Secondly, I just wanna say up front that I’m not posting pictures of Gorg cuz I’m in every picture, and I hate the pictures. But…I will give you all the details 🙂
Rome wasn’t what I expected. We arrived on Saturday, June 17th and were taken to the Vatican Museum right away. The line was L O N G. We waited in the blazing sun for an hour and a half to get in and then it was R U S H,
R U S H, RUSH to the Sistine Chapel. No time for stopping to look at all the amazing artifacts, beautiful artwork, or awesome statues. We did stop to see some of the rooms painted by Rapheal before entering the Sistine Chapel.
The Sistine Chapel was so much bigger than what I expected. And…it was more awesome than I could have ever imagine. There are guards inside whose job it is to shush people. No talking allowed. Something about the humidity produced by breath or something like that. Anyway…there were tons of college age kids talking it up and having a good ole time. I don’t think they were even looking at the artwork.
Anyway…Rome was very old looking….being the eternal city and all…I should have guessed it would be, but I was surprised. Not pretty like Paris. Later, after we’d left the Vatican we drove to the hotel and dropped off the people not going on the excursion to the Catocombs. I went… It was pretty interesting. We went underground to the tombs of Saints and Popes whose remains had been removed to keep them safe from touchy-feely tourist fingers.
The return to the Hotel Grand Palatino was uneventful for the most part, except when I left my bag unattended and turned to find it missing. Luckily the elevator attendant (cute, btw, with a great smile) moved the bag to a locked closet while I was trying to get my room key.
Dinner was followed by a night time tour of the city. I know I use this word way more than a thirty-one year old woman should…but the tour was
A W E S O M E. Rome at night is absolutely beautiful. We stopped a couple of blocks away from the Trevi Fountain and walked through the cobbled streets to get to it. The via was packed with people in bars, restaurants, and gelatorias. The Italian Soccer Team was playing the US team that night and all the bars were showing the game. Italy scored as we passed this little fruit stand and the two very nice looking Fruit Guys were so excited…they threw their arms around eachother and hugged and high-fived. Italian men have no problem with PDA..(more on this later). I might mention that I’m now obsessed with soccer…and with the Italian Azzuri in particular. I’m positive Gianluigi Buffon is going to dump his model girlfriend very soon and realize that I’m the girl for him. Hey…a girl has a right to dream, right?
The Fountain was packed. Heather, Michelle, and I made our way, coins in hand, to make our wishes and take pictures. Four wishes: A wish for the Italian Govt, a wish to find an Italian Love, a wish to return to Roma, and a wish of your own. Being the romantic and idealist that I am…I had every confidence that all would come true. One of four isn’t bad, I’d say….(wait for night two).
