Our first day of Christmas break was a huge success! Justin, Ryan and I got in last night at 11:30 and quickly found our way to our apartment where Austin was waiting. It's very nice and modern and only a 3 or 4 minute walk from the train station. We got a little bit of a late start after a very delayed train, but made it into Rome by 11:30. Our first stop was the tourist info station to pick up our Rome Passes (free transportation for 3 days and two sites of our choice) and then headed to the Vatican to try to see the Pope. We got there just as he went inside, but that was ok.
We didn't stay at the Vatican long because we are going back later. We headed instead to the Colosseum and spent a few hours there and at Palatine Hill. It's crazy that all these ruins are so, so old! Since we'd gotten a late start though, it was already late afternoon when we were done. We walked to the Pantheon just as the sun went down. After that we walked around and all the way up to the Trevi Fountain where we threw our coins in, then took the metro back to our apartment to make dinner.
Tomorrow's a busy day and it's already late, so we are getting ready to head to bed. So far I am loving Italy and have personally found Rome much less stressful than Paris. I can't wait to see more of it tomorrow!
We didn't stay at the Vatican long because we are going back later. We headed instead to the Colosseum and spent a few hours there and at Palatine Hill. It's crazy that all these ruins are so, so old! Since we'd gotten a late start though, it was already late afternoon when we were done. We walked to the Pantheon just as the sun went down. After that we walked around and all the way up to the Trevi Fountain where we threw our coins in, then took the metro back to our apartment to make dinner.
Tomorrow's a busy day and it's already late, so we are getting ready to head to bed. So far I am loving Italy and have personally found Rome much less stressful than Paris. I can't wait to see more of it tomorrow!
