Genesea

Here I am finally having time to write about my trip to Rome with three other Am&eacute;ricaines ... This is a type of play-by-play on the trip (February 13th - 20th) and the excitement on the 20 hour train ride from Pau (in the south of France) to Rome :<BR><BR>Thursday the 13th : Brooke, Ali, Kelly and I hopped on the train around 8pm to embark on the 20 hour train ride to Rome. Nothing exciting happened that night except that I got some sleep which is a YAY ! ! because night trains are uncomfortable. The other plus is that our car was virtually empty, so we didn't have to worry about things being stolen, or just dealing with people in cramped quarters. The only annoying thing : for over an hour our box car was being moved around the station and it was difficult to sleep .. but since that's the worst thing that happened, I'm a content chicka.<BR><BR>Friday : Arrived into Nice in the morning and missed our connecting train across the border. That wasn't bad though because we picked up the next train without having to change tickets since the train was essentially a commuter train that took us along the French coast where we saw the amazingly aquamarine water that the C&ocirc;te d'Azur is so famous for. One petit station was named &quot; Beaulieu sur mer &quot; (Beautiful place on the sea) which I think was accurately named. After a 45 minute ride we reached our next stop in Italy and boarded the train to Rome. Each car contained separate compartments containing 6 seats and a door that doesn't lock (*suspenseful music in the background*). We four grabbed an empty compartment and thought our train ride would be peaceful ... that assumption changed when I saw 5 guys walking by our door staring in and making faces. So we closed the blinds. They came back and just sat outside our door. Eventually they left. The train started its path along the Italian coast, and we hoped we would be left alone. Not so. At another stop about 10 guys from the Italian navy hopped on board and sat on either side of our compartment. They spent their time banging on our door, staring through the blind, and making faces at us. Oh the joys of testosterone ... add 3 more guys to the mix and we have hot chili ... these guys were the most aggressive. They continually opened our compartment door to talk at us. We did our best in ignoring them, but when they woke us up the next time they came by, we had had enough. We just started talking at them in French and English. After that they left us alone. I think for some reason they thought we spoke Italian because they were surprised when I said we didn't. But, they left us alone. On a tourist note, the train took us right by Pisa, but we didn’t see the tower ..<BR><BR>Saturday: We woke up early to visit the Vatican (museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica) because we heard the line was huge and the Sistine Chapel/museum were only admitting visitors from 9-noon. We got to the museum and joined a long line of about 2 city blocks. The wait only lasted 25 minutes, though; and I, in the meantime, wrote postcards (a good idea I think to kill time).<BR>

Genesea

We then walked to the Forum (which was closed by the time we got there) and checked out the Vittoriale, a monument built between 1885-1911 for Italy�s first king, Vittorio Emanuele, where they have the Alter of the Nations. It was a huge white columned building with HUGE bronze statues of horses, gods, etc. I mean, it was huge ! Inside the Vittoriale there was a museum will all the busts of former Italian rulers, historical weapons, and other random things.<BR><BR>On Monday we decided to tackle the Forum first with an Australian girl, Aldi. It was just great walking around the Forum � which has so much history � and seeing all the travelers. There were school children from France, Germany, Italy, the US .. so many different nationalities from around the world. One classic comment I heard from a 19-something American girl to her parents was; �This place is a little trashy.� Oh la la! The buildings are in ruins -- what do you expect?<BR><BR>After gallivanting around the Forum and listening in on some of the French tours, we ran into a Canadian from our hostel, Dwight, who joined our group. We now had 6 people, and we joked that we might be able to fool people into thinking I was a tour guide �<BR><BR>We then walked to the Pantheon where the painter Raphael is buried. For those that don�t know, the Pantheon is a round and domed temple with a 29 foot opening in the roof. Originally it was a temple but later it was consecrated by the Catholic church.<BR><BR>After the Pantheon, we took a bus to the Olympic Stadium in the north of Rome. Surrounding the Olympic track there are 10 foot statues of ancient Roman athletes. And on that particular day there was a bunch of activity at the track: little kids were participating in organized athletics, large groups of adults were participating in stretching classes, and there were high schoolers practicing the high jump. We just enjoyed sitting back and watching.<BR><BR>The last stop of the day was the botanical gardens and the Tempio di Esculapio, a small greek-inspired temple on a lake. The gardens were huge with runners and a definitely relaxing atmosphere � heck, we had been on the go from 9am to 6pm! <BR>

Genesea

Part 3:<BR><BR>That night we went to Hard Rock Caf�, Rome, for dessert with 2 other people we met at the hostel: Dwight from Canada and Aldi from Australia. Believe me, it was really nice sitting in an American establishment!<BR><BR>Tuesday we had nothing planned on our schedule, so we walked around the clothing district. I finally found some great Italian boots � the leather is just amazing in Italy! It just reminds me of milk .. I don�t know why �milk� .. but it is just so soft and pliable. I suggest that if you want good shoes, so to Italy! The leather there is definitely softer that the �Italian leather� in the US. One interesting thing I noticed was that the Italian purses were more expensive than the shoes � don�t get that one! And fur is such the rage in Italy! Most women were wearing fur coats � even if they were in line for the city bus! I guess it is a �must have� regardless of income! Women to dress up more than in Paris I noticed. Women in Italy walk around in stilettos, leather coats, etc. looking immaculate.<BR><BR>After walking around, we went to enjoy the sun in the Forum. There we people watched and took little naps � we don�t get sun like that in Pau! Can you believe just being able to take a nap in the Forum? Crazy!<BR><BR>Tuesday night we went to Planet Hollywood for dinner where we had an unexpected surprised: a television crew from Rome wanted to interview us! They had been roaming Rome to find Americans and Middle Easterners questions. We were asked if we felt safe in Rome/Europe, what we thought about the State Department issuing safety warnings, what we thought about the war .. etc. It was very cool .. I had a lot to say.. but I didn�t get to say everything I wanted to; that is how it goes. So that totally topped off our trip to Rome.<BR><BR>Wednesday morning we left Rome for Pau. The trip back was smooth and we were left alone for the most part. There was this one guy who sat and stared at me for our 3 hour train ride between cities .. really kinda annoying if you ask me. <BR><BR>Overall, Rome was a blast. My french friends had told me to watch out for thieves that would use knives to cut my backpack, etc., but we didn't have any problem.<BR><BR>The one piece of advice I'd give is about the metro tickets: the machines only take exact change (0,77 a ticket), and we found that you had to start with the 0,02 piece first. It's just easier to buy tickets from a booth.<BR>

