Roma

Both Naomi and I were sick for pretty much the entirety of our time in Rome. In spite of spending a full day in bed/on the couch, we still managed to do everything we wanted to in the Eternal City. It would have, of course, been much more enjoyable had we been healthy, but the incredible things we did and saw still left their impression.

Sunday morning happened to be the one day per month that entrance to the Vatican Museum was free. We wanted to take advantage of that, and the Metro line (imagine trying to build a Metro through all of those archeological ruins!) managed to bring us right there. The line wrapped around several towering walls, it was at least a quarter of a mile long, but it was moving quickly. Things go much faster when they don't need to charge entrance.

Our plan was to see the Pope speak afterward, but we got a bit lost in time. The Vatican Museum is in a category of its own. Most museums have art hanging on the walls. Here, everything visible is a canvas: floors, walls, and ceilings. The Sistine Chapel was indeed grand, but our favorite was the hall of maps. Amazing to see maps turned into artwork.

Our typical Italian breakfast.

Less than half of the line at the Vatican Museum.

A bit of New mixed with the Old.

The hall of maps.

One of many chapels.

After a restful afternoon, we took to the city in search of a nice meal. We found a very nice looking place - great atmosphere, service, and history - but below average food. After dinner we came across a nice church to take pictures of, and then called it a day.

On our way back from dinner.

Monday we only briefly left the B&B for a bite of food. Our included breakfast took place in a cafe around the corner, very Italian in style. It was too sweet for Naomi, but I enjoyed it. The B&B itself was less that 35 euros per night, and quite comfortable. Normally we would have shared a bathroom with the hosts, but they were in Pisa for pretty much the whole time so we almost had the place to ourselves. The one other room was occupied by a French couple, but they kept to themselves.

After plenty of reading and a movie, we forced ourselves outdoors in search of food. Most places are closed on Monday, so we got stuck with one of those spots where someone stands outside recruiting dinner guests for their amazing deal of a meal: everything for only 12 euros. Well, the gnocchi was quite good, and the tiramisu not bad, but everything else was a bust. I guess that matched quite well to the day's theme. On our way back to the B&B we managed to stumble across some nice ruins to photograph at sunset. This was the only high point of our day, and the only time something other than grey, rainy clouds could be seen in the sky.

Thankfully, an elevator (even if it didn't seem too safe)!

Sick day.

Ruins near the B&B.

Tuesday was much different. We woke up to sunshine and a bit more energy. After our Italian breakfast, we set off toward the Colosseum. Along the way we came across Trajan's Baths which was a ruined complex that must have been quite impressive a couple thousand years ago. The Colosseum is still impressive. We took a ton of pictures, waited in a long line, and enjoyed the sunshine immensely.

Colosseum by Day and Night.

After a perfect little lunch, we made our way toward the Forum. Naomi wasn't too interested, and a few rain clouds came out to play, but after about an hour, the sun began to shine, and it turned into magic. Naomi was resting on the steps while I became thoroughly engrossed with taking pictures. The setting was incredible. Needless to say, Naomi got a bit tired of sitting there. After the Forum, we walked to the National Museum which showed the powerful splendor of what the Forum must have been like in its prime. After a nice dinner, we enjoyed the Trevi Fountain as the sun went down.

Buildings overlooking the Forum.

The Forum.

The National Museum.

Dinner.

Trevi Fountain.

Our last full day, Wednesday, offered a cloudless sky. For the whole day! What a wonderful contrast from this Dutch climate we are stuck in. We started off at the Spanish Steps and wandered through some narrow streets until we found the Pantheon. It was incredible. If one were to extend the dome into a sphere, it would rest perfectly on the ground. I couldn't believe the structure is almost 1,900 years old! Pictures don't do it a justice.

The Spanish Steps.

The Pantheon.

Does it look 1900 years old?

Fun with Spheres.

Same holds true for true for St. Peter's Basilica. Photographs can't capture it. It was started just after Columbus set foot on America, and took 120 years to build. Unlike many Cathedrals and Basilicas across Europe, it doesn't show signs of different phases of construction or Master Builders with varied styles or war damage. It is a cohesive whole and doesn't seem to look much different than on the day of its consecration in 1626. I personally like the Gothic styles from Northern Europe better, but there is no denying this Masterpiece.

This doesn't look Italian!

The other half was being restored...

Walking up the dome - note the sloped hallways.

View from the Top.

Proof of Sunshine.

That old uniform...

While I was climbing the 551 steps to the top of Cupola, Naomi was doing some shopping. We met back at the B&B for some R&R before dinner, and then found our way to a fancy seafood restaurant. We found a Groupon deal online - it was a 120 euro meal for a third of the price. It was much fancier than we are used to, and we really enjoyed it. My favorite was the thinly sliced octopus. It tasted better than chicken or turkey - not fishy or tough at all. A perfect end to a sunny day.

Quite the appetizer...the octopus is on the right.

Thursday morning we sat in a park and enjoyed the sunshine. Around noon we headed to the bus that would take us to the plane that would fly us to Eindhoven where we took a bus to get to a train that would take us to Rotterdam followed by a Metro home. The trip took over 8 hours. Not fun while sick, but it was so good to be home! The last two days have been very relaxing (I even finished my taxes!) and hopefully we will be up for school tomorrow. Still sick, but oh well.

A beautiful ride home.