Buongiorno Italia

My first stop on my month long Euro trip was Rome, but it is howzit to Italy since half of my time on the continent will be spent in this country.

Rome is fabulous...it is said of Rome: Roma, non basta una vita

Rome, a lifetime is not enough.

I have done an insane amount of walking already (and this is only the beginning!) The best part is that I can take things at a more leisurely pace – none of this racing around like a crazy person trying to fit everything in (of course unsuccessfully).

Before I continue with Roma...my welcome to Italy – fairly painless. Prior to departure, queues at check in but that moved rapidly, no flight delays – we were in fact early. Breezed through passport control – checked my visa, stamped it, checked my face and handed back my passport – no questions asked!

And the reason for whizzing through passport control – non EU (probably the first and only time I’ll be somewhat happy I have a non-EU passport) There were very few (read, one person in front of me) people in the queue. Minor confusion at finding the correct baggage carousel...and then I waited, and waited and waited for my airport pick up. Called, tell me outside although email reads differently, tried calling them again as no-one outside – engaged for the next 30min. I was about to negotiate public transport – didn’t really want to with my backpack...when I got through, told me the driver was running late. So he finally comes.

And this was when I remember that Italian time may actually be on par with African time...this has been reiterated with the busses here – there’s no timetable up, and seriously, arrival times have been variable (at least as far as I’ve noted)

From one airport to the other (because driver was running late – had others to pick up) and finally arrived at camp – well, I’m staying in a bungalow – 3 bed shared. I noted when I booked, nothing about single sex, although I was hoping if I were to share it would be a chick – alas this was not to be.

I unlock the bungalow and there’s a guy standing in red boxer shorts with some sort of print. He mumbled something I didn’t hear, then he was like give me a moment to put on my jeans. So I close the door, and had to rapidly wrap my head around that I’m sharing a three bed bungalow with a total stranger – who’s male!

But it was all good, cool dude, into photography, and I even picked his brains with a few questions I had!

My first full day in Rome I went to the Vatican (different state and all even though in, or rather, within Rome) and entered St Peter’s Basilica – OHMYGOSH...is that place HUGE! It is just amazing! I went to the top of cupola and had an aerial view of the church before seeing it eye-level, and then a view of the ancient city...spectacular!

Met with my roomie later and we basically just wandered the streets of Rome – taking in of the places I’d seen previously...but this time shooting with my baby :p

Trevi fountain, Spanish steps, Pantheon, Piazza Navona...and however many little other piazzas you tend to happen across in Rome. We wondered somewhere beyond the Spanish steps and came across rollerbladers in the park – was fun watching them.

Roomie headed back and I stayed wandering some more.

Now, Paris..France...is like the place for PDA...yeah right. Think again.

Make that Rome! Admittedly, it may be Italy, but I’m yet to see!

I’ve never seen so many displays of public affection – like the nauseating kind, not the cute, aaaaaah swwwweeeeet kind. For many couples it’s ‘get a room already wouldya!’ In the park I took a walk to the one end and saw about eight couples in the area – all in various stages of PDA – from girl perched on wall, guy standing in front of her, to full on snogging, to legs intertwined on a bench and snogging. There was even a gay couple (at least, those guys looked stood mighty close and not in the way you would see straight male friends stand. At all. Ever!)

Made my way back to camp and ended up chatting until dunno when.

Day two – the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum – spent HOURS just here. Spent, what I consider, quite a bit on a walking tour but it was well worth it. The Colosseum is massive – 76 entrances – used to be way more when it was originally built by Vespasian, seating between 50 000- 80 000 spectators. Events from festivals, to sporting events to gladiator fights were all held here.

Palatine Hill and the Roman forum were pretty sweet. Rome really is an ancient city. I know I’ve said so before, but I can’t help but be amazed. There’s thousands of years history in front of you – and a lot of it is still being excavated today!

I’m really not even going to try share the history – if you’re interested, you are on the interwebz after all...better yet, plan a trip to Rome! Take a tour – you’ll never find out anything about half the stuff you see in front of you if you don’t!

Take the Roman forum; there are two temples at the bottom of the Forum. At the time the Roman Empire was at its peak it was Pagan, and most Emperors were deified and had temples built in the honour. When Christians invaded, a lot of the buildings were destroyed as the Christians were very much anti-pagan, but somewhere along the line instead of destroying everything they blessed it and made it holy instead, took it over and usually made it a church.

One such temple is that of Austina and his wife, there’s a story behind that temple (which will just lengthen and already long entry ;p). This temple is from around 700 odd AD, Rome flooded often, the city used to be quite low and part of the temple was underground. Come the dark ages – 1600s, Christian invasion, take over the temple, try to pull down the 30 tonne solid marble pillars to no avail! There are cuts in the pillars where the ropes were placed trying to pull down these pillars. I should add that by that time the pillars were at least 30 feet underground.

The temple next door – that of Romulus – little boy of four who died, dad was an emperor, had him deified. That temple has two solid rare Egyptian marble pillars – Rome was full of it, until it was all, shall we say, claimed, by the Vatican. That marble is worth the going rate of gold today. Not only that...but the bronze door, which actually predates the temple is 1700 years old, and still has a working lock and key.

Now if that is not fascinating, then I don’t know what is!

I was absolutely exhausted by the end of that, grabbed late lunch and rested my poor feet for a few minutes before doing more walking and just wandering around Rome.

Getting lost is the best part of being in a foreign country or new city, discovering all sorts of things! Eventually you find your way to some place you recognise.

Piazzas, side streets, fountains, churches, quaint cafes...all just lovely.

My last day in Rome had me walking for hours again. Surprise :p This time I tried to find all the piazzas and other spots I’d missed previously. Got to all of them eventually – amidst getting lost and ending up at the Trevi like three times or something. Everything in the centre of Rome is in walking distance, but there are many side streets so getting lost is easy. But it’s fun. Just head in the general direction you want to go and eventually you’ll get there.

Mouth of truth – I’m happy to report that my hand is still attached :p

The area around the mouth of truth, side street and photographer heaven. There’s also far less crowds and more locals.

I chilled on the Piazza Popolo for a bit, eating gelati (of course!) and then headed down a street I’d not been down previously.

I came across the old man, who, for lack of a better description had an outdoor art gallery – using interesting bits and pieces and entitling them with amusing names. It was along a wall behind the Temple of Augustus and he told me that they were offers to Augustus.

The most random thing I’ve come across yet, but such a lovely old man. It is also the most innovative way I’ve seen of getting money. There’s the usual street musicians and beggars – some face down on the ground with a crutch close by, others with deformed legs on skateboards and then you get mothers with small children.

I took photos – of course, but seeing it in person, I think it was the highlight of my day. And I’d seen so much of Rome that I just absolutely loved.

'The absent minded tourist'

I did a night tour of Rome - found out more history, some repetition from my Colossuem, Roman Forum tour – but this is never a bad thing seeing how there’s just so much information! Need some way of trying to retain it all.

It was heaving – with tourists, and locals. That may have been because it was a Thursday night...or else just because it’s Rome. On this tour found out about another area of Rome I just didn’t have the time to wander around. Next time! Then it was time for a repack and bed seeing how the next day I officially joined busabout on my month long euro trip

Onward to...Siena!