December 3rd ~ Caio Italia!
One direct midday flight and a few airport chicken nuggets later, and for the first time in both of our lives Kim and I found ourselves in Italy! Our journey into Rome was a bit rocky, but with a little luck and help from a kind stranger, we arrived at our hostel near the central train station around 5pm. From there, we quickly got our plan together, dropped off our bags, and sped off to the metro station towards Vatican City. It had been Kim and I ́s hope to be lucky enough to get tickets for the Papal Announcement — where we would be able to see Pope Francis in person the following morning — so a trip to Saint Peter’s was imperative and happened to be a perfect place to start our night tour of the city.
After arrive outside the city walls, we had to make our way through a large arch in order to reach Saint Peter’s Square. The beautifully large square was surrounded by large columns and arches adorned with huge statues atop, while the Basilica stood proudly in the front. In the middle there was a large fountain as well as a Christmas tree and nativity scene all decorated for the holiday season. We weren’t able to climb up the steps of the Basilica at the time because it had already been set up with many chairs and a stage all prepped for tomorrow’s audience. After taking in all the grandeur, we made our way to the Office of the Swiss Guard to pick up our tickets. I had to wait in a small line in order to receive our tickets, but while waiting, I was able to see the changing of the guard from up close! Now that's what I call good timing!
Tickets in hand and with excitement for the morning to come, Kim and I decided to take the long walk back to our hostel and try to find our way to a couple of historic sites around the city. I do have to say, the many curved streets which never happened to follow any sense of linear organization made it almost impossible to navigate by map. We would think we were headed one way only to realize a few minutes later we had almost walked right off the map! Besides the confusing and many a wrong turn, it was so much fun to wander the streets of Rome and find many special nooks and crannies we would have never found otherwise. First, we arrived at the Pantheon — almost by accident if I am being honest — where Kim and I stopped to savour our first Italian meal right around the corner. We split a delicious cheese stuffed gnocchi pasta dish and a three-cheese pizza to top it all off.
Then, armed thankfully with WIFI and now our more reliable map, we finally were able to make our way to Trevi Fountain! The moment you turn the corner from tight and busy streets to this large square filled by such an impressive fountain is a sight to be seen.There weren’t too many people at the moment, so Kim and I stuck around for a little bit people watching, making a couple wishes, and admiring the energy of the space. Even though a hot Italianboy didn’t whisk either of us off on his teal Vespa, our “Lizzie McGuire Moments” were fulfilled.
Besides the magic of these moments, there are already a few things that turn me off about Rome. First being that everything was so spread out and far away which made it difficult to centralize your walking areas. However, because neither Kim nor I were that afraid to walk a couple miles or more in an evening that proved to be more of an inconvenience than a problem. However, the second issue had to do with how uncomfortable Kim and I were made to feel by men when walking through the tourist areas. I was warned of this before coming to Rome, but I was surprised as to the extent of it. We were constantly being called at by men working out of restaurants or in shops along the tourist areas by them making sexual comments about our bodies, etcetera. Now as two women traveling alone in a new country, I would have expected this type of behavior on the outskirts or less popular areas of a city, but the majority of the confrontations occurred in the most touristy or believably “safe” areas of town. Nevertheless, Kim and I had a wonderful time exploring together and eventually we returned to our hostel for the night and awaited our early wakeup call the following morning!
December 4th ~ Pizza, Popes, and Saint Peter's
We were up and ready to go at 6:30am and once again caught our ride on the metro to arrive yet again at Vatican City. With the Pope set to arrive at 9:30am it was of utmost importance to get there early and get the best seats possible. Kim and I reached Saint Peter’s Square about a half hour later and we were able to get great seats next to the aisle where we could easily see the stage. Even though we were two-and-a-half hours early we were lucky to get such amazing seats. So, for the next while as the sun was rising behind us, Kim and I froze to our bones beneath our unfortunately too few layers. Nearing 9am there was a marching band of young people who played songs with the same energy and excitement I can only relate them as to the ones you would hear on a gameday in Autzen Stadium.
Finally, right on time, Pope Francis arrived! Along with the band, everyone in Saint Peter’s Square explored with such powerful emotion and spirit upon seeing him. Then he got on his infamous “Pope-Mobile” — which is actually a Mercedes — and came slowly circling the crowd giving blessings, kissing babies, and waving hello. Looking around I saw a couple people around us crying and I do have to admit to feeling a tightening in my own chest from seeing — and from so close! — such a progressive and accepting figure to arguably have ever led the Catholic Church. After making not one, but two trips around the crowd, Pope Francis made his way up the steps in front of St. Peter’s Basilica and sat down in a large white chair near the center of the stage.
