Awe Inspiring Rome #7

This piece starts off right after the ‘Florentine Experience #6 (Day 2)’ ending. I had boarded my busy train heading towards Rome. Train travel in Europe is pretty developed. I would highly recommend you take this form of travel over buses if you find yourself on an erasmus exchange or travelling through Europe. On a second note, I cannot stress the usefulness of travelling Europe-wide with an Interrail global pass. For my three and a half week trip I found it paramount having this with me. I used to pay for all of my long train rides and some of my moderate length ones ones.

For seven days of unlimited travelling spread across a month; the amount I should have paid for train travel without a interrail numbered about 600-650 euros. The global pass I paid for, including insurance and delivery costs, amounted to 274 euros. My previous trip from The south of Switzerland to the North of Italy cost roughly a hundred euros, Train prices are especially high during the peak season of summer, which is the best time to visit Italy. When it comes to the shorter and cheaper routes, then I would recommend paying for them as it would be a waste to use one of your free days on a fifteen euro trip.

Getting there

Regardless of this, the train ride took several hours. Unlike my experience getting from Parma to Bologna, this train was much more comfortable with air conditioning. You can find many hot meals and refreshments in the cafeteria on one of the carriages. Often you’ll find many fellow backpackers travelling through trains. In my case I met a group from Shanghai who were exploring Europe for the first time. They were a friendly bunch and on their way to Rome too. We passed the time chit chatting. What I also enjoy about trains is the areas outside the cabins. A long hallway perfect for stretching your legs.

After the long arduous journey, I finally made it to the Rome Termini train station. The area was bustling with life on a hot Rome early afternoon. I was brimming with excitement and ready to go explore what one of Europe’s most culturally and historically enriched cities had to offer. A great thing about Rome Termini station is that its located only a short ten minute walk to the Colosseum.

Colosseum

I adjusted my trusty pack and made the walk to the Colosseum. It sometimes takes awhile to sink in that you’re about to witness something you’ve been wanting to see since you were a wee child. Sometimes the excitement becomes overwhelming. In my case it was. I sped walk all the way to the Colosseum. After several minutes in the roads began to thicken as more and more tourists were heading my direction. After passing some barriers I caught the first glimpse of the aged structure protruding in the horizon.

I was almost at a jog until I broke into the open area in front of the Colosseum. I could barely contain my enthusiasm. I stood looking at the historical structure for a moment. The aged stone placed upon a solid, intelligently crafted foundation. The areas that collapsed due to the test of time. The large doorless entrances that allowed for thousands of Romans to cross to get to the entertainment ahead.

After snapping out of my trance, I decided to take several photos at different angles. The canvas that was the beautiful blue sky made the scene even better. After much dawdling, I decided to finally make my way inside. The line wasn’t too bad by the time I got there. It took me roughly fifteen minutes before I got to the ticket booth right before the entrance. I was serviced by a friendly ticket-vendor. She informed me that European Union members aged between 18 to 25 years are allowed a reduced price of 7.50 euros. For those who are not eligible for any other reduced ticket conditions must pay 12 euros.

First floor

I paid my ticket and made my way inside. You could book a tour to the underground level of the Colosseum. However, I decided to check out the ground and top floor. On the way in, you will find a water tap located on your left. Make sure to fill up your bottles with cool water as it gets quiet arid and hot inside the Colosseum. I recall having to wait in queue to fill up my water bottle as today was a particularly hot day.

From the ground floor you could look down and spot many mason pillars that used to hold the, now removed, wooden floor. The bottom part of the Colosseum is known as hypogeum which literally means ‘underground in Greek. In the past, the hypogeum was the busiest area of the whole Colosseum. It was a very hot and tightly packed area where men would use ramps, cages and pulleys to pull up different animals ranging from lions to bears onto the arena At times they would even send out adult elephants from down under to the surface.

(Source: https://darkrome.com/rome-tours/private-colosseum-tours)

I read that it would often get very nauseating with the combination of heat, low light and blood of the victims of the surface seeping into the ground.

