Going to Italy- in pursuit of the classics..and Gelato.

Moogle Pepper

I was listening to U2's U218 live songs from Milan back in January. Beforehand I was thinking about traveling to Denmark to reconnect with my god parent's heritage. But as I continued to listen to what Bono said in the prelude to "I Still Haven't Found What I Am Looking For." I had some linguistic inquiries when he slipped "Excusi Moi" (I think that is the right spelling for the French Excuse Me.) So I wondered, haha Bono, you are in Italy. So I asked my friend who is Italian about it. Seems that in Milan they do speak French as well, since it is close to France and it is a fashionista city, there is more diverse culture up in Milan. So I started to look more into the language of Italian and by that time, I started to reread my classics and art history from Italy. Enough to decide to go to Italy. By the time I decided, I found an airplane ticket for $435 round trip flight to Italy and the deal was done.

I decided also that I did not want to lug around a huge suitcase around in Italy, not like my trip to Ireland. That was just too heavy and cumbersome! I was also prompted about the thievery in Italy, so me lugging a suitcase around me to and from the hostels was definitely not something that I would want to do. So I went on a quest to search for the perfect travel backpack and gear. I looked through my friend's journey to Japan and saw his gear and that inspired my own packing. It was light and less expensive.

So I purchased a Kelty backpack through campmor for about $70.



I love the color Orange. My daypack is also Orange. If the grey was black that would have made my day! I love Princeton U's colors, Orange and Black! But in any case, this pack held five days worth of shirts, four pairs of pants, 8 pairs of undies and two boxers, 7 pairs of socks, a towel, my jacket, my toiletry stuff, and some misc. stuff.















Not pictured is my Old Navy day pack. By the end of the journey, my old faithful camera bag (with the Panda on it), my day pack, and watch, did not survive the journey. The strap to the camera bag snapped off while hiking back to my campsite in Verona, almost falling onto these huge rock slabs, my shoulder strap to my old navy bag is almost torn off, and my watch strap broke off. Both bags I had for about 5 years now and had adventures in Ireland as well. :cry

I knew that I wanted to pack light. I mean really light. But I had an inclining feeling that I wanted to bring my macro and ext. flash along with my lens rental of the 24-105. But I wouldn't be light. So it was just the 5D2, 24-105, a bunch of CF cards, a colorspace I borrowed from a friend, and my iPod touch for my electronic gear.

I had a full list of what I wanted to see and adventure into when I was Italy, but plans are meant to be broken and new paths forged. I will get to that in due time.


The Day I left for Italy was May 10th 2009. I flew out of EWR to St. Louis to Chicago and then finally to Rome.



I first flew on this really small airplane which was... strange.



I really didn't like that airplane. I love flying, but that airplane was pretty cramped. I so want to fly in the Boeing 787! It will be a dream come true! But the fleets won't get them for a little while, so I guess I will have to make due with what American Airlines have at the moment.



Very impatiently waiting to board to fly my 8 hour flight to Rome Fumicino! Counting the minutes...1..2...3..4..5...6..7...ARGHHHH!!

Moogle Pepper

I landed in Italy at about 8:20 AM Italy time. I had to run to the Leonardo Express to get to the Roma Termini train station where my hostel was close to. For 11 Euros, it took about 30 minutes to and from the airport and Termini station. I was reading Lonely Planet and my initial conception of the Termini station was this really beat up station.. little did I know.. haha!

"Go to bin 1 and make a left and then a quick left." The directions said. Ok.. where was Bin 1? I went out the end where I saw a bunch of stores thinking that was the right way looking for a Via Vicenza. I wandered around, gear in tow looking for that street. A bunch of tour clerks asked me if I wanted a tour. I replied, no I want to find this place. So, thankfully, they gave me the directions. Apparently I went in the opposite direction!

Backtracking, I went back to the Termini station and went the other direction and I found the right orientation, and finally found Via Vicenza.

Muttering, "this had better be the freaking right way!" I walked down about three blocks and saw the sign for my hostel- "Hotel Alessandro Palace" (I highly recommend using that hostel for those who are planning to go to Rome.) And was literally jumping for joy with gear on.

