Rome Travel – Client Italy Travel Journal: The following entry is an excerpt from Esther’s own vacation journal. Our Augusta travel expert team was honored to help Esther plan her exploration of this beautiful European country, and we are excited to share her travel story.
Photo by Willian West on Unsplash
Chapter 4. Rome Travel:
Arriving in Rome and Dinner with Momma
“After visiting Florence and the Tuscan countryside, I arrived in Rome around 4 Sunday afternoon. After a nice rest, I was met at 7 PM by Agneta and we started the walking thing again. We went to the Trevi fountain but I couldn’t get close enough to it to throw my coin in. I did, however, see half of the entire Chinese population.
I think I will come back to this place tomorrow. Early. We went to a quaint neighborhood restaurant for dinner. Agneta actually lives above the restaurant.
There is no menu here.
The cook is a 74-year-old lady that cooks only one thing a day. 4 courses and all the wine you want for a set price of $20.
It was delicious and Momma comes out and sits at every table for a “little chat”.
She wants to retire and close the place but she won’t because then her employees who have worked there forever would be unemployed and she won’t let that happen. After dinner, I took a cab back to the hotel. It’s been another long day.
Throwing a Coin in the Trevi Fountain and Making a Wish
I was up and out at 9 AM Monday morning. My guide for the next three days is Eugenio. The driver speaks no English and Eugenio says his Italian isn’t really all that good either but they could communicate. He is from the Dominican Republic but has lived here 10 years and knows his way around.
First stop, Trevi Fountain. I was almost the only one there and the water was turned off. That’s ok. It’s still beautiful.
Every morning they vacuum the coins out and it averages over $10,000 Euro a day. They are supposed to give it to the poor but I understand there is corruption there also.
Trevi is really a magnificent work of art.
I had no idea how big it was. And yes, I threw my coin in and made a wish.
We visited the Pantheon, a number of squares, stopped for gelato and ended up at the Spanish steps. I climbed 2. I’m still trying to get over those 67 steps to my room in the castle. The afternoon was free so I took a much-needed rest, had a late lunch and caught up on picture organizing. Tomorrow will be a long busy day and it will start very early.
Visiting the Sistine Chapel with Nancy’s Picture and Passport
My alarm was set for 5:45 because I had a 6:45 pickup with an early appointment at the Sistine Chapel.
This is the place Nancy wanted to go the most on our vacation so I took her passport and ashes with me today.
I had my picture with the passport and left her in the Sistine Chapel.
She has a beautiful spot to rest in.
That place is amazing. That and St. Peter’s Basilica are beyond words.
Largest Church in the World
I didn’t realize it was the largest church in the world. In the center on the floor are beautiful mosaics measuring the size of the 10 largest churches after St. Peters. It is an unbelievable thing to see.
Exploring the Coliseum and Roman Forum
The afternoon was taken up with the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. I know I’ve used the word amazing a lot but I don’t know how else to describe all I saw today. I will certainly never forget it.
Tonight I had another wonderful dinner with Agneta. This time it was a little more formal and really delicious. We talked for so long that it was midnight before I got back to the hotel. No packing this night so I will have to give myself time in the morning before I leave this city and start my journey south. I won’t miss the noises of the city all night long (none of the hotels have air conditioning so I have to open my window to cool the room down) but again, I will miss the friends I have made.”
Off to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast next!