It was awe-inspiring. I continued making my way around while snaking through groups of people. Luckily, the crowds were not overwhelming the area. If you were to look up, you would see where all the seats that had collapsed used to be. I Imagined it servicing the amount of people that it during Roman times. After a generous amount of exploring I continued to make my way higher up the Colosseum. Throughout the whole experience I kept my phone permanently in my hand as I was reading all about the Colosseum.

Top floor

From the top you could look down and further grasp how immense the Colosseum is. An architectural marvel of its time. As I looked down on the stage, I began to wonder how a regular day at the Colosseum would have played out. Many men dressed as warriors, Proclaimed gladiators must battle men of different walks of life. I recall reading how there were very specific gear types. Some had tridents, other nets. It was a really interesting read and I recommend you get into it. These men would fight for the honor of their lords. I recall being told by my Latin language teacher how many of these gladiators, the winners at least, lived lavish lives of prime fighters. They were rewarded handsomely by their ‘employer’ who would gamble on their victory.

They would also make recreate actual sea battles in the Colosseum. They would fill the Arena with water and create replica sea battles. It was all very incredulous. The Colosseum had suffered from major fires and earthquakes throughout its roughly five hundred years of usage. My Latin language teacher would fondly tell us stories of how the Colosseum came to be. It had taken over a decade to build beginning in 70 AD. Emperor Vespasian began the construction of the amphitheatre before his son, Emperor Titus, took over the Roman Empire. It was primarily used as an entertainment hub to placate the disillusioned citizens of Rome as they were not sharing in the spoils of Roman expansion. Rome had also ‘imported’ many slaves from its large empire. It would have a significant impact on the population of Rome and, more importantly, unemployment rates.

The Colosseum was seen as a great way to distract the masses from revolting by creating increasingly dynamic and entertaining shows. Often they wouldn’t hold any battles in the Colosseum but circus performances with animals and humans of many talents. Needless to say, it was quite successful. The wealthy elite would often pay for visitors to enjoy the entertainment fully, as mentioned before, to placate or even woo citizens for support. Although, it is not made clear whether this had always been the case. However, the costs of running the Colosseum were spectacularly exorbitant. I can not recall the exact amount although I do recall that it took up quite a bit of the Roman Empire’s coiffeurs to run.

I hope this little piece created enough interest to check the Colosseum out for yourself. I highly recommend you take a tour or rent an audio-guide from the entrance area. It will add a lot more value to your experience.

After spending about forty five minutes relaxing by the railing while reading up on the Colosseum, I then decided to make my way to the exit to get to my next stop. On the way out there’s a gift shop where you could buy books, clothes and trinkets of many types. Some of the souvenirs they sell can be found in touristic streets being sold by hawkers.

Pantheon

Regardless, I made my way out and beelined it to my next destination, the Pantheon. The sun was beating hard on me as I made my way to the next tourist destination. On the way I saw some magnificent ruins cordoned off from the public. The high rising pillars and ancient structures gives a taste of how ancient Rome would have looked like in the past. On the way I took a bit of a detour as I spotted the majestic monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II.

I was caught off guard finding this structure. In the way to the Pantheon you could spot the building to your left and its very hard to miss. The Italian flags stand proudly flanking the statue dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele ll riding a horse while looking off into the distance, There were many tourists going back and forth in the area. This place is also surrounded by many cafes and trattorias (restaurants) which you could enjoy while enjoying a great view of the elegant monument. It was erected in honor of the first King of Italy. This large glistening monument will be hard to miss as its located at the heart of the city where many transportation vehicles will pass by. It is centred at the heart of the piazza venezia.

I passed the monument and tried not to get run over while crossing the busy streets of the centre. I passed through different alleyways where some of the ancient architecture can still be seen in the surrounding apartments and shops.

(Source: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panth%C3%A9on_(Rome))

The street adjacent to the Pantheon (where I had to turn a corner to get to it) was bustling with activity. On both sides of the streets you had baskers and trinket sellers performing and selling their wares. Some of the baskers were musicians. One twenty-something looking man was playing a duo with a girl of roughly the same age in Italian.

