Let's start on Thursday night. We went to a Paella place on Calle Huertes and got to sit at a big table in a dungeon all by ourselves. I had delicious paella and even tried AND liked octopus. Gawrsh I'm getting brave. I went home, plugged in my phone because it was going to die, set 5 alarms so I could wake up at 6 to catch my 9 am plane, and went to bed. Here is where the adventure begins:
At 9:10 I woke up on my own only to realize my plane had already left. Turns out my phone wasn't plugged in all the way so it died and all of my alarms didn't go off. Cool. I get dressed, brush my teeth, and literally run to the metro. I am in full panic mode and it seemed like it took 23 years to finally get to the Barajas airport. I wait in line to find out that the next flight doesn't leave until 9 pm, and I would have to pay 120 extra euros for this flight. I try my best to fight back tears. Meanwhile, Adriana is already on her train to Rome to meet up at noon and start our tours at 2. The rude man tells me to check other airlines to see if there is an earlier flight. I go to the Easyjet gate and the semi-nicer man tells me a flight is leaving at 5 and will be 105ish euros. Whatever, I'll take it. Gave him the cash I had in my wallet and sadly went home. I got home and tried everything I could to make myself feel better. I got ahold of Adriana which was important, and so she knew I would be late. I took a shower, made sure I had my stuff, and of course when I checked my backpack my bag of clothes wasn't in there. I guess when I was in a rush that morning that bag somehow came out and I would've gotten to Rome with a toothbrush and a camera and the clothes on my back. Good thing I checked. It was now close to 2 and I was needed to leave for the airport, but really needed to call my mom. 2 pm my time means 5 am Turlock time, but I couldn't wait any longer. I was calm by this time and called and told her the situation, how it was handled already, but I would obviously need more money. First of all, I woke her up, and I think she thought the plane had crashed or something because she seemed a little panicked on the phone. Sorry mom. So we had a short conversation that was me asking for more money and saying sorry for being irresponsible, then it was off to the airport. I was still really sad while getting through everything, and really upset I wasn't going to be in Rome until 7, wasting a whole day of exploring. Well, my flight was delayed 2 hours. Coooooooooooool. At this point I just wanted to curl in a ball and cry but I think I was past the point of tears. I fell asleep on the airport chairs while waiting for 3 more hours, and when I woke up I went to check the status of the flight. The screen said boarding, and in a different terminal then where I was, and so sprinting through the airport started. Man was this a fun day. Oh, I also only had a croissant in my belly. Cranky. Turns out I was the very last person on the flight, and hardly made it. How fun would that have been if I missed the second flight of the day? So blah blah blah get on the flight, buy a 4 euro bag of m&m's accidentally, sleep a bit, and try and figure out how I am going to navigate Rome at night. I get to the airport in Rome, and am not even appreciating the fact that it's my first time in Italy. I don't even notice they didn't stamp my passport. Shoot. I have to take a train from the airport to the center of town for 20 euros, and the machine isn't giving me a ticket. The train only comes once an hour, and it was there already, and it was almost 11 at this time, and I was just fed up. An Irish man behind me had the same issue so we just walked up to the conductor, tried understand what he was saying, and just handed him our cash and got on the train without a ticket. At this point I wasn't going to let anything else get in my way of being in Rome. After about an hour train ride, we both are trying to find out hotels. The nice man finds his and then helps me try and find the street I need to start my directions on. I know that it is walking distance from the train station, so I didn't want to pay for a taxi. We couldn't find the street so my Irish friend found me the most okay looking taxi and helped me figure out where to go. Nice people make things a lot better on bad days. We said goodbye and the taxi driver started driving. He then said it would be 30 euros and I just looked at him, opened the door, said no, and got out in the middle of the street. I was not about to pay 30 euros for something I knew was walking distance. I wandered around the train station wishing I had a map for about 15 more minutes, with taxi drivers harassing me every second. Finally one asked if I just needed help, and not a ride, and he eventually drew me a map on a napkin from his pocket to my hotel. Again, nice people in this world. I also used my spanish to get by because spanish is closer to italian than english, and turns out when I'm lost and forced to use it, I know more then I think. I finally see the hostel I am staying in and it was only a 5 minute walk. I gave myself a pep talk the entire walk that everything would be okay once I saw Adriana and got food in my stomach. Well, it is past midnight, and the hostel lobby is closed. OF COURSE. I don't know what room number we're in, and my phone doesn't work in Italy apparently. Good to know. I find a lobby of another hostel with a lady in it and ask if she can help me at all. Well she can't, and she's rude, and I'm upset. I ask if I can borrow her phone because mine isn't working, and she says no, its used for something important or something. Who knows what she really meant, her english sucked. I just look at her with irritation in my eyes and a I'm not going to take no for an answer attitude, and she finally let me use the phone. I got ahold of Adriana and I have never been so happy to see someone. We went and got dinner and turns out she was feeling under the weather so she slept while waiting for me, so I didn't miss much. Minus the Coliseum tour. We went to bed and I was happy again.
