The Purple Penguin

That’s Joe’s title. Not mine. 

We walked today. Well, today isn’t over, but we’ll be doing more walking this evening. We started out on the metro though to the Vatican – we did that today because Monday we’ll be doing it again at stupid o’clock. Found the nearest metro station and headed for the ticket machine where I watched the people in front of me. Then decided to figure out where we were going before getting a ticket. Once we found a map of the metro and figured out which stop we wanted, we went back to the machines only to discover that the tickets are by time rather than station. oh well. We got the cheap 100 minute ticket and followed the crowds down to the platform. Joe wanted to keep following the crowds onto the train but we figured out it was going the wrong way. Once on the correct train it was normal riding along until we got to cross the Tiber. 

What the guide sites don’t tell you is that once you get off the metro there are touts every few inches telling you where to go. Then try to sell you a tour. We got a bit tired of saying no thanks, we know, ta, etc. They are really insistent on pointing out you’re going the wrong way cause the Vatican Museums are up that way. But we wanted to go to the basilica then along to Castel Sant Angelo and walk along the river – and we were going the correct way for that. It got very annoying very quickly! And the entire time we were outside the Basilica getting photos and gawking, touts were coming up to us to get us in past the queues. You’d say no to one and the next standing right behind him would then come up. 

So we dodged the touts, got a couple of photos and started walking away from the church – when you head away from everything they start to leave you alone. Yay. We slowly walked to the river, getting photos, and along to the Castel which is very impressive. We headed down to the walk around the building, then back up to the river side walk and continued along the Tiber. Crossed the river at the Ponte Cavour where there’s a museum with the Arca Pacis (peace alter). It’s a large white glass museum and you can see the large stone alter inside. We didn’t go in, but instead walked around the Mausoleum of Agosoto, which is currently closed for restoration. 

We then headed up to the Piazza del Popolo. Sat for a minute while Joe got photos and had a look around. We went into the Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo and saw the Caravaggio (The Conversion of Saul). We didn’t go into the Leonardo Museum, but have heard it’s good. Instead we headed up to the Terrazza del Pincio where we stopped for the best view of Rome (or so it is said, and it is a very good view!) More photos and looking around. It was getting warm (even for me) so we stopped at a cafe we saw for drinks and some cake. Casina Valadier which is a lovely place to stop – we sat outside and had some of the best coffee and a lovely cheesecake, plus the nibbles they put out when you sit down. 

After that well needed break we headed to the top of the Spanish Steps, headed down to the Piazza Spagna, then backtracked to the Via Margutta, before turning around and heading back toward our hotel. We walked along the Giardini del Quirinale, but didn’t see any of it – just the very large wall around it! The bit we came to the road actually goes under the gardens – we took the small road that curves up to the main road in front of the gardens, but then turned away from the gardens to head back toward the hotel. A slow stroll to the hotel than a rest.

After our rest and a wash, we headed back out so Joe could get some sunset photos around the Colosseum. Again, a ton of touts and people hassling you to buy crap. Joe was focusing the camera and some bloke just shoved whatever he was trying to flog into the view – want to see Joe get annoyed? That’s how you do it. It was a lovely walk down through a park and then a walk around the Colosseum and up to look at some of the forum. Then we headed back through the park and up toward our hotel in a different direction. 

Stopped for a really nice meal – an artichoke starter that was lovely and very different, and Joe had an excellent carbonara. Now back at the room and stuffed!

Our hotel has different Italian renaissance paintings on the room doors and in our room we have the same painting that is on our door on our ceiling – Fall of Phaethon.