Italy: Our time with you was too short

 Inside the Colosseum! 

 Arch of Constantine!

 Outside the Colosseum! 

 Italian Police!

 Roman Forum

 Trevi Fountain!

                                           Gelato restaurant near the Vatican !

 Our last meal in Italy!

Victor Emmanuel II Monument 

 

I was admiring these birds and their owner let me take a photo (at a price) details below

 On the way to Greece!

Just like the saying goes Rome wasn't built in a day, you can't see Rome in a DAY! That was what we did and while we got to see a lot in one day, I definitely wish we had more time to see the Vatican , Saint Peter's Basilica , Sistine Chapel, Pantheon and much more. Still it was breathtaking to witness all the sights, how the sculptures and history were so alive and realistic, you could sit and just stare at them all day and not take it all in. 

The first thing we tried to see was the Vatican Museums, which was a definitely a long walk up a lot of stairs to get to, is supposed to be one of the most beautiful museums worldwide and includes the Saint Peter's Basilica and Sistine Chapel but is also quite pricey. They have different times of the day where it is more available and you can see without a guide but it is later in the day and you may have to go through a line. Unfortunately we couldn't go inside because of the price and we did try to go again later when we would be able to get in on our own without a guide but it was too late. In Sha Allah another time!

So we ended up going to the Colosseum or Colessio as how they referred to it in Italy, and it was so exciting to be in and they had guided tours (extra cost of course) with a live guide or a video recording, which is nice because then you get a step by step walk through of what each part of the building is for and what happened there. If I am remembering correctly it was about 30 euros each to get inside. We bought our tickets from this indoor building near the Vatican Museums, but in front of the building they also sold tickets and there were plenty of people who spoke different languages who will approach you asking if you have tickets! One thing I learned in Europe is tourist attractions are also opportunities for those who live there or have moved there to make money. They sell selfie sticks, souvenirs and plenty more right in front of the attractions! I wish I could describe to you what the inside was like, mostly I am blanking and can't remember but I remember being inside and feeling like this was a dream and something I had heard about in history class in high school but never actually thought I would get the chance to see. There were some parts that were under construction but for the most part it looked all intact, sturdy and definitely like it had great events occur inside it. It does have levels to it, and the stairs are steep so it's a bit of a workout on the legs but worth it once you see the view. Also right in front of the Colosseum, is the Arch of Constantine, this really tall beautiful Arch which also has some history that I am not recalling, if you are inside the Colosseum you can get great pictures near it from the balcony area.

After when we were done in this area we wanted to go see the Trevi Fountain , which I was super excited to see, but along the way we were told it is a 20 minute walk to it and we would see more attractions along the way. We came across the Roman Forum, which was this collection of like poles that looked leftover from a temple or something. So now here comes the story of the birds because we passed this plaza area near the Roman Forum, where some musicians where playing, people were selling things and I noticed this guy who had two tiny colorful birds on his shoulder. I should have admired from afar and walked away but curiosity killed the cat. 

The guy eyed me eyeing him and came over and put the birds in my hands and on my head and told my friend to take a picture of me, he did the same to her even though she was definitely not comfortable and by the end we thanked him assuming it was a fun show thing. WRONG. Nothing is free! Definitely my first lesson in be careful what you are looking at or allow someone to do, because in the beginning you aren't told a fee and you don't think to ask about it because it's on the spot while you are walking through a country and it's like oh a guy showing off his birds for fun. NOPE. It was kinda awkward he didn't tell us an amount to give him either, just stood there waiting for payment, and my friend did give him Euro coins which are just as valuable as the paper money because they have 1 and 2 euro coins which can add up if you have several of those. He looked at it look at it like it was dirt and was like "What is this?" and I think either handed them back to her or dropped them on the ground. Mind you. businesses took our euro coins so it's not like they are useless or not worth much, they are, he just didn't want them and was kind of snub about it. I am annoyed at myself for not trying to hide the amount of money I had (I basically only used cash the whole trip so that was a hassle also) because when I tried to hand him the 5 dollar paper euro, he peeked at my wallet when I opened it and saw what I had and said no give me the ten euro. Now listen, I was whatever about it at the time but later when I told my uncle the story, he told me I could have refused and given him the 5 euros, it wasn't a mandatory service I had to pay for, it was like less than five minutes of him showing us these birds and making us take pictures and we where not at a proper business where we could have been arrested or been in trouble for not giving the amount he wanted. It's cool though, just taught me to learn things ain't free and to not be sweet talked into things so easily (though it does happen again in another country but less weird!)

Anyways after that we ran into this beautiful building which at the time I didn't know what was called but it was it was gated around it and there was a small fountain on the side. They allowed us inside the gate and so we could take pictures closer to the building. Later I learned it was called the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, it had a whole bunch of statues and figurines attached to it, was like a big art exhibit on the building itself. After walking around so much we needed to find food, and just like items and birds are advertised by people approaching you in the street, so is food and we found a lasagna place recommended to us by a guy advertising in the street. Which I was like yes pasta in Italy so authentic, it was alright, it was in this small aluminum pan so smaller portions but it was green, vegetarian and pretty good! Just not what I had envisioned when I thought authentic Italian pasta. Nevertheless it was delicious! We found some gelato later also which was pretty good despite it being cold outside! 

We ended up going home after seeing the Trevi Fountain and the Gelato, The Fountain was great just hard to admire up close cause boy it was crowded with tourists! But it was neat there were some little shops nearby that I bought some souvenirs and things for family! Sometimes things were a lot to walk especially on the cobblestone streets in boots that aren't made for walking but you definitely get good exercise and there are plenty of metro stations near as well. 

Overall in a day we were able to accomplish a lot and who knows next time I will get to see a different city! In Sha Allah! Stay Tuned for more adventures!