Rome, Italy - July 5, 2011: The Colosseum, Basilica of San Clemente, Trevi Fountain

Our first real day in Rome. We scuttled out of the hectic Termini Train Station, toward the Money Exchange window. There’s a 14% fee to get euros, so I skipped it. We left out of the left-side exit onto a very busy street. I did not see the dreaded gypsies, single or swarming anywhere about the train station. Perhaps it’s true that the authorities have cleaned up the gypsy problem. We rolled our bags toward our hostel - just a few blocks from the station. About 15 minutes later, and passing some beautiful parks and amazing 4-5 story buildings with angelic ornamentation, we made it. I had memorized, visually, which blocks to go to…and even “Google walked” the route from the station. So when I had told myself we were near a park, I hadn’t counted on that there was more than one park nearby, but also writing down which streets I needed to be on, helped. It was a slight challenge getting to the hostel.

Once we got to our hostel, it was confusing once again. Sure it was marked outside with a brass plaque, that read Conte Verde Hotel, that was easy. We buzzed the clearly marked buzzer, were let in, then had no idea where to go from there. The inside of the building was sketchy, not well-kept and dark. There was an unfinished courtyard and a horribly rickety-looking tiny gated elevator. There was no signage for the “entry” to the hostel, which we eventually discovered was on the 3^rd floor, along with personal apartments. A very nice Indian gentleman tried his best to explain that he needed to move us to a different building, but that he’d take us and our luggage in his minivan. I had read about him, and that this was likely to happen. I was cool with it.

We packed ourselves in the minivan and ended up on Via Labicana, in an apartment with a small kitchenette and a sleeping loft. When the van stopped, we couldn’t take our eyes off the Colosseum, only a short distance down the avenue. 

The apartment is essentially an efficiency with a loft and kitchenette. We have air con, a large window facing a wide alley, a pretty big TV (though we only get Italian-speaking channels), a futon couch, a double-sized bed up in the loft, a decent sized bathroom, and a dining table but with only 3 chairs. The kitchenette is in a pass-through, hence only one person should be in there at a time. It was stocked with a  2-burner stove, cabinets, a small refrigerator and pots, pans, dishes and some utensils. It was perfect for us! The courtyard leading to the apartment is quaint with plenty of plants including cactus, tiled floors and with tall apartment buildings all around. If you stood there for a while, you’d catch your neighbors hanging their laundry or eating lunch.

The street itself is busy and dirty, but has a lot of what we need… gelato places, a butcher, a tiny shop for fruits & veggies, bakery shops, a framing shop, a liquor store, and a gyro place. There are more shops, all tiny, and people milling about. There are also abandoned buildings (they’re large!) and tons of graffiti, but it is very pleasant here. We keep trying to smile at the local folk, but they are not in the mood to smile back, usually. Sometimes they get downright annoyed with us, but we’re okay with that. Sometimes they are very helpful and very nice to us.

The first real day we are in Rome, it is raining in the morning. Hard. I let the girls sleep in, because all three of them stayed up late. I couldn’t stay awake myself. In the morning, I headed out to get the Roma Passes at a red info booth near the Colosseum. It’s about a 7-minute walk from our apartment. Then I circle back and pick up a few chocolate croissants for the girls.

In the early afternoon it is blistering hot, but we’re okay with that. I’m so surprised the temperature difference from the morning, when it was cool after the rain. We did the Colosseum – without going into the obscenely long line. With that Roma Pass, I ushered the girls to the left of the folks standing in line. This requires some “I know what I’m doing and I’m going to pass you” attitude. But hey, that’s what this Roma Pass is for. So we get in right away. We do the lower section first, then the upper section. All the time, if you check out the Colosseum, you are walking on uneven rubble, pavement, cobblestones, slabs of uneven marble, brick, etc. So be forewarned, WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES, and do NOT wear any kind of high heels. Of course there are just tourists there…all in sneakers, flipflops, sandals, Birenstocks, etc. WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES. Did I mention that already? Hmmph. Sarah wore slight heels. They did not survive the cobblestones. Shoes. Comfort. Remember that.

We're trying to find the opening of the Colosseum (Colosseo).

Catalina sitting on a pillar inside the Colosseum.

Sarah meets the boar - there is a bit of a museum inside.

One of the bottom floors. This would've been covered with a wooden flooring. Sometimes the top was covered with a canvas awning - which meant some of the lower ranking citizens got shade, but the upper ranks would not have gotten shade below.

After the Colosseum, (and we are lightweights, I know that), we walked around a bit then headed back to the apartment. But first, lunch! We ate at a tiny restaurant near the Colosseum that was inexpensive. Sarah and I had salads filled with vegetables and spring lettuces and a few bits of tasty cheese. Catalina ate bruschetta and Gaby ate spaghetti. As we meandered back, we stopped by a small church called the Basilica of San Clemente, a fourth-century church with 12^th-century mosaics. It was a gem, and a free place to visit and sit. I lit two candles.

Basilica of San Clemente.

We siesta’d for a while, then headed back to the Ancient Rome site to get a better look at the Arch of Constatine and the Palatine Hills. Unfortunately, though it was still early to us, the Palatine Hills were closed down. Well, maybe not so unfortunate as it didn’t seem to interest the girls.

Arch of Constantine - which is surrounded by a gate.

Then we headed to the bus stop to see if we could figure out where the heck that Trevi Fountain was. I asked a young Italian gentleman and his girlfriend if one of the buses headed that direction, and yes, it did, and yes, he’d be happy to show us where to get off and which way to walk. It worked out.

The Trevi Fountain area was a trip! Filled to the brim with tourists. Jammin’. We got gelattos and caffe and took pictures. There were lots of, hmmm…the ethnicity escapes me, but I think they may have been Indian folks…trying to give us roses (for purchasing) and offering to take our photo, which we declined all. At one point Catalina and Gaby got away from me for a bit, and I found an Italian man kissing Catalina’s hand. So I walked up close, he dipped his hand toward me, smiled and left. Catalina was acting a bit coy, and said the man accidently bumped into her and was apologizing. Yea, right. 

The hordes of tourists at Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi).

Trevi Fountain

Bella Sarah.

We walked around a bit, but by then pretty much just restaurants and tourist garbage was for sell all around, so we headed back. We took a slightly different path, and got a bit confused how to catch the bus back. I had noticed a lot of buses gathered at a square, so we headed toward that bus gathering spot and back to the apartment we headed.

Sarah had purchased some expensive but very lovely steaks, lettuce, green beans, cucumbers, pasta and tomato sauce. We had a delicious dinner of steaks and green beans. The girls also ate cucumbers with vinegar. It was a perfect end to the long day.