Visit a city using a Hop On, Hop Off bus

A quick note about traveling by yourself. It can be intimidating and it can be extremely overwhelming, but I took the bull by the horns and just did it! And yes —- there are a few times when you think - maybe this isn’t a good thing, but once you get used to it — there is no turning back. Yes — I will travel more with DH, but he has to KNOW every single detail in advance and that’s just way too structured for me. Imagine me saying that — I’m a Virgo!!!

But if you don’t want to travel far, try something close to you — visit a North American city where language isn’t a barrier. Then explore and if you are lost —- it happens, just ask or use your phone!! And you never know what you will uncover!!! And if you get on the wrong train - just get off at the next stop and get on the next train going in the right direction. 

To make it even simpler — do a tourist day right where you live!!! 

This is my last day of exploring and I have three things to do. One is a tour I booked so I can’t miss that but it’s later in the afternoon, so all I need to do is get myself organized for my two fun things this morning. 

But let’s see what happened yesterday. 

I had started to walk to my first stop, then saw people selling Hop On, Hop Off bus tickets and decided to buy that instead of wasting my phone battery on guiding myself around the city. I am getting better but I swear that the walking version of Google Maps and me do NOT get along. 

Hop On, Hop Off map

I thought high season didn’t start until later, but I saw somewhere that high season is from April to October (I think that was the end) and so while my pictures may not show tons of people, there are tons of people here. The first stop is the train station. It seems that everything lives and dies near the train station and there is always loads of hotels and restaurants. And if there are buses and subways, they are usually close to the train. So stick close to the train station if you have a choice. 

I had walked near the first four bus stops the day before,  so there was no need to get off. I got off at stop number 5 which was Capitoline Hill. I saw a long set of steps which intrigued me. So I clambered up them. I believe there were 120 or so. I did not count, but heard it on the audio on the bus. 

I was all excited as I climbed to see what I could see. 

From the top of the 120 steps

Oh crud— -the steps lead to another basilica. While ornate, it was nothing compared to the one from the day before. 

The ceiling inside the basilica

This was obviously a much older building or the floor designers just threw the leftover bits of marble from the other buildings together. 

Floor in the basilica

And here seemed to be some crypts in this floor, while there were not in the other basilica. Speaking of tiled floors, I have a surprise, but I won’t reveal it until next week. 

Crypts in the basilica floor

I have my mini collection of shoes at home and looking for something from Italy. I spotted this sandal in this basilica and should have bought it, but I didn’t. I must look harder today or I might spot something at the airport. Drat — should have bought it. Wait — I’m going somewhere today where I might find something similar. 

Mini sandal

And the brickwork is amazing. They made a lot of skinny, long bricks in the day and weren’t afraid to use them in multiple places. I also saw these bricks in two rows creating a beautiful arch in some ruin. 

Brick work on the sidewalks

These are the ruins of the Roman Forum. You had to queue and pay to get into so many places and well, ruins are ruins. How many does one want to see before they all blend together? I know that many of you would gasp, but hey - that’s the beauty of solo travel. I don’t feel obligated!!!! Take a little bit of each thing I want to see. And yes —- you get lots of information when you have a tour, or you can buy a small box from vendors along the way that attaches to your phone with an audio tour. I did NOT buy that, but I suppose it’s a good idea, but I would be very upset if something happened to my phone. 

Roman Forum

There is a ton of history in Rome. And it never ceases to amaze me how it all exists in so many European cities. You have the very old ruins like the Colosseum which was built in 72 AD. Then you have buildings like the hotel I’m in. I have no idea what these buildings were when they were orginally built and then at some point, they were converted to hotels, which are very modern. It’s just strange to see the difference between them. 

And then I spotted these two monuments almost buried in bushes. 

Almost hidden monuments

They were to honor the veterans of the Italian campaign on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Rome after the Second World War. At some point, this must have been an important place. 