To begin, there was an introduction and welcoming to everyone in the crowd by the Pope in Italian and then a preacher from each nationality and language who was present in the audience got up to translate. There were speakers translating to English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Czech, Mandarin, and French. The preachers also recognized the special congregations and groups who were there. Then, the Pope gave a reading and his following interpretation. He spoke about how Rome was once a city where the thought and practice of magic dominated. He said that magic is not something to believe and trust in, but it is the “magic” of faith that makes real miracles come true. The real “magic” we see today is believing. I do have to say that what Pope Francis was saying rang true to me. If there was any word I could use to describe the feeling in that square that morning, I maybe once would have said “magical” as well. However, now I think there is something a lot more powerful and I think rare — faith. After the reading it was retold again by each preacher in their respective languages, however I was surprised by how much Italian I actually understood — not too different from Spanish after all! Finally, the service ended after a general blessing and Pope Francis did many personal greetings of the honored guests. Kim and I took one last look of the square and the Pope before leaving the square.
Even though we were finished in Saint Peter’s Square, we weren’t ready to leave The Vatican just yet. First, we walked back outside and around the walls of the city to reach the entrance to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. The museum itself was quite extensive with historical artifacts from Rome and abroad, sculptures, and famous paintings and murals. I was surprised to see such a wide collection that really didn’t have many religious items regarding the Papacy. However, at the end of the tour we entered the room of Michaelangelo’s infamous mural on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Upon seeing the mural I was really surprised to come to know how much more extensive the ceiling was other than just the small scene of “The Creation of Adam”. In reality, there are about ten more scenes the same size surrounding it. While it wasn’t what I had pictured, I was far from disappointed.
Since a few hours had passed and the Pope had since left the Square, Saint Peter’s Basilica re-opened. Kim and I entered by making our way around the stage, which was set up earlier, and then entered the main doors facing directly into the Square. Inside, there weren’t many things adorning the walls, but there were huge statues along the walls lining the nave. Immediately upon entering, on the right rests Michaengelo’s sculpture of “The Pieta” — a dead Christ lying in Mary’s lap. Everything else inside was very grand. In the center was two curving sets of stairs leading to the center of the Basilica where the tomb of Saint Peter is said to be located. While you can’t descend down the stairs to see the tomb, there were hundreds of small candles surrounding the stairs and a large, carved dark wood covering. Kim and I made sure to do an entire circuit of the Basilica, see “The Pieta” one last time, and then went in search of some lunch.
Surprisingly Kim and I found an affordable and good-looking pizza restaurant just outside the walls of the Vatican along a street which many wholesale religious shops which were fun to stop in and take a look. Shortly after we finished lunch, we decided to spend the rest of the evening revisiting a few places we had seen the night before. We began by walking back over the river and saw Hadrian’s Mausoleum from afar while crossing a bridge lined by large statues. Our first stop brought us back to the Pantheon — a once political center now turned church — and since it was closed at the time of our last visit, we were finally able to go in. It was pretty simply decorated on the inside, only a few large stone tombs and a small altar decorated the walls. However, it was a nice place to sit and reflect on the many people whom throughout time had been inside those very same walls.
After a short rest we again set out to the streets hoping to find Trevi Fountain once more. We had a bit of trouble finding our way among the labyrinth of streets, but finally we turned a corner and there it was! I do have to recommend seeing it in the day as well as night because both lend their own magic to the experience. We took a few more pictures and then walked to the corner of the square where we had spotted a rooftop terrace the night before. We were escorted to the top where we found a beautiful small patio with a perfect little view into the square. There were so many people at that time below, so Kim and I were glad to have our spot from above and our own personal heaters. Since we had arrived in Rome, Kim had been telling me that we had to try the tiramisu. With little to no convincing, we decided what better place to share a sweet Italian treat on a terris above Trevi Fountain among friends. And I do have to say, it was delicious!
We took a while to enjoy our pre-dinner dessert and talked for a long while at our table. Later, we decided to return to our hostel for the night and to bring our own prosciutto, cheese, bread, and a bottle of wine, for dinner and a perfect end to the night.
December 5th ~ Walking Among Gladiators
With a good night of sleep under our belts, Kim and I again got an early start and began our walk to arguably the most famous sight in Rome. Having previously explored the city by weaving between its busy streets. So, you can imagine our awe upon turning a corner off a busy street to see the Colosseum in all its glory straight ahead of us. As we had many things to do and see before catching our train out of Rome later that day, we started off our morning with a tour inside!
