left our sleeping host behind and ventured to the coliseum and Roman Forum (this time to see the inside). I had stupidly bought the 30 euro Roma Pass without verifying that the price was really worth it. This pass is supposed to include entry into the first 2 museums you enter as well as unlimited public transportation for 3 days. The Coliseum and the Forum counted as one museum, and they also happened to be the only museums we went to. I also didn't know I would have a super generous host who would drive us around instead of having to use Rome's SKETCHY public transport. I tried not to get too bumbed out about the money I'd wasted and tried to look on the bright side: as a Roma Pass owner, I
got to skip the lines for the Forum and Coliseum, entering a whopping 15 minutes before my friends!
It was interesting to see these sights with my own eyes. Although these are the kinds of things you see popping up in facebook and twitter pictures all the time, you don't really grasp the size and significance until you see them in real life. As is the case with a lot of things in Rome, the Coliseum and Forum were filled with tourists. Because of this, we preferred to spend the rest of our time exploring the streets of Rome. For me, the most interesting part about being in a new place is seeing the people and the lives they live. I like to try and fit in as much as possible and feel like I'm a part of the action.
What better way to fit in with the Romans than to attend a Roma soccer game? Myself, Ciara, Vince (the other American couchsurfer) and Gualtiero piled into Gualitiero's car and drove to the stadium. We were highly anticpating this game as we were warned ahead of time that the Roma supporters were very angry at the players for
losing the last 3 games and were getting quite violent. What a cultural experience it would be to witness an Italian footall riot! Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for the Roma team and its supporters, the game was tied and hence not much action ensued, but as a true soccer fan I still really enjoyed the match!
Following the soccer game, we headed to campo dei fiori to meet Lizzy. During the day campo dei fiori is a sophisticated square filled with bars and restaurants. At night it turns into an outdoor playground for 18+. The bars are packed and when the weather is nice, people pile into the streets and squares with their drinks, as in Italy it is not illegal to drink in public. The 5 of us had a blast, and stayed out dancing until 4am! On our way back to the house, we stopped at trevi fountain. Trevi fountain at day is a compleyely different scene than at night. Having seen it earlier that day surrounded by hundreds of people, it was quite serene to see a fountain that size all lit up with nobody but us to witness it.
After about 3 hours
of sleep, we woke up to go to the Vatican. We decided to save the Vatican for sunday as it has free entry on the last sunday of every month. Lucky us, we thought, to be In Rome on the last sunday of the month and skip the hefty entrance fee. We knew the line would be long, but we didn't expect 3 hours. Running on 3 hours sleep, we opted not to stand in the blazing hot sun for 3 hours and visited only the outside of the Vatican. It was still a very impressive sight, and gives us an excuse to come back to Rome one day!
Ciara and I walked around Rome for hours after that. The walking continued when we joined our host and fellow CSers to a park overlooking the city of Rome. It was an incredible sight, as you'll see in the photos. This was followed by a walk down to Trastevere where we had an aperitivo. We ended the night back at the coliseum, where a nightime photoshoot was definitely necessary.
Even though for nearly 3 days straight I walked until I could no longer feel my legs and had blisters
on every possible place on my feet, I still feel like I've only seen a very small fraction of the eternal city. A lifetime really isn't enough for Rome...
Sidenote: Why, you ask, is Rome's public transport "sketchy"? Because both Ciara and I got FULLY fondled and groped by creepy Italian men on the overly crowded and hot bus. It's true what they say about Italian men...
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Mom
non-member comment
Rome pics great!
Hi Ali: I love to see you in your various holiday pictures - it's almost like being there - well not quite but it's lovely to see you and I love your photos. See you soon. Love, Mom