Rome

When in Rome: Blow your mind with history, say ciao bella, eat pizza, drink peroni, and spend 70 aussie dollars per night for a hostel...

A couple of days ago I caught a train from Sorrento through Napoli to Rome. On the train I ended up meeting this guy from Torronto in Canada who helped me find a bed.. As the city is quite packed over the weekends, I had to stay in a hotel on my first night due to the hostels inabilty to bed me.. But since then Ive been staying at a hostel called "Yellow". Cool place.. Lots of fun..

Before I got here, I was planning to stay in the city for at least five days as I heard there was A LOT to see. I heard right.. This city is a mecca for history fanatics such as myself. However, I may even be out of here in a day or so because Aaron (my new canadian mate) and i have absolutely smashed the sites... Waking up at around 8am each day, weve covered alot of turf in a very short space of time. The Spanish steps, the fountain of trevi, the colloseum and the roman forum rank among the many sites that we had the pleasure of visiting in the last couple of days..

Each of the sites here really have the power to have a profound effect on anyone who sees them.

Its amazing.. At least 4 or 5 times now, ive found myself standing still, marvelling at one of the many sites for a good half an hour before taking a breathe.. The sheer grandeur and detail of some of these ancient buildings is purely shocking... Something else that shocked the system, while I think of it, was when I stood in front of Raffaellos (the painter) tomb.. I could read his name enscribed on the side of his stone coffin. Wow..

Saw the Colloseum today, and actually ended up joining a tour group for the full experience..

It was amazing to actually see it..

I imagined that I was a gladiator walking his last 100m into the arena to salute the emperor whose private box we could see from the inside..

Although one could spend years discovering Rome, I think I might spend a day or more here before heading up to the north of Italy towards Venice and Florence. You wont believe me when I say this (i still dont) but I bumped into a bloke last night who gave me three days of eurail travel that he didnt need as he was flying out of italy back home. hows that for lucky!?

I sure am doing alright for myself here in the country that looks like a boot...