Hey, Haeja: Rome

Rome

Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts

Coliseum, Rome

We started out early on our second day because we had a whole day planned, but like our first day, we didn't accomplish everything we set out to do.

One of the reasons why I insisted on not getting a tour package (but this does not apply to everyone!) is because I wanted our family to enjoy Europe at our own pace. Of course the downside were the stressful moments when we didn't know how to get to our apartment when we first arrived, and which bus/train to take to get to our next destination.

But thankfully, my sister and I finally figured out Rome's public transportation system on our second day in Rome.

And also, shoutout to the super nice driver in Rome who didn't fine us and dropped us off at the Vatican even though we didn't have a bus ticket and we didn't know you can't pay the bus driver. So pro tip: Buy a bus ticket at the kiosk before riding one.

I received a very wonderful tip-off from a Kiwi I work with, which helped me rearrange our tours. She said (pro tip) the best time to go to mass at the Vatican was at 7am where several priests held masses at the little chapels inside the Basilica, in different languages. She was right.

St. Peter's Basilica in the morning light

We arrived late and the first mass we saw ongoing was in Spanish, but the guard wouldn't let us enter the chapel anymore. We rushed to the opposite side where an English mass was just starting.

Morning view from the entrance of the Basilica

Attending mass that early was such an incredible experience. No long lines and hardly any tourists so it wasn't as overwhelming. I just wish tourists would turn off the sound from their cameras/phones when inside churches because it gets terribly distracting during mass.

Plus, the St. Peter's Basilica looked incredible in the morning light.

This morning mass at the Vatican was also memorable for me because I got two usually-stoic Swiss guards to say hi back!

I was sprinting towards the Vatican when I passed a Swiss guard at his post, and I waved a cheery Buon giorno! He stared at me for a beat then smiled so quickly, I would have missed it if I wasn't looking.

Serenade on the train

The second one was at the Swiss guard who was guarding one of the doors where no one can enter, but since it was so quiet, I just smiled and waved at him. He looked around him before nodding at me. That was nice of them. I didn't expect them to say hi back, but I was just feeling so energetic and happy that morning because hello, I'm in Rome!

After the mass, we went to the Coliseum. I scheduled our trip there early in the morning because (pro tip) every first Sunday of the month, the entrance is free. The line was quite long, and there were a lot of other tourists on the train, but we quickly got in line outside the Coliseum, and after ten minutes, we were inside. Holy guacamole, I was at the Coliseum. This was the stuff of my dreams.

It felt so weird to be at the Coliseum. I felt sad because I felt the history of the place even though it hasn't been used for such purposes in thousands of years. I could just imagine the horror and blood and gore that happened so many times, and it made me shudder.

But at the same time, I was happy because I saw the Coliseum, which was something I only ever read about in books and not something I actually thought I'd get to see. Heck, my whole Eurotrip was like a dream.

Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano

Afterwards, we rode the wrong bus. A helpful Italian guy noticed my confusion and, in a halting mix of English and Italian, explained to me that we have to walk back where we came from and take the opposite bus. This was definitely one of those moments I saw the frustration in my parents' faces, wondering why in the world they let me navigate! But our destination was worth it: Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, which is actually the papal seat of Christianity in Rome.

Amazing detailing

It is one of the grandest and most beautiful churches I've ever seen. The statues of the apostles on top were life-sized and carefully crafted. I felt so small.

Truly, the churches in Italy have the best artworks. Pro tip: Beautiful artwork from the best masters can be seen for free decorating the churches in Italy.

Afterwards, we crossed the street to the Scala Sancta. The Scala Sancta is a small chapel where the stairs from the palace of Pontius Pilate that Jesus walked on during His Passion, and St. Helena, Constantine's mother, brought them back with her when she went looking for the Holy Cross. Since Jesus walked on it during His Passion, these steps are considered holy/sanctified.

The only way to go up the Scala Sancta is on one's knees. Literally. You cannot stand up and just kneel on the second step. You have to push and propel yourself forward. It was one of the most painful things I've went through in Rome. Imagine going up 28 steps of stairs on your knees? It was a miracle none of us fell down. At first, I was so excited but when I was almost at the top I wanted to cry, because I knew none of the pain I was feeling could compare to the excruciating pain Jesus went through out of love for me. Thank you, Lord Jesus!

The Scala Sancta

Once I got to the top, the pain was gone. There was also the revered Image of the Most Holy Saviour just across the top of the stairs, which is believed to not have been painted by human hand.

Afterwards, we crossed the street to an authentic Italian trattoria, which, based on their food preparation, served us meals bought pre-packed from the grocery and heated via microwave. It was affordable but the taste left a lot to be desired. I immediately grabbed gelato from the next homemade gelateria we found a few steps away, which was one of my best foodie decisions.

Next, we walked all the way to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a Papal major basilica and the largest Catholic Marian church in Rome. It is also considered a UNESCO world heritage. And when I saw the beautiful Church, it really is worthy to be considered a world heritage.

Santa Maria Maggiore

Bernini!!! Yes, I'm a fan of his.

