Rome Trip - Day 3

On the Wednesday of our trip to Rome we got up and had breakfast again in the hotel, this time securing a decaf cappucino each. Then we got a taxi to the Colosseum which didn't cost very much at all. As other places, I could skip the queue with my blue badge - although it was early so it wasn't that busy at that point anyway. But then we ran into a problem. I had booked the tickets previously and read that we needed to take ID, which we did. However, their system had sent me the wrong ticket, a ticket booked in a name that has the first 5 letters of my surname, but which was decidedly not my name. So I wasn't allowed in on that ticket. 

Fortunately I got in for free with the blue badge anyway, but I think started trying to get a refund. I just kept getting bots telling me that they couldn't alter or amend a name after booking - which wasn't what I was trying to do! I was telling them THEIR system had messed up and that I couldn't get in. I gave up while I was in Rome but then got back on to them when I got home. I ended up getting a refund - I think because I also tried to do a charge back with my bank and that finally spurred them to action. It was fine, but quite annoying! 

The Colosseum is really cool though! We walked round all the parts that we could on our ticket - you could pay extra for other bits but we didn't bother. I took a ton of photos. I'm glad we bothered to go because it was very cool to see. We also met a ginger cat! He was very cute. 

We then tried to walk for the bus but they had stopped the stop nearest to the Colosseum and it was a LONG walk to the next one, and we were hot and bothered. We bought water off a fella on the street, which were still iced up so were great. My mum ordered another Uber and he took us to the Jewish Quarter. 

Now here's a funny story. Over twenty years ago Lee and I went with my parents to Lake Como for a week, followed by a few days in Venice. I was studying Theology at the time - my undergraduate degree - and was doing a module of Judaism. You might not know, but I had recently learnt, that the word 'ghetto' is an Italian word meaning 'gated', and it's from the area in Venice originally where the ruling people made the Jews live and be curfewed, in like the 1500s. My dad didn't believe me, but while we were in Venice we visited the ghetto and it was really interesting. The Venetian one was the first one but a few weeks before we went to Rome I read about the Roman ghetto and the Grand Synagogue, so I asked my mum if we could go. It's dead exciting being related to me, you get to go to all the best places. 

We arrived at the synagogue but by this time it was lunchtime so we went to a street behind it where there are a few restaurants. Quite a few of them were kosher and there were a lot of Jewish people - wearing kippot and so forth - wandering around. We chose a restaurant based on the fact that it had cacio e pepe because I wanted to eat some while in Rome. It's a dish Lee makes for me and I wanted to try the authentic stuff! My mum went for a chicken salad and chips I think. And we both had a massive beer! 

After lunch we went back round to the synagogue and got tickets to go in - again, free for me - and we walked round the museum. It tells the history of Jews in Rome, which goes back to before Jesus was born which is very cool! Then there was the history of the ghetto and pogroms, and of course the Holocaust. The Roman Jews didn't get deported until the war was nearly over, meaning that a lot of them survived, but they had had to seal up the synagogue years and years before and it was liberated at the end of the war by an American Jew who then prayed there. So that was pretty cool too.

Then there was the guided tour of the synagogue itself. My friend Katie who did Theology with me says we did visit a synagogue when we did Judaism, but I don't remember it. So I was really interested to see all the different parts. Plus it has a square dome and a rainbow painted on the inside, alongside ceilings covered in stars. 

We had considered visiting the Holocaust museum which was next door, but by that time it was getting a bit late and we were tired. If I ever went back though that would be on my list for sure. We walked to the closest bus stop and got on our bus and this time picked up headphones so that we could listen to the commentary. We went past some parts we had been round the day before, but some new bits too, and it was interesting to listen to the whole thing. We got off at the stop nearest our hotel - which still wasn't what you'd call CLOSE as it was near the Spanish Steps - but it was all downhill which wasn't so bad. 

I had been eyeing up all the leather bags in the shops and thought I would treat myself, and near the bus stop I saw this minty green one. I loved the shape of it and paid 25 euros which I think is a bargain! 

We had a rest in the hotel for a bit and then set off in search of food and drink. Firstly we had a drink in one of the bars very close to the Trevi Fountain, sitting on the street in all the bustle. We had an idea that we wanted crepes, but a few places that said they did crepes weren't doing them, so that was very annoying. We went back and forth and weren't sure what we wanted to do. I really wasn't hungry after my big meal at lunchtime but I would've done what my mother wanted. But she wasn't hungry either so we made the grown up decision to just have ice cream for tea. There was a fab gelateria just near our hotel so we went in there and sat down. I had lemon sorbet, coffee ice cream, and chocolate ice cream.

Then we went into a different bar for a couple of drinks after our food. As usual they brought crisps and nuts with our drinks so we nibbled on those and it was definitely enough food for us. I would have gone with my mum wherever she wanted but it would have honestly been a waste of money so I'm glad we just had ice cream! After a couple of drinks we just went back to the hotel.

Oh, we used Splitwise for our whole trip where we could each add expenses and work out who owed who what at the end. I would really recommend it! 

I put contact lenses in and took this photo of myself in the hotel first thing. Our room had been booked as a twin but actually was twin beds pushed together with one duvet. It was fine for us though, although it's a long time since I shared a bed with my mother!

Outside the Colosseum

And many many photos of the inside - it is so cool to see sometihng so OLD and to learn all about it

The ginger cat we met

Free Gaza graffiti which was cool to see

Me with a massive beer - I only ever drink lager when the weather is hot

And my mum with hers. The synagogue was just at the end of this street

Cacio e pepe pasta. It was good!