Another man was playing the Cajon to many popular songs. This guy in particular seemed to be attracting the most people as mainstream music appeals to most people. There was even a young girl that probably is not even in high school playing an electric violin. It felt as though I had entered another world. I highly recommend you spend some time walking around around the streets of Rome as there is always a lot to see during the day.

After I turned the corner, I was finally faced by the majestic Pantheon. It emitted an aura of history and beauty. The square in front of it was swamped by tourists. However, there was a very elegantly designed fountain with steps that allow you a perfect view of the Pantheon. Many people were resting around the steps as it had reached the afternoon or ‘siesta’ part of the day where the heat drains the energy out of you.

The Pantheon (which translates to ‘All the Gods’ is a Roman Church that was originally built as a temple. It took about eight years to construct and was finished by 132 AD. The circular building with its iconic pillars stands tall at forty three meters. I read that it is one of the best preserved ancient Roman monuments. This is very evident as you marvel into the architecture of the monument as it had survived for almost two thousand years. The fontana del Pantheon in front of the Pantheon was a larger structure commissioned by a pope in the late sixteenth century. It is the elevated structure that allows an unobstructed view of the Pantheon over the heads of the mass of tourists.

The surrounding area offered many small eateries and gelato shops. I recall that to the west of the Pantheon there is a gelato shops that sells its products as though it were a luxury item. The interior was designed to be Victorian era-esque with a gold colored chandelier hanging from the ceiling. As I had been on a budget back then, I decided instead to go to the next door gelato shop which was just a tad less pricier. The taste was divine. As I had mentioned it in other writings I highly recommend you have as much gelato as you desire while in Italy. I would choose gelato over regular ice-cream in every situation, hands down.

After enjoying my gelato while soaking up the sun, I decided to make my way to the Trevi fountain located nearby.

Fountains galore

On my way there I spotted the ‘Fontana dei Quattro fiumi’. I reckon this fountain gets a bit overshadowed by the Trevi fountain. However, this is one you should not miss. Not as massive as its counterpart, this fountain is still as equally detailed in its craftsmanship. You could easily distinguish the muscle and tendons of the human sculptures flanking the resting horse in the centre. The carved robes are so finely designed it seems as if it were real and not weigh hundreds of kgs. As I looked up the Obelisk styled fountain, I was shocked to find out how much deeper the meaning of the statue gives off. The different styles, from the inscriptions to the sculpture of the dove and olive branch and other figures, represent four continents and four of their major rivers. The Danube of Europe, the Ganges in Asia, the Nile in Africa and the Rio de la Plata in the Americas.

It might seem puzzling to think that the Romans made this structure as the Rio de Plata was added into it because America had not officially been discovered by Europe at the time. The reason for this is due to the fact that the fountain was created in the mid 17th century.

The fountain is located in a large open area close to the Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona. This church had been built primarily for a noble family and was to be added onto their residence before it became open to the public. The structure is a marvel to look at and I recommend you make a quick stop to check it out before getting to the Trevi fountain.

Around the Fontana dei Quattro fiumi there are many pop-up stalls selling their different wares. Here you can find some hand-crafted products such as paintings of different surrounding monuments or even satirical paintings of celebrity characters such as Mr. Bean or leaders such as Angela Merkel and Obama. There actually quite a few stalls while I was there. There must’ve been a couple of dozen of them set up by the afternoon. I saw some that created custom jewelry such as engraved rings and bracelets.

If you walk further along the cobblestone floor, then you are more than likely to spot some artists painting portraits of tourists willing to sit down in the heat while they’re being painted. At this point I decided to take a break and grab a panini from one of the many restaurants in the area. As I was reminded in Florence, the quality of the food here is sublime. If you ever find yourself in Italy I implore you to avoid fast food joints such as McDonalds or Subways. Eat real food produced locally which has not been wholly frozen. You will be pleasantly surprised as to how high the quality of food is here. From the pastas, pizzas, paninis and much more. Make sure to try as much as you can. You’ll be on holidays and walking it all off.

After my break I decided to continue walking towards the nearby Trevi fountain. Truth be told, I had forgotten this island had even existed as I was distracted by the many sights that Rome had to offer. Luckily I spotted it while looking through a map I had picked up at the train station.

