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Saturday 19 November 2011

MSC Melody Cruise

My Trip 2010 Part 2


Woke up pretty early the next morning and decided my goal for the day was to get to the Colosseo. My decision to walk I would regret later, did not realise how far I was going to walk that day. But got there eventually with many about turns and maybe it was a good thing because I saw much more that if I had gone on the Hop on Hop off tour bus. Which I did the following day any way. But I always have to do everthing about face. Knowing what I know now  - I should have done the bus and then walked the next day - that way I would have known the lie of the land so to speak.

From day one I fell in love with Rome - I was fascinated with how the old and the new all  blended into each other.

 Must admit weather did not play along, but then again it was November so cold and wet, but that did not deter me from my adventure.



  Eventually after much walking, came across my second or third or fourth church as I said in part one - there is a church on almost every corner - so decided to go in side one of them and as it was a Sunday I was not sure if I could do the tourist thing - well I was pleasantly surprised  - tourists everywhere taking pics while the mass was being conducted.

San Giovanni Laterino

Spent some time taking pics and then decided to move on - well needless to say went the wrong way and walked for ages before I realised that maybe just maybe I was going in the wrong direction - back tracked and went back in - asked directions in the little curio shop - bought some rosaries for a few friends and off again.




Around the corner down a side street and there it was - The Colosseo.


The closer I got - the bigger it got. took my breath away - sad thing is, being on my own - had no one to say "WOW" look at that.



Along side the Colosseo is the Arco di Costantino & the Palatino.


Walked along Via del Fori Imperiali with old ruins of ancient Rome on my left and right - what I found so amazing was that this road is closed to all traffic and open to the tourists to walk down at their leisure.








Tourist information is ready available along the way.

View down Via del Fori Imeriali with the Colosseo in the back ground.



At the end of this amazing road you come across the most amazing monument - The Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele 2. Awesome. That is truly what it is.


From here I knew the Fontana di Trevi, Spanish Steps and the Pantheon was further along- pretty exhausted at this stage and the weather was turning foul, started to rain.

View from the monument down towards Via del Corsa- knowing that along that route lay the next part of my tour.
I off I went down the Via del Corsa - along the way took a left and took a right and by chance came across the Pantheon.



By now I had no idea how far I was from my hotel so decided to start making my way back - asked for directions and was horrified to find that it was pretty far. The quickest way was via the Metro. What an experience. It was the quickest way back to the hotel - all of 5 minutes. Quick and efficient.

This street vendor was the best thing since sliced bread. Bought a beer and some food and off to my hotel.

What a day - as for the following one - aim was the Vatican - but this time the Hop on Hop off tour bus - no way was I going to walk.


Chris

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