After the train station we hopped on a bus (because now we're experts on the public transportation system in Rome) and went in the direction of the Pantheon. This has been high on Kenny's list for the entire time we've been in the city so we knew we had to get to it today. The bus dropped us off pretty close so we didn't have to walk too far before we approached it from behind. At first I wasn't that impressed but as we rounded the building and came to the front I was instantly in awe. The buildings here in Rome never cease to amaze me and this ended up being no exception; beautiful both inside and out and the huge dome in the middle really took the entire structure to another level. We stayed there for quite some time just walking around and studying the intricacies of the architecture. Right outside was a fountain and an obelisk so there was no shortage of things to look at.
We decided to eat lunch right across the plaza so we were able to see the Pantheon while we enjoyed our meal. I had minestrone soup (again) while Kenny had some great looking spinach and ricotta ravioli. We took our time and it was especially nice because the sun was out. There were many people strolling about, a band playing in the middle of the plaza, and for the first time I felt like I was really in the Rome I had pictured in my head.
I needed to find a post office so I could mail some stuff out before leaving the country. Kenny wanted to stay around to snap some photos, so I told him to meet me after he was finished. Our waitress had told me that there was a post right around the corner from where we were, but I think she misunderstood me because all that was there was a post box. I needed to get an envelope and a stamp so I had to find my way through town and to the local post office. Once I got there I found out that they have a rather complicated system (probably not too complicated for those who speak Italian and can actually understand what's going on) where you have to take a ticket according to the section of the post office you need to go to. Not only do they do standard mailing but also bill paying, work for big companies, passport stuff, etc. I took a guess as to where I needed to be (again, it's all in Italian so I had to pick out some words I thought I knew) and sat down waiting my turn. It took about 45 minutes for them to call my number and when I got up there the teller informed me that I had to go down the block to the tobacco shop to get an envelope before they could help me. Apparently they don't sell envelopes at the post office, go figure. I quickly remedied my situation and was back in a few minutes with my letter all packed up and ready to go. Luckily they didn't make me wait in line again so it wasn't too long before I was finally out of there. The problem at that point was that Kenny hadn't shown up yet so I didn't know whether to head back to where I had last seen him or to stay put. I eventually decided (after waiting another 10 minutes or so) that I better get back. It was a good choice because as I walked up to the Pantheon, there he was. We were both relieved that we found each other and from there we were able to move on with our day.
Kenny was hungry again so before we got too far he wanted to sit down and have a snack. The snack ended up being a plate of pasta (I had fruit) but hey, when in Rome...just kidding. From there we finally left the Pantheon and went to Piazza Novana where there was a Christmas market going on. Unfortunately it started raining when we were there but lucky me, there was a man selling umbrellas near by. I bought a cheap one and was much happier, though I wasn't able to keep my feet dry.
The last thing we really wanted to see was the Trevi Fountain so we marched through the rain and found our way using a very worn out map Kenny has been carrying in his jacket pocket. I'm glad we ended up there after it had gotten dark because the lighting made it that much more beautiful. It's a really grand fountain that must be pretty famous because there were a lot of people there taking pictures.
After the fountain we continued trekking until we found the place we wanted to go to dinner. Sandro had recommended this place for us and we kept saying we wanted to go but it wasn't until tonight that we actually made it there. When we arrived it looked as if it was closed but in fact they just hadn't opened for the night yet. Kenny and I were the second group in line at the door and we're lucky we got there when we did because not long after the line began to snake around the corner. As soon as the door opened people piled in and the place came alive. We had a great seat because we were able to watch the guys make the pizzas from start to finish. I've enjoyed many pizzas here in Italy and this last one did not let me down. We finished the night at a gelateria (by the way, gelato is so much cheaper here than at home) and then magically found our way to the bus stop (I'm so proud of us and our ability to get around) and eventually back to our room.
Rome has been different than what I expected but still amazing. I'm sad to be leaving but excited to move on to Austria. I am definitely going to have to come back in the future (bummer) because there are many things we didn't get to see on this initial trip. Ciao, Rome...it's been fun.
Here's the link to all our Rome pictures: Rome Album
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