From Home to Rome

The day has arrived! We board the plane in New Plymouth and begin our fabulous months holiday. The first 17 days doing a tour of Italy and Sicily. The last 2 weeks we meet Daniel and Marysia in Budapest and travel together back to London. What an adventure! A trip of a lifetime! Our first stop is overnight in Auckland with Jessica. That night is followed by two twelve hour flights, one from Auckland to Singapore, the next from Singapore to Rome…A long trip….but one we have been looking forward to for 10 long months.

The plane trips went smoothly. We tried not to sleep too much on the flight to Singapore as we knew we would need to make the next 12 hour flight be our night time. The four hour stopover in Singapore was a bit of a nightmare….we were soooo tired. Eventually we all gave in and had about a two hour sleep in the airport! The next flight was much better as we slept most of the journey.

We have arrived in Rome..tired and thirsty! And it is so hot!
We have arrived in Rome..tired and thirsty! And it is so hot!
Yay....and we are off. Heading for Singapore...then Rome
Yay….and we are off. Heading for Singapore…then Rome
Teresa saying goodbye to her lovely family at Auckland International Airport
Teresa saying goodbye to her lovely family at Auckland International Airport
On the bus from Rome airport to the Hotel
On the bus from Rome airport to the Hotel
Leaving New Plymouth and heading to Auckland...first part of our trip...so excited!
Leaving New Plymouth and heading to Auckland…first part of our trip…so excited!

We arrived in Rome early enough to be able to do our own ‘discover Rome walking tour’ before our real tour began. And…we found the spanish steps! We also realised very quickly just how hot the weather here is. 39 degrees! We get back to the Hotel at head to the foyer where we meet the rest of the tour party. Then….we are off by bus to have a lovely meal together. During the meal time we have an opportunity to give a little introduction of ‘who you are’ for the other tour members to get to know you better. I had gone downstairs to the toilet…and couldn’t open the door. I panicked….yelled…but no-one heard me. Finally I got the door open and got back to my seat to find out that Judy had introduced me in my absense. I wonder what she said?

Outside our Hotel in Rome
Outside our Hotel in Rome
Our entertainment and our new tour friends
Our entertainment and our new tour friends
Our first dinner together on the tour
Our first dinner together on the tour
Some of the steps
Some of the steps
At the Spanish Steps
At the Spanish Steps
The view from the top of The Spanish Steps...Rome
The view from the top of The Spanish Steps…Rome

After tea we went on another bus ride to have a look at Rome by night. We were taken to see a sample of the places we were going to see in daylight the next day. Unfortunately we were so tired it was hard to stay awake. I think most of us had little naps on the bus…but it was still great! We were so excited! And even though we were tired then next morning we woke at 5am…and did so for three days in a row! Ahhhh the joys of jet lag!

One of the many great architectural places we saw
One of the many great architectural places we saw
Statues all across the bridge
Statues all across the bridge
The bridge with statues
The bridge with statues
Vatican City with St Peters in the background
Vatican City with St Peters in the background
Vatican City
Vatican City
A sight from the Illumination walking tour
A sight from the Illumination walking tour
The illumination tour sight
The illumination tour sight
Inside a cathedral on the illumination tour
Inside a cathedral on the illumination tour

The next morning and we wake up to a very big day. A tour of the Vatican city and the Sistine chapel in the morning and the Colosseum in the afternoon. Now I really can’t describe in words at just how amazing the sights in Vativan city and the Sistene Chapel are…you just have to go there and see them for yourselves…but I will assure you….you would be equally amazed. The artwork in many forms are wonderful…and the buildings as well. There are absolutely thousands of statues as well. I didn’t take photos of them as I did that last time we visited two years ago….and they haven’t changed….hehe. But I couldn’t resist taking more photos of the ceilings…they just amaze me. Hopefully the photos will help to describe the wow factor.

Just look at that artwork!
Just look at that artwork!
This is a very high ceiling...amazing!
This is a very high ceiling…amazing!
The room was a long passageway and the whole ceiling is wonderful
The room was a long passageway and the whole ceiling is wonderful
Outside the Vatican
Outside the Vatican
A View of St PetersDome
A View of St PetersDome
Us three with the dome behind us
Us three with the dome behind us
The inner courtyard (outdoors) with St Peters dome in the background
The inner courtyard (outdoors) with St Peters dome in the background
I was in awe of these ceilings
I was in awe of these ceilings
view from the Vatican
view from the Vatican
View from the vatican
View from the vatican
A staircase that we walked inside the Vatican
A staircase that we walked inside the Vatican
View from the vatican
View from the vatican
Isn't this ceiling just wonderful?
Isn’t this ceiling just wonderful?
Judy and Teresa with Tapestries behind them
Judy and Teresa with Tapestries behind them
A long beautiful ceiling!
A long beautiful ceiling!
Judy, Teresa and the wonderful ceiling behind them
Judy, Teresa and the wonderful ceiling behind them
Yes....I love the ceilings!
Yes….I love the ceilings!

