We went on the tourist bus ride, two times around, and finally felt like we were beginning to settle into BEING IN ROME.
The reason for going around the city twice on the tourist bus was that what we were seeing so hugely interesting and there was so, so, so much to see. I couldn't take it all in. We really think that tourist bus rides are a 'must do' - for us, anyway. I got really excited and enthusiastic about where I was and the history that was all around us. Sometimes, it was just a bit overwhelming. (I think I said this a few times over the next few days).
We got off outside the Pope's house, it's called 'The Vatican' and walked over the footbridge across The Tiber river and then meandered our way through the little streets, had a pizza for lunch on the way, they're so big that we can have one between us, found ourselves at the enormous Piazza Navaron where we watched some street theater and performances, wandered on poking our noses into a couple of churches and eventually arrived at - the Parthenon! Oh wow such an amazing, ancient building just sitting there with life going on around it for centuries thinking "one day all these people will just go away " and it'll settle in for a few more centuries - We just came around the corner and there it was - no fuss, no fanfare. WOW oh WOW. so what did we do -
we bought a gelato each, very delicious, and sat on a step just looking at the Parthenon and watching all the people. Finally decided to go inside and ... thwarted - NO ENTRY ALLOWED - because they were having a freakin' mass grrrrrrr. people would be allowed in when the mass had finished, no idea when this would be. The doors weren't actually closed, just a rope barrier and guards, so we could see inside. We decided to head to the Trevi Fountain and then to the Spanish Steps. We had a lot of fun finding our way, I bought a couple of leather bags much cheaper than I could at home.
We found the Trevi Fountain, which was kind of underwhelming. All around it was very crowded. We sat there for a while up on the top side, and after a bit we decided to fight the hordes and get down to the water to throw some money into it because this means that we will return, so the legend has it. So our money's in the fountain and secure in this knowledge we then wandered on to the Spanish steps, which are on the piazza (plaza) from which the most exclusive and under-rated shopping street runs, that is, according to the guide book, and it was packed with people. I would have liked to walk down this street and poked my nose into some of the exclusive and under-rated shops but couldn't be bothered dealing with the hordes. Instead we walked up the Spanish Steps right to the top. And at the top there is a church, a very big and very old church which is under going restoration. We went in for a look and found that it had a really lovely atmosphere and was very quiet, as if no one wanted to disturb any of the dust from ages past. Much different than the grandeur, vastness and busyness of so many big churches.
By this time the sun was setting and night was coming so we decided to head for 'our local area' for dinner. Fortunately, this meant going behind the church and on, we didn't have to back track at all. We had a fantastic walk back in the gathering darkness, along the narrow cobbled streets, trying to read the map under streetlights or the light from bars or restaurants. At one point we found ourselves walking along a very narrow streets with a very high rock wall on one side and a guardhouse complete with a guard inside and police cars parked along the other side of the street and realised that we were along side the main police station, once we got to a light and could read the map. On we went eventually coming to our street and dinner in a restaurant which was full of 'old stuff' like old bikes, old tools - the sort of stuff that's in junk shops. Along with all the junk there was a 'head' sitting in a cabinet! We did not go and have a closer look at it, looked ok from where we were sitting, actually. It was had a good dinner along with a couple of lemonchellos for luck, called it a day and went back to the apartment.
It had been a very good day - the sun was shining, we'd walked for miles, seen many, many interesting things and people, eaten lovely food, drunk delicious drinks and another day was coming.
Here's some photos-
The entrance to the Vatican - we decided that we would not visit this place because there was so much else to see.
From the bus:
from our walk about - over the Tiber complete with an almost submerged boat
in the Piazza Navaron
The church at the topof the Spanish Steps
the Spanish Steps
me and the chestnut cook at the top of the exclusive under-rated street
at the Pathenon
at the Trevi Fountain
from the outside the church at the top of the Spanish Steps
police cars and guard
head in the cabinet innthe restaurant
headless people
No comments:
Post a Comment