One of the earliest depictions of Mary as Theotokos.

After touring the Maggiore, it was about 3pm and we were so exhausted, but we didn't give up. We took the train to our next destination, the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which Constantine founded on the spot over the burial place of St. Paul. And we even saw the where St. Paul's tomb was found, as well as his chains when he was imprisoned in Rome.

St. Paul's tomb

After taking lots of pictures, papa said we didn't have to go to Via Appia anymore since we already went to St. Paul's Basilica, and I was so happy because I felt my feet were about to fall off. We took the train and got off at Piazza Bernini, which was the closest train station on our way to the Trevi Fountain.

Another of Rome's numerous beautiful fountains

But on our way to Trevi, we kept stopping because I led my parents right through a shopping street, and there were numerous affordable beautiful Italian-made leather bags. And of course, papa's trip wouldn't be complete if he didn't get a shirt from every city we went to. He actually bought the most number of memorabilia out of all of us! His pack light motto served him well.

Al fresco dinner in Rome

We decided to eat dinner before going to the Trevi Fountain because I was hungry, so I chose the nearest restaurant I could find. We dined al fresco, and the waitress kept bringing us bottles of water, which I later realized is a no-no because (pro tip) you can ask for free table water. But I was so thirsty and so tired that I just paid for them.

Everything was still so surreal at that point. I knew I was in Rome but a part of me felt like I was still dreaming.

After dinner, we then walked the short distance to the Trevi Fountain, which was quite a disappointment because there was a huge acrylic glass barrier as Rome's most fountain was being rehabilitated. But I managed to find a way to get a good, clear shot (meaning I asked a very tall and complete stranger to take a photo over the barrier -- dad was like, what you did was so dangerous!!!), and here it is!

Trevi Fountain

1. Ask for tap water when dining in Italian restaurants.

2. Buy your transportation tickets before going on trips. Rome has a transportation pass you can use on buses and the metro, with set number of days.

3. Try to attend the 7am Sunday mass at the St. Peter's Basilica. It's the best time to visit. :)

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

The beautiful and majestic St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

I had quite the day planned for our day in Rome, but as they say, everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and our timing was off when we landed in Rome...

We're the type of travellers who don't rest once we arrive at our destination. We love to maximize our vacation time, so we almost immediately leave the apartment once we check in. But when we landed in Rome, our luggage took too long to arrive. Then the airport was farther from our accommodation than we thought, so we only had about thirty minutes before our first appointment -- and it was an appointment we had to keep.

St. Peter's Basilica really is a work of art!

One of the things I quickly discovered in Europe is that the locals walk really fast. When they say it's about ten minutes, it usually takes us twice as long to get there. Our accommodation was literally behind the Vatican City, and we thought the entrance to our destination was just around the corner.

Our appointment was at 10:30am. We arrived at 10:45am. They almost didn't let us get thru the gates, but the Swiss guard must have seen the desperation in my eyes (and all the huffing and puffing) because he let us in.

When we got to the entrance of the office, we were told we cannot be accommodated anymore. My mom asked if they can accommodate us at a different time. After checking their schedule for a few minutes, we were told they can accommodate two people at 1:30pm and two people at 2pm, so we would need to separate. We immediately agreed. They rescheduled us with no extra charge, but we were oh so willing to pay up.

You see, getting to enter that museum was the major highlight of our trip to Rome. The museum I'm talking about is the Vatican Necropolis...and what we believe to be the tomb of St. Peter (I say believe because there are those who dispute this). And very few people are granted access because they only let 250 people per day, and by special permission from the Vatican office.

It was raining when we arrived -- mum said we were being blessed. It was a wonder we didn't get sick!

And I literally begged for this, because they initially turned down my application. In desperation, I gave them the date of our arrival, and they granted us a tour at 10:30am. Sometimes, I still cannot believe that I walked on the old roads of Rome and saw the very old Vatican, and was able to visit the tomb of St. Peter. It just felt so surreal.

Pictures are not allowed. Carrying big bags are also not allowed, so we just brought our ticket, phone, passports, and money.

After a wonderful and informative tour by our guide named Laura, we were all surprised because we were told we can enter the St. Peter's Basilica without having to line up outside! And let me tell you, the line was really long.

It felt like we spent all our time at the Vatican on our first day, but it was worth it.

Since we were there by 11am, we decided to have lunch in one of the numerous cafes in the Vatican.

My first gelato!

And of course, fulfill my plan of eating gelato every day we were in Italy.

Of course it was expensive! The panini was priced at 5 euros, but it was huge and can be shared for two. The gelato was also priced at 5 euros and the serving was substantial. I actually didn't get to finish my cone, which is a first.

This is also the first time I ever drank San Pellegrino, you know, that super expensive water sold in the Philippines, which I bought for only 50 euro cents (or about P25). And we found we don't like sparkling water at all.

It felt so surreal eating a chocolate gelato while looking at the Vatican.

