Believe it or not , after nine days in Italy, today was the first day I’ve had that I was able to sleep in and not really be on a time schedule. I had breakfast delivered to my room and stayed in bed until 10a.m. A lady of leisure, that’s me.
Italians do not eat anything even remotely like a typical American style breakfast. Their breakfast has no protein, no potato nor egg. Breakfast for them is good coffee and a type of sweet roll. With all the carbs the Italians eat you would think that it would make them fat, but I’ve never seen one over weight local. Can you believe that?!?!
Everyone is slender, how the hell does that happen when all we hear in the States is “carbs makes you fat?” I’ve not seen one gym, no people running, nor anyone doing any physical fitness besides walking in nine days!!! Yet, the main diet is pasta and carbs, and everyone is slender, it’s not fair!!! Must be glandular. Or maybe it’s the holy water…
Well, to counter act all the carbs I’ve had (I’m American so carbs go straight to my hips) I decided to not buy a Rome Metro Pass (the subway & bus pass), so I walked everywhere. My hotel is in the far corner of Rome central, in area called Via Veneto. You may recognize the name because this is where the movie La Dolce Vita was filmed. Back in the 60s this was where the wealthy stayed. Today it’s still has some of the most expensive hotels in Rome, but now it’s mostly an area for business and high-end shopping.
One day I saw a women walking to her hotel with a Ferragamo shopping bag, inside was a purse she had just bought. I thought, “it must be nice to buy a Ferragamo purse and just stroll back to your expensive hotel!” I bought my purse at Macy’s on sale with the friends & family discount, so yeah, I guess I was a little envious. Skinny and “spensive,” ugh!
Around 11a.m. I left to go see the sights. First, I walked to The Spanish Steps in the Piazza di Spanga; the 135 steps were built between 1723-1725 to link the Bourbon Spanish Embassy and the Trinita’ dei Monti church. One would think with a name like The Spanish Steps that there would be some type of flair or pageantry when you see or walk the steps, nope, just 135 steps. But, the setting is beautiful.
Next I went to Trevi Fountain. Whose idea was it to begin restoration of the Trevi during the start of the tourist season?!?! I was so mad. I could not wait to visit the Trevi, again, and take a better picture (see the picture from when I was 26 years old). So, 17 years later the Trevi is under construction, boooooooo! So no redo picture, and I looked cute today, too. So, now I’m stuck with my picture in front of the Trevi from 17 years ago, looking like I just got out of women’s prison with my cornrows! And, BTW, 17 years ago there was no such thing as Orange Is The New Black, so prison chic was not in fashion.
Off to the Pantheon, Campo Di Fiori and the Colosseum. It was a lot of walking, very long day.
Campo di Fiori is a cute little neighborhood with shopping and farmers markets. The Colosseum is one of the main sights in Rome, you can’t miss it, it’s the heart of Rome. It was built between 70-80 A.D, at the time it was the largest amphitheater of its kind. It’s big, and I mean BIG. Designated as a UNESO world heritage site, the Colosseum is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering, and it’s still the largest amphitheater in the world! Like I said, big. Across from the Colosseum is the Roman Forum, this was once the downtown, business and market place of Rome.
I walked so much today I better have lost 10 pounds!!! I came back to the hotel around 8p.m., kicked off my shoes and relaxed on the bed, and I watched a little Orange Is The New Black on Netflix. I’m an American, what can I say?
Arrivederci Roma! It was a great day!
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