Rome, June 6 - 13

Back to the joys of Trenitalia, and we were rattling our way South towards Rome.
It was of some comfort that the builders of this station platform had a sense of humour... at least our minds were taken away from the travel for a few moments as we smiled at the building and it smiled back at us.

We rented a fantastic apartment in Rome. A penthouse! It was a little out of the central area, so we did have the inconvenience of bus rides (and long waits) daily, but the place certainly had a lot going for it. Cute and cozy inside, the homely interior becomes of minor interest when stepping out onto our own private 120m2 terrace.

Naomi made the most of quiet morning time, for some yoga and meditation. You can see the parkland that spread out across the road, it was an idyllic scene complete with horses and goats. A real treat to come home to, after days on the busy streets of Rome.

Also a treat, is when friends from home meet in far-off places. Much to everyone's delight, Sarah and Paul's honeymoon had a brief crossover with ours.
The girls were in full swing right away. There is always much to catch up on, and it helps if you are catching up in amongst the boutiques and cafes of Rome.

We had a great time, sharing travel stories and enjoying the warmth of familiar smiling faces.

Awww, young love. Married life seems to be as good for these two as it is for Naomi and myself :)

Naomi is a vegetarian.
This little man, with a giant sword-like carving knife, proudly sliced the largest sausage any of us had ever seen before. He was particularly skillful. It seemed as though Sarah and Paul found it hard to resist popping in to the deli for a taste.

Something tells me that Naomi did not feel left out at all, being a proud vegetarian.

No trip to Rome is complete without a visit to the Trevi Fountain. We enjoyed the spectacle just as much as the thousands of other tourists jostling for a closer look. It really is a spectacular and beautiful sight.

I was able to take the time to compose the above photo, thanks to our stubborn determination to remain unshackled by mobile phones on these travels. We spent a long time at the fountain after some mismatched communications. Eventually the couples were reunited and frowns were turned upside-down.

The next day, Sarah and Paul came over for a yummy breakfast on the terrace at our apartment.

It was a perfect day for it. Good food, good company, and spectacular surroundings. If you look carefully, you can just make out the top of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the distance. After breakfast, it was time to say good-bye as our travel plans took us in different directions.

Sarah was very brave as she faced the challenge of our spiral staircase.

The staircase was interesting from both ends - in the next photo, Naomi looks down from the top...

One notable feature that did not seem as evident on the streets of Rome as both Naomi and I had remembered, were the Gypsy beggars. We did see some here and there - but nothing like our memories of past visits.
By the bus stop near Via Greggorio VII, this monument of sorts is hidden in a corner. In the dark of the evening, it was an eerie sight and sparked long conversations as we tried our best to be patient, waiting for the bus.

We had a full schedule, as all visitors to Rome do. On the sunnier days there were long walks through parks and gardens. The Forum area is always a highlight.

We got to know certain neighbourhoods, particularly the Trastevere area, pretty well. It was not only the daily feeding frenzy at the bars that attracted us. It is worth noting though - every evening, for an hour or so, bars put out what is often a very impressive spread of free antipasto that is then swooped upon by patrons. Something that appealed to me very much, as (perhaps many of you already know) food is critical with an appetite like mine :)
Aside from the food, we were also there for the free internet access. The one flaw in our spectacular apartment is that is wasn't connected.

Naomi in the streets of Trastevere, overtaking miniature nuns. That's her on the left with the long strides.

We had a special day in the Villa Borghese, with a yummy picnic lunch after visiting the sculptures at the Galleria, and then an hour of excitement as we pedaled our way through the parkland like this -

It was a lot of fun. The first few minutes were scary for Naomi, but then she realised that she was on the side with the pretend steering wheel. Once the confusion over controls had gone we happily cruised about, grinning from ear to ear.

Then came the Vatican City.
To visit the Basilica of St Peter is a special experience. I was increasingly excited and Naomi soon saw why. The grandeur and the sheer scale, the opulence of the details, the seas of tourists... it is a sensory overload.

Even from the courtyard it is clear that you are in no ordinary place. We later found out that the space had been set up for an audience with George Bush. His visit to Rome in the coming days meant we encountered increased security from time to time... we had never seen so many police vehicles in one place. It made Rome seem all the more chaotic. However, as in other aspects of life, we tried our best to ignore what Bush was up to and focus on brighter things.

The system that exists to shuffle tourists through the vast maze of the Vatican City complex is confusing and frustrating at first, but once you see the sheer numbers of people involved it does kind of make sense to manage it this way.

The above image is from a small patch of ceiling in one of the many galleries that seem to stretch forever. Rather than show you a picture of a corridor whose end is lost in the distance, we thought it would be good to show how stunning every inch of the interior surfaces are.
Ordinarily, frescoes such as this would catch people's attention - but when there are thousands upon thousands of them, it was hardly surprising that many tourists barely glanced at the ceilings in the long shuffle to THE ceiling they had come to see.

I am, of course, referring to the Sistine Chapel. Strictly no photos allowed. The man patrolling this rule was serious enough about it to give us nightmares.
Naomi was getting weary by the time we arrived there, packed as we were into the crowded room. She certainly brightened upon seeing the spectacle. The notorious reputation is well deserved, and it was with great difficulty that I juggled my attention between Michelangelo's Last Judgement and the remarkable ceiling.

Eventually it was time to move on, and we made our way into the Basilica itself.

Once again it was a spectacle unmatched by any building we had encountered previously.
The sculptures are breathtaking - not only around the central altar, but also on every column, cornice and popping out at you from all nooks and crannies.







The scale of the space affects you as soon as you enter the building.
We also found the mosaics a surprise - rather than paintings, every image is reproduced in millions of brilliant coloured stones, glass and metals.

A walk up to the top of the dome gives a different perspective, both on the little people scurrying about like ants inside and on the beautiful view of Rome from the heights of the rotunda.

We tried to spot our apartment, but with no luck. That was ok... there is much to see and it was a special moment when the photogenic rainbow made its appearance.

Walking back through the Basilica after spending time up on top, you have a different sense of the space.
The afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows of the dome was picture-perfect.

What an experience, this Vatican city is. Our heads were bursting as we wound our way down the grand spiral staircase and headed towards the exit. That's Naomi in the orange top.

Naomi found the Basilica to be amongst the most beautiful places she had ever seen. So much more than any other cathedral or church, and it truly is an emotional experience to be somewhere that holds such significance for much of the world's population.

So, it was back to the streets of Rome where elegance and refinement blend seamlessly with chaos and modern Italian egos.
There is a softer side to Rome as well. As we walked around, we noticed how many stores had cute signage that really showed a considered effort.

Our time in Rome was action packed. We saw dozens of different sights, from galleries and monuments to churches, parks and more. What a place.
The standard tourist highlights of course became favourites for us too - including the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia, Piazza Navona, and Campo de Fiori.
To have seen some of them with Sarah and Paul made it even better.

Our final image that we will share with you (this is a long posting, thanks for staying with us!) is of a typically Roman alleyway in Trestevere.
A mangy dog, a scooter, and a woman hanging out her washing - a different set of jeans for every day of the week.



That is Rome.