Blogs from Rome, Lazio, Italy, Europe - page 302

Rome is very busy and crazy just crossing the road is fun the romans dont stop on the crossings and i hesitate too much so it takes me ages to cross. But Rome has been great and the people are very passionate and lively. Yesterday I most of the touristy places saw the Colosseum, Roman Forum, The Vittoriano, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, I just walked between each. Today I went to Trastevere a much quieter more local feeling place just walked around and saw another lovely Cathedral. I am staying near the Termini which is romes main train station which is well dodgy at night so I have been coming back to the hostel early and talking with the others staying here. Staying at this lovely hostel called the Beehive, the best one so far. The ... read more

I had a lot of fun today. We got up kinda early and took the train to Rome for the day. Unfortunately the Sistine Chapel was closed (until Monday!! grrr when they swear in the new Pope). But we walked to the Spanish Steps (which we aren't sure how they became so famous) and to the Trevi fountain. It was big and really cool. We threw coins in and then I read that you are supposed to throw them in while facing away over your shoulder. So we did it again :) Lunch was good too. We just picked a place randomly. I go some pizza and Adam got Pear & Balsalmic vinegar Risotto. I really liked his dish - the pears were yummy! We also went to the Pantheon which was neat. There is a ... read more

what a great day it was today. got up so early. we had to be on the bus at 7am, so breakfast at 6.30. needless to say, no party for me last night - trying to get over my cold. anyway, got the train in to rome, because our tour buses aren't allowed to drive in rome. very interesting experience on the train - so packed!! i'ver never been claustrophobic but i was this morning. once i got off it was fine though. we had to change trains twice - i'm so glad our tour manager was with us coz i would've had absolutely no idea where i was going!! one of the guys in our group caught a young girl trying to pick his pockets - she didn't get anything though. i locked my backpack ... read more

(Okay, so I'm really frustrated because I just bought a memory card reader that was supposed to let me upload my pics onto the computer here in the computer lab, but since I don't have 'administrative privileges,' I can't install the stupid files off the driver CD and thus have no access on this computer to my London and Rome pictures. I didn't want to post anything new until I got my photos up, but evidently that might take awhile. So, in the mean time I'm going to just transcribe some things that I wrote in my regular journal while in London and Rome, and put the dates of when I was there and such. Hope that works for everyone, and I'll get the pics up ASAP.) I'm sitting here in the Circus Maximus in Rome ... read more

Have arrived. My first impression is of wetness and dirt and decay and incredible age. This city has the kind of rich smells and stone streets slick with unknown substances that seem typical of warmer climes. Every step I take, I can't get away from the sheer size and age of the place. I don't think it's quite sunken in that I'm walking through the birthplace of modern civilization. I've stopped for food (I'd have to call it elevenses) in a little garden overlooking the Foro Romana. I'm soaking up the sun, thinking that a Roman princess probably was doing the exact same thing a couple thousand years ago, and trying to ignore the tourists. This little excercise has been fun to play with on this trip, erasing the tourists and putting myself back in time ... read more