The flight was just fine, and just under 2 hours later, I was in Rome!! I was still pretty nervous because they are having a public transportation strike today, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get to where Emily lives. But, thank heavens, it turns out the trains weren't on strike, so I was able to get here just fine. Then, I had to follow my hand-drawn map, courtesy to Google Maps, to get to Emily's house. It was only supposed to be about a 15 minutes walk. However, I negleted to realize Rome is a very hilly city. I guess there's a reason why they call it "The City of Seven Hills" (thanks for that tidbit, Emily!).
Thanks, Google Maps, for neglecting to tell me almost my entire path is stairs :/
Me, taking a rest about half way to Emily's. If the city wasn't so beautiful, I'd have been frustrated. :)
I got settled in there for a bit, and we had a little snack, then headed out to explore the city a bit. It's such a beautiful city to walk through, and I'm so lucky I have a very knowledgeable guide :D
Can't you tell already how gorgeous it is?!
Some views of the city on our walk:
St. Peter's Basilica. It's one of the Major Papal Basilicas, and I guess the Pope was actually just here yesterday. That's why all the chairs are set up.
The Swiss Guard. Apparently he's here always. And he never moves. Crazy!!
Michelangelo's Pieta. It's Mary, with Jesus. So intricately beautiful.
A pretty view of the Obelisk at sunset.
Castle Sant'Angelo. This was originally a mausoleum for an Emperor's family, then as a castle for the Pope, and now it's a museum. Built around 135 AD. Super cool!
A view of St. Peter's Basilica from across the river.
Over to Piazza Navona. Here we have both the Fountain of Four Rivers and the Church of St. Agnes. Apparently, the facades were created by rival artists. The Pope who had the church commissioned actually decided this area should be for show only, and thus required the people to take down their markets and make this a holy site. They were playing music and there were lots of artists around. Very touristy, but beautiful for my first night in Rome :)
The Pantheon! Built in Ancient Rome, it has the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. There's a hole in the middle, and apparently when it rains, it's like a column of rain coming through. That would be super cool to see, but I'd rather it not rain while I'm here :P
We then headed over to Santa Maria sopra Minerva, which is one of the only examples of gothic architecture in Rome. It was a very stark difference between the very ornate churches we had just seen. It reminded me a lot of Sainte Chapelle.
Then it was over to try some gelato! I've been saving myself for Italy (how appropriate!), and Emily said this was the first place she tried, too. It was very good! It was perfect because it's not too heavy or sweet; it's just perfect!! We took it back to the Piazza Navona and chatted for awhile while we ate. Such a nice atmosphere!!!
Then we decided to go find a place for dinner. We tried to get out of the touristy area to find a good place, but we were just too hungry. We settled upon this little place a bit outside the Piazza and it was pretty good. Mostly, it was nice to have a little break from all the walking and sit down and enjoy a warm meal.
Me, satisfied after my first official Italian meal (lasagna :D ).
I was super happy with Berlin, and I'm so grateful I was able to go. I already know Rome is going to be amazing. I'm so grateful that I have Emily to provide so much information-it definitely adds to everything. I don't think I could do Rome on my own. There's just so much to see!! Get ready for two very filled days! Yay!!
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