The Orange Tree: Rome

The hubby calculated we walked at least 9km per day. We were in Italy for 9 days so in total we walked at least 81km throughout the trip. That's one of the most exhausting trips we've had so far, especially in Rome, considering that we only used public transport twice. But I dare say all the torture that our legs were subjected to had not gone to waste. We got to see so much more walking from one destination to the next.

Rome boasts thousands of years of visible history. From Rome's greatest known monument, the Colosseum, to the medieval winding streets of Trastevere, practically every inch of Rome is saturated in history. But Rome is not all about its historic past. It's avant-garde and fashionable at the same time.

The hubby and I have pretty much covered most of Rome - or at least the sights mentioned in our guidebook. We stood in awe while raving at the structure of the iconic Colosseum, amazed by the amount of ruins left behind by the Roman empire, marveled at the wondrous works of Michelangelo at the Sistine Chapel, had our necks strained from admiring the frescoes on the ceilings while we hopped from one museum/cathedral to the next, soaked in the artistic atmosphere at Piazza Navona, made our wishes at the Trevi Fountain crowded with tourists, burnt a huge hole while shopping at Via Condotti near the Spanish Steps, savored the most delicious gelato in the cold winter, stuffed ourselves with delectable Italian food, romanced in Rome's gorgeous park, Villa Borghese and the list just goes on. It's impossible to blog everything that we had experienced in just one entry.

In spite of the wonderful time we had, there were some unpleasant incidents. We learnt that when taking a cab, we had to pay the driver the exact amount or else the change, no matter how much it was, would automatically be treated as tips. The cab driver won't return you the change. He bade you farewell with a swift 'Grazie' that left you in a daze. Then you began to wonder why on earth you had given him 5 Euro dollars worth of tips (which amounted to 10 Sg dollars!).

Another unpleasant incident took place when the hubby and I decided to do a very touristy thing. We longed to ride on one of those horse carriages we came across at the Colosseum. We finally got on one at the Spanish Steps. At first, a man in his fifties told us it would cost 120 Euro and he promised the ride would past by many main tourist sights. Our jaws nearly dropped when we heard the price. We merely wanted to take a short ride near the vicinity. We told him it was too expensive and he wasn’t interested to lower the price. As we walked away, a young chap approached us and told us he was willing to take us around at a special price. We told him a ride near the vicinity would suffice and he quoted us 60 Euros. I bargained with him and finally with much reluctance, he agreed at 30 Euro. I felt like a royalty riding on the horse carriage, waving and saying ‘hi’ to the people on the streets. Never did I expect there was a price to pay for being a 15 minute royalty. At the end of our ride, I handed 30 Euros to the horseman. He took one look at the money and said, “Madam, it’s 30 Euro for one person. 2 persons, 60 Euro.” Instantly, I knew I was ripped off. The hubby and I didn’t want to argue with him. So we gave him 60 Euro in the end. After that incident, each time I saw a horse carriage, I would look out for that con man.

The last unpleasant incident happened at the airport. We were at one of the tax refund counters when the lady announced that they had run out of Euro dollars and we had to wait for an hour or two for her colleague to return from the bank. How was that possible? No Euro dollar at the tax refund counter? It was a joke! Annoyed, we went to the next counter. The lady at the next counter told us she would only refund us cash for the purchase made in XXX shop. Cash refund for purchases made in YYY shop could not be made in this counter. Plus cash refund could only be made in US dollar, Pound and Yen. No Euro dollar again! I seriously think that the authority is making it difficult for tourists to get cash refund. That's terrible! Anyway, putting unpleasant experiences aside, I still had an amazing time in Italy. If I were given another chance to retun to Italy, I wouldn't hesitate to say 'yes'!

Swiss guards at the Vatican City.

The glorious St Peter's Basilica. Its grand dome was designed by the great Michelangelo.

The Vatican Museum.
The hubby and I walked at super fast speed in the rain so that we wouldn't miss the admission time. We were out of breathe by the time we got to the museum.

I love the grand spiral staircase which leads to the exit of the Vatican Museum.

Rome's greatest known monument, the Colosseum.

It's a little smaller than what I've imagined it to be.
I thought it would be as huge as the one shown in the movie 'Gladiator'.

Ruins at the Roman Forum.

The Trevi Fountain.

A coin thrown into the fountain (over your shoulder while facing away) would ensure one's return to Rome. A second coin grants a wish.

View of Via Condotti, one of Rome's most elegant and expensive shopping streets taken from the top of the Spanish Steps.

A ride on the horse carriage which I would never forget.

The Patheon's dome. According to the guidebook, the oculus in the middle allows in light and was built with concrete that becomes lighter in colour the closer it gets to the oculus, dispersing light.