When in Rome

We woke up and it was Rome day! The day we had been waiting for, for a whole month. Torture right?
We had only just packed after spending the night in the pub with Doug and Harry and had a frantic last check for the passports.

We got an uber to stansted, where we arrived 3 hours early with plenty of time to kill. I felt a bit ropey so cained various drugs of the legal and pain killing variety and went to spoons for a few drinks. Classic.
Our flight got delayed for an hour, which saw a few cheeky g n t's consumed in the queue and then we were well on our way.
The flight was painless and infact I am really starting to enjoy flying aside from the whole giant metal, heavy tube in sky thing.
I did however, need a wee and went to the very front instead of the back of the plane. I decided instead of doing the walk of shame back to my designated toilet, just to wait it out and managed to get trapped whilst the air hostesses worked their way up the isle offering a range of beverages and refreshments.
Perfect.

We landed and James had about 28372 cigarettes before we could get in a taxi. It was bitter cold and I felt like we were still in London.
We got in the next taxi and the driver was a babe. He took us all the way through the city center and pointed out different landmarks. James was freaking out because he said it was the first country he had been to without being able to speak a little of the language, which I found out was mostly BS when the taxi driver explained things in Italian and James translated for me.

It was pitch black  by the time we started moving and Rome was so vibrant. Covered in twinkling lights of different colours and still prominant with hussle and bussle. We, no word of a lie, were driven past a spot that showed the entire of Rome with someone PROPOSING TO SOMEONE! Can't make that shit up guys. So we were put in a rom(e)antic mood for the rest of the journey.
The taxi driver had a call and then said "Sorry, Le mama" which was totes adorbs and then we arrived at our hotel.

The one thing that was really mental about Rome was the driving. Not gonna lie, they are exactly like the movies, just doing whatever the shit they want, and it was rad.
There was more than one close shave getting to our hotel and it seems like speed limits just don't exsist. From what I can tell, there is no law about parking, OR driving scooters down the pathement. They are also a big fan of uturns.

Hotel was really sweet. It was a guest house situated next to the Vatican and they were mega friendly and the lady who checked us in was in awe of my angry birds passport cover which was well cute.
We had a really nice room, a balcony and a bathroom with a giant shower head. There was not much more you could want apart from chocolate pastries, and we had those too.

We had a one hour nap and then went out to our first meal in Italy. We got a burger and chips... lol jks. We wondered around and found one open medium late (we had overslept big time). It looked really posh and I was in a hoodie and jeans which wasn't ideal but I was hungry and ready for some belly loving.
Our waiter was a babe (so far everyone was a babe) and was really friendly and spoke to us in English.

I had a tomatoe based pasta with bacon and they didn't stinge on the portions. We were given antipasti which was basically my dinner. After eating that I could barely finish my pasta and I felt bad like I'd let the team down. James had a mushroom pasta which I don't know how I feel about still. We bonded over our hatred for them, and now he has developed an unhealthy obsession for them. I however, still escape eating them.

The wine is really cheap here - the best news I could possibly be given. It was sold by a 1/4 litre or a 1/2 litre etc and a half was 8 euros... 8 EUROS! And it was delicious, not like old vinegar.

James managed to fit in a tirimisu which I had a go on. I don't usually like them but I assume I have just never had a proper one before because that one was off the chain. I forgot to take any pictures just because I was flipping hungry.

Day 2

We had a mega lie in. You may be able to take the British out of Britain but.... you know. We sauntered out at about 11am which was fine because we discovered Italians don't actually make a thing of breakfast. It's usually a pastry or cake of some sort and an esspresso.
We wandered down to the Vatican which was heaving this time full of people as far as you can see and police with rifles everywhere. We decided to give that a miss pretty swiftly and carry on towards the center to find something to eat.

We were super lucky because the sun had come out and it was at a respectible temperature where ME of all people, could take off their coat and not be cold. Miracles guys, miracles.
We sat down at a cute little cafe where I had a brie and cured beef panini on sweet bread and a latte and James had swiss cheese and cured ham. No messing about. I could only eat half of mine so I put the other in my trusty little back pack for later.


The first thing we stumbled upon was Tiger and I couldn't resist.
I love that shop.
I came out with a gold bumbag.

We then wandered on to find the colossium, finding everything on foot.
On our way there, we walked past some giant steps and a majestic building that I had no idea about. We later found out it was called Piazza Venezia which is a monument to Emanuele II.

We arrived at the colossium, and to be fair, the queue wasn't half as bad as we expected it to be AND it was in the sunshine. Nailed it.
We were approached by a really annoying American man who tried to hard sell us into doing an illegal tour around the collisum which irritated us for about 5 minutes before we carried on enjoying our holiday. I have no idea why people think this is a good idea? " You can either join me for a tour for 45 minutes where you learn about everything or it's cheaper and you can wait 40 minutes and not know anything about it, you're just looking at ruins" We had already politely said no and I replied that I had been here before and he said "Did you say you have wikipedia?" I wish I had, I wish I had.

Colossium was cool as shit. It was a shame we didn't get to go in the bottom passages as you have to book tours for that (think I went in there when I was 15) but you could really see everything and it was lush. I at this point had a mega bad stomach ache and thought my woman time was on it's way, because why wouldn't it be, but we had a big walk around in the sun and then later googled info on it. And we actually really like just looking at ruins.

