J’s parents and sister came to visit us over Christmas and Hogmanay (what Scottish folk call New Year) here in Edinburgh, which was lovely. And we also decided to head to Europe with them, just so we could spend some more time together.J’s mom had her heart set on going to Italy, since she had never been, so we decided to tag along with them to Rome. Oh Rome, my third time and J’s second. What can I say? I can never get enough of Italy. We decided in the end to take a week and a half off work, and make a bit of a trip out of it. So then we decided on going to Copenhagen for a few nights as well. Especially, since we hadn’t made it to any Scandanavian country thus far, which is a shame, because I don’t think (at the time of writing this) we’ll be able to visit another Scandinavian country until…well who knows. Our reason for wanting to go to Copenhagen you ask - well I don’t know, apart from seeing the photos of the colourful houses along the canal in Nyhavn and hearing about how wonderful Scandic life is. Copenhagen, out of all the Scandinavian countries was probably the cheapest option as well, as there is a direct flight to Edinburgh with Easy Jet. We had managed to find cheap train tickets on trainline.com to train it to Manchester on New Years Day and so we booked our flights to fly out from Manchester Airport on January 2. We stayed at the Premier Inn (the South complex) near the airport. Which was a perfect location for our early flight the next day and after our four-hour train journey from Edinburgh. But we had great meals at the restaurant and a nice comfortable sleep there. The staff are friendly as well, which was lovely (you know what I’m like with bad service).Rome, Italy January 2 – January 6Day OneWe left when it wasn’t even light out, we hadn’t been up that early since that shady flight from Faro, Portugal last year. Even at this hour though, I was very excited to be going back to Rome, to be with ‘my people*’.We had collected our bags and were waiting for our shuttle bus (an open return to Termini Stazione was €8) by mid-morning. Once we arrived at Termini, we bought metro tickets and caught the metro to San Giovannistation, and found our way to the airbnb flat J’s Mum had booked for all of us. We had to walk through the ancient city walls to find it on Viale Carlo Felice. We were buzzed up to the third floor, where we were greeted by one of the owners, Susanna. Due to last minute changes to our arrival (we booked earlier flights), instead of J’s parents and sister beating us there, we arrived first and Susanna was still having the house cleaned and prepped for our stay and the current guests still had their luggage there. So instead of getting in everyone’s way, we decided to head out for lunch and a wander around the area. After finding the suggestion that Susanna had made was closed during the day, we turned around and went back to the corner of Viale Spezia to eat at Bar Spazio, where the food was appreciatively cheap. J ordered mushroom pizza and I order gnocchi in a tomato and basil sauce. ‘Mmm,’ I hear you say. It was delicious and cheap, and I had my first real experience of ‘trying’ to order espressi. This was mainly a failed attempt, because, a) It was break time, and a big group of people rushed into the café and b) they ordered as Italians were intended to do… they ordered their espressos and drank them at the bar, but in the ‘Italian’ way, which it means it was really fast and really noisy. Needless to say J and I had our espressos brought to our table…how un-Italian of us.J’s parents and sister arrived later in the early evening. While we let them settle in, I decided to try out my Italian skills over the phone. You know what they say, ‘practice makes perfect.’ I was calling Al Duello, the restaurant J and I ate at two nights in a row when we were on holiday in 2012. My favorite restaurant in the whole world (apart from the ones we’re yet to eat at), so I dialled and someone picked-up and I said…“Vorrei prenotare un tavolo per cinque persone, per le otto domain notte.”Which loosely translates (or I wanted to say)…“I would like a table for five people, for eight o’clock, tomorrow night.”The lady on the phone, basically then said sorry I don’t understand. And then I said something along the lines of “oui” and “pardon,” which is of course French! Pretty embarrassing. Then the lovely lady on the phone then asked if I spoke French and I said ‘no’… so she spoke English to me. Oh the irony of the situation is not lost on me still. Look at me, I’m multi-lingual, not! When everyone was ready, we decided to try out Susanna’s recommendation, and headed