Walking in, I checked in, but was told that the room will not be ready till 2 pm. And I was checking in at 12 PM. To answer questions, yes I did get lost for 2 - 3 hours....

Crap!

They let me drop off my main luggage, the kelty backpack and told me to just come back.

Fine.. I just want to get to my room to rest for a little bit! But I went back out to venture into Rome!

Moogle Pepper

Being forced out of the hostel from a clean shower, some nap time, :cry I went around to explore a bit. While I did get a map of Rome, I didn't find my way where I wanted to go.

I first saw this by this basilica.



Thinking it was interesting I went even further to look.. but only at the whim of the drivers in Rome would permit me. Either run like hell across or never cross.



The calm before the storm of cars and buses!



I wonder why the sculpted this figure like this, as if she is covering her ears from something.



Yours truly!

I rushed across the next part of the street to check out these area of shops and street vendors trying to sell their paintings. But I wanted to get some shade from the overbearing sun.








I wandered around and around, and I found myself by the parliamentary building. With guards toting sub machine guns and men in Centurion garbs.











I don't want to get into politics here, but how in the world does 70% or something percent of the voting population align themselves with Bersculoni. That is beyond me. I go around and see ads for his reelection campaign and see his tv ads in the Termini station.

Enough of politics as I walked further down that Via to the Trevi fountain. It was pretty cool and pretty wicked packed!





I went into the cathedral that was behind me to get a glimpse.



And then I went back outside and heard these guys dressed in the old Roman garb and Centurion garb asking to take our photos.



Sadly, I hear they will take your photo with your camera and then charge you 10 Euros for it. They always ask me, but I decline because I don't think they even know how to handle a DSLR as they are probably used to a PnS. AND that is pretty shady to use someone elses camera to take their photo and charge them for it.

I left the area and went to see an outdoor market. I think I know some other reasons why I love Italy...D

Moogle Pepper

I think I will accept the pot shots that I am directionless and need constant help of a GPS or something for direction. I was looking for the Pantheon and was following signs, but I got distracted by this sight.



I got Ooh'd and Ahh'd by this lovely site.



I love running up these kind of steps!



I saw this placard that has information for the readers. It was so glossy that you can see me in the relection!



They all look like ants! It makes it feel like I used a t/se lens!



By now it turned 2 PM. And my priority was to get back to the hostel so I could bring my gear into my hostel room! I wanted to get comfortable! So I was like.... hmm I want to go back, eat, drink, and take a nice long poop.

So I meandered my way back, but getting lost like usual I hopped onto the bus going back to the Termini station. You have to pay, but I just hopped on and got there for free. The bus was packed like sardines in a can!

When I did get back to the Termini station I saw this model of the Colosseum.



Mmmm... Heineken..too bad I am a Guinness drinker.

Moogle Pepper

So I finally managed to get back to my hostel and my room. SWEET AC! But, I decided to go back out. I saw there were other bags in the room, so I took the middle beds.



Just like this photo! I was the middle man!



I meandered my way into another cathedral.









By now it was turning 6 pm and I was getting reallly hungry. I was in real need of more food! So I went back to the hostel via bus hopping and returned back to Termini station.

When I entered my room, I met my new roomies, Luke and Jackie from Canada. They were still sleeping, so when I got back I was stashing my stuff other than my camera. So I tried my best to rummage quietly through my day pack for my journal. Until I dropped my bottle of water that was in my mouth..

Oh... Schhnap!

And one of my new roomies wakes up.

But it was alright as they were about to go out and eat. So I think I was their alarm clock.. yeah that's what I will say to not feel so bad!

We introduced ourselves and learned more about ourselves and each other by talking about our backgrounds and what we were doing.

I left first to go eat. I stopped by this place right outside the hostel called restaurante 4 stagione. The food was... alright. But I was hungry.





Never EVER go to Italy without sun glasses and sun block.





Seated right across my hostel. Best hostel in Rome! Although their free pizza at night is....



I haven't had Italian caffe before in Italy. So I didn't buy wine or beer, just a cafe machiaato.



My delictable spinach ravioli! I really hoped for a huge platter, but they did toss in free bread and bruschetta (that is not pictured because it was in my stomach at the conception of this photo.)



