Monday May 31, 2010 Rome

We woke up early this morning, not sure why, but way before breakfast. When the restaurant opened, we went down to eat. After breakfast we walked down to St. Peters square. The hotel advertises it as a “couple of steps.” -- 15 minutes to the museum and that many more to the square. It was a nice morning walk by the wall that encloses Vatican City. We purchased ticket for the hop on hop off bus and boarded it close to the square.

Don & Judi @ Trevi Fountain ----  Spanish Steps

The route took us past Plaza de Popolo and around to the Trevi fountain. We got off and walked down some side streets to the fountain. It is beautiful and if it was not for the crowds, it would be very relaxing. We walked back up the alley/street to the corner and asked directions to the Spanish Steps. Judi was disappointed seeing them this time. When she was here before, they looked like the pictures you see in magazines, with lots of pretty flowers on both sides and up the middle. This time there were people sitting on both sides and up the middle and all over instead of flowers. We left the steps and headed back to the alley, because we saw some outdoor restaurants there. After checking out several of them we settled on one. The pasta was good and the atmosphere was great.

After the lunch we walked back to where we left the bus and boarded it for the ride back to St. Peters square. We passed the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, where the Forum is located. We crossed the Tiber River on our way back to the square. We were getting a little tired, so we thought about taking a taxi back to the hotel. When we priced one at the square, he did not want our business, because he quoted an outrageous price, so we walked.

When we walked in this morning, the line to get into the Vatican museum was at least a half mile long. I know that sounds like an exaggeration, but it is not. The walk going back to the hotel was just like the one this morning, uphill both ways.


Back at the hotel, we relaxed and tried to figure out where we could grab a salad or sandwich, since the hotel room service had neither. We walked across the street and split a pizza and then it was back to the room. This afternoon in a crowd I had my back jarred so when we got back to the room I poured a little medicinal liquid into a glass and headed for the bathroom. I took a nice hot Jacuzzi bath and drank my “medicine.”


It was off to bed then. We are planning on taking a taxi to the Colosseum early tomorrow to beat the crowds. Lots of people in town as there is a national holiday coming up and the Pope is going to celebrate a public mass. They are already closing down certain streets.


PS: Roman Spelling was used.