for dinner at Al Grottino. A pizzeria, which used traditional pizza cooking methods, which mean it was cooked in a wood-fired oven.J, his dad and sister and I ordered a pizza each, and J’s Mum ordered chicken wings for herself. I had pizza alla Romana, a pizza typical of Rome, a pizza topped with mostly onions, it had to be one of the best pizza’s I’ve ever had*. We also shared red wine that came in decanters. And then came dessert, I had a chocolate fondant, which had a delicious oozy chocolate center. Dinner was perfect, definitely one of the best places where I’ve eaten in Rome. After that it was bedtime, so we could get a full nights rest to prepare ourselves for a day of sightseeing. Day TwoAs soon as everyone was ready to head out, we walked from the flat towards the Colosseum, stopping off first at Chiesa Basilica di San Clemente, a church that J and I visited in 2012 after reading about it in Lonely Planet Traveller magazine.It is historic excavation sight, which has three distinct levels, home to the ruins of a Roman house and the original fourth century basilica. After exploring the depths of this lovely church, we were only a minute down via di San Giovanni in Laterano before we stopped again, this time at a small bakery, where we bought delicious baked pastries, with either spinach or bits of pancetta. We eventually arrived at the awe-stopping sight of the Colosseum. We all stood across the road first taking photos before getting closer and walking around the front to find of course, a huge line-up. J and I then lead the search to find a representative who had the best rates for a tour, because that’s what we did in 2012 and we did get in fairly quickly, plus we got a tour of the Forum.While they were doing their tour, J and I decided to go and find Largo di Torre Argentino, the site of the ancient Pompey’s Theatre, the ruins of an 18th Century opera house, now turned cat sanctuary. I remember back in 2009 going there on my Topdeck tour and my tour guide telling us that it was here where Julius Caesar was murdered and that the legend was due to his relationship with Cleopatra that was the reason why cats lived there.
Largo di Torre Argentino J and I putting our hand in the mouth of the Bocca della Verita The symbol of busy Italian streets; the Vespa The view along the River Tiber St. Peters Basilica shadowed by gray clouds So today, it was J and my turn to lead the way. Firstly we caught the metro to Fontagna di Trevi, to throw our coins to make sure our future included another trip to Rome. J’s parents and sister loved it, and I really don’t think you could find someone that wouldn’t, especially because there was no scaffolding attached like there was in 2012. We threw our coins in and hoped for the best. The Trevi Fountain: Not under renovation The street where San Crispino lives On top of the Spanish Steps K and I overindulging Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano down the street from where we were staying Well we said our ‘see-ya laters’ to J’s parents and sister, since it would be another eight months till we see them again and then caught the metro to Termini Stazione; where we just made it in time to catch the shuttle bus to Fiumincino Airport. Just a funny photo of Italian parking skills you can see all the time in Rome
Lucky we don’t tell lies I guess.After we also gave a donation to go underneath the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin and have a look at the ruins of an old chapel. After we crossed the bridge into Trastevere. Where we wandered around the winding cobbled streets, losing ourselves in the gorgeous surroundings. We stopped for lunch at a bakery, J had mushroom pizza bread and I had spinach and ricotta ravioli.Then we walked along the winding cobbled street we were on and found a gelaterie; I had a hazelnut chocolate scoop and J had Crema di Catalana. We continued on our merry way, walking past flats, shops and the daily life that surrounded us, and then we had to find a bathroom, so we stopped to have an espresso at this franchise café that we’d seen before somewhere.
*I don’t identify as Italian, but sometimes I like to imagine that I am.
*My favorite pizza that I've ever tasted was at the Barcelona food markets in 2012. *He can read a map, but that was an over exaggeration of his skills. *Obviously that is not the recommended way of experiencing Rome like a local.*Obviously he is good with directions, just sometimes he likes to rub it my face.*A classic example of when J thinks he is reading a map properly, but actually he gets the directions so very wrong.Part two soon to follow...stay tuned x