Fauz (and Sana...sometimes)
Monday July 25th, 2011
Alright. Sana and I arrived alive in the capital of Italy after a red eye flight, which involved minimal sleep. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed, we got through customs and to the baggage claim. A great spot too, right by the start of the conveyor belt. After about 15 minutes of watching bags come down and people struggle to pick them up, we realized we were standing at the wrong baggage claim. Standard rookie mistake, no big deal. After finally getting our backpacks, (mine looks more like a huge-ass suitcase strapped to my back), we found a shuttle bus that would take us right to our hostel! Perfecto! En route to Papa Germano, as our driver skillfully and frightfully wove through the Rome traffic mess, he told us, mostly in his sweet papa bear Italian way of speaking, about the sights we were passing. I was already having so much fun! Once we made it to our hostel, we set our stuff down and took a lovely and much-needed nap. We woke up to our new roommates coming into the room: two awesome fellow Canadian girls! After chatting with them, we decided to meander the city streets and perhaps see a couple of pretty sights. But first, we had to have some Italian espresso. It was bitter and kind of gross, but I know I will be having a lot more of it in the next few days! With a map in hand, we made our way to S.Maria Maggiore, followed by a bit of a sketchy detour through the hilly cobblestoned streets of Rome, which looked gorgeous in the night and also posed as tripping hazards. We found the Trevi fountain, got turned down by a security guard when we asked him to take our photo, and then sat at a restaurant patio. Since we sat and therefore had to pay the sitting fee, we decided to eat there as well (lol). After a great pasta meal, we expertly navigated our way back to the hostel, getting lost only...twice?
Tuesday July 26th, 2011
We woke up early today to make it to Vatican city. En route to the Republica metro station, we came across a round-about, with cars zooming around during what seemed like Rome rush hour. It looked very challenging to cross, so we seeked help from a local kid, who seemed like an expert crosser. Once we all started crossing, we realized that the kid had abandoned us in this time of great despair. In the middle of the round-about, we heard an ambulance and froze...the cars didn't freeze though. It was traumatic. Sana took control and halted an oncoming car, and then we successfully made it across.
After a few subway stops, we made it to Vatican city- the smallest country in the world. Personally, seeing the museum and all that never really appealed to me, but since I'm here, I figured I should see what the hype is all about. And my oh my, is there hype. Thousands of people standing in a two hour line...not my cup of tea. We chose to take a tour instead, paying about 8 euros to skip the line and have a tour guide explain all the history behind the artwork and statues. I must say, the musem and basilica are gorgeous and I am glad I got to see them. My only tip for anyone that plans on visiting, is to put on your patience cap (like a thinking cap but for patience) and be hydrated. Once we had taken in enough of the architecture, we had our first gelatos and some signature pizza, and made our way back to the hostel. Time for break. Stay tuned!
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