More vacation plans?

My boss told me today that he'll be taking one week of vacation and going to... Santorini... I told him I hate him with all my heart and I don't wanna see him again, and that I won't ever talk to him again... but unfortunately I had to do these things, since we're working together. Of course he knew I was only joking :). God, I wouldn't have told something like that to my boss and mean it! I must say I have a wonderful boss, much like the first two I had but a lot different than the one before him.
Oh, I'd loooooooooooooove to see Santorini again!!! I'm seriously thinking of going to Athens in autumn, but I might have to do it alone this time. I don't think there's anyone willing to come... Oh well, I think I'd manage on my own ;)

Vacanze Romane

I don't think my adventure compares to that of Audrey Hepburn, but it was still an adventure. I wrote down all the places I saw every day, in order not to forget anything, so just let me get my journal and start the "story":...

Day 1 - Babel

Our plane took off at 06:10 and landed in Rome at 07:05 (mind you, Rome is one hour behind Bucharest, so even thought the flight took two hours, we gained one). We took the bus to the subway station Anagnina and from there we took the train 21 stations to Ottaviano - San Pietro (I know, I go deep into details sometimes, but that's me :). We were staying at a B&B called "Il Tibullo", owned by an acquaintance of mine, quite close to the Vatican. After we settled in, Ionut decided to take a nap (???) while Ana and I were anxious to go outside and discover "la citta eterna" - the eternal city. Which we did. Our first stop was Piazza San Pietro, where we took lots of photos, watched the columns from that one spot from where all four rows seem like one, admired the pigeons and did not believe we were actually in Rome... We were working on that one step at a time. After San Pietro we headed towards Sant'Angelo Castle. This castle started as emperor Hadrian's circular tomb and was fortified later by Aurelius. It was also the Pope's residence for 1000 years. From the top of it we had a wonderful view of Rome.
Our next stop was Piazza Navonna. It was full of people from all over the world, tourists, locals - some of them artist: painters, portrait drawers, caricaturists... It felt like the Babel tower! But in spite of all the crown there was an incredible silence. It felt quite... comfortable. It is one of Rome's most beautiful pedestrian squares, with fountains and surrounded by palaces, Sant'Agnese church and also very picturesque trattorias, one of which was called "La Dolce Vita". We took photos in front of the Four Rivers Fountain (Danube for Europe, Nile for Africa, Rio de la Plata for America and Ganges for Asia) and then left looking for a McDonalds - we wanted something cheap and where we didn't have to wait for our food. Time was something we didn't quite have. After our quick lunch we went in search of the Pantheon. With a good map and a great sense of orientation (of which I am quite proud), one will very easily find their way around Rome. And so we found the Pantheon, this pagan temple at it's origins, dating since 125 AD, also constructed by Hadrian. Unfortunately we could not get inside so we did not see the royal tombs and the tomb of Rafael.
Next "attraction" on our list was the famous Trevi Fountain. "Pasted" on the back of a palace, this famous landmark of Rome dates from 1732 and marks the end of the aqueduct Acqua Vergine, built by Agrippa in the 19th century BC from a miraculous spring discovered by a virgin. It is said that if you throuw 3 coins in the fountain you will return to Rome. I think I threw 4, but I would have returned to Rome anyways... We met with Ionut here and then headed to Piazza di Spagna, via Piazza Barberini where we saw the fountain of the triton. It was already dark outside and we were really tired, so we rested a bit in from of the church Trinita dei Monti, then descended the famous Spanish steps, took some photos of the Barcaccia, the fountain representing a sinking boat (I know, Rome's full of fountains :), then we took the subway and went home.

Day 2 - Past and Present

We decided to spend Saturday with a so-called time-travel. We started with the Colosseum. It so happens that this year is its 2000th anniversary. So we picked a good year to see it, I'd say :). I forgot to mention that we had purchased the Roma Pass, which for three days granted us free transportation, free entrance to the first two museums and discount for the rest of them. The Colosseum was the first one we chose to be free. I felt really small and insignificant when I entered the large arena. Again, I couldn't believe I was there, inside of this wonderful construction I had only seen in photos, following the steps of my ancestors, touching the stones that Roman hands touched 2000 years ago... It's a feeling I can't describe. After the Colosseum we kept with the history and went to see the Roman Forum and the palatine Hill, a picturesque ensemble of ruins that was once a symbol of civic pride for over 1000 years.
We left the forum in the afternoon and stepped into Piazza Venezia, in the middle of which rises "Il Vittoriano", the huge monument dedicated to king Victor Emanuel II, which you can easily see from any higher place in Rome, Just like the dome of San Pietro. Close to it was the famous Column of Traian and also the Forum of Traian, though not as impressive as the Roman Forum. We headed back to the Colosseum on Via Deu Fori Romani, but didn't go all the way. After we rested a bit we decided to change our direction towards Piazza del Quirinale. We were intending to see the Quirinale Gardens but from the Piazza we took a wrong turn and ended up at Trevi. Since it was already getting late we headed for home, slowly, on foot. We had been walking all day so we could barely feel our legs. It seemed like they were walking by themselves. We again passed by the Pantheon, Piazza Navonna, Sant'Angelo Castle and Piazza San Pietro. The last one was empty this time and thus quiet. We stopped for a while to admire the church and the majestic columns and the water falling from the fountain, which in the artificial light seemed like grains of gold.

