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!

Rome Trip - Day 1

I haven't actually written here in ages, although I schedule posts so far in advance that it's only just over a week since one was posted. I've got absolutely loads to catch up on here and on my book blog, and I'm determined to get some stuff done before June disappears in a flash like April and May did! So here goes... 

On the 27th of April I went to Rome with my mother! This was a place I haven't wanted to visit for ages but Lee wasn't bothered about going so my mum and I decided to go instead. She uses a really good travel agent in Heckmondwike and they found us a hotel near the Trevi Fountain and booked it all for us. It wasn't a bad price either, especially for such a central hotel. 

We had to get up at around 2.30am to go to the airport, so she had stayed over at my house the night before. When I got up two of my cats were blinking at me in the bedroom like why are we awake when it's still so dark outside?? I got the last of my things together and we went to Manchester Airport. We got to Meet and Greet okay, we got in okay, and we got through security eventually, although my walking stick swabbed for ~something so it took me a while to get through. We went up into the Italian type place for something to eat. It was about 5am by this point so we had breakfast and a mimosa each because we were on holiday! Even though it was 5 in the morning. 

The flight took off about 7.30. Oh and I saw my friend Steph in the airport! Very briefly but it was nice to see her. We arrived about 12.00 and didn't have to queue as I can use the disabled lanes. We got our cases and then weren't sure how to get into Rome as the airport is quite a way outside. We had considered getting the train but there was a shuttle taxi thing which was only 25 euros each - the train plus a taxi from the station to our hotel would have cost about that, so it was a good deal! We were dropped off quite a bit away from the hotel which wasn't easy to navigate with big cases, especially as the streets near the Trevi Fountain were incredibly busy. But we eventually got to our hotel around 1.30 and were able to check in.

Our room was on the first floor and with the window shut it was incredibly quiet despite the hubbub outside. Plus, with the shutters shut it was really dark, too, which was good for sleeping! It was a basic hotel but good enough, for sure!

We headed out into the streets and kind of looked at the fountain, but to get close to it now you have to pay, so we decided to do that later. We talked to some Americans and then we walked almost back to where we had been dropped off where we chose a restaurant to eat in. We ordered a vegetarian pizza to share and two glasses of prosecco, which were delicious and cold! 

Then we walked to the Pantheon. I had been sent an Instagram reel that said to take your blue badge to Rome because it gets you in for free a lot of places and it lets you bypass the queues, so I had it in my bag. As we walked up to the Pantheon we could see two massive queues so we were a bit confused as to where to go, but then we asked a man and he let us straight through the barrier, for free. So I was already glad I had taken my badge!

It is stunning inside the Pantheon, I'm really glad we went to look at it. The roof which is unsupported conrete is just amazing, and all around there are different shrines so we wandered around looking at those and taking photos. It was busy! 

After that we walked to Piazza Navona, which my mother wanted to see because it is in the Tom Hanks film Angels and Demons. It is really pretty. We went into a cafe there and had coffee ice cream which is our favourite. The cafe was apparently once frequented by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Fancy. We then walked back to the hotel where we had a rest and I had a shower because I was sweaty and filthy. 

We headed out about 6.30 and paid to go into the Trevi Fountain. It was still incredibly busy but just a little bit less. It was fun to go down to near the water and get some photos, but there are many guards who are very officious with their whistles, which maybe ruined the vibe a little bit! People kept offering to take our photo and vice versa, which happened the whole time we were in Rome and which was really nice. 

We walked a street away from the fountain and went in a restaurant, where I had a negroni sbagliato (one of my faves!) and my mum probably had some prosecco. Then it turned out we had ordered drinks off a tapas type menu, so they brought plates of salami and cheese. I don't eat meat and my mother doesn't like cheese, so we swapped and that was fine, but then the waitress was concerned for me because I just had cheese, so she brought me a plate of grilled vegetables, a bruschetta, and some bread with olive tapenade. It was delicious! We had had lunch late so we didn't need much so it turned out for the best for us. We each had a macaron for pudding. 