The last place to visit at the vatican city is St Peters Cathedral. Now….that really has the WOW factor. So hard to describe as it is just filled with wonderful artwork, architecture and statues…all with a religious theme. I will add some photos, but I hope they do the place justice. This place really should be on everyones bucket list. You will never forget seeing this place once you go there.

Yes....I love the ceilings!
Yes….I love the ceilings!
Just one photo with a view behind me....the whole building was filled with amazing art and statues...all around!
Just one photo with a view behind me….the whole building was filled with amazing art and statues…all around!
Another view looking up!
Another view looking up!
A ceiling down one side
A ceiling down one side
The front outside...you can't imagine what is inside from this view
The front outside…you can’t imagine what is inside from this view
Just look at the beauty of the building!
Just look at the beauty of the building!
Very high....big ceilings
Very high….big ceilings
If you look carefully you can see people walkin around the rim of the dome. They are the little specs by the fence around the edge! That's how big it is!
If you look carefully you can see people walkin around the rim of the dome. They are the little specs by the fence around the edge! That’s how big it is!
Just wonderful!
Just wonderful!

In the afternoon we went to the Coloseum and although I have been there before, I loved it. It is just amazing!….I could go there again! It was fabulous watching Teresa face and reactions as a first time visitor! You can tell people what it is like, but you can’t really comprehend just how amazing it is unless you see it for yourself.

Can you imagine what is was like in it's day?
Can you imagine what is was like in it’s day?
Us three with another angle of the Colosseum behind us
Us three with another angle of the Colosseum behind us
My turn to pose outside
My turn to pose outside
We all had to pose outside
We all had to pose outside
Looking at the huge size of the place
Looking at the huge size of the place
amazing walls
amazing walls
looking across at the cross
looking across at the cross
The archway being repaired
The archway being repaired
Looking out at further ruins
Looking out at further ruins
Us three posing happily :-)
Us three posing happily 🙂
When you look at us and our size, I hope it helps you to imagine just how big the Colosseum is!
When you look at us and our size, I hope it helps you to imagine just how big the Colosseum is!
The other side
The other side
One side
One side
A beautiful hot day spent at an amazing place!
A beautiful hot day spent at an amazing place!

But the highlight for the day for me was the walking tours we did from 4 pm until late at night finishing with a 7 course meal in a restaurant at the place where Julius Caeser was assasinated!…3 floors underground!

IMG_0873

The Pathenon took my breath away. You walk in through enormous marble columns and look up to see the hugest dome with an open centre. Yes it can rain in the Pathenon…but when it was built so many years ago…they even made holes in the floor and a drainage system so the place wouldn’t flood.

Outside the Pathenon
Outside the Pathenon
The Pathenon
The Pathenon
Inside walls
Inside walls
The Pathenon ceiling
The Pathenon ceiling
Outside the Pathenon
Outside the Pathenon

Now I can’t remember the names of the Cathedrals we went too I will look into them later on and add them to my blog…St Peters at Vatican city was amazing…but the two we saw later on in the day were just as spectacular! We also saw the Trevi Fountain and joined in the hundreds of people to get a photo in front of it. fabulous experience!

The Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain
The outside is great but the inside is amazing!
The outside is great but the inside is amazing!
Loved this place!
Loved this place!
Takes your breath away!
Takes your breath away!
Isn't this ceiling just awe inspiring!
Isn’t this ceiling just awe inspiring!
Walls are amazing too
Walls are amazing too
Just look at that ceiling
Just look at that ceiling
Fabulous buildings
Fabulous buildings
Piazza in Rome
Piazza in Rome
statues
statues
Rome!
Rome!
Such a sight!
Such a sight!
A Water feature
A Water feature
I loved the buildings
I loved the buildings
Fabulous view
Fabulous view
Amazing building
Amazing building
The Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain
Teresa and Judy at The Trevi Fountain
Teresa and Judy at The Trevi Fountain

Okay…So now I have added a heap of photos of our wonderful time in Rome. I have hundreds more photos so these ones are really only a sample of the sights that Rome has to offer. As I said…Rome is a must to visit….you will love it and never regret the expense it costs to go there. I hope you have enjoyed looking through my sample of Rome 🙂

 

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