Roma, Italy - October 4-7, 2018

***Luke blogging***

When in Rome, do as the romans do and hide inside while it rains....The weather wasn't really cooperating while we were in Rome, but we did our best to enjoy the Eternal City.  Rome has a population of almost three million and is very spread out.  So only having three nights there we knew we could only see and do so much.  We stayed in a great little apartment near Trastavere train station.  Situated on the edge of the Trestavere and Vatican neighbourhoods, it is a great spot to catch a tram or bus into the city center or a picturesque walk to the restaurants in Trestavere.  You can walk or bus to the Vatican also.

Trestavere


Vatican City


Like I said, the weather was not really cooperating so we were indoors for much of our stay.  We did not see the Vatican,  Trevi Fountain,  Spanish Steps, or the pantheon.  We did however see the one place I really wanted to see and that was the Coliseum.  It was just as impressive as I expected it to be.  A massive structure, with a bloody history.  It drips of the savagery and gluttony of Rome's glory days.  Isabel and I took a tour with a guide from one of the many tour operators stalking around the building.  I paid forty euros and Isabel paid a student fee of thirty euros.  We only had to wait thirty minutes for the tour to start but didn't have to wait in the two hour line for regular entry.  Worth the price as far as I'm concerned.  If you want to wait I believe a regular ticket is 12 euro and if you are under 18 it is free,  so there are some savings there,  but you have to wait to get it.

After the Coliseum we checked out the nearby Roman Forum.  The Forum is the original city of Rome.  It is where the markets, banks, and government of the now metropolis of Rome began.  Once the coliseum was built it became the training ground for gladiators, preparing to win glory in the arena.

I would advise you to take a tour with a guide.  They are knowledgeable and make it more interesting.  The amount of history is staggering.  One could take a month to wonder through all the ruin in this one site.  Professional archeologists are still finding new artifacts every day.  In fact the city of Rome while digging the new metro line found a six meter statue of Nero buried in the rubble of the old city.

Roman gastronomy didn't disappoint.  We enjoyed a delicious meal as our send off from Italy.  In a small restaurant near our apartment I had the best meal I had in Italy.

It began with a plate of local meats.

I just looked around and ordered what everyone else in the place was eating.  It was possibly the best suckling pig I have ever had.

Jackie had rabbit and roasted potatoes, with an amazing sauce.

Isabel went with a salad.

Dessert wasn't needed but we treated ourselves.  I had some sort of doughnut éclair type thing that was delicious.  Jackie and Isa shared the tavernas take on tirimasu.

Rome was rainy and cool, and full of big city people too busy to say hello and hold a door.  Just like any large metropolitan city in the world.  Despite this I enjoyed the tree lined boulevards, and the small alleys connecting them.  Butchers, bakeries, and coffee shops where locals shop instead of large supermarkets are everywhere.  Food is important, family is everything, and the whole point is to enjoy life.  Italy was great.  I will miss her.  Croatia bound next.  Ciao.