After one super long hiatus-count Christmas, New year, Valentine’s day plus hospital duty and business matters to attend to– little miss wanderlust is finally back! hehe
Hello everyone! I hope you’re all having a wonderful spring break/holy week breather. As for me, i decided to catch up on some blogging while spending the holy week weekend in the province with family. Nothing like fresh air and musical chirps to spike up a little writing inspiration or two. hehehe
We left off with that amazing trip to Tokyo months ago and i’ve got several back logs on Europe-Rome, Paris and Greece. So to start off, let’s talk about our little Roman adventure, shall we?
Our trip to Rome was cut short due to airline delays. This was one crucial trip since it was one of those very rare connecting flights from Paris to Greece. The plane, i think, was only set to fly twice a week and since we had a very tight schedule ahead of us, any major delay was a nightmare to our itinerary.
Our flight to Fiumicino Airport, Rome was delayed for 12 hours.
Luckily, we came across this charming Italian couple on the same delayed flight. They kindly shared tidbits on must see places in Rome for first time visitors like us– best gelato stall included. Woot!
12 hours, a free hotel accommodation and transfer later, we were off to the airport for our flight to Rome the next morning. Since that delay cost us a paid hotel stay in Rome, we made sure we got necessary documents that would help make getting a refund easier. Important tip: Make sure you get a print out signed by the airline regarding the flight delay.
Airline print outs are a must when experiencing delays.
And so off we flew on our much awaited 2 hour journey from Paris to Rome.
Aerial view of Rome.. I was already thinking of vineyards, cheese and wine. Magnifique.
Welcome to Rome!!! Weee! =)
After airport control and baggage clearance, we grabbed maps at the tourist information counter. And right after we received an email that our transfer was cancelled due to the delay, we were lucky enough to bump into KUYA PONG, a Filipino driver who frequents the airport in search of kababayans like us who needed a tour guide around the city. Such a breath of fresh air to find someone who spoke the same language as us in a city we’ve just set foot in. And he charges at a fraction of the price of those online day tour operators, too! Major score! Woohoo!
Now given only a limited time to visit Rome, Kuya Pong drove us to the most important spots on our list. And as he drove, he told us of stories about Rome’s history, how life has been for him after years of settling down there, where the yummiest pizza places were and where to find our much coveted rosary pasalubongs.
Kuya Pong, Steph and Me. Nothing beats Filipino hospitality. Period.
During our visit, most of Rome’s famous attractions were being renovated and these multimillion dollar renovations were said to be funded by top fashion names such as Fendi. Despite the constructions going on, the places we visited were as beautiful as we imagined them to be. It was like seeing a page from a history book come to life. Such a cliche statement, but so true.Though we weren’t able to make 3 wishes on the Fontana di Trevi as the water was being drained and the statues were being reconstructed, we were still happy to visit several other places on our list. The Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica being our topmost priority of course.
Here are a few photos i managed to take during that beautiful sunny day in Roma. Goditi la vista, darlings!
First stop: The Colosseum!!! So SURREAL!!
So beautiful!! We were happy to see that such amazing structures were continuously being preserved for future generations to enjoy
Like a page from a history book brought to life
C’est Magnifique
We passed several stone pine trees along the road. Kuya Pong says these trees are very precious in Italy. Must be because of their historical significance. That, or maybe because they were just so pretty! I just had to take a photo.
Gorgeous statues all over the place. Art and inspiration in every corner, no less.
St. Michael The Archangel something. ehehe Was left in awe of the beauty around me that i failed to take in everything Kuya Pong spoke of inside the car. It was pure skill to watch everything inside a moving car and snap snap snap with the camera while listening to our eager guide.. it takes skill, i tell you! hehehe
En route to The Vatican
Welcome to the Vatican City!
Within Vatican City lies St. Peter’s Basilica, The Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums
Felt goosebumps the moment Kuya Pong pulled the car. There’s just something about the place that feels so holy and sacred. Truly blessed and forever grateful for the opportunity to visit this place.
For lunch, Kuya Pong had us taste the BEST margherita pizza we ever tasted in our life! Pizza in Italy is just out of this world!!! DELIZIOSO!
TIP: that corner to the right of the entrance? follow the flock of tourists and there you’ll find the yummiest, most authentic Italian pizzas ever. It’s a pizza and pasta gold mine.
We OBVIOUSLY enjoyed our Italian lunch
Can’t leave Italy without some gelato, that’s for sure! Quezo for me and pistachio for Steph. Yumm!
Rome surely wasn’t built in a day. There is just so much to see, so many food to taste and so many breathtaking views to take in. And though out trip was cut short because of instances beyond our control, that uber short day trip will always be etched in my heart. Nothing could ever compare to that amazing experience of visiting The Vatican for the first time, that unforgettable stroll around and inside the Colosseum, and finally being able to snag our fragrant red rosaries blessed by the Pope.
This short trip taught me how to be flexible when it comes to changes in schedule, how to be airport smart when dealing with delays, how to manage my time wisely and most importantly, how to take in every bucket list moment in less than 24 hours. I’d love to go back again one day.. maybe 3 to 4 days. This time to finally toss my 3 coins at the Fountain of Trevi, eat all the gelato i can by the Spanish Steps, and spend one whole day inside the Basilica.
You were indeed a joy to visit, Rome. I shall see you again soon… Someday.
#dreamsdocometrue
All my love,
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