Vatican City Day 12

Day 12

Woke up early to catch your tour at 0730hrs, stop over at a bar near to the vatican for breakfast. It is the most expensive breakfast, €6/- for coffee and doughnut. Lucky it was the last days, we are within the budget. The Vatican Museum is really large, you could spend a day walking and not knowing what you are seeing!. Also this must be the most visited museum in the world, do make a beeline to the Sistine chapel or else you will just be squeezed out. Because of the tour, we skipped the lines and the queues and was there alone with no body. Best time to enjoy the Sistine Chapel, we were to return later, it was packed. The tour was about 4 hours long, and only for the important parts of the museum and St Peters as well.

Vatican Museum Outside

Vatican Museum

Vatican Museum Pope's Coat of Arms

Vatican Museum Ceilings

Hercules

Tapestry 

Mosaic Flooring

More Frescoes

Rafael Fresco

The Ceiling

After that, we decided to make the 515 steps up St Peters, €5/- for climbing all the stairs. €7/- for the half-way climb. The climb is amazing, amazingly tiring. The higher you go, the narrower the steps. There is little ventilation upwards, I wonder if it was packed and in summer. Anyway during the climb there are some rest stops, thankfully. And to see some nice views as well as getting closer to the dome. Get to see the mosaics too. Finally when you reach the observation area, the whole of Rome is at your feet. Worth the Climb! Now next thing is to climb down.

Michelangelo Pieta

Looking Down to the Floor of St Peters

Mosaics 

The Stairs

The View from the top

The View from the Top

The View from the Top

Lunch was expensive affair too, and then made our way to Castel St Angelo which would be the last place we will visit. This large fort is rather boring?!. Except that you can again climb to the top, not so bad this time. And see St Peter's from it and the Ponte Angelo with the Tiber River flowing.

Top of Castel St Angelo

View of St Peter's from Castel St Angelo

Castel St Angelo

This was follow by walking from Campo Dei Fiore all the way back the hotel and to pack our backs to go home. Will I be back again? Could be, there are still places I would like to see!

Rome Day 11

Day 11

This is an out of town day. We are going to Ostia Antica. But before we do that, I read up on a Cappuchin Museum just around the Baberini area. So made a pit stop there first, entrance is not covered by Roma Pass, €6/-. It tells the history of the Cappuchin monks, at the end of it is the crypt. Well decorated by bones. It is something unusual for sure. No photos inside there.

Cappuchin Museum

Now taking the train to Ostia is easy. Take the metro to Pyramide, then just follow the signs to the Lido train. The San Paolo stop is the last/first stop. Then drop off at Ostia Antica.

This large sprawling site can enable you to walk for a whole day, so bring good walking shoes. A little history here, it is an old bustling port city, so the place is a working class neighbourhood that became abandoned when the river changed its course. Highlights is the theater and the Baths of Neptune. There is a cafeteria and a small museum in the site. Bring water and food if you want to.

Ostia Theater 

Baths of Neptune

Ostia Toilet

On the way back, decided to see the pymarid. Well, it is just a look see nothing more and then back to Rome.

Pyarmide

Stop at the colosseo stop and headed towards San Clemente. This is an interesting church, you need a map to find it. Again the entrance is not impressive, it is just a small door. The 12th Century Church is ok, there is a story of St Catherine of Alexandria frescoed. Go and buy the €5/- ticket to go down the church. In there you will find a 4th Century Church with some well-preserved frescoes. Then go down somemore, there is are 1st century buildings. There is even a house with running spring water.

Basilica San Clemente

Tomorrow is the last full day in Rome/Italy, end of holidays are the saddest thing in life.

Rome Day 10

Day 10

Day 10, Took the metro down to Colosseo station, thinking the Capitoline Museum is nearby but we were wrong again. The entrance is on the other side. Oh well might as well enjoy walking more. Not much of a climb on this small hill. The Marcus Aurelius statue in front is a copy, the real one is inside. Got the audio guide which died on us halfway, €5/- (not worth it). First time getting an audio guide and it died, how great. The museum is large and huge and have alot, I mean alot of sculptures. It is like walking thru Roman History.  Photos are ok in some parts of the museum where there is no exhibition. Do note that to get to the other side, you have to go down to B1 and up again. Spent about 3 hours in here, also they are an art gallery on the third floor. Entrance is €12/- .