Then we went to a bar which was on the rooftop and which had a view of the Trevi Fountain. You had to sit further back to start off with and then as people left you moved up to the front tables. It was a warm night and such a lovely view. We had a delicious if expensive glass of pink prosecco each and ate the crisps and nuts which came with it. We weren't late to bed as we were knackered after our very early start and after walking thousands upon thousands of steps. 

I was wearing a new dress to go out in the evening. It's a Joe Brown's one and I got it from Simply Be, in the sale. I love the red colour and the crinkly material, and it's lined which made it ideal for going out in the evening. 

Here's ten thousand photos:

My mum in the airport with the mimosa at 5am.

A view of the Alps from the aeroplane

The view from our hotel room - that street at the end led directly to the Trevi Fountain so it was only about fifty metres away

The fountain as we passed it the first time. By the end of the holiday we had passed it so many times that we were very blase about it being such a monument haha! 

Very cold prosecco

Delicious pizza eaten al fresco, so good!

The Pantheon! 

And here we are! I got the hat from Accessorize in Meadowhall for just £3.50 after a bunch of discounts on it! They practically gave it to me!

Inside the Pantheon, it's very cool

Coffee ice cream in Piazza Navona

The fountain itself

And the piazza, it was so pretty!

Back past the Pantheon on the way back to the hotel

Visiting the Trevi Fountain

My cocktail, it was good!

And my vegetarian plate

And singular macaron because it's all we had room for!

Up in the rooftop bar

Here we are overlooking the fountain

Selfie with prosecco

The fountain from the bar

We walked a little bit past our hotel because I wanted to buy some water, and found what is allegedly the smallest shop in Rome. There were so many shops selling leather bags and I knew I would have to buy myself one!

And finally here's my lovely red dress back in the hotel before we collapsed into bed

Farmer Copley's with Becky

On the 24th of April I went to Farmer Copley's near Pontefract to meet up with Becky and see the tulip festival. She had visited the pumpkin festival last autumn and was told about the tulip festival so she had asked on Insta if anyone wanted to go with her, and I did! I've heard of the place a ton - a lot of my friends with kids take their kids - but have never been myself. I wasn't even sure where it was! But I followed my satnav and got there just about the same time as Becky.

There's a farm shop and a cafe further down in the space, but for the tulips we were up at the top and we went through a barn and then out into the fields. There are tulips as far as the eye can see! On the right hand side were a bunch of food trucks and tables and so on. On the left are ....tulips. So many tulips. Of all colours. Of all kinds. I didn't even know there were different kinds of tulips! But some are frilly and dainty and look more like peonies!

We frollicked in the tulips, took a ton of photos of ourselves and each other and offered to take pictures of other visitors too. There were some men and families around but mostly there were duos of women like me and Becky, living their best lives and enjoying themselves! It was joyful!

We went and got some lunch about 12.15. Becky went for a jacket potato but I wasn't sure what I wanted. I went off towards a Chai tent, thinking I might get a chai latte, and realised that there they had homemade curry, samosas, and chaat. I love chaat so I of course got that, and it was glorious! Really spicy and delicious. When we had eaten we got a milkshake each too, from Milk From the Hills which is actually really close to me in Penistone and which I've had before.

We went back through the rest of the fields, taking photos of with all the props. The sun was shining and it was actually quite warm - gorgeous! It really added to the day and the whole time was just lovely. Before we left I got some fairground donuts and ate them in the car on my drive home! When I got home Poppy wanted to go into the garden so I let her, and then took some photos of the flowers that have sprung up in my garden too. Not sure what they are, but they are pretty. I got a picture of Poppy in the garden with a dandelion, too. And Becky and I had both bought some tulips at the farm so there's some photos of when they came out, too. 

My dress is from Shein originally but I got it on Vinted. It isn't quite a good fit so I'm not sure if I'll keep it, but I did like it on this day! Here's a thousand photos, they're not in the right order but as there's so many of them I can't be bothered to organise them, sorry!