Last Day - Boo Hoo!!

Despite the fact that we are both looking forward to going home, it's with mixed feelings that we finally acknowledge that today is the last day of our holiday. We've seen so many beautiful places and have had so many adventures, mishaps and belly laughs that it'll feel very weird to be back at work next week! I think I just vomited in my mouth!! 

We decided to bite the bullet and purchase Skip the Line tickets and a guided tour of the Vatican today. After seeing the line of people buying tickets, it was definitely worth doing that. Also our guide was very knowledgable and we were in quite a small group of about fifteen people. We had headphones so that we could hear properly but our guide spoke so quickly and so much that my ears were bleeding after the three hours! 

Claudia visited The Sistine Chapel back in the 70's and she was amazed at the difference since the painting has been restored. It was quite surreal imagining Michelangelo painting the chapel at the end of the 1400's and here we were admiring his work. It was quite stunning, as were the many paintings, mosaics, maps, sculptures and tapestries throughout the museum. 

The opulence and OTT nature of the Vatican, especially St Peter's Basilica, is staggering and almost a bit obscene. It's hard not to be in awe of it all, especially the artworks and architecture, but what it represents in terms of Church power and dominance was daunting. We were absolutely buggered by the time the tour finished! We think it was the walking and standing on marble floors as well as the concentration required to listen to a guide for so long whose first language is Italian. 

Claudia managed to haggle successfully with a stall operator on our way to the bus - not an easy feat! 

We're going to go out for dinner for our last night - not sure where yet. It'll be an early start tomorrow to get to the airport by 9.  See you all very soon!! 

Thank you from both of us for sharing our European adventure - it's been a blast.  Now to save for the next adventure! 

Old entry to The Vatican

St Peter's Basilica in the distance

Entry to the first museum

Beautiful mosaic floor

Tapestry

The old maps were amazing. This one shows the city of Rome at the time, looking quite rural!

Raphael painted himself in this painting - the man in the yellow coat

He also included Michelangelo 

Some great close ups that Claudia took

St Peter's 

The Pieta  

Swiss Guards

St Peter's square with the famous balcony in the distance

Rome

It's nearly over!! Boo hoo!! Second last day. We made a reasonably early start (for us) and set off to catch the tram to the Colosseum. Seems there is no one checking tickets on Sunday and since we couldn't find a tobacco shop (where you buy tickets - isn't that logical?) we didn't get one. Got to the Colosseum and OMG. There were people everywhere and a massive line up. We decided we didn't want to wait to go Inside. I didn't care too much as I saw it in 1974 but Helen was OK to look at the outside. We have already seen quite a lot of Roman ruins!! Nevertheless it is an imposing and spectacular building. Just next to the Colosseum is the Roman Forum which was excavated between 1995 and 2000. Lots more old Roman ruins! The Forum was built around the 7th century BC. It was the centre of Roman life for centuries. We read about the Emperor Titus Aurelius (and his wife Titus Vaginus) We saw many churches mostly named the basilica of St Maria, also the Tomb of the unknown soldier. It was slightly imposing as are all the buildings!  Then we walked to the Trevi Fountain which was under restoration and also surrounded by clear fencing. It was disappointing and quite different to when I saw it before. We went on to the  Pantheon which was great (and free to get in!!). Yet another amazing building. The Spanish Steps were next and they were also enclosed by a see through fence. I understand that these things have to be protected but it was disappointing. Helen has hurt her foot walking on the cobblestones in her Birkenstocks and her foot was quite sore. We found a Farmica and got an elastic bandage and anti inflammatory cream which we put on. Didn't help too much.  We walked through Rome for quite a while but decided to go to the train Terrminus then cab it home. It was about 5 by then. Planning another vege meal at home tonight as 'hoppy' needs to rest her foot. Have a tour booked tomorrow. 

Colosseum

Roman Forum

Tomb of the unknown soldier

Trevi Fountain

Pantheon

Spanish Steps

Some monument

Some fountain

You can tell we are at the end of the trip. There is a definite decline in the standard of blog and photos and I don't give a fuck!!  Helen reminds me that I was the one who said the blog had to be done every night!!

Our last three nights in Rome :-(

Once again, Rome turned on the rainy weather for us.  When we departed last time, it was pouring and when we arrived this afternoon, it was pouring again! Claudia bought a rain jacket for her suitcase again and I bought a new umbrella (after leaving mine in a cafe in Dubrovnik!) There are guys all over the place in Rome who have a plethora of umbrellas and raincoats to sell to people when it's raining. The apartment was about a 20 minute walk from the train station which was ok apart from trying to hold the phone with the map as well as an umbrella as well as pull a suitcase! Oh the joys! We would have caught a cab except the line was a mile long and the quieu was in the rain.  We decided to suck it up and walk! 

The owners of the apartment met us here - they are both teachers.  Imagine our relief when we walked into a spacious, clean, safe apartment and joy of joys, it has a real kitchen! We're so glad we cancelled the other apartment and found this one! The supermarket is literally at our back door so after a cuppa, we bought some fresh veggies and steak and made the decision to eat at home.  I know that to some that would seem sacrilegious, to be in Rome and cook at home, but we are actually a bit over eating pasta and pizza and seeing no vegetables on the menu!! It was also still raining and not really a night for wandering around looking for a good restaurant. 

There have been a few times when we've arrived and met the host and they've asked if a double bed is ok - in other words, why are two women renting a one bedroom apartment? The host in Portici told me she was expecting me and my husband, not me and a friend. When I explained that Claudia was my partner, she was fine, but it's been an interesting process! Even on my airbnb reviews, the hosts have assumed that Claudia and I are just friends.  The host in Paris, whom we didn't meet, wrote a review saying that Helen and her husband left the place in an immaculate condition! Today we once again had to assure the host that a double bed was fine! 

Tomorrow we plan to visit the famous landmarks in Rome - the Trevi fountain, the Colloseum, the Spanish steps etc.  We have purchased 'Skip the line' tickets to St Peter's basilica for Monday, but didn't bother with a guided tour.  We'll probably buy an audio guide again. 

We can't believe that our holiday is coming to an end.  We've seen so many beautiful sights.  Of course we are really looking forward to seeing family and friends again, but the thought of work is making us both feel ill! Thankfully we both work with lovely people so that'll make things a bit easier! We'll just have to save up for the next holiday now!! 

Our very nice apartment!