The Fontana di Trevi is as absolutely majestic as you can imagine. I am usually skeptical of over-hyped monuments, however, this one definitely has its bragging rights. The viewing area was relatively small compared to the massive crowd of picture snapping tourists. Many around were tossing coins into the air. Some of them added a bit of flair by tossing it backwards towards the fountain. The structure gleamed beautifully against the bright skies of the day. The detail of the fountain is elegantly intricate as every emotion and expression from the fountain was on display. It truly looked like a structure made for only the most royal of Kings. The structure was made in the mid eighteenth century by the Italian architect  Nicola Salvi. It is one of the largest fountains in the whole city.

Roman Forum

Embarrassingly enough, I had realised that I had missed the Roman Forum close to the Colosseum. As I saw that I had a bit more time before the sun set, I decided to take the twenty-five minute walk back to the Colosseum where the Forum could be found. It was a bit of a fight getting through all the swamping tourists. I would like to remind those travelling that when travelling around Europe, especially in touristic areas, keep an eye out for pickpockets. I was told by a tour guide at the Colosseum that they are especially notorious in Rome as there were some very tightly packed areas where pickpockets could have free reign. The Fontana di Trevi is one of those packed areas.

It's almost common sense at this point that you also should be cautious when signing anything. Earlier, before reaching the Pantheon, I was approached by a perky individual who wanted me to sign for a cause of some sort. She was very vague as to what it was so I decided to take the safer route and say no. Whether she was trying to con tourists or not is something I shall never find out. However, I have heard enough stories about cases like these to be aware. You never know what you’ll be signing up for or being part of. Keeping both of these in mind, you should be fine.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Forum)

I made the long walk back. Trust me, walking with a heavy backpack with clothes and utilities that are supposed to last you a few weeks in the heat of the Italian summer is no fun. Especially in a tightly packed city such as Rome. This actually reminded me of a story my Latin teacher had been telling me. That unlike newer cities such as Adelaide, the city was built very haphazardly. As the Roman Empire expanded, so did the amount of immigrants. Many travellers, slaves, merchants and those looking to improve their lives decided to make their way to Rome at the time.

Many of the buildings in the area were simply erected indiscriminately as more and more people were entering Rome. Another tip, make sure to get comfortable shoes with a decent sole. The cobblestone floors of many different European cities will take a toll on your ankles. If not, make sure to take regular breaks. In my case I had perfectly good soles. That didn’t stop me halfway to grab another gelato sorbet cup to fuel my progress onwards.

I recall while I was standing outside the Gelato shop, enjoying my dessert, that I had standing in front of a bakery. I took a glance inside and my heart almost jumped out of my chest in excitement. Between tiramisus and  Napoletana pastries I spotted a nostalgic dessert. I had never known the name of this dessert although I looked it up and I found out it's called a ‘sweet salami with hazelnut cream’ dessert. This divine pastry was one my mom and I would make together on hot days. It's a sort of cold chocolate dessert that looks like a salami. Unlike that version in the bakery, the one my mom and I would bake has a deep brown hue. It has the shape of a large salami. Although when you slice into it you will see a dark brown inside mixed with chunks of biscuits. We would make the batter and mix in the chocolates, wrap it up in tinfoil and then stuff it in the fridge for it to cool. It is truly something out of this world.

I decided to go for a second dessert/snack as I was on holiday. When is it best to enjoy good sugary food besides the holidays? (The answer is always). I decided to make my way inside and pick up one of them. The taste was shockingly good. It's different from my mom’s recipe in the sense that they use almonds in it. Regardless, it was pretty good, although not as good as mom’s. After some research I found out that they could be found in many bakeries around Rome. So don’t hesitate and make your way to your closest Italian bakery when visiting Rome.

After my satisfying pitstop, I decided to keep heading towards the Roman Forum before it shuts. As I had mentioned this previously in a few of my other articles, if you find yourself travelling through quite a few EU countries I would recommend getting a sim card with a few gigabytes. As of 2017 it is possible to use your sim card purchased in a EU country in any other country within the EU without incurring roaming charges. This excludes non-EU countries such as Switzerland, Serbia etc.