Now for the fun part!
We woke up early and instantly turned into super-tourists. Traveling and touring with someone all weekend can be rough and people can get cranky, but we were an awesome team. We figured out the metro, got cappucinos and pizza for breakfast, and started our day with the tour of the Vatican Museum. This is the start of me falling in love with Rome. The Vatican was amazing and seeing all of the paintings by Michelangelo and Rafael and Leonardo DaVinci was too real. Our tour was worth it and it ended with a walk through of the Sistine Chapel, where I was completely overwhelmed with it's history and beauty. I also took pictures in the Sistine, which is obviously illegal which obviously made me want to even more. You can't even talk in there. Adriana took an art history class in college and so she knew every fun fact about the paintings and the Sistine, she was a great tour guide as well.
Afterwards, we ate some lunch, raviolis with pesto, and made our way to the coliseum. We got off the metro, and as soon as we stepped outside the coliseum was just looking at us. WWWWOOOOOOWWWW. Remember how I said I wanted to be an architect? Well Rome really pushed that dream even more. It was outta control. Writing in here doesn't do it justice of how great it was. We also went to the Roman Forum, which I honestly didn't even know what it was. It's full of ruins and artifacts and ancient run down government buildings, and you end up climbing stairs but not knowing it because all of a sudden you look out and you can see the entire city. The sun was going down and it is easily the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. We had a blast exploring it on our own, and learning about it's purpose some 28 centuries ago. This is where the Republican government started, and where the senate met and all political interactions went down. At least until the fall of the empire. But still, how can one even comprehend that stuff? The Arch of Augustus is also located in the Roman Forum. This was built to commemorate Augustus restoring the republic after avenging Caesars death. Again, so much history in one city... I can't even explain how surreal it was to be walking on these streets.
We went back to the hostel to shower and get ready for dinner, and then walked the entire city. I am so glad we did this, even though I was so exhausted. We kept running into amazing buildings and statues that we never would have seen had we taken a bus or metro. Such as the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, a huuuuge building with a statue of a horse in front. So cool at night. We ate dinner and then went on a nightwalk to see other must see in Rome spots. This started with the Pantheon. We were strolling along trying to find it while looking at our map and looking like big tourists, when all of a sudden we turned a corner and BAM here is this massive building just sitting in the middle of a plaza. Gelato was needed next, and then off to the Trevi Fountain. I've obviously seen Mary-Kate and Ashley Go to Rome, and Lizzie McGuire's When in Rome, but I had no idea the Trevi fountain was so cool. It ties for my favorite with the coliseum. After this, we made our way to the Spanish steps, and had to walk all the way up them of course, and by this time I was ready to fall asleep right then and there. You can see a lot of the city from the top though. We ran to the metro because it was going to close and we didn't want to take a cab, and ended up at the wrong spot and then sprinted to the actual metro. I woke up the next morning feeling like I got hit by the aforementioned metro. All in all, it was one of the best days I have had in years, and by far my favorite day in Europe so far. We definitely did it the right way, always fed, not rushing, seeing what we want to see, making everything a "well if we make it, that's great, if not, oh well!" kind of attitude, which makes for much less stress, and having fun the whole time. Our conversation on our walk was spent talking in British accents because I couldn't get the Italian accent down, and pretending that we were living in ancient Rome and Michaelangelo and Rafael were our besties. We went to St. Peter's Cathedral the next morning and once again I was blown away at the size and structure of such a historical building. I sadly didn't see the Pope though. I finally made it home and on the right plane around 9 pm. I could not have asked for a better weekend, bad travel experiences and all. After this weekend, I feel like I can take on anything and everything, and still have it be the best weekend ever. I definitely was happy to be back in Madrid, it feels like home here and I missed my friends that I have become so close too. At this point I can't imagine leaving here. Ut Oh.
Now I must study for my final. Back to the real world. It has been beautiful weather here, so studying/reading in the park is a daily activity. Beau comes this weekend and I cannot wait. Oh, and I probably missed one of the most fun days in Chico because of the Packers win, the great Aaron Rodgers is from my cute town and I'm sure it was a blast. Also, Aaron Rodgers eats at my restaurant, which makes me famous too, right? But I'm in Spain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
