Amor(e)Rome

Did you know that the word Rome spelled backwards is Amor which means love meaning "To love Rome" which I love Rome!!! It's one of my new favorite places.

Anyways getting to Rome was brutal because I couldn't wait to see Jessie and we have been counting down the days. Jessie was rightfully freaking out since my train was 5 mins late and I didn't have a phone.
So I ran into her outside the train station because I was so excited and wanted to freak her out since she wasn't looking.

It blew our minds that we were both in another country, her Italy, her Roma, and that we were going to be together for about 9 days. She is also my personal guide and has taken me to all the sites and the best gelatterias of course. The best one which I have been hearing about for 3 years Giolitti's which seriously is the best and today we found out the Obamas went there.

So once I got to Jessies apartment, where I stayed for 2 days, we walked over to the Vatican, which is by her house. We just walked over there and the square was packed because .... THE POPE WAS SAYING MASS to welcome all priests into the catholic family. It was AMAZING and I couldn't believe I actually was seeing the Pope. Then we went to sleep for a bright and early day at the Vatican.

At 11:00 Jessie dropped me off at the Vatican so I could take a tour of the Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's. The tour was great and probably the best part was I got to skip the whole long as ever line to get into it. Saw great sculptures, Rafael's work leading to the Sistine Chapel and seriously there are no words to describe the chapel unless you have seen it. Throughout the whole time your viewing it you hear Italian guards yelling NO FOTO and shhhhh. Then I went into St. Peter's which was lucky because it was closed since the pope was doing a mass for the new priests. It was so weird seeing St. Peter's because I've seen pictures forever of the outside and not the inside.
Rick Steve's did my audio guide inside St. Peter's where I came across Pope Pius who looks like he could wake up from his sleep any minute because of the preserving of his body. Also around the altar the canopy from left to right has sculptures of a woman going through child birth because at the time the artists sister (Bernini) was pregnant.

After the Vatican we did a whirlwind tour of everything Rome. Saw the Pantheon, Jessie's favorite place in Rome, Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, Castel de Angelo, Piazza Navona, largo di torre argentina also know as the cat monument because of all the cats roaming around it, and via del coral. Most of the big things I remember but there is just so much to see in Rome and when you see a lot in a day some of it blends. All I can tell you is I had a huge smile on my face.

The 3rd day I officially slept at the yellow hostel which was eh. I probably wouldn't stay there again but it was a place to sleep; however it was probably the worst hostel i have been at so far. Anyways Jessie picked me up at the train station and to me to Santa Maria Maggiore which is a church that Mary said where it snows it Rome build a church there. It was a beautiful place with a ceiling full of gold. Then we got pizza where I proceeded to not see all the oil drip onto my shorts to if course make an oil stain that looks like male genitals. After pizza, Jessie and I met up with some UD students to watch the US vs England game. We went to a restaurant first which had one side US and the other England. We didn't stay long because the waiter who we named Loco Luca wouldn't pay attention to us and because we ordered beer originally but then we ordered after a new waiter. Luca got in trouble which I liked but after dinner we dashed to a near by bar which had incredibly good looking waiters. One who particularly couldn't take his eyes off Jessie. After the game I was not in a good mood because England tied and in my opinion they should of won.

On Sunday we met @11 and saw the mouth of truth which was cool but not all its cracked up to be. I really wanted to see it though because of Roman Holiday :D. Then we sat by Circus Maximus where they used to do chariot races. Then we had pizza (you can see a theme here) and Jessie dropped me off at the Colosseum since she had a date ;) but also because it was extremely hot. The Coloseum was massive and again had a lovely tour guide of Rick Steve. It is crazy how the Coloseum was the 1st arena and how much a spectator sport it was pinning animal vs animal or human vs animal. After the Colosseum I went to cool off at the capital museum which was if i remember correctly by Michelangelo or Caravaggio. The museum had great pictures and marble structures. The best room was the bust rooms which had busts of Homer and other famous well known people. After the museum I found my way back all by myself to Campo di Fiori which I was very proud of since this was my first time without Jessie guiding me. After I got to Campo we went to the good looking men bar to celebrate Allie's birthday and to watch the Germany vs Australian game. The waiter gave us his four favorite drinks and 4 shots on the house since it was Allies bday.
Then we went to a bar that was full of American students and had karaoke night. Sadly I was to tired and didn't stay long so missed out on the singing.

My last final full day I went to the Forum and Palatine hill. The forum was amazing and I could of spent hours there but the heat got to me so I sat for some time after my guide Rick Steve's gave me a tour around. After the forum I went to Palatine hill which was where Cesar and royalty lived however due to an earthquake that ruined most of Rome many years ago there are pretty much ruins which to me all looked the same. After that it was laundry time which cost me more than I'd like but hey you got to smell good from time to time unless I'm over here too long and start smelling like some Europeans. After laundry made it over to Jessie's place with the UD girls where we had a full out pasta meal. After dinner we hopped on a bus to go see the Italian game which thankfully they tied 2-2 but the Italians were not as crazy as I thought they would be but again it is just the round of 32. After the game I called it a night because I had a bright last day in Italy.

My last day was a little hard getting up for because all the adventure was starting to wear me out. I had a 9am appointment at the Borghese Gallery but I had to have breakfast before I left because if I don't i feel awful. This decision I came to regret because the apple at breakfast seemed off and not ripe but I ate it anyways. Breakfast also made me a little late to the museum because I thought I could walk it but I was 50 steps from my hostel and I knew I was doomed so took a taxi from the train station. Got to the Borghese 10 til 9 and saw a line which I thought was for people without tickets but no it was only for advanced tickets because the museum was booked. FINALLY I got my audio guide and was in the front door and was blown away. The gallery is amazing. The marble statues are so unbelievable that you didn't know that could be done to marble. So I'm walking through the gallery and come to gallery 8 the so called Hefertiti room known for being half man half woman and start feeling my stomach churn that I dash out of the gallery in fear that I will pull a Charlotte from Sex and the City Movie. No worries I made it but missed the whole second floor of the exhibit because the museum has a time slotted time. However the good thing is most people say the 1st floors the best or they are lying to me to make me feel better. After the gallery I was down so walked through the park to go to the top of the Spanish steps chapel which really isn't anything compared to the other churches I've seen. Then I finished off the day with what I call "if you go to Rome you have to do this-Jessie Ciraldo wish style" Meaning I had to go to Giolites for the last time which I was very proud I found on my own. And the scooper man gave me the free cream on top since we had a little convo on how I mispronounced a gelatto. Then I headed to the Vatican to climb the dome because it has the best views of the city and it's a must. I waited in a short line to get into St. Peters and another for the dome where I cheated and took the elevator to skip 200 plus stairs to take you right to the mosaic dome which when you're in St. Peters you don't realize people are up there. It's also cool to see the mosaic up close. Then we climbed 300 plus stairs narrow stairwells to the point where your body is on an angel to get to the top where there are 360 degree views of the city and major landmarks stick out. I stayed up there for about 20 minutes because I had to make a mad dash home to catch our flight to Berlin and we had to take many forms of public transportation to get there. Needless to say we arrived at the airport and were one of the firsts to be in the Berlin airplane line.

So yeah that's Rome. I'm currently in Madrid on the way to Barcelona and am trying my best to keep you guys updated. If not I'm home soon July 1st :/. I have been having a blast just don't want it to end.

Til next time and hope all is well with you