It will be a travel of firsts. The first time we, my boyfriend and I, booked and prepared the travel ourselves, being on a plane for the first time and visiting Rome for the first time. EXCITING!!
Our flight to Rome left at noon from Brussels, so we made sure we arrived on time. We got there by ten and after the necessary waiting and the inavoidable toilet breaks, we finally arrived at the gate.
I waited impatiently to catch a glimpse of the aircraft that would take me to the sun, to visiting history and to a wonderful and relaxing week with my boyfriend. Until... I saw somebody waving at me intensly.
My honey had discovered our gate had changed. Not long after arriving at the gate (the right one this time) our plane arrived.
We got on and... YES! I'm at the window! Notwithstanding the wing, I could see everything beautifully. We left Brussels with 30 minutes delay. I didn't know what to expect. Would I be afraid or nauseous? How would it feel? Well, it felt awsome. First accelerting until your back is pressed to your seat. Then loosening of the ground and seeing how the world gets smaller and smaller. Once we were above the clouds, the experience got totally different. I didn't feel as if we were going fast or as if we were very high. The clouds looked like a landscape with mountains and valleys, just underneath the airplane.
After arriving in Rome we took the train to Termini station. We discovered you have to be very careful with Italian trains. One man pressed the button to open the door. He started getting on the train and the train just left! His wife could just grab him and pull him back on the platform. Everybody was startled.
In Termini station we collected the Roma-passes we had ordered beforehand. With a Roma-pass you can use the metro for free during three days. Also the first two museums you visit are for free and the other ones you can visit at a discount rate. I recommend to take this pass, it will save you money (certainley if the Forum Romanum and the Colosseum are one of those first two museums you visit) and you won't have to wait in the queue for so long.
Next stop: our hotel. We stayed at the Kennedy Hotel.
I had read it wasn't that great but it's only five minutes from termini station and we were on a tight budget so we took it anyway. Outside our hotel we smelled the aroma of urine and beer so we knew we weren't in the best part of town.
At first sight our room looked very good, but when looking a little closer the room was decrepit. Also there was no safe and no fridge. So it was impossible to keep your drinks cool. On the other hand we had a great view from our room. We looked straight at the little park next door with an archeological site in it.
Near our hotel was a beautiful church: Santa Maria maggiore. It's really worth a visit. Entry is free, but make sure you don't wear shorts and your shoulders are covered. There are guards at the entrance of the church that make sure you wear the proper attire.
According to the legend the Virgin Mary appeared to pope Liberius in his dreams. She ordered him to build a church on the spot where it would snow the next day, the 5th of August. And indeed, it did snow. Even nowadays, on the 5th of August, it still snows blossoms from the roof of the church as a remembrance of that snow.
Afterwards we ate some bread on our room and got ready for bed so we would be rested for day 2.
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