I did a bit of reading on the place. The Roman Forum used to be the heart of the city where everything from administrative, judicial, entertainment, elections and many more vital additions to run a city where located. It used to be widely known as the Forum Magnum by the locals at the time. Its importance spanned centuries as it remained useful for a long period of time. Some of the most ancient parts of Rome can be located within the Forum with some pieces dating back to the 8th century.

Walking through the ruins of the magnificent architecture is an experience that can not be put into words. Many of these ruined structures had stood while civilisations around the Roman Empire rose and fell. It brings forth a glimpse of the forefathers of Italy and how they triumphed against the odds. A civilisation that has arguably the biggest influence out of any other (excluding the Greeks) on modern day Europe. I love history. While I focus on contemporary history, I can’t help but feel in awe of this place.

The area wasn’t too crowded at the time. I managed to zigzag through the different ruins at my own pace without much distraction. I recommend you spend at least an hour looking around this area. I walked around and managed to see many amazing places such as the Gemonian stairs, Temple of Saturn, Arch of Septimius Severus Temple of Caesar and many more.I can’t stress enough how great of an experience this is.

Heading to my new home

After checking out the area, I decided to make my way to my hostel as it was getting dark. I was staying at PLUS Camping Roma which was about 9km from the city. Its pretty accessible with a bus stop located right outside the hostel.  I would recommend staying here if you’re looking for a budget hostel. It’s one of the cheapest available in the busy month of August. It cost roughly 12 euros per night for a three person tent-cabin. It’s actually supposed to be around 10 euros although there is a city tax of 2 euros that apply to many hostels around Rome. Keep an eye out for this slightly hidden tax when booking a budget hostel.

The hostel itself is pretty large. Upon entering you will be faced with a large reception area in a wooden structure. Here you can get all the information you need including tours and sightseeing advice. You’ll need to take a few flights of stairs to reach the main area of the hostel. On the way you will spot a large scale to measure large suitcases. The thing looked like it weighed a ton. It was massive. As you keep going up, you’ll walk into a dirt pathway surrounded by trees and bushes. They seemed to be well maintained as the Italian summer heat would have dried some of these to a crisp.

The first thing you’ll spot is a large pool to your right. The perfect place to cool down after a long day out. They also have two tiny round pools which I have yet to this day figure out if they were jacuzzis or not. Nearby there is a large outdoor restaurant area where many families and backpackers were enjoying a meal or drink. As you keep walking down the path you’ll have a large shower area with a few washing machines and dryers. Perfect if you’re backpacking and need to wash up your days old clothes. The tents themselves were pretty comfortable looking.

As in Venice, they extensively protected the windows from mosquito invasions. The room had three beds with two bunk beds. The majority of the tents are as such. Its perfect if you and two other friends are looking to do some travelling together. During my stay here I never got to meet my second roommate. The one I got to meet was a very friendly man who’s nationality I could not recall. He is from a group of travellers you will probably meet on your travels. They travel around Europe working and exploring. The aim of this is the former, which is to earn money to return home. He was roughly in his early thirties with dreadlocks. He was actually working as a tour guide in the Colosseum. Perhaps he was there while I had been passing by.

I had struck information gold. I asked him advice of what to see and do. We concluded that conversation with great places to eat near the Vatican. During my eurotrip, I quickly realised that it pays to be friendly and sociable with people you meet. Even if you are probably not going to meet them again for quite some time. Random individuals have definitely augmented my travel experience.

Vatican city

I went to sleep. I woke up the next day to another sunny Roman day. This hostel unfortunately does not have a free breakfast buffet. However, they do provide breakfast at the restaurants. If you’re going for a budget trip then you’re in luck! Right across the road of the hostel there is a large supermarket to provide you with all your needs. After packing up I grabbed my small backpack and beelined it to it. I withdrew money from the ATM (located within the camp) bought a bus ticket from the ticket bending machine right next to it and made my way to the supermarket. I picked up half a kilogram of grapes, a large water bottle and an Italian mozzarella and chicken panini. I then caught transportation to the Vatican.