There was practically no line to get tickets nor to enter and I do have to say it was a very worthwhile experience. Events like the infamous gladiatorial combats had been taking place in the Colosseum since 80 AD. I had known from pictures and movies that the Colosseum was big, but I don’t think I was really able to conceptualize just how big it was until I saw it in person. In its prime, the Colosseum could seat around 50,000 people. I was very interested by the architecture in that you can see arch designs for design and structure all around the building. That type of design is probably what has upheld the Colosseum for the past 2,000 years. There were a few outer sections covered with scaffolding and it was easy to tell which parts had already been restored, but that did not take away from the significance of the site. I think my favorite part of the visit and tour was learning about and actually being able to see the mini-city which is located beneath the floor of the Colosseum. The arena floor was originally made by laying down large sections of wood planks and then by covering them with sand. So, when events were being held there were many people below making the spectacle of the games the best they could be. Between housing prisoners, making food, storing the beasts between shows, and organizing the placement and timing of the trap doors, the arena beneath the Colosseum was once teeming of life and activity. Kim and I toured both the upper and lower sections before making our way back outside and into the next part of our tour of ancient Rome — the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
While Kim and I were excited to see more, we were sad to leave the Colosseum and the warmth it gave us by sheltering us from the wind. Once again we found ourselves in the teeth-chattering cold! The Roman Forum was across the park from the Colosseum and we entered by walking past a large Triumphal Arch.
The Forum was once a place where Roman social life flourished. It was a place where people could gather to talk, gamble, and negotiate politics. While the center lawns were covered with small gardens and exotic trees — along with a few remnants of great statues and columns — it is surrounded by the ruins of several important government in the center of ancient Rome. Kim and I were able to enter a couple of these buildings to warm up for a bit, but it was the outside of them which happened to be the most impressive. We walked to a small viewpoint above the Forum near the gardens for a great view and to take the time to imagine life here during its prime.
Before leaving the Forum grounds, we took a small road up a hill for what we were hoping to give us the best view of all of the ancient — and I guess modern as well — Rome. Palatine Hill was once home to the city’s aristocrats and emperors. Kim and I walked among some ruins on our way up the hill before finally we circled around one of the buildings near the top and thankfully found ourselves with a great view of the Colosseum and city beyond.
We made our way leisurely back down through the park and around the Colosseum once more before hopping on the metro back to our hostel for the final time. Kim and I grabbed our bags and each bought a delicious sandwich from the deli around the corner, and then took took the short walk to the train station to buy our tickets to Florence. As it turned out, we were able to get on an earlier train than we had expected and were very excited to have some extra time later that evening. So after a few minutes waiting for our train to take off, Kim and I found ourselves jetting off through the Italian countryside watching the green hills and small villages fly by.
Just a few minutes upon arriving directly into the heart of Florence, we both agreed that we would enjoy this new city more than Rome. While Rome was big and busy, Florence depicted a more idyllic portrait of Italy and touched on smaller town values. We easily found our way to our hostel for the rest of our stay by crossing over the Arno River. After settling into our private room we decided to spend the night exploring the small city. Decorated with Christmas lights of all styles, we walked around the streets and eventually came in front of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, or more famously referred to as the Duomo. We weren’t able to enter at the time, but WOW! It was such an impressive and uniquely decorated Cathedral. With colors of green, white, and black, the Cathedral was decorated extravagantly with geometric shapes and designs on all sides. From its rose window to its impressive design, if the interior was anything like the exterior we were in for a treat! I have to say it is one of my favorite Cathedrals I have ever seen.
Next, we walked over to the old Parliament building called the Palazzo Vecchio to see where “David” once stood — and where a replica now resides. The building actually reminded me a lot of the many watch towers like my Dad and I saw in Bruges, Belgium. Next to the Parliament building was also the Loggia de Lanzi. This was a covered pavilion where you could wander among many great statues depicting Roman historical figures as well as Greek Gods and myths. One of my favorites was the “Rape of Polyxena” because of how dynamic and full of movement it seemed although having been sculpted from stone. However, the most famous was that of “Perseus with the head of Medusa”.
Nevertheless, our night was far from over. We subsequently crossed back over the river on the Ponte Vecchio — a covered bridge filled with expensive jewelry shops — into the Oltrarno neighborhood adjacent to our hostel. The area was full of great bars, restaurants, and a slower pace of life. Kim and I eventually sought out a drink at a cute corner bar covered with vines. We both ordered a couple of drinks and tapas and enjoyed our cosy hideout. Then, after a couple of trials and errors to find a pizza place for dinner, we eventually came upon a place near our hostel along the water. We were a bit weary going in, but that changed once we had a monster calzone staring us in the face. Italian ham, oil, and cheese, oh my! We both agreed that it was the best calzone we had ever had. Full and happy, we returned to our hostel for the night and to plan for tomorrow — our only full day in Florence.
December 6th ~ Italian carbs are the best type of carbs.
One breakfast pizza later, we started off our morning in front of the steps of the Duomo. In the daylight it was even more spectacular to see the bright colors and intricate designs. It was impressive from every angle. Kim and I were able to go inside the Cathedral for free where we were able to gaze up at Giorgio Vasari’s 1597 mural of the “Last Judgement”. Other than the amazing view from below, there was not much else to look at inside. For the most part the walls were bare and only had a few large sculptures emerging from the corners of the nave.