When I took my first bite, I closed my eyes to savor the whole experience. Then I said, "This is a gelato." It wasn't too sweet, and definitely didn't have that cloying aftertaste. Sigh. Memories.

We were thinking of lining up with the people to get into the Basilica while waiting, but the rain soon stopped and it became too hot to wait in the sun. Also, it would take us hours to line up, so we just took a lot of pictures.

Fun fact: Rome has a lot of fountains where you can refill your water bottle for free!

Finally, 1pm came, and we went up to the guards to enter. But they didn't allow us. They said we can only enter at 1:20pm. So we waited, antsy, then asked to enter again at 1:20pm. The first guard allowed us. When we had to pass by the Swiss guard, he barred us, saying our appointment was at 2pm and we had to wait.

We were panicking, let me tell you, because it was a five-minute walk to the office. He was talking to another girl who kept asking a lot of questions. The girl turned to me and looked at my paper then dismissed me. I persisted in talking to the Swiss guard, and he finally realized he didn't see the 1:30pm appointment, and let us in.

Sigh. We were in!

After the tour, which lasted about an hour or so (we had a lot of questions!), we finally went inside the basilica, where we, of course, took a lot of pictures. By accident, we found our parents roaming inside the basilica as well, so that was another hour of taking pictures.

The obelisk in St. Peter's Square, which is said to be the sole witness to St. Peter's death.

The Jubilee doors!

St. Peter's chair by Bernini

Seeing La Pieta in the flesh made me realize why Michelangelo is a master of the arts

St. (Pope) John Paul II's tomb

We were at St. Peter's Basilica!

Afterwards, we all trudged home to make the thirty-minute long (which stretched to an hour's worth) walk back to the apartment because we didn't know how to get back via the bus.

And when we got to the apartment, my body finally gave in, and I slept a solid 12 hours, only to wake up at 5am the next day, fully clothed in yesterday's gear. I was exhausted from working for a solid 31 hours straight (we were finishing a major magazine!), travelled for 19 hours, and was on my feet for 8 hours. It was a wonder I didn't get sick! Thank you for blessing us, Lord! Surprisingly enough, I was the only one who didn't get sick (my sister while in Rome, my mother while in Munich, and my dad when we got home).

Our trip could have been better, sure, but the first one was rocky. Still, I believe that everything happens for a reason. And still being able to enter the Necropolis and the Basilica was enough for us that first day.

We experienced so much in Rome and my parents, who are used to having a tour group and guide, were overwhelmed by the trip and not having a guide. My sister and I, who have travelled on our own without tours, were more relaxed. But here are some tips that will hopefully prepare first-time Europe travellers like us.

1. If you're taking public transportation, buy a train pass at Termini station, or online. We were only able to buy tickets the next day. Read up online on how to use Rome's public transportation or ask your friends/relatives who have been to/work in Rome. We didn't know anyone at all.

2. If you're a Filipino (or even a foreigner, I suppose), don't be shy to ask for help from Filipinos, especially if they work there. I only met one snobbish Filipina (and that was in Austria). The Filipinos who work there are so friendly and helpful.

3. Bring a refillable water bottle or flask with you. It will save you a lot of money. Don't let yourself get dehydrated!

4. Bring euro coins with you in case you need to use the toilet. While there are free toilets, you may find yourself needing to use the bathroom, and most toilets have a fee, ranging from 50 cents (the cheapest we've encountered) to 3.50 euros (in Switzerland).

5. If you don't speak Italian (or French or German), install Google translate (or some equivalent app) on your device and prepare to translate your questions. The Italians didn't speak English very well, and some don't speak English at all. I had to speak French, and they responded to me in Italian. That was both challenging and a marvelous experience!

6. Even if you're going during summer, it's best to bring a hooded jacket you can tie around your waist when it's hot, and cover yourself up when needed (i.e. in Churches). If you're not planning on bringing or buying an umbrella, make sure you bring a cap. Even if it's not raining, the heat can be pretty intense!

7. Lather on some sunscreen!

8. Be prepared for cigarette smoke. The Italians, compared to the other European people we met, smoked a lot. We even saw people lighting up as soon as they stepped off the train.

9. Bring your most comfortable shoes that can withstand all the walking you'll be doing! And if you're buying new shoes, make sure you break them in thoroughly before your trip. I could barely use my P3000 pair of Hush Puppies because it kept bruising me. Thankfully I brought a pair of flats, which was supposed to only be a back-up, but which I ended up using 90% of the trip. And it only cost me P299. :)

10. Beware of pickpockets -- and this is something locals and your fellow Filipinos will keep warning you about.

11. Arm yourself with detailed maps of Rome as well as their transportation system. Find out which bus or train station is closest to your house, as well as all alternative buses or routes you can take.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy every minute. A lot of things can happen, so learn how to let go of what's not important. Rest when needed. Splurge a little. Communicate with your group if you have any concerns. Don't lose your cool.

You're in Europe. Relax. ;)

I hope you'll enjoy your trip!

All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Hey, Haeja

Europe tour day 2: Rome

Europe tour day 1: Rome

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