The outside of the synagogue with its square dome

From inside the museum - the square thing is a marble tabletop and I thought it was so pretty

Inside the synagogue with its rainbow dome and starred ceilings

Near the Holocaust museum

And I liked this wild area that was covered in poppies

This time on the bus we managed to sit on the top deck and listened to the commentary. We also got a bit sunburnt, oops

First lot of drinks

And a mass of ice cream, delish!

Aperol spritzes a bit later

And here's the little bag I bought!

Rome Trip - Day 2

On the Tuesday of our trip we were up quite early to have breakfast. There wasn't tons of choice in the hotel but it was fine, enough for us both to eat. Then we set off out to the Spanish Steps. 

Now, I went to Rome when I was fifteen, on a school trip to Florence. We just went for the day and I don't remember a lot of it. But I was pretty sure we had seen the Spanish Steps. However when we got there I didn't remember them AT ALL. We also did some window shopping in Prada, Gucci, etc, all the posh shops. They're around the bottom of the steps. Then we walked up them - which was difficult for me and especially as it was quite warm - and we rested a couple of times on the way. 

Then we bought some bus tickets from a vendor on the corner of a street, and walked up a big hill to the bus stop. I know Rome is built on seven hills, and people always compare Sheffield to it, but believe me, Sheffield is way hillier! This was the biggest hill we walked up and then we had to wait for our bus for a while, but eventually we were on it. We sat inside because it was full upstairs on the open deck, but no matter. 

We had planned to get off at the Jewish Quarter to look at the synagogue and the old ghetto, but getting from our stop round to near there took ages, so we didn't want to risk not getting to the Vatican at the right time. So we stayed on the bus and then got off it near St Peter's and walked across the bridge to St Peter's Square. I did remember this from went I went before. It is a beautiful church and the square is, too. 

We decided to get some lunch from a truck in the area. They had a few different types of sandwiches so I got a mozarella and tomato one and some crisps and a drink. I was glad I had my hat because it was hot and very sunny, and I had my hair tied back because I was incredibly sweaty. We considered going into St Peter's but didn't, and that is maybe my only regret of the whole holiday. Instead we walked round the walls to the entrance to the Vatican Museums. It is a LONG way away from St Peter's and up a bit of a hill. 

We finally got there and got to go to the front of the queue thanks to my blue badge. We had tickets booked for later in the afternoon but I'm glad we got in earlier because the Vatican is a LOT. You have to go through security and so on, and there are so many people around. We eventually got upstairs into the beginning of it. We decided to sit and have a drink in the main square area, which was very welcome.

Then we began the long walk to the Sistine Chapel! I did go to this when I was younger but really don't remember it. I am glad we went because it is stunning - it's much bigger than I remembered and the scope of the artwork is amazing. We had the audio guides which made it much more interesting as it was explained. We had heard too that you get shuffled through but this isn't the case at all. There is space for you to sit or stand and look at the ceiling for as long as you want, which we did. 

By the time we had made our way out of the Vatican it was about 5pm and we were exhausted. I had actually thought I was going to faint at one point - my vision went all black and I had to sit down. We considered getting a taxi from outside the Vatican but they wanted to charge us 38 euros back to the hotel but that was way too much! So we walked downhill a bit hoping to catch a passing cab, but couldn't. Eventually my mum realised she had Uber on her phone so she ordered one and thankfully it turned up very quickly. He dropped us off close to the hotel and it was only about eighteen euros. Be warned if you're going to Rome!

We then had a long lie down in the hotel because we were both knackered. I took an eye mask with me which was very cold as I'd put it in the fridge, so that was lovely. I then had a shower and we got dressed and went out for food. 

We ended up eating only a couple of doors down from our hotel. There was a really friendly lady in the doorway and we had said hello to her each time we had passed. The menu outside didn't have a ton of vegetarian options, but she said they could do pasta alfredo with mushrooms, which sounded great, so we went in. We were shown to a little cellar area a little bit lower down and to begin with we were the only people there, but fortunately it got much busier so it had more atmosphere. 

I had some kind of cocktail, a bellini I think, and we shared a bottle of prosecco. I had tagliatelle alfredo with mushrooms, which were so good! My mum had salmon pasta which she loves, and we both had tiramisu for pudding. It was perfect Italian food, and service - slow to give you time to chat. However a few Americans had a problem with this and ended up leaving! Loopy. 

We got back to the hotel about 10pm and went to bed because we were very tired! I was wearing a purple dress that I hadn't worn before, though. It is from Shein originally, but I got it on Vinted brand new with tags. It's a gorgeous light and breezy dress for the summer. 

This old well was in the breakfast area of our hotel

Looking up the Spanish Steps

From halfway up

Me and my mum - I had decided to wear tights instead of shorts because I wasn't sure if they would be bothered about bare legs in the Vatican. As it was I don't think there was much of a dress code! 

I saw a lot of antifascist graffiti in Rome which was great to see of course

From the top of the steps

My mother and I on the bus

My mother informs me that James Bond drives down the side of the river in one of the films in his Aston Martin

And this is Castle Sant'Angelo which is in Angels and Demons so my mum wanted to see it. We weren't inspired to go inside, though

St Peter's Basilica

Hot and sweaty and sitting in the shade to eat my lunch

Closer to St Peter's. It wasn't that busy

A rubbishy photo of the part of the chapel with Adam and God. I should have taken more photos inside the Vatican but honestly I was just concentrating on keeping moving and keeping myself okay

Lying down in the hotel at just after 6pm

In the back of the restaurant

A bellini

And finally my lovely purple dress when we got back!