We exited the Duomo, and while looking for a few postcards to send home, it began to pour! We decided to hurry to our next tour of the day, Kim’s pick -- the Basilica di San Lorenzo, a.k.a. The Medici Family Tombs. I didn’t know anything about the Medici Family before we arrived, but with Kim as my personal historian, I soon learned about the family’s rise to power, riches, and royalty. All the while, they also set the foundations for the infamous Italian Mob. Through extortion and blackmail of Cardinals and other high ranking members of society, the family substantially grew their wealth, earned titles, and subsequently married off their children to royalty — one even became the Queen of France! Eventually the family name died out and their titles were transferred. Nevertheless, the Medici family were one of the most interesting and powerful Mob dynasties of the 15th century. In consequence, their tombs reflected it! The entire room where a select few of the family were interred was made of perfectly cut and pieced marble which spanned from the floor to the ceiling.
It had stopped raining by the time we finished the tour and my history lesson, so we then walked leisurely to the Galleria dell'accademia to see yet another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces — “David”. Before seeing the main attraction there were a few rooms of paintings and a few small sculptures. Then, as you turn down a large hallway, at the end under a dome allowing natural light to stream in stands a truly enormous statue of David. No one is sure whether this depiction of David is supposed to reflect the time before or after his fight with Goliath, but the details of his figure were outstanding! You could even see veins running over his hands and up his neck. I had previously heard about just how big “David” is, but even I was surprised by his size. Everything was maxxed out to scale...well besides one small member. Kim and I continued the tour inside the Galleria to see more statue casts and how they were created by hand. Before leaving to find our lunch for the day we took one last look at “David” making us both wonder if it really was Michelangelo who was more God than man.
Taking a friend’s recommendation, Kim and I hunted down our lunch inside the Central Market. Together we decided on a pasta bar where you order through a window and they make your dish fresh and with whatever combination of pasta and toppings you could ever want. Kim chose a gorgonzola stuffed tortellini with pesto sauce while I decided to get the chef’s special of the day — truffle stuffed tortellini with oil and parmesan on top. While both were absolutely delicious meals — easily the best two pasta dishes we had ever had in our lives —, my choice for lunch was the obvious winner. It had very strong and fresh tasting flavors and I savored each and every bite. We walked around the market for a while afterwards in complete pasta bliss looking at the many varieties of oils, pastas, fruits, and vegetables, that were on display. I think our greatest regret from the entire trip was not finding our special “pasta paradise” earlier.
With the rain seemingly over and the sun beginning to peek out, Kim and I decided to make our way to a viewpoint above the city. Taking our time and meandering the streets — and stopping for some of the creamiest gelato ever — we eventually made it up to one of the best views in Florence just as the sun was coming out.
We stayed up top at the Piazzale Michelangelo for a long time looking out over the river and across to the tops of the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio. All the while, we sat on the steps leading up to the top and listened to a woman singing ballads in Italian below.
As the sun decidedly set we wandered about still in the Oltrarno neighborhood and eventually found a beautiful small wine bar for a drink and a surprisingly kind free plate of focaccia bread from the owners. We talked for a long time sitting against a glass door and watching people come and go down the street. Finally, it was time for our last dinner here in Italy! We had planned this outing from our first day we arrived in Florence. So, Kim and I returned to the center of the city near the Duomo and found the perfect restaurant. We finished our last night in style with a delicious Florentine Steak and penne pasta with gorgonzola, blue cheese, and almonds. What a way to send off a perfect time in a perfect place!
December 7th ~ Impressions
Kim and I left Florence around noon to catch our flights back home to Sevilla. We were delayed a bit because of the Yellow Vest protests in Paris which affected flights all around Europe, but thankfully we made our connection in Madrid. A full day of travel, but it was all worth it for such an amazing vacation with my best friend.
Well, we met the Pope in Saint Peter’s, made a wish at the Trevi Fountain, walked amongst gladiators, toured the streets around the Duomo, said hello to David, and ate so many carbs. While Kim and I were busy trying to see all of the amazing and important components that make up a large chunk of human history, we did manage to leave only four days later without any regrets — well, besides not spending more time at our “pasta paradise”! Rome wasn’t built in a day, but we sure did conquer it. I think we both can agree that Florence was our favorite city of the trip. Although there weren’t as many things to “see” persay, we never grew bored of its magical qualities. I would definitely return to Florence in the future and I could easily imagine renting a car to travel to nearby cities. Rome was overwhelming to say the least, but in every best way possible. The feeling of truly walking through time hit around every block. Not to mention meeting Pope Francis was a once in a lifetime experience that not many people are lucky enough to experience. Just to feel that kind of pure energy pass through a crowd was special enough. I can’t wait for Kim and I’s next trip together and the many in the future, but this one really was one for the books!
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