Italy Trip - Day 3: Rome

Did I mention that this trip required thorough planning? Oh yes, I did... I am one of those travelers who need to have a schedule and a plan in case the schedule does not work as it should. Also, planning ahead has helped me to avoid lines to famous sites in Italy. Here is what was scheduled for today:

Yes, and I plan where I would have meals as well, because let's face it, who wants to eat at a place that is not well-rated!

The day was dreary and rainy, but I was well-equipped for any weather condition. Luckily, as the day progressed, so did the weather... Positive progress...

The morning started out according to the plan. I walked out of the apartment before 8 AM and headed to Regoli, one of the highly liked bakeries in the area. Service left much to be desired, and their cappuccino was way too foamy for me. Oh, and you can't pay with a credit card, cash only. As I soon found out, I'd be highly disappointed by both service and coffee in Italy. Neither impressed me, so I am happy to be back to my freshly roasted and ground beans of Guatemalan coffee made in my average, yet devoted espresso maker of 8 years and friendly servers working for tips (while it is advised to tip in Italy, it is not as common as in the US).

After a light breakfast (to Italians this is quite usual - coffee and a pastry, only touristy places offered real breakfasts).

My first stop, Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli, turned out to be a peaceful place with few people around. Still, even a simple basilica in Rome is a creation of art. Built in the fifth (!) century, this church houses a famous statue of Moses by Michelangelo. Pretty impressive, huh?

The visit certainly did not take me a full hour, as I planned, so I had some time to view my next stop, the famous Colosseum from all angles...

...and even visit the Arch of Constantine.

Visiting Colosseum was a pretty incredible thing for me. I have never been in an architectural structure that is so ancient. At the same time, crowds of tourists were tainting the experience. There were just too many people, like in many other amazing sites that I would visit in the next two weeks. Tourists were considered both a blessing and a curse - without us the country's economy would decline, but with tourists the number of people in famous areas was just outrageous.

Colosseum was used for many events, including gladiator fights and staged hunting. The only thing is they were not really staged. People and animals were killed right on the arena, watched by tens of thousands of visitors. Human cruelty can't stop surprising me...

Palatine Hill and Roman Forum were my next destinations. Initially, I could not even tell the difference between the two as they are located nearby and only require one ticket to enter. Without a guide, it was rather difficult to figure out what's where, but the architecture alone left me amazed. Because the site is so spread out, it is possible to get away from the crowds, something that I was glad to experience after Colosseum.

The Arch of Septimius Severus was part of Roman Forum, but I did not realize it until today as I did more research of what it looked like. As I said, confusing...

The next planned site of Basilica San Clemente was successfully missed in my itinerary. Reason? I was hungry and tired. In fact, I did not even go to the place I was supposed to for lunch, but rather stopped at a restaurant that appeared ok. Shame on me! Without researching??? Yes, hunger beats stars on Yelp. The restaurant turned out ok and was the first place I had pizza (many more to come, as I continued the trip).

After lunch, Pantheon seemed like the place to be. Indeed, the crowds moved quickly and efficiently. Inside it was clear why so many people wanted to see it. As one of the best-preserved ancient buildings, this church was utilized consistently throughout the centuries. It's well-known dome is truly magnificent, although for whatever reason I failed to take a good picture of it, but I promise it will be reflected in the video.

Trevi Fountain nearby was pretty, but too crowded for truly enjoying it. I literally had to wait to get a spot next to it in order to take a picture.

I grabbed another cappuccino at La Case del Caffe Tazza d'Oro, a place where they know how to make coffee and headed to Piazza Navona, a pretty impressive square where besides architecture there are performers and entertainers (as well as pickpocketers, if you are not careful).

Getting really tired, I finished the day visiting Santa Maria della Vittoria Church (was on my scheduled at the end of the trip, but since I was nearby, no need to skip it!). Not sure if I was "churched out" by then or simply tired, but this was just a checkmark in the schedule.

Finally, dinner! I stopped at a small place that was not overly impressive and had an imitation lasagna and a glass of wine. By the way, in Italy you have to pay for water...

But wait! How about a dessert? This affogato is absolutely the best treat that I have ever had in Italy.

As I was eating dessert, I was watching the sun go down and the streets illuminate with lighting. Rome reminded me of Minsk. Same old-style architecture, same traffic patterns, same lighting, but not the same cleanliness. Rome is a littered town.