In the weeks leading up to my trip to Italy, I was feeling really down. Nothing that exciting was happening and I was just lonely. I feel stuck in this house. Some things require me to be here during the day, but I just have all this free time. Just before I went to Italy, I went to the craft store in town and found a project/Christmas gift that I could work on for the next few weeks. That was great, because I had something to do while at home. It was also fun because its a gift, so it gave me the motivation to actually work on it. And since returning from Italy, I have found some new projects that take up my time, so for the time being, I have things to do, things that I enjoy so I am feeling happier and more content.
Now, let me tell you about Italy.
Overall, my trip was great, and I am so thankful I got to go and see all that I did. But it wasn't without its challenges and learning experiences. My trip started Friday night, as I went to spend the night at the house of some friends from my church. They live closer to the airport, so I could sleep in a little later than if I stayed at my house. I woke up around 5:30am on Saturday to head to the airport. I made it and found out that my bag was too heavy for inside the plane and that I would need to pay for it to be checked. (Lesson learned: weigh your bags before getting to the airport.) I should have known to check before I left, but I figured that I was only taking a carryon size bag, so it couldn't be that heavy. So I checked my bag and headed for the departure gate. Here is where the worry all began. I started thinking about my passport and I honestly didn't have any idea about how my new visa affected the 90 days tourist visa for traveling in Europe. I started to get a little panicked that they might not let me into Italy. I made it to Vienna, to a familiar airport (we stopped there on our way to Bosnia this summer) and found a huge lay down couch to try and take a nap on. My flight boarded and I was on my way to Rome. I was a nervous wreck because I really didn't know what I would do if I didn't get into Italy. Lesson number two of the trip, once you're inside the EU (European Union) meaning that you're flying or traveling between these countries without leaving, they don't check your passport in each country. I got my bag and just walked into Italy. I needed to find a place to buy my train ticket to Rome on the Leonardo Express (the train that runs from the airport directly to the main station in Rome). I waited in line to buy my ticket at a machine only to find out the machine only took cards. I was sent to another place to buy my ticket, and ended up paying a fee of 1 Euro. When I made it to the train platform, I found that I could have saved that Euro and bought my ticket with cash just before getting on the train. Lesson 3. I got on the train and found a seat and I was off to Rome.
After finding my hostel and getting settled, I decided to head for the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. I grabbed a map from the reception and headed on my way. I decided to walk to see some of the city and explore a bit. It ended up being a LONG walk. Rome is huge. It doesn't look big on a map, but its huge. To my disappointment, both the Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountain were closed for restoration. Was still able to see them through a fence, but I couldn't throw a penny in the fountain or take a rest on the steps. I walked back to my hostel, which probably took an hour, and got ready for bed and all that the next day would hold.
The next morning another wave of nervousness filled my stomach. I was nervous about getting around the city and about something bad happening. It wasn't rational, and I knew that if that happened, I would figure it out, but I could shake this feeling of nerves. I took the subway for the first time to head to the Colosseum and Roman Forum! I got off the subway and came out of the station and looked up. The Colosseum was there and massive. I knew it was big, but it literally took my breath away. I couldn't believe that I was seeing it with my own eyes. i walked across the street and hopped in line, waiting for the entrance to open. (I went on the first Sunday of the month, so the Colosseum and the Roman Forum were free to enter. I got to the Colosseum before the gates opened at 8:15a (gates open at 8:30a) and was inside by 9:00a. The line was simply for security. The same ticket gets you into both the Colosseum and the Forum.) Inside the Colosseum, I used my Rick Steve's AudioGuide for a free tour of the place. It was perfect and took about an hour to see the whole thing. It was amazing to see it all in person. Before I left I decided to sit down and give my feet a rest before heading to the Forum. At this point I dropped my camera and it broke. So for the remainder of my trip, I was forced to use my iPhone for pictures. Thankfully my iPhone isn't terrible, its just not as great as my camera. I headed over to the Roman Forum and again used a free audio guide to rome (see what I did there) the Forum. It was such a unique experience to bee in the Forum. That place has been around for so long and so many famous people have walked in the same places that I did. You can tell that it has been around for a long time, because the modern city is literally built up around it.
Headed back to my hostel and took some time to rest, which resulted in another evening of feeling insecure and nervous. I am convinced now that some of it was spiritual attack. I was so worried that I couldn't even finish a meal at a restaurant because I felt so sick. It was all a mind game. I had no legitimate reason to be afraid, and yet I was. I went back to my room and watch some youtube videos, simply to get my mid off of it, and to also feel normal.
Day 3:
Today I was determined to not let my fear ruin my trip. I washed my mind in scripture, prayed and asked for other people to pray for me too. I set out to find the Piazza del Popolo, or the Plaza of the People and then the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's. The Piazza was huge with an Egyptian Obelisk in the center and two fountains on the ends. Next, came the Vatican. I headed straight for the Museums, and since I had already purchased my ticket, I headed straight inside. (ALWAYS, buy your ticket ahead of time for the Vatican Museums. I saw people waiting in a line and I heard someone say it could take people at the back of the line over 2 hours to get inside. Once inside and with my audio guide, I spent about 4.5 hours inside. The very last thing that you will see is the Sistine Chapel, but its so worth it. I actually really enjoyed the Ancient Egypt exhibit, the hall of busts and some of the large statues. It was incredible to see some of those things in person!
Check back soon for my next posts about my visit to Florence and Venice!