Day 6 Rome - our last day in the eternal city

I am glad it is the last day here. I am overwhelmed by this city. Shauna sends a rallying text message in response to my text to her that we haven't seen everything we had set out to see. 'Walk faster, drink less limoncella and visit the Vatican.' We take heed. By 8.45am we are at the Vatican and signed up for a tour to beat the queue.



The Vatican is extraordinary. Words cannot describe the experience so I won't even try apart from saying I am so glad that I have been lucky enough to visit it in my lifetime. For me it is one of my most memorable experiences in Rome. We are told that there is so much artwork in the Vatican that if you spent just one minute looking at each it would still take you 15 years to see it all.


We write postcards and post them at the Vatican post office then eat the lunch Alan made this morning outside in the square with the pigeons.


Alan has a burning desire to visit the Forum and the Palatine area. It is incredibly hot now and I am flagging. The site is extraordinary as are so many other things we have seen in Rome but I am completely wilted. I lie under an umbrella pine (I am quite taken with these trees) while Alan roams around taking pictures. I don't feel too bad as there heaps of other people doing just the same thing as me.


I am feeling like I want to go back to our apartment for a lie down but the thought of the metro and then five flights of steps is as much to put me off as just continuing on. We still have to visit the Travestevere area Shauna has recommended. We take a taxi. I am glad we do as it is a pleasant change from the rest of Rome. We wander cobbled streets with interesting shops and have a late lunch at a nice restaurant overlooking the piazza.


We return to our apartment feeling like we have conquered Rome. Phew.

Funny moment of the day - At Termini station we both want to use the loo. We find one, and you have to pay a Euro to get through a turnstile. I am a bit worried when we get inside as there are only men in the queue but there are two toilet attendants in there who they don't say anything, they are busy arguing with one another, gesticulating wildly. I assume it is one of those unisex loo stops. After several minutes one of them finally notices me and ushers me rudely out: “NO SIGNORA.” When I finally pay another euro and get into the ladies loo I find a bewildered old bloke in there who has managed to get past the toilet attendant in this one.

Day 5 Rome – Day 16 of our trip when we lose the plot

Our first mistake of the day

I suppose when you travel you have to have a day when nothing goes right. We arrive at the Vatican and are overwhelmed by the queue. Just way too long – picture a queue from Hobart waterfront to North Hobart and you get the idea. A bit despondent we wander off for lunch. The restaurant we choose looks a bit classier than a pizzeria but we need a bit of cheering up. The waiter insists we have a refreshing cocktail. Hmm, I am thinking no breakfast this morning - could be a bad idea - but Alan has already agreed.



The cocktail is delicious, the meal reasonably so, the bill exorbitant compared to our usual meals.


We leave aiming for the metro station to take us to another part of Rome but after about forty minutes of walking around we are lost, hot, a bit cranky and needing a loo...


Aha I see a large M sign way off in the distance and we have hope at last – a metro station finally. It is a terrible irony when we finally make it to our destination to find we have arrived at a large McDonald's. The golden arches of Maccas instead of a metro stop. Don't tell anyone this Alan says but of course here I am telling you now.


The only achievements of our day are to find an Internet cafe, a bakery for some bread, and to finally see the interior of 'our' church opposite where a mass is going on.

Planning the big trip

All my spare time now is consumed by trip planning and booking for our trip to Europe in September - October.  So much fun - nearly as much fun I am sure in the planning and preparation as in the doing.  Will husband and I be able to climb five flights of steps to the magical Roman apartment with the amazing courtyard and bedroom view of a fabulous ancient building?  I have visions of myself as fabulously fit, walking everywhere on this holiday - able to devour a gelato a day easy without creating more love handles!  Hopefully. Today I did an international bank transfer (scary stuff) for the gorgeous little stone farmhouse in south west Dordogne area which will be our home for a week in October.  Slowly slowly like a jigsaw puzzle the trip is coming together.  Should we buy our euros now or wait for the currency rate to keep improving in our favour?  But enough - you aren't coming and this is probably boring you.

Here's a pic of a bag I made on Sunday.  Now that I am not making so much it took me a while to sew it.  I felt almost rusty but it turned out okay.  I have so many bags now.  Off home to visit Izzie now, who has had a grommet operation today. I have a pull along talking dog to give her and loads of nana kisses. 

And hey wonders will never cease - this phoneaphob has bought a mobile phone today.  Guy in the shop was a bit shocked when I chose one  soquickly by colour alone and not by its functions or any other fancy features etc.