I have never found so much, by getting so lost.
From our hotel room, Derek and I set out to find something simple: an ATM and internet access.
First, our troubles with the ATM. There is a bank right across the plaza from our hotel. It does not work. We walked to another. It did not work. We walked to 5 others. None of them worked. In the end, we decided to change some of the american cash we have on us to Lire. Near the change store was a castle... the Castel Sant'Angelo. We paid our ten thousand lire to go in, made our way through and up, until we reached a magnificent view of all of Rome. They also had some very cool weapons.
When we finished at the Castle, we found our way back to our hotel. Now we went in search of internet access. We walked. And walked. And saw some cats. And waaaaalked. Until finally we reached, out of nowhere, the ruins of the Roman Forum.
I cannot describe this sight in words. You must visit Rome in person, at some point in your life. Here is where Julius Caesar and the Apostle Paul walked. It fills one with awe to imagine what Rome must have looked like, and it fills one with sadness to know what men have done to it.
From the ruins, we tried to head back to our hotel (not caring about the internet anymore), looked up, and saw it: the Coliseum. Massive, ancient, impressive... the Coliseum is everything I expected it to be. We walked around it slowly, ogling at its huge stone walls.
We took the Metro back to our place, where we had dinner in the plaza outside our hotel and the Pantheon. I cannot imagine a restaurant with a better backdrop than the Pantheon. Dinner was good as well, however I think the waiter swindled us out of some money. On the bill was 15% service already on it, however he said this was a tax. I didn't think so, but gave him an additional 15% just in case I was wrong. Oh well...
Our room is a little noisy because the plaza below is completely busy. However, I don't
think I'll have trouble falling asleep since I am exhausted from all this walking today.
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