The bus stop to the Vatican is pleasantly close. While it was only just before noon, the area was swamped with tourists. I wasn’t sure where exactly to go although without looking at my phone, I figured that following the amassed groups of fellow tourists will get me to the Vatican. To the Vatican they did. It was a short five minute walk before I saw the looming pillars of the Vatican.

The first thing I noticed were the soldiers behind barriers and some brightly dressed guards that looked like they ran away from the circus. These were the ‘Pontifical Swiss guards’ of the Vatican. The two men both held halberds which were still a menacing sight right next to the modern assault rifles the Italian army guards were carrying. Regardless, I followed the line of tourists until I passed the large archways. It hit me that I was entering a new country (I can cross it off the list, mom). As I made my way to new territory, I was faced with a large Obelisk at the centre of it all.

I did a bit of research and found out that this Obelisk is actually Egyptian in origin. The Roman emperor Caligula took it from its original home and brought it to the heart of the Roman empire. I recall a bit of the history in Italy. How originally Italy had been divided into three different parts with the centre being the papal states. After the reconquest by Giuseppe Garibaldi and Co and centuries later we reach today where the tiny country of the Vatican stands before us. It felt very unreal being here. If you’re interested they provide tours of the interior. I decided I was not very keen to do so and instead continued inspecting the architecture. I made good use of my time here before I began inspecting the area around the Vatican.

(Source: http://www.dronestagr.am/vatican-city-rome-italy/)

It was quickly approaching lunch time and all the walking had made me hungry. I decided to try out some of the local Pizzas. I ate at a place called Bonci. This venue was a small and slightly packed eatery with a couple of seats located outside. They had dozens of different pizza flavours including many including different local meats including prosciutto. The way it worked was that you didn’t buy whole pizzas, rather, you bought slices. I recall buying three large rectangular slices of pizza. I unfortunately can’t recall the exact ingredients of the pizza except that they were undeniably tasty. I also bought a type of large potato ball covered in batter. Overall it was a meal worthy of a king.

By the end of it I was completely stuffed. It took me a bit of time before I was able to move again. In the meantime I planned my next step for the trip. I concluded that I was to spend the rest of the day walking around the streets of Rome and getting a better feel for the place. I plan to visit again to check out the museums and more of the ancient structures. In the meantime I took the bus and made my way all the way back to the centre.

I enjoyed the walk around. There’s so much to find outside a museum. History literally seeps from the cobblestoned streets. As the other day, I took full advantage of the good quality gelato they sold at many places and ended up having dinner at Pane e Salame. This place is voted as one of the best affordable places to eat. Their sandwiches are of high quality with many tasty options all for the price of six euros. They also offer salads for the same price and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beers. If you find yourself close to this place, I would recommend you take a sandwich break and enjoy some high quality foods.

Wrapping it up

At the end of the day, as night started to set in, I was beginning to make my way back to the hostel when I heard some music. Perplexed, I made my way closer to the music. The closer I got the more excited I was as it sounded more like a live performance rather than a recorded audio piece. I turned the corner and found myself in a small plaza. This area was packed with people although I managed to find a good spot with a full view of the performance. There were a group of five people dancing and singing in Italian. One of them had a guitar and was playing tunes I couldn’t decipher although it was easy to tell that it was a lively song.

The performance lasted about thirty minutes from when I got there. It was very pleasant with many children dancing along to the music. The performance itself was half dance half acting. It was telling a story similar to something out of Romeo and Juliet which included forbidden love. After the pleasant show I decided to call it a night and make my way back to the hostel. After a short ride by bus I trekked up the hostel stairs and made my way to the tent. I was keen to simply collapse into bed. Luckily, there was nobody in the room so I could go to sleep without needing to make conversation.

The next day I woke up early in preparation for an arduous trip. I showered, grabbed some more pastries and grapes (the fruit here tasted really good) and took the bus to the Rome Termini station I had come from. It felt as if I never left the station. The two days had passed as fast as a fingersnap. I braced myself before entering the busy station. I was looking at roughly thirteen hours of train travel from Rome all the way to Austria. However, I was still excited regardless to get to my next destination: Vienna.

Photo gallery