Our time in Rome capped off our wonderful vacation. Our cruise ended at the Civitavecchia, about an hour from Rome, but we had a day at sea first. Then we had one and a half day in Rome, filled to brim with sight-seeing and fun.
October 12—At Sea
This was a laid-back day, but we had a great evening. We saw the Burn the Floor dance show again and enjoyed it as much the second time as the first.
October 13—Rome, Italy
We arrived to port at Civitavecchia near Rome in the rain. What a way to leave the ship. Lin and I have gotten into the habit of carrying our bags off ourselves. This time we got off the quickest ever, but then ran into the rain.
Because we got off so quickly, we had to wait for our transfer to our hotel. When we got to the hotel, we had to store our bags, but they got to it quickly. The clerks helped us so much with places to eat and a walking tour route to do the next day.
We had booked a tour of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill for the afternoon and what a tour that was! The hotel desk clerk helped us get a taxi to the Arch of Constantine, where we met our tour guide.
The Colosseum captured my attention. Again, I had seen it in history books but the size can’t be imagined.
We started at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and then moved to the Colosseum. Our guide told us so much and I have forgotten most of it.
Roman Forum
“The Foro Romano (Roman Forum) is located just to the west of the Colosseum and is the truly ancient city of Rome – the very place where history took place, with processions, criminal trials, elections, and intrigue all happening here. It was the site of the original Senate, and where Caesar’s body was brought following his assassination. The ruins of some of Rome’s most important ancient structures can be found at or near the Forum.”
From there we went to the Palatine Hill.
Palatine Hill
“The flat-topped Palatine Hill that rises above the Forum is where the emperors built their palaces (and indeed “Palatine” is the source of the word “palace”.”
Colosseum
“is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world today, despite its age. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles including animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Roman mythology, and briefly mock sea battles.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum
Moving to the Colosseum, we started on the street level, then went up to the second level and looked down into the maze on the ground floor. Its massive size overwhelmed me. The guide told story after story.
When the tour ended, Lin and I lingered and took late afternoon pictures inside the Colosseum and out. Then we caught a taxi back to our hotel, and we got cheated horribly on the ride.
Then we ate dinner at a sidewalk café, having a delicious meal. We enjoyed the personable waiter.
October 14—26323—Rome, Italy
This is the day we followed a self-guided tour Lin organized with the suggestions from clerk at the hotel. I walked 26323 steps this day—OMG!!
We started at the Piazza di Spagna and saw Trinita Dei Monti Church and the Spanish Steps. We could see St. Peter’s Basilica and two other domes from there.
Then we walked to the Trevi Fountain where masses of people gathered. People took photos pretending to throw a coin in because you can’t do it anymore. I bought a selfie stick there, and we had fun using it.
Along the way, Lin or I would confirm his path to our destination by asking vendors, and he was always right.
Our next stop was the Panthenon
“is a former Roman temple and, since 609 AD, a Catholic church (Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres or Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs).”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome
Gastronomic Food & Wine Tour
Our tour that evening was a food & wine tour with just other person, so we got our guide’s full attention. My feet were killing me, so I hoped we’d stay close—no way! We walked across the Tiber River to Travestere. During this tour, we stopped at four different eateries and had delicious food and conversation.
On the way, our guide gold plates on the sidewalk in this area that denote where a Jew was captured during World War II & taken to Auschwitz. How shocking yet thankfully they make note of and don’t deny it.
Trastevere
“Located on the opposite bank of the river Tiber, south of the Vatican, is the picturesque neighbourhood Trastevere. The name Trastevere is derived from Latin, trans Tiberium; ‘beyond the Tiber’. This old working-class neighbourhood with its narrow alleyways and medieval houses is a particularly lively affair at night – thanks to the many tourists – with lots of restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias. Visit this truly Italian neighbourhood of Rome for a lovely stroll or relax on one of the many café terraces.
https://romesite.com/trastevere.html
In Travestere, we had delicious pasta in one restaurant and then sausage at another.
We ended the night with gelato—what a memorable day we had exploring Rome!
October 15—Flew Home
Up at 5:00 AM and in the taxi at 6:00, our vacation came to an end. I came home with busted blood vessels in right leg from our adventurous day of sightseeing in Rome. I walked over 26,000 steps!
Finally, I hope you enjoyed our trip and especially our time on Rome. Have you ever been there? Share your experience.
News, News, News!
~My new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? WON the 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in the Body, Mind & Spirit Category. Have you bought your copy yet?
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~MY FIRST AUDIOBOOK IS AVAILABLE: Go to Audible to buy my first audiobook, Let Me Tell You a Story. I’m working on Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? but have gotten stalled with shingles.
~Do you listen to podcasts? Here are three podcasts with interviews about my new book & some Flippo stories:
- Douglas Coleman’s show-August 5, 2022
- Chat & Spin Radio, from Friday, June 24, 2022. Join us for a lively description of all my books!
- Book Talk–June 3, 2022
- Live on Purpose Podcast–March 17, 2022
- Zbooks.com–January 19, 2022
- Apostrophes, A Writers Series with Double DD–January 10, 2022
- The On Purpose Podcast–January 10, 2022
~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been two years. Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.~For me, it’s Christmas all year long!
Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A
