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

MSC Melody Cruise 2010

My Trip 2010 - Part 1

From the time that I left Cape Town International Airport (26 November 2010) until I arrived in Rome (27 November 2010) not once did I take a pic – I don’t know why – I had my Nokia N8  - great camera by the way – Carl Zeiss 12 MP and all – better than my Fujifilm – but no Chris does not even think to take pics out of the window of the any of the aircraft that I flew in. From Cape Town to Johannesburg had a window seat – Johannesburg to Cairo – had a window seat – from Cairo to Rome – had a window seat.

Not even from the airport in Rome to Rome central – took the train – not once did I take a pic of the outer suburbs of Rome. Was I in awe of what I was doing, on my own, probably, all I remember was I had to get to my hotel in Rome so that I could settle in and then get my bearings and then get the whole tourism thing going.

Which I did – got lost along the way – thanks to two girls from Romania and their Italian friend – they took my right to the entrance of my hotel. Thank goodness I had practised some basic Italian – so I could at least say thank you.

Checked into the hotel and the 1^st thing I did was to find out where I was in this huge City – my starting point was the entrance to the main Train Station.

Roma Termini

This was my starting point every day until I left for Genoa on the 30 November 2010.

Roma Termini

As I arrived late afternoon and being in a strange city did not want to be out and about until I got comfortable with my surroundings took a few quick pics of a church across the road from the station. Oh and there are a lot of churches in Rome believe me.

Most of my pics from my trip you will find on flickr. Will continue with Part 2 soon.

Chris

The Start of Something New

Not sure if I am going to be good at this blogging thing - but maybe it is time move into a new direction. I feel I need to do something new, something different, share my pics in a different way.

Had my first cruise experience last year on  the MSC Melody from Genoa Italy to Cape Town - wonderful gift from the Owner of the company that I work for. Knowing that I am passionate about taking pics of cruise ships visiting Cape Town - he and his wife decided to send me off into the unknown - and for me it was the unknown - had never been on a trip out of the country - so it was with great excitement  - mostly from my friends and family - me, on the outside I tried keep cool and collected but oh boy on the in side - nervous as hell.

I have no intention of sharing any personal details here  - but more of sharing what I see with my camera.

Hopefully I will be able to tell a story through the pics that I have taken & will take in the future.

Over the next few weeks I am going to play catch up - I want to start with my trip last year.

Hopefully I will make it entertaining and not to boring

Chris