popping to rome for the weekend

6/2/15

No sleep was to be had by either Charlotte or I. Overnight we had traveled from Our Chalet to the Zurich airport. We caught the 8.54 bus to Frutigen, then the train from Frutigen to Speiz, changed at Speiz to go to Bern, changed at Bern to go to Zurich HB.  From Zurich we caught a train to Willisellen, and then a bus from there to the airport.

We eventually arrived at Zurich Airport at just after midnight.  After finding a much required rest room, we were able to electronically check in and get our boarding pass.  However entrance to the departure lounges didn't open until 5 am.  So instead we hunkered down out side the security area on some metal chairs to 'sleep' for the night.

 At 5 am and possibly 3 hours of sleep (if we were lucky), we were able to get into the departure lounge. From there we were able to find slightly more comfortable seats able Internet!  Our plane didn't leave until 7.20, boarding wasn't until 6.55 and our gate wasn't going to be displayed until 5.50 so we just waited. 

Eventually we got our gate number, A 84, and we headed down to the gate.  We chilled outside the gate until we could board.  The flight was over before it had even begun.  By the time we boarded and found our seats, taken off, the lady next to me got up to pee, I fell asleep,  I woke up to her poking me trying to get back to her chair, the air hostesses came around with a croissant  (which tasted like a pretzel?) And coffee, then they came around with a chocolate each, then they collected the rubbish, I fell asleep again, woke up and read my book, then at 8.41 we landed in Rome. A whole hour and 20 min flight, for the 431 miles between Rome and Zurich.

Once we departed the plane, we headed to customs. The strangest customs ever! We literally walked through. No one looked at our passports the entire trip from Zurich to Rome once.

We made our way to the outside of the airport and to the train station.  From there we caught the Leonardo Express into Roma Termini, the main train station in Rome.  It was aprox. a 30 min journey which cost us 14 euro. At the main station we had a look around ad tried to find a money changer. In the end it was going to cost too much commission and the rate was horrible to change money so we decided to wait.

Instead we headed of on the walk to our hostel where we were staying. In a very round - a - bout way! 

From the Termini we walked up to the papal Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.  

Santa Maria Maggiore

San Giovanni

From there we walked down Via Merulana, towards San Giovanni in Laterano (another church).  Though we walked fairly fast we stop and looked around sights as we past and into some of the shops.  

We made our way to our hostel, we were staying at 'Mr Rome'.  Though we walked down a dingy little alley way to get there and then climbed 6 flights of stairs it is a lovely hostel and the staff are amazing.  It was only 11.20 and we weren't supposed to check in until noon and we had no cash to pay for said room, they let us check in a drop all our gear before heading back out into Rome.

Here is where the fun started!

First stop was the ATM next door one of the other guests had kindly told us about to get some cash out.  Then we headed off in search of Rome ' s most iconic location - the Colosseum. 

We got lost.  We walked down the wrong street which lead us down the hill instead of up to the Colosseum. But we corrected it and got there eventually!

We decided that instead of waiting in line at the Colosseum we would walk up to Palatine Hill to get tickets and start up there.

Palatine Hill is one of most ancient parts of the city and one of the seven Hills of Rome.  On Palatine was where the first settlers built their huts, later becoming a residential area attracting the nobility.  Over the time, the area gave way to imperial palaces.  Most of what is left is just minimal remains of what once stood.  There are many areas which stand empty and appear abandoned. After we had walked all through Palatine Hill we headed down to the Colosseum. Now that we had tickets we breezed past the que and walked straight in.

 

 

  

 The Colosseum (or Colosseo) is an elliptical amphitheater in the centre of the the city.  Construction began underneath the emperor Vespasian in 70 AD, and was completed in 80 AD under his heir and successor Titus.  It was estimated that the Colosseum could hold at full capacity 80,000 spectators.  It was used for gladiatorial contest and public spectacles; these included executions, mock sea battles, animal hunts, battle re-enactments, and dramas based on mythology.  The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval period.  Later on it was reused for purposes such as housing, workshops, religion, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.  We managed to spend over 2 hrs wandering the Colosseum, taking photos and looking in the shops. I bought a mini golden gladiator helmet to hang on my Christmas tree.

 

 

 

We headed up the hill from the Colosseum, aiming eventually for the Trevi Fountain. Along the way we found some market stalls and wandered those (and some more big buildings!).  I thought we were going in the completely wrong direction, but as it turns out, 2 secs later we stubble upon the Trevi Fountain.

 

 

The Trevi Fountain is a fountain (no surprise there!) in the Trevi district of Rome. It was designed by Nicola Salvi, and built by Pietro Bracci.  It stands 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide.  The  

The fountain at the junction of three roads marks the terminal point of the "modern" Acqua Vergine, the revived Aqua Virgo, one of the aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome. In 19 BC, supposedly with the help of a virgin, Roman technicians located a source of pure water some 13 km from the city. This scene is presented on the present fountain's façade.  

We joined the que to walk across on the glass walk way over the fountain as they are still renevating it.  When I threw my coin in, it appears I may have thrown a little too hard as the guard shouted what I assume was the Italian version of 'Oi' as it hit the statue and fell into the fountain. Needless to say we got off the walk way pretty quick.

Next to the fountain was a Gelato shop where Charlotte and I both got ice cream in replacement of lunch. I had lemon sorbet coffee hazelnut and lemon sorbet again!  Even our ice cream cones had ice cream cones though!

We began the walk back to the hostel after that.  We got distracted again with a makeup store and then more markets, where we bought some coconut. We passed the Colosseum and took some pictures.of it lit up at night time it was spectacular!

 

 

Just before rounding the last corner to the hostel we found a restaurant.  We bought two take away pizzas to have back at the hostel.  After demolishing half of a pizza each we put the rest in the fridge for lunch. 

 

Marius the hostel owner joined us in the kitchen later in the evening and had bought some food for us all... so it was a good thing we saved some room and didn't eat a whole pizza each!