Marking the 50th anniversary of Rome’s liberation

But there is also considerable construction going on, not just in the excavation of ruins, but the building of a third metro line!!!! Can you imagine doing that in this ancient city? It just seems wrong, but the traffic is crazy. Crazy in the quantity, not nearly as crazy as Naples in how they drive. 

Construction of a new Metro line

This massive building (Vittoriano Monument Panoramic Terraces) sits on one of the seven hills of Rome. I did not go in, but found out after that you could go to the top to get a great view of the city. So many things to do, so little time and if I miss something, then that’s an opportunity to come back. 

Vittoriano Monument

I got back on the bus and got off at the next stop which was the one closest to the Vatican City. Oh my—- all the WC (toilets) are in the basement, along with food storage and/or the kitchen. Oh my —- these were very twisty and I passed someone coming down. I took the outside (larger steps), while they maneuvered the narrow side. 

This is one of the many bridges that crosses the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River). It looks rather calm and low. There is a road long both sides and if I were to rent a bicycle here, that would be where I would ride it! You can do a tour by bicycle, but I’m not ready for that traffic chaos. 

Fiume Tevere (Tiber River)

And then I walked along the street towards the Vatican City. Again, it doesn’t look like there are many people, but there were people everywhere. You learn to take strategic shots to cut out as many as possible. There were shops and restaurants all along this walk. 

Walking towards the Vatican City

And there s St. Peter’s square. Apparently. It’s a big deal just to be standing in that square. I didn’t get to do a couple of things I wanted to do in that square because the center was blocked off as the Pope just held his weekly General Audience with thousands of people in attendance. The center section was blocked off and they were in the process of removing the chairs. Hopefully today, it will be wide open. This isn’t really a square - it’s a large circle!!!

St. Peter’s Square

There it was back to the bus - OH —- keep a couple of Euros handy in case you need a WC. Outside the restaurants, you might need to pay. 

I got off at the next stop and I swear my GPS went wild. I swear I was only 300 M from my next stop and then all of a sudden, I was 600 M. When I turned the corner there was the  Trevi fountain, not the Spanish Steps. I’ve no idea how that happened. It doesn’t look busy, but this square was filled with people. It was shoulder to shoulder. I squeezed in to take a picture. If you want to get closer, you queue up and pay. 

Trevi Fountain

Honesty, the number of people who need to take selfies (OK — I took a few). Not at this spot, but in others), but do you need to take 20? And I saw one couple, where the guy was holding the phone on a selfie stick, and after he took several pictures, she takes the stick and brings it closer and proceeds to take a whole lot more. Sigh!!!!

And then it was off to the Spanish Steps where people are so ignorant. I climbed to the top because that’s what one does and a couple were taking pictures. The girl was sitting on one of the large railings and was so engrossed in herself, that she didn’t hear or see the police woman walking towards her motioning her to get off. 

Flowers on the Spanish Steps

I spotted this on the way to the Spanish Steps  - it was a large mask made with big mirrors. It never occurred to me to look to the other side, but by this time, I was getting tired. 

A sculpture made with large mirrors

I was all twisted around, so I had no idea where the stops were for the bus and there were two in the area, so I decided to walk back to the train station. Can you believe my luck that I happened upon the last stop before the train station and the bus was right there!!! So I hopped on!!!

As I walked through the train station, I had been craving gelato all day, so I treated myself to it. That small cone was almost 5 euro, but well worth it. Actually, it wasn’t so small —- the cone was small, but the gelato was big!

Yum Yum

Then back to the hotel where I had a lie down for a bit and spotted this on social media. How cool is this? And so true. WE are our own worst enemy so many times. 

And this was my pumpkin soup at dinner last night. I could have eaten only this, but I also ordered pizza. It was a stretch to finish both, but I did.

Pumpkin soup

And now I’m about to get myself organized for the day. There is much to do and so little time. I read a comment from someone who said they were going to spend one day in Rome and seven in Italy and ended up spending all seven days in Rome. I can see that happening! It’s a wonderful city. We had rain last night but I see the sun is starting to come out. 

Just back from breakfast and my taxi is booked for tomorrow. 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!!