Rome - Day 2

So, up in the morning again by 6, all of us took turns to get ready and we were all set to leave to the Vatican for the Pope’s address. Meanwhile, had some breakfast and today, the breakfast was infact well delivered and it tasted better. Maybe we were in awe of the presentation of it compared to the previous morning.

The Hotel guy, presented each of us with Home Made Red Wine. He wished us for Easter and gave us each a bottle. We had travelled without any checked in Baggage as we prefer light luggage. So, we were in no way able to carry it back to Brussels. So, we returned it to him citing our difficulty. But he was not the one to leave us like that. He was adamant that we were in Rome for Easter and we should compulsorily taste the Rome’s famous Home made Wine. Upon so much of compulsion, we all decided to taste it and it was really good!!

Off out of the Hotel and towards the Metro. In no time we were there at the Other end. Getting to Vatican was kind of thrilling. The crowd was huuuuuuuuuge. The streets leading to the Vatican from the metro was full of people and literally, the vehicles were deviated to allow the crowd to get to Vatican.

Seeing the huge queue to get inside, we were for a min skeptical if to get in or witness it from the street side. Walking just around the area, we observed that the queue was to get to the closer mass area and there was one more entrance to get to kind of an arena which is a little far but none the less inside the Vatican. We got in and witnessed the Pope’s address and then decided to return so that we could go to Collosseum during the day and maybe even get inside the Colossum arena.

On the way back, we did some shopping in the Vatican market for some souvenirs. Vinod, Arun and I started to feel hungrier by now. We decided to have lunch near the Vatican and started hunting for a proper Italian Restaurant. Eventually, we did find one which we thought was “authentic” by the looks and we got in.

We had amazing Italian Food from Gnocchi to Pasta to Spaghetti and some authentic Italian style Roasted Vegetables and how can we forget to have the Italian Desserts and Italian Cakes?

It was quite a heavy lunch and we then we got to the Colosseum and around that area. Got into the Arena. I will respect the Colosseum architecture and promise to blog separately about it in a couple of days.

Then off, we were to the Termini station and it was jus 4 PM. Our flight back was scheduled by 8 in the night and we decided to have some Indian Food as well again before catching the train back to the Airport.

This was a mistake we did. We were still savouring the taste at Guru and the Authentic Italian food and gave in for the temptation for Indian food. We went around the Termini station and found an OK OKish Indian restaurant. I would not wanna give out the name here, but the food was horrible. None of us four liked the food. The kulcha, curries and the biryani were all horribly prepared.

After food, returned to the hotel to take the train back to the airport. The fun was just about to begin again before we could call it the end for Rome.
We were feeling home (India) as I mentioned earlier. So, we wanted to experience even the driving on the streets or Rome. Well renting a car to drive just from Termini to Airport is obviously heights of foolishness. We decided to take a taxi instead.

We did not tell the taxi driver anything, but he gave a ride as good as a taxi driver can give us in India amidst the traffic with his “skilful” driving.

The train usually takes 40 mins from Airport to Termini or back each way. But this taxi guy, took us to the airport all in all jus 30 mins. The driving was terrific. He seemed to have no sense of traffic rules and we loved someone driving a car in Europe for the first ever time.

Yeah! At the airport, waiting gets fun and more fun if you have Ferrari store to hang out and a Rome Cappuccino in your hand. This is the luxury of being in Italy which you cannot happen to experience anywhere. I got myself a small Ferrari 430 model.

Then, we got to the flight and back to Brussels and home by midnight 0000 hrs.

A very very eventful Rome/Pisa trip was very satisfying.

Flight: Brussels Airlines
Italian Train: http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/ (click English at the top for English version)
Cost Per head: 400 Euros (Including food but not shopping)