Capitoline Hill

Replica of Marcus Aurelis

The Dying Gaul

Medusa

Capitoline She-Wolf

After we are done, stop for a short lunch. While there are fountains in Venice and Florence. The Rome fountains are numerous and are everywhere, including the Roman Forum. Here, I am just taking "a sip".

So after all this, we went down to the Trajan Market. There is really nothing much to see here, except to walk thru the old marketplace. Also the entry to Trajan Columns and the ground floor is closed. About an hour later, we were done. Not worth paying the full entry fee if you dont have the roma pass.

There is still some daylight left, therefore decided to proceed to St Pietro in Vincoli. It is situated on top of a hill near the Cavour Metro. The front facade is not that amazing, you have to go in to view what it is all about. Another Michelangelo work, this time of Moses which was not really completed as the tomb for Julius II. Drop in a dollar to start the light, if not just wait for someone to do it. At the altar area is the "chains" of St Peter.

A shop in the Marketplace

Market Place

Trajan Column

Dinner was at Piazza Novano, where we had the most expensive meal till date. Expensive water too.

Rome Day 9

Day 9

Day 9 is Colosseum Day. Had pre-booked a tour for access to the Top Tier, Arena and the Underground. I believe that this is really worth it. The views from the top is amazing. Also seeing the underground on how they bring out the lions and bears as well as gladiators were interesting too." This article is picture heavy"

Front View of the Colosseum

Arena Entrance

View from Arena

Colosseum Underground

Colosseum Underground 2

View from the 3rd Tier

View from the 3rd Tier

Part of the tour also includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, the guide's explanation do give a clearer picture of the place. I do recommend guide or guidebooks at least, if not we are just looking at ruins. Never liked looking at things we cant figure out. The Roma Pass is valid here €30/-, they have a special queue at the Colosseum. The tourist information centre is opposite the the Roman Forum, where we picked up the pass.

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

Roman Forum

Arch of Constantine

Arch of Titus

The weather was fantastic on this day, and had lunch outside. Again no big deal, though the gelato guy was abit piss off when we could not get our coins out of our pocket. Anyway as Rome is a walking city, we decided to walk, so from the Trajan Market Area, we pass by the "wedding cake", then to Area Sacra, the reported sight of Julius Cesar's death, home to many cats Campo di Fiore which is a big flea market place, reminds me of the "Pasar Malam", Night Market back home. From there is another short walk to Piazza Navano, there is Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, with another obelisk. This is one impressive fountain, maybe not as impressive as Trevi but impressive enough. Maybe is the obelisk. This is an artistian square, lots of people painting and selling paintings and of course some people just selling repeated prints from Florence and Venice -.- .

Victor Emmanuel Momument 

Cat of Area Sacra

Area Sacra

Campo Del Fiore

River of the Four Fountains

River of the Four Fountains 2

Artist at Work

A Fountain

Another short walk later, we are at the Pantheon area. The Pantheon looks huge and old, the roman general inscription is still very visible. So inside are tombs of the first 2 kings of Italy, there is a book that can be signed too. Also Raphael is here. The dome is open allowing light to come in. Interesting enough to experience an old Roman building. Around the area are a couple of churches, we decided to visit 2 that is on the way, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva which has an Elephant outside. Do look up when entering. Also St Ignazio, there is St Catherine of Siena body there, though it is said the head to be in Siena. -.^.

Pantheon

Pantheon

The hole in the Pantheon 

St Ignazio Ceiling

St Maria Sopra Minerva Ceiling

St Maria Sopra Minerva, infront is St Catherine of Siena Body

About that time, the knee is failing me had to return back not before passing the Trevi Fountain again. Had dinner and early night, the next day we are going to use the Roma Pass.

Trevi Fountain