When in Rome

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Wow..... Now I can say.. I've been to Rome and seen it all... OK maybe not all of it. There's absolutely too much to take in all at once.....

Woke up early this morning... Caught the train into Rome... Decided it was best to do a hop on hop off first to kind of acquaint ourselves with the area.... Rome is actually very bizarre to me... You're driving along and them BAM... it's the colosseum. Then you're walking along the street and BAM it's a whole other set of ruins!! and then there's the grafitti.... It seems like every where along the train lines... there is grafitti... it's such a shame...

OK... I digress... what did I do today... we went to the colosseum and the lines were mega long... so we did the trick that not everyone knows about.... we went to the palatine hill and bought tickets for both the colosseum and palatine.... so we were able to bypass everyone... Palatine was where the Romans came together for entertainment... There's nothing but ruins everywhere you look... and everywhere you look, next to these old ancient ruins you have these bizarro looking trees... they're very skinny and just a smidge of greenery on top... I'm oddly fascinated by them though... so in my pics... there are lots and lots of them. Anyways.. after the palatine, we ventured over to the colosseum... it's amazing to me that you have this vast structure, in essentially it's original state. It's still standing. For those who didn't go in... you should've.

After the colosseum, we made it over to the Trevi Fountain for our wish. I threw two coins and I even did it the Roman way... Opposite shoulder, back to the fountain. First wish was for a safe return to Rome and the second.... well, I can't very well tell you that can I?? Nevertheless... Trevi Fountain was chaotic. You have lots and lots of people want to make their wishes and take their pictures... What I don't get or understand is.... when you're taking a picture in mass crowds... you're never going to get the "perfect"one, so shoot it... and move out of the way so someone else can get in... I elbowed by way in for my picture, but of course, I had to give the evil look to a few people :O)

After Trevi, we wound up around the spanish steps... no flowers in bloom along the side... found out.. you really only see flowers during the month of May.. but we sat a little bit anyways... Then we had gelato at the San Crispino... Nica... $6 well worth it... YUM MEE..... I had Ginger and Cinnamon and then Honey.... it was so smoothe and creamy... dang I wanted to go back after dinner... if only we didn't have to catch the train back home... I'll have to see if I can convince my travelmates to go back tomorrow!!

Then we wound our way to the Pantheon.. nothing special I agree... but had to see it... now I have.... Had pizza for dinner tonight... 4 cheese.. OK.... also had a potatoe pizza with Rosemary... better than it sounds!! So that was my day in a nutshell. Hope things are going well back home...

Tomorrow.. we hit Vatican City and St Peter's Basilica.

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