Rome, or What of Rome We Were Able to See

Readers, we are now entering the final leg of our journey. I can only say that it's lucky for us that our journey wasn't a relay race, because Rome really bit the big one as the anchor on the team. Not because Rome isn't great-- it's Rome, for goodness' sakes-- but because the unfortunate weekend during which we decided to visit, Rome received the largest amount of snowfall it has seen in like ten years or something.

This snowstorm resulted in a whopping four cumulated inches of snow. Four inches. The manner in which these Romans reacted... man, you would have thought the world was ending. But, did this damper our spirits? Only a little, when our shoes got so wet that we couldn't feel our feet. But we soldiered on!

We arrived in Rome after a pretty long train ride, and we met up with our good pal Jenna at our hostel and grabbed some food. Pizza, if you were wondering.

Our first stop the next morning was Piazza Navarro, which awesome primarily, if not solely, for the fact that the Fountain of the Four Rivers is considered one of the four Alters of Science in The Da Vinci Code, novel and movie. Pop culture win!

Around the time we made it to Piazza Navarro, it had started to rain. By the time we had finished taking pictures of the fancy fountain, the rain began turning to snow, which was really pretty and super fun.

By the time we made it to our next planned stop, the Pantheon, the snow had turned into a full-on blizzard.

Regardless though, I made it to the Pantheon!

The first version of the Pantheon was built around 31 BCE by Marcus Agrippa (some Roman), and then rebuilt in 126 CE by Hadrian (of Hadrian's Gate in Antalya, if you can think that far back to November). Originally it was a temple dedicated to all of the ancient gods, then it was turned into a church and decorated with various types of saints and statues and stuff, and since the Renaissance it's been used as a tomb. In fact, Raphael is buried here. Not too shabby for a hero in a half-shell.

Like I said, as we made our way to the Pantheon, it had started to snow, which was really awesome since that hole in the ceiling (called an oculus) is supposed to be there. Watching the snow come through it was a pretty neat sight. It's not every day that Rome is hit with a comparatively debilitating snowstorm that affects some of its oldest standing structures.

"Raphael is cool but crude!"

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle jokes in Italy... I would imagine they never get old.

After we left the Pantheon, we made it over to the Trevi Fountain. Again, because I have read too many Dan Brown books, I know that the Trevi Fountain was designed by Bernini, who designed a ton of other things in Rome, like the Fountain of the Four Rivers. It was constructed in 1629 after the pope of the day considered the pre-existing fountain too fugly to look at, and therefore needed a new one to be built. 

There's a myth that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, you're guaranteed another visit to the city.

At this point, I can no longer feel my toes. But I am still
having fun, goddamnit.

Here, however, you can see me wishing for the snow to stop.

I really hope that euro guarantees me another visit, since thanks to the weather, I really need it. Oof ya.

After our walk to the Trevi Fountain, and let me mention again, the fact that we could not feel our feet, Kara, Emily, Jenna, and I decided we should head back to the hostel to warm up a little. Upset, knowing we would have to brave the elements again in just a few short hours, Emily and I devised and genius plan to keep our toesies dry.

Pictured: Emily, modeling our new line of
waterproof footwear; more commonly known
as "plastic shopping bags."

You read that right, ladies and gentlemen. We bagged our feet; I am not embarrassed to admit it in the least.

And off we went to the Spanish Steps, the widest staircase in the world, I'll have you know. In nice weather, people like to hang out on the steps.

In the snow, not so much.

The next day, Kara and Emily and I headed to the Vatican!  Unfortunately, fitting with the pattern of our trip to Rome, a lot of the Vatican's museum exhibits were closed off, due to the snow that prevented much of their security force from getting to work.

Public works made it in though, just to make snowmen.

So we walked through the Vatican Museum, which was absolutely packed, and I'll be honest, I didn't feel like fighting with other tourists to read the educational signage. I really have no idea what I took pictures of.

... except the Sistine Chapel, because I'M A PICTURE-TAKING REBEL.

Also, you can never have enough pictures of baby Jesus on your blog. Plus, I was in Rome, so it's fine.

We grabbed some lunch (read as: pizza) and tried to get into St. Peter's, but the line was guestimated to be about four hours long. So instead, I took a picture of it, and met up with one of my favorite people, Rob Smith!

See ya, pope.

After we met up with Rob, we decided to try and go see the Colosseum... which was closed. Much like St. Peter's, we took pictures of and in front of it, for posterity's sake.

Looking good as usual.

Rob, we are so tiny in this.

We walked past the Arch of Constantine, which was built in 315, so you know, that's crazy. However, comparatively speaking, the Arch of Constantine is a young gun next to the Colosseum (72 CE) and the Roman Forum (the land of which has been in use since the 7th century BCE)...

... which was also closed.

Ain't that a bitch.

CRUCIAL: While were we walking about this would-be historically exciting area, we had a serious revelation on winter Italian footwear, in that it is the best of both all winter footwear and all Italian footwear. Case in point:

MOON BOOTS.

These sons of a nutcracker were everywhere! Without a doubt, about sixty percent of the Italian population had them on, both male and female. And they came in all sorts of crazy colors too... if you can dream it, MoonBoots can be it. At first, let's not deny it Kara and Emily, we were confused. Heck, we didn't like the MBs. But, after a few days in Rome being surrounded by them, we got used to them and began to love them. Much like any other uncomfortable situation, they grew on us. So much, in fact, that were were window-shopping in Rome to find pairs of our own, but they were nowhere to be found. We fell for you hard, MoonBoots, and you did us dirty, just like the rest of Rome.

So, with multiple failed attempts to see Rome and all it has to offer, we walked past the Victor Emmanuel II Memorial, dedicated to the first president of unified Italy, and grabbed beers and nachos at one of Rob's personal favorite bars called the Scholar's Lounge. The food was good and the company was even better-- an all-around great way to end our time in Rome, as well as our triumphant trip through Europe.

So, that's that! After a tiring three-hour flight and nine-hour bus ride, I made it back to Balikesir in one piece, more cultured, better traveled, and pumped for the month of February (now since long and gone). Hopefully, I'll be lucky enough in the rest of my time in Turkey, seeing good stuff, eating delicious food, and enjoying the company of super people in awesome places.