Europe: Rome (Ostia Antica, St. Peter's Basilica, & the Colosseum)

We started off the morning with a huge breakfast spread in the Ballroom of Palazzo Carpegna. Before we left for our morning tour, we asked to upgrade to the Superior Room for an additional 30 Euros per night. We figured, why not splurge for our last leg? (Not that we haven’t spent enough additional cash). The benefits are: a bigger room, extensive vanity kit stuff (lotion! No European hotel that we have been to offered lotion; some didn’t even give hair conditioner. In addition: shaver, toothbrush, nail file, Kenju spa collection shampoo and conditioner), free wifi, two welcome drink vouchers, and 10% off eating at the hotel restaurant.

We met up around 8 AM with our local tour guide, Amelia, to go to Ostia Antica, an optional tour that wasn’t on our original optional schedule. Richard put this tour together mainly because today is Ferragosto, an Italian holiday where everything is closed and Italians get some serious R&R. We really didn’t have much of a choice, unless we wanted to sleep in. We chose to go on it because Hubby is so fascinated by history and ancient ruins.

It’s ridiculous how quickly it heated up. We got to Ostia Antica around 8:30 AM and began our tour. We walked on cobblestones laid centuries ago. I was impressed that our tour guide, a lady probably in her 60s, led us through the 100 degree weather in 2.5 inch wedge sandals. Although the heat was brutal, it was neat to see the ancient ruins and just how advanced the Romans were centuries ago. We saw where saunas and bath houses were first created. We saw where business stores used to be and how they were distinguished. How you recognize what the store's specialty was by looking at the mosaics on the floor (that are still apparent today).

One mosaic we saw was of a whale...which meant that the business owner was in charge of the imports that came through the docks. It was both awe-inspiring yet surreal to imagine what took place right in front of us – bath houses, stores, condos, saunas, and even restrooms. We also walked onto the theatre stage for a brief minute before we had to walk “off stage” and go around (there was a concert that was being set up there so we had to move).

(Left top clockwise: ruins, mosaic "map," Hubby climbing the "seats" of the theatre, ancient restrooms, ancient sauna, the theatre stage.)

Our tour ended around 10 AM at the coffee shop, where there were also two doggies, but we weren’t allowed to touch them. Of course some of our tour mates didn't see the sign and tried to pet them anyways. Hubby, ever the rule-abider, made sure I wasn't even within a three yards of them, lest my self-control be recklessly uninhibited. (Hence my distant shot of one of them.)


After that, we went back to the hotel to pick up the rest of the group to continue on our regularly scheduled tour. We went to St. Peter’s Basilica, but before we went in, we had 45 minutes to shop and eat. Hubby went right to business shopping for rosaries in Savelli Mosaic Art Gallery. The really cool thing is that they were all “generally blessed,” but since we left them there to be delivered to our hotel, they were personally blessed by the Pope. While he was shopping, I went up to the second level to buy postage. The four postage stamps were of the Vatican (City). Although the Vatican City is its own city-state/nation, not all the other countries recognize it as its own country, so I had to be sure I mail it within Rome or else it would be null.

After lunch, we stood in the sweltering sun for about 20 minutes to get into St. Peters Basilica. I thought I was going to pass out since I was wearing jeans to cover my knees. We were told that people usually wait like 2 hours or more to get in so 20 minutes was really nothing. But for me, it was painful. I should have bought a fan and parasol days ago!


When we got inside, Mass was taking place. Service is sectioned off so that we could continue our tour without interrupting Mass.

(Left column: the Holy Doors; Michelangelo's Pieta
Middle: the Altar with Bernini's baldacchino
Right column: St. Peter by Cambio; tomb of Pope Alexander VII by Bernini)

We also saw Pope John Paul XXIII's preserved body. He has a white wax mask to cover his face.


While we toured, Hubby's Spidey-skills were on high-alert. He noticed that a guy seemed to be following our group. Of course I dismissed it and thought that Hubby was just being paranoid, but he later rationalized that 1) we were forewarned that pick-pocketers would dress like tourists to blend in and 2) the guy followed us from one corner to another and another and had a huge camera hanging around his neck...but took zero photos. Our group had been well-prepared for pick-pocketers so throughout our entire trip, no one lost anything. I was still pretty paranoid though.

