Wednesday 20th July

Wednesday 20^th July –  Rome

It is funny in life the things one remembers.  I remember watching the wonderful film Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn many years ago and at the end of the press conference towards the end of the film the Princess (Audrey Hepburn) is asked what was the favourite bit of her European Tour and she answers “Rome, by all means Rome”.  I may have the quotation wrong and clearly the advances of Gregory Peck may have influenced her decision but those lines were with me throughout our two days in Rome.

the Colloseum

Rome is a catalogue of historical monuments and mind blowing architectural achievements.  In fact it is almost too much to take in.  I was so proud of the boys as only J lost the plot and we were two eight hour days of pure sightseeing.  We managed the top ten sights of Rome and a couple of Pizza stops as well!

the Monumento A Vittorio Emanuele II

On Wednesday morning we were up at 7am and on the bus from the campsite to the train station at 8am.  Alas the train station was closed so we had to get another bus to the nearest train station.  We then got on a train Rome, which took 15 minutes and a few metro stops followed by a change of line and we were at the Colloseum.  The journey took 1hr 15mins and would have been just under the hour if the trains had been working properly.

the boys at the Fontana di Trevi

On arriving at the Colloseum at just after 9am we were face with a 1hr and 30 min queue and were just about to join it when we were joined by a small man offering us a guided tour which included the Palatine and the Floro Romana as well as going straight in and not having to queue.  I was reluctant at first but was soon convinced and with trepidation handed over some money.  It proved a wise decision as we managed to fit in the Colloseum, the Palatine and the Floro Romana before 1pm; after which we then went and had some lunch.

the boys on top of the Monumento with the Colloseum in the background

The afternoon was a whistle stop tour of the Monumento A Vittorio Emanuele II (where we took a glass lift up to the top for some spectacular views of Rome),  the Pantheon, the Circus Maximus, the Fontana Di Trevi, the Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps.  We met up with H-D’s at the fountain.  Claire even managed some handbag shopping with Becca!  By the end of it the boys were shattered (as was I!) but they had done brilliantly.  We were back at the campsite by 7:15 where the boys had a well earned pizza.  By the time we managed to get to bed it was 10pm and we were up again on Thursday for an early start…..