Day 3 - Dialogue with the Saints

On the last Saturday of every month the entrance to the Vatican Museum is free. Unfortunately a lot of people come to the Vatican on Sunday and we also got up a bit late, so the queue would have been a long one. We decided to keep on the religious side and visit two important churches of Rome: San Giovanni in Laterano, which is also the cathedral of Rome, and Santa Maria Maggiore. Both churches are quite impressive, not as much in what concerns the exterior, but the interior architecture and also the many beautiful statues and wonderful frescoes. From Santa Maria we went to the Borghese Gardens. Ana wanted to see the Zoo but I was planning to do something else, perhaps walk in the gardens, which I had heard were beautiful. We stopped first at a restaurant near Trinita dei Monti, 'cause we were starving. We then went to Piazza del Popolo and arrived there just when it started to rain (by the way, in spite of the forecast that announced rain for the entire duration of our staying, the weather was actually warm, with just a few showers). We took refuge inside a small museum with the inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci, which was quite interesting. When we got out the rain had stopped and the sun was coming out. We had to be home by 7 pm, as Mihaela, the owner of the B&B, had offered to take us to a night drive around the city. So there was no time to go to the Zoo. Not that I minded :). After all, I didn't go to Rome to see wild animals. If I wanted that I'd have gone on an African safari...
So we took the subway from Piazza di Spagna and went home.
The night drive was wonderful. Mihaela first took us to eat ice-cream and then we went to see Rome from above, from the Lovers' Hill. The panorama was totally breathtaking. Never in my life have I seen something so beautiful... From there we drove by the Colosseum, the pyramid of Caius Cestius, the Circo Massimo (where chariot races used to be held in old times), Piazza Venezia, Piazza di Spagna, Trevi, Lungotevere (that's the Tiber river bank)... Rome is also beautiful by night.

Day 4 - Vatican

We dedicated Monday to the Vatican Museum and San Pietro. I'm not going to describe everything we saw at the museum (where we spent 4 hours), because that would require lots of details and also lots of time, I'll just say that it really impressed me, especially the Sixtine Chappel. San Pietro literally left me with my mouth open. The moment I set foot inside I was overwhelmed. Again, that feeling of smallness and insignificance... Though, one thing that didn't impress me as much as I thought it would, was Michelangelo's "Pieta". Somehow I had pictured it bigger...
We also went up in the dome of San Pietro, to see Rome from above, this time during the day. The view is indeed wonderful, but getting there is a real nightmare. Lots of stairs (of course, there's an elevator if you want, for part of the climb) and towards the end a very narrow corridor, which is also inclined to about 80 degrees. Even if you're not claustrophobic you'll sure feel like one... But all this is forgotten when you get outside and you feel like you're on top of the world.
Although we were dead-tired, in the evening we went and took photos of the Colosseum. It's even more beautiful in the dark, because it's all lit up and there's almost no one around. Unfortunately my camera doesn't take extraordinary pictures during the night, but I managed to capture quite a few decent ones. I think I'm gonna have to invest in a better camera :).

Day 5 - Leaving on a jet plane... NOT!

And so we come to the story of how I managed to miss my flight...
After an argument I had with Ana when we returned from the Colosseum, we decided to visit different things on what was supposed to be our last day in Rome. But before that we went to that we went to see the crypt with the tombs of the Popes at San Pietro, which we didn't manage to do on Monday. Afterward the two of them went to (take a guess) the Zoo and I took the bus towards the Baths of Caracalla. I didn't think I would, but I really enjoyed the time I spent alone. It was really quiet in the park that surrounded the ruins as there were not many visitors. After the Baths I went to see the pyramid of Caius Cestius and then Marcello's Theater, close to Piazza Venezia, from where I took the bus and went home. I got to the B&B around 4 pm, had lunch and waited for my friends. We were all supposed to meet there at 5-5:30. It was 5:30 and they hadn't come back. I tried to call Anna but couldn't get through. 5:45, then 6. At 6 I wanted to leave but my friend, Mihaela's sister, convinced me to wait for them at least until 6:15. She thought we'd had plenty of time to catch our flight, which was leaving at 8:55. At 6:15, when I was with my bags at the door, they came. I should have gone anyways, but instead I waited for them to get ready. So we left home at 6:30, took the subway another 21 stations and arrived at the bus station at 7:25, five minutes after the buss had left. The next one was at 8:00. The schedule said the bus ride takes about 15 minutes. I was starting to become worried, but my friends were calm, which really annoyed me. We go to the airport 10 minutes after the check-in was closed. Although the plane would take off in 30 minutes, plenty of time for us to catch it, 'cause Ciampino's a small airport, they refused to let us do the check-in, even if we offered to carry our own bags to the plane. I was a nervous wreck. I yelled at my friends for being so totally irresponsible, I started crying and when I finally calmed down (sort of) I called my cousin and asked her if she could find us three tickets on the Blue Air flight from Fiumicino airport the next day. We were lucky, but it cost us 108 euro each. We were also lucky to have a place to stay over night, because Mihaela hadn't given our room yet.

I have nothing to tell from my last day there, just that I was happy to get back home. Not that I hadn't enjoyed Rome, but the previous day had thrown a black cloud over the entire experience. Nevertheless, I'm trying to slowly erase it and all the other differences of opinion we had. That's what happens when people want different things...

I want to go to Rome again, perhaps next year, who knows ;)