The ravioli and the bread. The bread was... a little dry.



Now you see my ravioli....



Now you don't! It took me literally 1 minute to scarf this down! I know I should really take my time, but I was really hungry. That 1.1 kilo of pizza earlier didn't last that long...

That's right! They sell pizza, not by the slice, but by the kilo! So I had this HUUUGE slab of pizza for about 4 Euros! It was so good!

After dinner, I went back to my room to shower and rest up for my next day to the Colosseum. Gelato and wine... good stuff!

Tee Why

What an interesting adventure.

Moogle Pepper

[thanks, Tee Why! The journey was an awesome experience as well! I never drank so much wine in my life...]

I woke up at 7 AM to get ready. Luke and Jacklyn prompted me to go to the Forum first and then to the Colosseum because the line to the Colosseum would have been crazy long. So I woke up early as this was my first full day in Italy! Alessandro Palace also offers free breakfast at 7:30 AM. Ummm...



It was edible, so that's fine with me. I am not expecting high class breakfast, but I guess something less dry.

But who cares! I am just going to burn all the calories from the breakfast within a couple hours anyway! I tend to be a fast eater, I don't know how or when I picked up that habit, but I did.

I took the metro towards Laurentino direction to get to Colosseo stop. I really hate going on packed public transit. The train stop at Termini was packed. Really packed. Everyone crammed into the train to get to their destination! I have to mind my belongings. My passport and CC were in my waist pouch that was under my pants and in front of the .. >.>, my left hand was gingerly on top of my camera bag and my right hand was holding onto the grab bar because if not I would go flying when the train stops!

It took about 10 minutes to the Colosseum. Stepping out of the train, which was difficult because of the number of people was still a staggering amount! Up and out I went into the fresh air and not so crowded area!

And there it was! the Colosseum! Not as big as I expected...



I had this preconceived notion that it would be larger than life and fully explorable! I wanted to go into the pits, into the dungeons, just every corner! But they only let us on certain areas of the historical site! :cry I was dissappointed.

I passed by the entrance and the line was nonexistent! I thought that by 8:10 AM there would be amass of people! But thankfully there wasn't! Just a couple people!



I was with the first 20 people to get into the Colosseum that day! I was surprised and happy!

After the entrance gate, I followed the signs that they had for the sight seers to follow.



This photo might not emphasize the scale of the steps, but they were pretty steep and sharp.



Going up, it was fine, but going down... it was a blast! I love to run up and down stairs, so this was pretty fun!



The first area where we were led to was a mini museum gallery. I thought the history was cool, but I wanted to see where the people fought each other and did other ridiculous things!



Best way to do a self-portrait! look for a reflection! Reminds me of a photographer from my history of Photography class, whom I forgot, who did a lot of self portraits via reflections! It was a pity that I forgot all my Latin. I studied Latin for four years, in one ear and out the other I guess.

Walking faster to find the entrance to the gladiatorial areas, I spotted a nice perch for this shot-



Down that path was the way to the Roman Forum. Which I could have went to first, but as I said earlier, the line to the Colosseum was very short!



I am really loving the 24-105 lens! Surely I will purchase one later for my further journeys. I will still keep my 24-70 ( which is in the Canon shop for adjustments and repairs! :cry)



I found the steps towards the real deal! wah hoooooo!



We were only allowed on the top encasing walkway and the one below. Which.... sucked! I wanted to run through the maze that you see in the middle of this particular photo!



How awesome would it be to be down there?! I would have a field day!





Don't get me wrong, the Colosseum is awesome to visit. But.. I was expecting to be able to explore every nook and cranny, so the fact that I wasn't able to... destroyed it for me! :cry Well not really destroy. But it was a little dissappointing.



The closest I could get to the bottom area!







With all the history from Rome and the Colosseum, I thought this was an odd inclusion to the monument.



That gelato stand's gelato wasn't good. I only bought one of the small cups.

I left the Colosseum for the Roman Forum. I really hoped for more explorating in the Colosseum walls, but I did that in the Roman Forum instead!



[To be continued! I have to process the next batch now....:D]

Awais Yaqub

Very cool !