Rome

We woke up to have breakfast and it was a lovely homey and cozy one. We met two Italianos, a mother and a son and we chimed in on their conversations. The mother was a theatre singer and she spoke not a zilch of English but she was beautiful. Her hair was so superbly white that instead of screaming out "I have lived many, many years" it just sang out beauty - seriously, it was that beautiful. Her face was gentle and calm and all her mannerisms were so fragile. The son said he was in the Italian army but his passion is to write. Me and him connected over some novels we both enjoyed reading - funny thing was his was translated into Italian and mine was translated into English. It is from a Japanese author. Then we moved on to the train station. 3 hour train ride to Roma. I finished Hunger Games, now onto the second book. We relaxed, checked in - its a private guest house and the mother and son are SO kind. They thought I spoke Italian. Again! I so don't look Italian but I think its because I pick up on every word I say. They were like, then how do you know what to translate to your mother! I said I picked up on their body languages and movements. Haha! Where's Deena? Oh you know, just my puppy Afterwards, we went for lunch then spent the rest of the day/night walking to Fontana di Trevi, Pantheon, accidentally stumbled onto Piazza Venezia, accidentally went back to Fontana di Trevi but we found some markets so it made it funny and okay and then lastly to Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps). We did a little shopping for other people back at home then went home for dinner. It sounds short but it was tiring! P.s so far the food we have had, the gelato we have consumed, Lygon St in Melbourne does it better! Okay Day 2 of ROMA! You know, I had no idea that Gypsies were actually an ethnic minority - I thought it was more of a lifestyle. So when I saw heaps of them and realised that they kind of looked special in their own way - I decided to google it! Today was a super long day full of lots of walking. It was time for the typical visit to what Rome is most renowned for - Ancient & Artistic Rome. So we started off by heading towards the Vatican city. I am so glad I did an anal amount of research into everything, so I bought fast track tickets. The line was HUGE. Anyway, we slipped in and walked around the Vatican museum, Sistene Chapel where Michelangelo did the ceiling and last panel (you know that famous painting where Adam and God are pointing at each other, okay a bit more intimate than just pointing). Michelangelo is a genius. He hated painting but because the Pope forced him to do so, he did the ceiling in just FOUR years at age 32 and the last panel where he painted like nearly 400 figures in 5 years at age 60!!! CRAZY GENIUS especially when you hated painting! Then we saw the St Pietro Basilica, the biggest church in Rome. We also saw St Paul's Basilica, the second biggest. A lot of us ladies had to cover up our shoulders and legs with shoddy sheets as it was inappropriate inside the church. I was a little mad because my dress came up close to my knee but it was unacceptable because I'm tall - while many short girls were allowed with their butts hanging out of their denim shorts because their legs don't appear to be as exposed when they're short in stature. Do you get me? I totally didn't mind covering up, but wasn't happy seeing butts hanging when I was reppin' a sarong just for my knees. We had lunch where there was a cute waiter that looked like Jamie Bell (he is so sexy) then we moved onto the Colosseum, Roman Forums and the Capitol. My tour guide talked like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean, like slurring, drunk and mixed accent of British and Italian. If only he looked like Johnny Depp. One Indian man on my tour ripped out this huge fart that everyone heard and we had no idea how to react but we just burst out laughing at him! Our guest housekeepers are such a lovely couple, when we came home after dinner they had folded up ALL our clothes, even hung my bra hahahahahaha! They're so sweet and kept blowing kisses at me for coming to stay! They taught me how to make coffee for my mum tomorrow morning (because we're leaving super early) and bid farewell! My new Indonesian friend! Scamming Gladiators Rome is beautiful. The sun was so hot though. My Italian friend that I met in Pisa has a theory about where there is sun, the people are more healthy inside, you know, lively. And I think I agree. In Paris and London, it was grumpy - in Italy so far the people were happy to help, stop on the street to let you pass, and smiling. Next stop, Venice!