    

We found out it could hold up to 80,000 spectators which is a ridiculous amount of people. Too many for me. But luckily there wasn't even a thousand people in there so everything was calm and not overcrowded, apart from selfie sticks. It was overcrowded with selfie sticks.
We had a quick glass of wine in a pub we found down a side road because you know, when in Rome. A man approached us with some bracelets and I automatically get pissed off. A) because I hate feeling like I cant escape without not being polite and B) Man in Paris who did this to me was a giant bag of dicks



We decided to walk back into town to have a mooch in some shops where we found some vintage shops and an Italian super market. The vintage shop was much better than the Uk ones in my opinion and also way cheaper. James had to drag me away from the many fur coats they had on sale and we left empty handed. Boo. We then found a supermarket which sold everything but painkillers and tobacco (you have to have a license!) So we bought loads of chocolate wafers, crisps, some italian chocolate, some italian wine, all while Hotline Bling by Drake was playing.
James forgot the wine which I obviously had noticed, but the shop lady then yelled VINO! at him. She knows the urgency. She knows.

We had a lovely walk as the sun was setting to the main roads and found a taxi to get back to our hotel, where another nap commenced. I was feeling poorly pants and needed a rest from the miles we had covered and James was ready to chill a little so we could be refreshed for dinner.

We walked into town again that evening and the air had a pinch to it but it didn't dampen our spirits. There wasn't a cloud all day and I guess thats why it was a little nippy.
We kept wondering until we came across one that stuck out. James had instructed that we wouldn't be going to anywhere in which the menu was in English, which I was in full agreeance with but I was hungry and ready to pounce on some pasta. We found an inviting restaurant after a 30 minute walk or so and went in where we were sat next to another English couple on holiday and a german couple who also spoke Italian.
Our waiter was full of the banter and did everything to make us feel welcome.

I had a pasta with brocolli which I only ever believed came in packets! It was a childhood favourite of mine when my mum needed to do something quick for tea. It remained a staple through my teens and now I have 2 packets in my cupboard as they were on special offer in Tesco.  Having it in the real life no packet was crazy and I was beside myself. It was the only thing I finished in Rome. I was nearing on bursting towards the end but I loved it.

James had raviolli and drank most of the wine and then we had a bit of a chat with our neighbours. Our waiter insisted on taking a photo of us together so we have a lovely awkward one next to a bizzare shrine which included a statue a mask on. Around it were loads of dusty wine bottles and pictures of the pope smiling. Beautiful.


Day 3

This morning I actually got up at a sensible time of 8.10am. It was mostly because I felt terrible but none the less, it was our last day (How?!) and I wanted to make the most of it. James was snoozing away until about 9am where I had already put on my face and made a tea.

James had his heart set on a museum so we set off on what ended being a very, very long walk. Luckily for us, our walk was down the river which was really lush to look at and it was sunny weather. I was starving by the time we had gone through town and got myself a panini which was gross. They love eggplants in Rome and so do I, but there is nothing worse than them going cold. Flat slime.

For some unknown reason we were surrounded by police whilst we were having our brunch, who I assume was also having their brunch but with more guns than I had on me. I wasn't overly relaxed about it. The one man went on his motorbike where the engine backfired like you see in films, and he LITERALLY checked to see if it was his gun that went off. Okay then. Raditating safety there.

We carried on our journey and arrived at the museum finally after alot of sweat and a tantrum from me (poorly pants) only to be really freaking confused that we couldn't get in. The whole building was really bizzare and people were walking in and out of it but not quite knowing where to go or what to do. I saw a dead palm tree. We sat down.
James then discovered that we were infact very much in the wrong place and this was a school ASSOCIATED with the musuem. I thought it was hilarious though I was wondering how i'd even be able to make it across Rome again to go to the actual place.
We set off again and ended up stumbling on a museum James said "Will do" because I wasn't fairing very well at this point.

It was pretty cool and James was so cute getting into it and explaining to me about all the art and fair play to him, I actually understand alot more now than I ever did before I started dating him. Sometimes something that is just so simple actually signifies alot. We are yet to know which ones are nonsense though, I suppose it's just whatever calls out to you. But I really enjoyed this gallery and my excitable tour guide.
I had a chocolate mousse which was pretty good and then James got a taxi for us back to the hotel as I had reached illness capacity.

After a long 3 or 4 hour nap, I felt much better than I had before and had woken up wanting to eat my hand so I was sooooo ready for dinner. James was watching the rugby and had been ever since I fell asleep and dribbled on his leg so he had been quite entertained thankfully.

We went to a restaurant which our friend Doug had reccomended and it didn't dissapoint. James completely forgot to book in advance but luckily for us, we were so early they could squeeze us in. We were sat right next to 2 ladies (one referred to as "big momma") who were making the pasta by hand in the window. I did not know what to make of anything! Our table cloths were brown paper and our waiter was a dishy italian man who picked our wine for us as it was their own brand, cheaper and nicer. Win, win(e).

I picked gnocchi and James had raviolli. There was such a massive selection of things but what James and I both noticed was that the menus are pretty much identical everwhere which is really interesting. You would almost definitely find a pasta with bacon, tomatoe, a cabonara everywhere and the meat dishes were the things that varied slightly.
This was James's favourite. I thought it was pretty great but I held such a soft spot for my childhood pasta dish.
The pudding however, I would say it's the best chocolate mousse I have ever had. I had about 5 mouthfuls as I literally couldn't move but I wish I could have wrapped it up. It beats Prets little mousse pots (say what you will, those little pots are glorious) but atleast I can have that back here in stormy, cold London.