1. The Colosseum. Perhaps one of the most famous works in Roman architecture and the largest amphitheatre in the roman empire, it is a breathtaking work of sheer size.
I have seen it in pictures before but standing before it... well it's quite a different thing..
Inside the Colosseum itself... jaw-dropping! Try as i might, it's difficult to picture gladiator matches or any form of public spectacles inside such an unfeeling block.
But as i'm going to find out... this trip to Rome turns out to be a very interesting history lesson.
2. Trevi Fountain or Fontana di Trevi.. One of my favorites.
The grandeur of the sculpture... i realised Romans dont do anything minimalist or understated... they go all the way. Everything is opulent and tall and huge.
But beauty is still beauty, despite its size.
And it's even more stunning by night.
3. The Pantheon, temple to all ancient gods and actually dates from 126 AD. It is still intact and looks set for another few thousand years.
Famous for its oculus, also known as the Great Eye. It's a huge gaping hole at the top of the dome and is the only way light enters the temple.
4. Take a walk along the Spanish steps. Great for people watching or just soaking in the sun at one of the cafes.
View from the top of the Spanish steps.
With Fabian, who's responsible for the hole in everyone's pocket. Secret address: Prada warehouse. Hehehehe. Luckily I didn't join them for the trip!
5. Vatican City.. an independent state within the city of Rome ruled by the Pope.. population : 900.
6. Vatican Museum. Worth the long queues just to see the Sistine Chapel!!!!!!
The interior of the galleries are so gilded and u get used to the grandeur after a while. Which is why the Sistine chapel blows u away.
As I finally enter it, i'm first struck by how dark and dull it seems as compared to what i've seen so far in the museum as well as Rome itself. But as my eyes adjust, I finally understand why it is world famous, why tourists from all over the world line up for hours outside the Vatican walls just to see this chapel.
The walls and ceiling were painstakingly painted by great Renaissance artists like Michelangelo and Raphael and took years to complete.
This one depicts the Last Judgement and looks so real that photos simply dont do it justice.
The famous ceiling frescoed by Michelangelo...
Amazing isnt it? We walked around the museums a while longer but frankly, everything else paled in comparison to the chapel.
7. The food, the atmosphere, the shopping... there's nothing like enjoying an expresso and tiramisu along a bustling side street, people watching and letting the world pass u by. There's something about being in Italy that makes u love life so much... oooh and sexy italian men everywhere... even the guy handling our baggage at the airport was seriously gorgeous.
I'm a part-time tiramisu-sseur and this rocks! And this plain milk gelato is called Fior di Latte.. i love the beautiful names!
Plus i didnt get robbed as i'd imagined! I dressed down, carried a small sling bag with the barest essentials - small purse, cheap 1000 yen shades, cheap hand cream, cheap lipstick to scrawl "SOS" on the car window in case i get kidnapped and even a sharp 'weapon' to protect myself ha. Except that it's a pink My melody scissors which despite what everyone says, can still seriously injure i'm sure. My savvy sis must be laughing her head off at my feeble attempt to robber-proof myself. But at least i tried!
And Via del Corso... great for bagging the latest trends! Plus everything was on sale... Replay, Miss Sixty, Diesel, Fornarina, Furla.. but i wasnt really in the mood for shopping. The only thing i had to get was their olive oil haha. That u really cant find in Singapore.
Please bring me back again. >____<
