Tuesday, 15 May 2012

After flying half way around the world, twenty something hours sitting in planes, and quite a few hours in airports, here we are in Rome (Roma for those of us who wish we spoke Italian).  We arrived around 8 a.m. and got through the airport and found a taxi.  Turns out the driver - who spoke almost no English - was an All Black fan.  He was wearing an All Black shirt which he showed us after figuring out we were Kiwis.  I don't think we got a discount.  So we arrive at our 'hotel' - it only had about 3 rooms, so hotel is a bit grand, but it was in the heart of the old city and quaint, especially the plumbing.

After freshening up we packed our jet lag away and hit the streets.  The plan was to walk around and check the route for the next morning and our, already booked, Vatican tour.  So off we went.  We walked for hours.  We had dinner at McDonalds (what a terrible admission - tiredness is the only excuse) it was just 50 metres down the street.  Mike crashed so the three of us went for a further walk accidentally going up the Spanish Steps and taking in the first of many old religious buildings we did on this trip.  Fantastic.

Tricia wrote in her diary:

Good plane trip on both routes.  Arrived at Eva's Rooms, via Dei Due Macelli,31 at 10 am.  Nice room.  Not too much jet lag.  Today we walked Vaticani, Piazza Navona, Ponte Sant'Angelo, Castel Sant'Angelo, Palazzo di Giustizia, Trinita dei Monte, Villa Medici

We also did the Trevi Fountain, some famous statues, and kilometres of streets. Also our first slice of Pizza and the first of many Cafe Lattes.

Day One - DONE!

3 tourists amongst the tourists.  Setting off from our rooms.

Trevi Fountain  - lucky we were outside the main tourist season!

Spanish Steps leading up to Trinita dei Monte