Italy! Ecce Romani!

Tuesday 21st January
21 and going to Rome on the 21st!

So for my 21st birthday, with my travel addiction in full swing i had thought to myself, what would be my ideal holiday? Something that would make my 21st special, somewhere I'd always dreamed of going to...the answer...Italy! I love the history of the place, my two favorite time periods are the Renaissance and the Ancient Romans. I love the fantastic art of the Renaissance having based my dissertation on it, and its also one of the main fashion capitals of the world. Definitely a place for me!
I had considered Egypt, another favorite, however, with the current political problems and warnings on the British security pages i decided against going there (two young unchaperoned blonde girls in a warring Arab country....NO!)
Although it wouldn't be a trip of sun and sea I wasn't bothered, it'd be a bit warmer than home and i was going for the history and culture (and perhaps a little bit of shopping, it is the January sales season after all!)
The weather in Belfast upon leaving was horrid, we got the 12.30 Aircoach down to Dublin, the easiest and quickest way to get down for only £8 single arriving in under 2 hours. We checked in and hit the shopping area, spraying ourselves with perfume testers and trying a baileys chocolate, delicious! We boarded the plane and took off at 4.25 arriving in Ciampino Airport Rome around 8.30. A small airport our driver picked us up outside. He was supposed to meet another couple, however, they didn't appear so he just left.... as you do. Our Hotel Excel Roma Ciampino was about 10 minutes away from the airport. 4 stars, the reception building had lovely marble floors, a spacious rest area and bar. our room was on the ground floor in the building just behind the reception, with a red, white and black wood decor. High ceilings and two flat screen tvs (though Italian programmes) We had a large double bed, a pull out single in the living room/kitchen area and a modern bathroom complete with beday. Having unpacked we went to the bar, ordering two hot chocolates cioccolata Calda. delicious! We pretty much had to eat it with spoons it was so thick and creamy!

MERCOLEDI 22ND
Wednesday 22nd January

Having arranged for the lift on the hotel bus to the train station we got up and had breakfast around 9, a buffet spread with lots of juices, coffees, breads, pastries and cereals, you could also ask for a hot drink of your choice. At the station we bought our week pass for 34  euro which includes use of the metro, train and bus. Unfortunately, we got the wrong train, looking instead at the arrivals boards, we'd jumped on the train to Velletri, we had to stay on it before it made its return and went to Roma. So, instead of a 10minutes train journey, we were on it for two hours...awesome.
We finally arrived at Rome Termini at 1pm, we were shocked upon arriving at the amount of graffiti everywhere, it really ruins a city. we were delighted to try a cioccolata for less than a euro from a vending machine. Could easily get used to that! We headed out of the station having purchased a map with metro and bus directions, to S.Maria Maggiore. One of the famous Rome churches. Unfortunately, it was closed, but it was a vast, beautiful styled exterior, which pleased us anyway. It had started to ran, and we were already being harassed by black vendors trying to sell us umbrellas (also referred to as; looky looky men)
From here we got on the metro (a terrifying experience for Rebecca, who hates heights, later on, on a very steep escalator going down a couple were smooching to which she exclaimed, "What are they doing!? This is not the time nor the place for that, this is a life or death situation" heights, escalators and the metro do not bode well with Rebecca)
We got off at the famous Circo Massimo beside the roman forum. Amazing to see it, having read about it in some of my favorite books about the romans and Cleopatra's children. We walked along it, marvelling at this spot of history before going on to Piazza bocca Della Verita and going into Santa maria Cosmedin  where the famous Bocca Della Verita was situated, made famous in Audrey Hepburns Film Roman Holiday. The tale goes that it was used by men as a test for their wife's fidelity, if she was an adultress the mouth would clasp shut upon her hand. Rebecca and I were safe of course! underneath the church was an ancient Masuleom from the medieval period, originally made by Hadrian in 2ad. It made me feel very strange, a sense of doom inside the place, I was overcome with a sense of ill. And so we moved on, going to Spagna, with the Spanish steps, on top of which sat the church Trinita dei monti. 
We got some Photos in front of the courtyard of the beautiful Spanish Embassy and visited the Keats and Shelley museum. Rebecca was very interested as she'd been studying these romantic writers for her English exam the previous week. The house was where Keats had actually died of TB, his last view from his bedroom window onto the Spanish steps. He was then buried in Rome, it was sad, but informative and interesting. Worth a visit for any major John Keats fans or romantic period literature fan. From here we walked the 135 steps of the Spanish steps and entered the Beautiful Trinita dei Monti. The outside gives a spectacular view of the area, which is renowned for its shopping!

 The view from Keats window

 The sun setting, the view from the Trinita del Monti

We walked along the shops of the via corva, entering some beautiful frescoed churches and gazing at the antiques in the local stalls and shops. We strolled along the Piazza Navona lit up in the dark night, the beautiful fountain seeming like a natural element. On to the Vast Pantheon having had a delicious pizza at a restaurant nearby with freshly made froccia on the side. The pantheon still used as a church today is the only Church not belonging to the Vatican. Originally a Roman Pagan temple, its size, architecture and fantastic marble interior and realistic frescoes are breathtaking. The Roof of the Dome is Unbelievable! to have created something of that size, and eloquence nearly 2000 years ago is phenomenal! The "window" has no glass pane, the architecture is in its originality and is fantastic. Can't wait to see it during the day, where the light from the sun shinning down in through it will be like the light of God!






Our final stop was the +Trevi Fountain.I inhaled in sheer wonder at the beauty of this marble fountain, the frontier of a house in marble, the most spectacular edifice i've ever seen. The flowing water and rock design looking so natural with the chiselled mythical and impressive statues. clear blue water flowing almost in what seemed like a sylph like scene.
The remarkable spell was broken, however when a photography vendor offered a photo for a kiss... no thanks!
On up we passed another beautiful fountain, Fontana del tritone  Somewhat passive and forlorn in comparasion to the beauty of the Trevi.
Our metro ride towards the Bus at Anagnina was amusing. 3 Asians (there's a lot of them in Rome!) were sleeping on each other exhausted, to the point that when I briefly sat down beside one he was near lying on me. The look of confusion, annoyance and utter exhaustion was hilarious!
Our bus dropped us off in the dark and we weren't too sure to go, luckily a gay guy walked with us towards it before hailing us a bus who dropped us on up about 100M to the entrance to our hotel. Italians are very helpful!