After that, we went to the Colosseum...while the sun was still scorching. Poor Hubby was really looking to seeing the Colosseum but was disappointed. He said it was because he watched too many History Channel specials on it so when we got there, it was a bit anticlimactic for him. We ascended to the second level via lift and later climbed down the stairs. Again, it was hard for me to take in that we were standing in the Colosseum, where violent acts (for the purpose of entertainment) took place centuries ago. It’s surreal.

(See me wearing my Armani "underwear"?)

On our way there and when we left, we also passed by Circus Maximus, where the chariot races used to be held. All in all, our tours were really fascinating...just unbearably hot. All the history behind these ancient ruins was amazing. We got back to our hotel in the late afternoon to wash up and rest...in our upgraded room. Yayayay!

We also wrote thank you letters to both Gennaro and Richard and prepared tips since it was our last evening with the tour group. Our farewell dinner was at Casa Nova. We sat with our new friends.

We sat with Millie and Ray from North Carolina who have been married for 51.5 years. They were champions through the whole tour. They went on almost every optional tour and dusted younger people! They said that two months before this trip, they walked on the treadmill everyday to prepare. We were so impressed, especially as they climbed up and down stairs with us. We also sat with Burt and Nancy from Arizona, a very sweet, nice, and lively couple. They have only been married for 7 years...but were dating for 16 years before then! Burt used to come out to Marina del Rey all the time, which is just a mile or two away from where we live. Small world! They were probably the only ones that didn't think the heat was a struggle. ;)

During dinner, there was an opera duet accompanied by a pianist...and seriously, the male opera singer looked like Pau Gasol. The singing was beautiful and really set the ambiance. Dinner consisted of antipasta, veal with what Hubby said is Dijon mustard, coconut milk, and meat gravy, and we ended with a delicious three-berry tart. I also ordered a Fanta for the first time, which turned out to be quite tasty.


Around 7:30 PM, we departed for our last excursion, which was to the Spanish steps. Amelia, our local guide for Ostia Antica, guided us again. We walked about 1.5 hours total (stop and go) so we were beat from all the walking we did today. When we arrived at the top of the Spanish steps, it was magnificent looking down and seeing how crowded it was. Amelia said that this is where all famous models pose for pictures.

(Many of us, including me, were so fascinated by the Louis Vuitton store on via Condotti; the LCD image of the hot air balloon is on a staircase. If you search Youtube "Louis Vuitton stairs Spanish steps," there are several videos, like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-2QY-85Xqc.)

When we were going down the famous Spanish steps, a man passed gas really loud right in front of us, and Hubby was sort of behind me and behind him. (I say he passed gas in front of Hubby but Hubby says vice-versa. Actually, Hubby embellishes and says that the man passed gas on me.) Hubby immediately said, “Oof! Move right, move right!” I was practically holding by breath for at least half a minute, making sure I didn’t laugh out loud. I know I can be so immature sometimes...and ever since I rendered Nacho Libre as a favorite movie, Hubby swears that I am always laughing at fart-jokes. I hope that's not true...only 10 year old boys laugh about that! After a few minutes, Hubby quietly said, “I’m so proud of you. You didn’t laugh at the joke.” That’s when I started laughing hysterically and had to wipe tears away.

We walked around that area, which is equivalent to Rodeo Drive – expensive stores: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, etc. The “flower pimps” were all over the place! They are so sneaky. They go right up to women and hold out a beautiful rose and say, "take it, go ahead, take it," sometimes saying that it won't cost the women anything. Well, once the woman takes it, they hustle their man for money!

Our tour ended at Bar Tre Scalini, where Richard handed each of us a decadent tartufo. It was so rich and dreamy. Definitely can't find anything even close to this in the States.


When we got back to the hotel around 10 PM, we said good-bye to Richard, Gennaro, and our tour mates. All in all, we had a wonderful time with the group.

I don't think Hubby expected me to do a fake candid shot to correspond with his:


Finally, a real one!