Italy: Day Eight

The pictures from Day Nine tell a better story than words. Again, another beautiful day so we started it off with a trip to the Spanish steps. The Spanish steps are the longest and widest staircase in Europe and has been featured in several movies. E & I relaxed on the steps for about an hour while we dove deep into our books (which we always carried with us for opportunities just like this!).

This area of Rome was absolutely packed with tourists and more importantly, shoppers. This is the Rodeo Drive of Rome. Every major designer you can dream of, has an incredible boutique along this strip.


E & I couldn't help ourselves. We had to take a peek ...

Check out this Gucci dress. Isn't it gorgeous? oh, I bought two (in my dreams). They were a steal for just 5,000 euro a piece.

As we continued, we walked through Piazza del Popolo which means "piazza of the people" in Italian. Before the railroad, this was the first view of Rome upon arrival. It is a large square, but here is just a peek.

E & I always had food on our mind. We peeked into every market, deli, and trattoria we passed on our walks. Here is a sandwich display which I could not resist taking a picture of!

Right next door to an adorable market. Check out this candy display!

and the typical olive oil isle.

and the standard wine and fresh pasta selection found in every market.

We refrained from buying out the candy isle, but wished we had picked up a bit to enjoy in front of Trevi Fountain. When you tell someone you are traveling to Rome, everyone mentions this landmark and says it is a must see. To be honest, I did not know what to expect other than a simple fountain with a lot of history? Boy was I wrong. This was an enormous pool with statutes surrounded by an extremely large crowd. On a hot day like this one, I wanted nothing more than to jump in and go for a swim!

I read that it is important to throw a penny over your shoulder, into the fountain to ensure a return trip to Rome. After falling in love with this city, I couldn't miss the opportunity for some good luck and a return trip!!! (I am taking this picture myself and I think I did a pretty good job. Can you find my penny that I threw? I got it in the photo!!! Impressive, eh?)


A good ol sister shot...

I could not help but photograph this police officer. Check out his hat and get up? The women police officers even have to wear HEELS. I don't know how they do it ...

Moving along, we passed by this street performer. After convincing myself to not get arrested from taking a dip in the Trevi Fountain, I wanted to sympathize with this guy because he must be HOT. Whenever someone would put money in his bucket, he would move. I have seen a lot of street performers, but this guy was exceptional. (Even E agreed and gave him a euro or two ... which is a big deal since every euro counts when you're on a budget.)

The streets in Rome are just lined with outdoor cafes / trattorias. I had to question how they stay in business since it seems like they all have similar food? Never the less, they always have guests, which is impressive.

The Pantheon is the oldest, large-scale dome dating back to the 7th century, and is one of the most preserved of all the Roman structures. There was not much to see other than the fact that it is just plain old. Pretty neat! We went inside and there was a choir performance going on. We stared up at the amazing dome ceiling (that has a hole in the center) and then decided to keep moving before we fell asleep. haha!!

We made it back to the hostel, took an early evening nap, and grabbed a very late dinner at an adorable trattoria nearby. I forgot my camera which stinks. There were tons of local families enjoying each others' company, a few bottles of wine, and incredible pasta/desserts. We returned 'home" shortly after midnight. Our hostel encouraged partying with other guests each evening, and by midnight, everyone would head out to the bars together. E & I returned just after everyone had left, and not only had they left, but they left a huge mess behind. We did not want to drink, but we weren't ready for bed, so we offered to stay up with the staff and help clean up the kitchen. They told us we could have a free breakfast in the morning for helping them out, but really, we enjoyed doing it!!

This was my last night in Rome, and frankly, I did not want it to end, which is probably why I was ok with cleaning up strangers' dishes and disasters. We stayed up fairly late, enjoying sister time and the company of our new Italian friends (the staff). The museums and landmarks were beautiful and incredible, but the little things will always be my fondest memories.