ira

Hi Genesea,<BR> Thanks for your interesting report. What time did you arrive at the Forum to find it closed?

Genesea

Ira,<BR><BR>The Forum closes at 4pm ... you still get a great view from the outside, but it's not the same. Also, take the advantage and sneak up and listen in on the tours; it's cheaper that way. =)

ira

Thanks, Genesea.

ParadiseLost

Ira: Earlier this month (so off season hrs) as Genesea said the gates close at 4pm but the site remains open until 5pm. Regards, Walter

ira

Hi Paradise,<BR> Thanx for your response. I expect that when I go, it will even be later because of DST, but still too late for me.

Scarlett

<BR>Genesea,<BR> I enjoyed your report

Genesea

Whew ... I knew I was missing something! Here is another part to the trip I left out:<BR><BR>-------------------<BR>Saturday: We woke up early to visit the Vatican (museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica) because we heard the line was huge and the Sistine Chapel/museum were only admitting visitors from 9-noon. We got to the museum and joined a long line of about 2 city blocks. The wait only lasted 25 minutes, though; and I, in the meantime, wrote postcards (a good idea I think to kill time).<BR><BR>The museum fee cost 10 euros and 7 for students. And it was packed. Even if you're not Catholic (like myself) I would suggest going. They had Egyptian artifacts (mummies, etc.) on display along with amazing sculpture. And the Sistine Chapel is just overwhelming. Every inch of the ceiling is covered in pictures completely unrelated. <BR><BR>Saturday night we visited the Trevi Fountain. There were all kinds of street vendors in our faces trying to sell roses .. but it was weird because they would say, &quot;here is a rose for good luck.&quot; And you'd take it, and then they would just stand there and stare at you. Eventually they would say, &quot;just a little money&quot; ... but it had to be at least 2 euros. Since we didn't want to pay that, we tried to give back the flowers .. but then they wouldn't take them .. it was just odd.<BR><BR>After coming back through the Metro we were overwhelmed by PEOPLE EVERYWHERE wearing rainbow flags with the word �pace� (at first I thought it was the gay pride flag). Everyone was packed in like sardines all throughout the metro with people in rainbow clothes, rainbow hair, rainbow hats � come to find out the World Peace Rally was that night where 1-3 million people showed up in Rome!<BR><BR>Sunday: The first stop was the Coliseum where us girls get scammed and I get kissed � but not on the lips!! This is what happened: there were all kinds of guys dressed of as Roman soldiers, and one group asked us if we wanted our pictures with them. We all agreed only to find out afterwards the photos with them cost 5 euros (My friend Russell later tells me that we shouldn't have paid them -- but I didn't want to just walk away not knowing what the consequences would have been. Any advice?). We were all flabbergasted because we used our film but we had to pay the guys. Yeah, we were scammed. After we paid the &quot;soldiers,&quot; one 40-ish year old kissed my cheek and said, &quot;I wish you were my Valentine.&quot; After we left them, another &quot;soldier&quot; (this one being much younger and much cuter) yelled at us, &quot;Hey Blondies, want an Italian boyfriend?&quot; We just laughed. Besides seeing Roman soldiers gallivanting about, there were all kinds of overly dressed women. There were women in fur coats. Women in stilettos. Women with hairdos that looked like they were going to a ball. And they were visiting the Coliseum. This just seems extremely odd to me. But back to the travel: the Coliseum was just amazing. It cost 8 euros to get in (it wasn't until 2000 that they started charging admission) and student discounts only apply to those from the EU. There are no information boards around the Coliseum, so we rented tapes for an additional 4 euros. I'd say the tapes were helpful, but many travelers also brought guide books and read those while walking around.<BR><BR>

Genesea

Continued from previous post:<BR>-----------------<BR>The Coliseum building process began in 72AD and was originally a pagan building used for man vs man vs beast spectacles. It is recorded that 5,000 wild animals died in the Coliseum. However, during the Middle Ages the Catholic church consecrated it used it for religious ceremonies. There is a large wooden cross in the Coliseum to honor the Christians that were killed during the Roman empire. However, our audio guide specified that there has been no proof that Christian were killed inside the Coliseum.<BR><BR>After that we went to lunch where I was stopped by another guy. I had only walked 20 feets from my friends to take a picture, and when I put my camera down, what do you know but a 30-ish year old guy asked me the time in Italian (most popular pick up line in the world, I think !). After it was obvious that I didn’t know any Italian, he started asking me questions in English : how old are you ? Do you have a French boyfriend ? Do you have an American boyfriend ? Have you ever had a boyfriend ? Did you know you are beautiful ? Then he proceeded to kiss my cheeks and call me « bella » ... umm, yeah. The girls I was with joked that I was an man magnet -- I just wanted to take pictures!! (Sometimes I think this kissing thing is just a good excuse for the guys!!

mdtravel

&quot;The Forum closes at 4pm ... &quot;<BR><BR>I'd read somewhere that it closes at 7:00?