GARGANTUAN steps
Saturday, June 13, 2009
three times rome
So it's back to Rome for the third time in my life, but if there's a city that I could keep going back to, Rome probably tops it off. I probably could go to St Peter's Basilica and Square everyday, and I know I'll be back some day again. Rome just has so many beautiful memories for me. This time, I was the tour guide for my aunty Teresa, uncle Francis, my bro and Lynette.
Day 1 - 8.6.2009
The Monday morning started off with a hired taxi ride to Heathrow airport where we took Alitalia, the Italian airlines, to Rome Fiumicino airport. Finally not taking budget airlines to Rome and landing at the obscure Rome Ciampino airport. Following which, we took the Leonardo Express right into the city centre Termini Station. Thanks to my dad's previously bad experience of being pick-pocketed there, all my relatives were on high alert, and worse still, over-cautious and drawing more attention to themselves. Thankfully, there were no mishaps on this trip.
After checking in into the hotel, a nice hotel near the Vatican, we headed for our first meal, which consisted of pizzas and pasta. As I always say, Rome is made up of three dishes - pizzas, pastas and paninis. The first day was spent walking in a general eastern direction, visiting Castel Sant Angelo (of Angels and Demons fame - headquarters of the Illuminati), Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Considering that I had just watch Angels and Demons about two weeks back, it made the trip somewhat more interesting (visiting the sites where many of the priests in the books were executed, crudely enough, and one of which was at the Piazza Navona).
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The second day consisted of visiting the Vatican. We started off with visiting the interior of St Peter's Basilica before gamely climbing to the top of the dome (for the third time for me), but this time, taking the lift two thirds of the way. I didn't think that my aunt and uncle could take such an arduous climb, but they were to prove me wrong later in the day. Following that, we joined the hordes of people going to see to Raphael Stanzas and the Sistine Chapel, which we were suppose to only visit in the afternoon but I was coerced by my brother to go before lunch, hence disrupting my planned itinerary. After lunch, we had a short break before I brought them to St John Lateran Basilica, the head church in Rome, where my aunt and uncle gamely climbed the Scala Sancta on their knees, all 28 steps of it. I was really impressed. The Scala Sancta, as mentioned in my blog entry two years back, is the set of staircase where Jesus walked upon when going to see Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. This was cut and brought back to Rome by Saint Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine.
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My third and final day in Rome was spent visiting the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. My holiday was unspectacularly reduced by a day because of my need to return back to London for an interview the next day for an exchange with Tokyo Medical and Dentistry University, which on hindsight, I should not have bothered about.
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Day 1 - 8.6.2009
The Monday morning started off with a hired taxi ride to Heathrow airport where we took Alitalia, the Italian airlines, to Rome Fiumicino airport. Finally not taking budget airlines to Rome and landing at the obscure Rome Ciampino airport. Following which, we took the Leonardo Express right into the city centre Termini Station. Thanks to my dad's previously bad experience of being pick-pocketed there, all my relatives were on high alert, and worse still, over-cautious and drawing more attention to themselves. Thankfully, there were no mishaps on this trip.
After checking in into the hotel, a nice hotel near the Vatican, we headed for our first meal, which consisted of pizzas and pasta. As I always say, Rome is made up of three dishes - pizzas, pastas and paninis. The first day was spent walking in a general eastern direction, visiting Castel Sant Angelo (of Angels and Demons fame - headquarters of the Illuminati), Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Considering that I had just watch Angels and Demons about two weeks back, it made the trip somewhat more interesting (visiting the sites where many of the priests in the books were executed, crudely enough, and one of which was at the Piazza Navona).
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Lynette, Aunty Teresa, Uncle Francis and my brother on the Leonardo Express
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St Peter's Basilica from Castel Sant Angelo
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My aunt and uncle at Castel Sant Angelo and apparently the headquarters of the Illuminati, with a secret passage to the Vatican
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The figure representing the Nile at the Piazza Navona
One of the priest in Angels and Demons died here, though the water was admittedly very shallow. It would probably take more effort keeping your head in the water rather than out of it, even if tied to weights.
One of the priest in Angels and Demons died here, though the water was admittedly very shallow. It would probably take more effort keeping your head in the water rather than out of it, even if tied to weights.
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The Pantheon
The oldest best surviving Roman structure in Rome itself, and within it, the tomb of Raphael, though not the original one, according to Angels and Demons
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The oldest best surviving Roman structure in Rome itself, and within it, the tomb of Raphael, though not the original one, according to Angels and Demons
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The Elephantino
A structure carved by Bernini with an Egyptian Obelisk atop it
A structure carved by Bernini with an Egyptian Obelisk atop it
Day 2 - 9.6.2009
The second day consisted of visiting the Vatican. We started off with visiting the interior of St Peter's Basilica before gamely climbing to the top of the dome (for the third time for me), but this time, taking the lift two thirds of the way. I didn't think that my aunt and uncle could take such an arduous climb, but they were to prove me wrong later in the day. Following that, we joined the hordes of people going to see to Raphael Stanzas and the Sistine Chapel, which we were suppose to only visit in the afternoon but I was coerced by my brother to go before lunch, hence disrupting my planned itinerary. After lunch, we had a short break before I brought them to St John Lateran Basilica, the head church in Rome, where my aunt and uncle gamely climbed the Scala Sancta on their knees, all 28 steps of it. I was really impressed. The Scala Sancta, as mentioned in my blog entry two years back, is the set of staircase where Jesus walked upon when going to see Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. This was cut and brought back to Rome by Saint Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine.
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Me and St Peter's Basilica
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The interior of St Peter's Basilica
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Atop the dome - the Pope's View
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Bernini's staircase
Day 3 - 10.6.2009
My third and final day in Rome was spent visiting the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. My holiday was unspectacularly reduced by a day because of my need to return back to London for an interview the next day for an exchange with Tokyo Medical and Dentistry University, which on hindsight, I should not have bothered about.
The Colosseum is of World Wonder fame (one of the New Seven Wonders of the World) and also of cinematic fame, made spectacular in Gladiator. Visiting the Roman Forum following that was a huge disappointed. The usual entrance was shifted, hence taking additional time to get to the sight. You now require a ticket to get in as well, and they've put in extremely disgusting art pieces within it, consisting of four balls each. I should have taken some photos of them for all to see, but I was too disgusted to do so.
Following that, we went to the Capitoline Museum, which was finally something new for me, and getting pictures with the famous statue of the she-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus, where Romulus killed his twin brother and ruling Rome following that. This was followed by visiting the Isola Tiburtina, the only island on the river Tiber, and than visiting the Basilica of St Peter in Chains, where the chains which kept him in prison are now kept.
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Me and the Colosseum
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The Colosseum
I had to put this picture in because its the only one I have with the entire structure in it, though obscured by the trees
I had to put this picture in because its the only one I have with the entire structure in it, though obscured by the trees
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Me and the Lupa Capitolina
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Constantine's hand
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Monument to Vittorio Emanuelle II
The ugliest structure in Rome as the Romans know it as, as well as being unceremoniously known as the 'Typewriter'
The ugliest structure in Rome as the Romans know it as, as well as being unceremoniously known as the 'Typewriter'
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My aunt and uncle and Moses, carved by Michaelangelo
It was back to London for me that evening whilst the rest carried on for an additional day before flying back. My interview went quite well, but I can speculate on at least half a dozen reasons why I wasn't accepted. It's now back to Singapore to rest for the summer, and trying to keep my mind occupied!
Labels: Art, Church, Colosseum, Europe, Family, Italy, Museum, Rome, Seven Wonders of the World, Travel
posted by Gabriel Yan at 9:15 PM
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