February 10, 2012 - Roma day 3

Outside the Coliseum

We got up early to head out to the Coliseum, which was the only thing we had scheduled for the day before we had to head out of Italy to get back to London.  The day started off with another breakfast of croutons and then we walked over to the Coliseum.  I was soooo excited to walk around the Coliseum and explore it.  We had pre-bought tickets for it, because we had heard it could get really crowded and was a lot better to purchase tickets beforehand.  We walked all the way around the Coliseum, trying to figure out a way to get in, but couldn’t.  We asked some vendors around the area how to get in, and they informed us that it was closed today (and had been closed the day before, and would be closed the following day) because it was scheduled to rain/snow.   It wasn’t raining when we were there, although it did look a bit overcast and was FREEZING.  But c’mon, Italy!  Get it together!  It seems Rome has changed a lot since their fiercesome gladiator days.  Now a bit of rain shuts down the whole city.

I'm sure it looks better on the outside anyways...

So we walked around the crumbly little building in sadness and took some pictures, to at least prove we’d seen the place.  Basically a huge letdown.  We decided to head way up north to the Piazza del Popolo for our last 6 hours in Rome, seeing how we couldn’t spend them at the Coliseum (which isn’t even that cool, right? Right?).  On our way there it started pouring, and when we finally arrived at the plaza we were soaked.  So we took some fun wet and rainy pictures and headed back to check out of our dirty little hotel.  The whole walk to and back from the plaza took us about 3 hours.  Super far away and cold and rainy.  An epic day in Rome.  It started snowing on our way back, so we stopped in a little restaurant to get lunch (ravioli, so delicious).  Italian food seems to be a lot blander than American Italian food.  It was good, but none of us were raving about it or anything.  We checked out of our room, and our bestie told us he’d give us a 25% discount if we came again and told us how much he liked us.  Oh Italians, they are so passionate. 

A rainy last day in Rome.

We waited 30 mins for our bus (only 6E though!) to the airport.  We made it through airport security totally fine and had to wait 2 hours in the airport before we could board our plane.  By that time it was snowing pretty bad outside.  When we got on the plane, after sitting there for 45 minutes our pilot came out and announced that we had to defrost the wings, so it might be about 30 minutes before we could leave.  Well, 30 minutes ended up meaning almost 5 hours.  They told us it hasn’t snowed in Rome since 1986, so they aren’t prepared for dealing with it.  The airport we were at only had one truck that defrosted planes, and we weren’t first in line.  So we just had to sit and wait on the plane for it to come to us.  Then we found out the runway also had to be defrosted, so we’d be waiting there for awhile.  It wasn’t bad at all though, because these two British men kept us entertained the entire time.  They were about 32 years old and were businessmen who travel to Rome all the time for work.  Basically they flirted with us and messed with us the entire 5 hours.  We talked about everything with them- our religion, British candy, American TV shows, British TV shows, school, basically everything.  One of the British guys even took the time to psychoanalyze us.  He said that I was the leader of the pack, that I was sassy, and that I’d be the first one to slap a guy.  Well done entertaining British men.  They kept the entire plane entertained, and were a two-man comedy routine.  I decided to take bets on when we’d actually take off (we were originally scheduled to take off at 9), and the reward would be one piece of Roman candy I got from the hotel.  The other girls bet 11, 11:30, and 10.  I said 12:32 and one of the British men said 1:10. 

The most depressing gate I've ever met.

There was a cute British couple next to us who joined in the conversation a lot too.  They were a darling couple who were about to celebrate their 50^th anniversary.  There were also 3 old ladies sitting behind the two British guys, who the British guys called the “Golden Girls”.  One time the ladies went to the bathroom, and funny British man said, “oh there go the Golden Girls.  They all have to go to the bathroom together.  Bless them.”  All the British people joined in our conversation when we talked about British candy and British lingo.  It was so funny cause they all wanted a chance to speak and join in the conversation.  I learned from the British 50^th anniversary husband that if you turn a watch upside down it shows the time in India!  So now I’ll always be able to figure out what time it is for Andie (my friend on a study abroad in India)!  Oh, and this doesn’t work for analog clock time.  I tried. 

After about 2 hours of sitting on the plane the deforster came over to defrost our wings, but when they’d finish up on one side and then go to the other wing that first wing would freeze again.  It was snowing like crazy!  Haha then the captain got on again and told us the airport was closed because of the snow and they couldn’t clear the runway.  He said most hotels were booked up, so it’d probably be a better idea for us to just chill on the plane and wait for it to reopen.  Then another hour later he told us he had good news and bad news.  Good news- the airport was open again and the runway was cleared!  Bad news- the only defroster car had broken down and they had to wait for a new one to come, wherever that was from.  But you know what- if I was ever going to have to have a delayed flight and have to chill on a plane for hours it definitely would have been on that plane. 

A fun outside view of the Coliseum.  Which is better than the inside, right??

We finally took off at 1:09 AM, and when we were driving the plane over to the runway the funny British guy took off his watch and held it out against the seat so I could see it and see that he was about to win the bet.  Courtney and I pretended to be asleep when the plane took off, and he was like, “bless them!  They’ve gone to sleep!  They just couldn’t handle all the excitement!”  Then he called the flight attendant over and tried to persuade her to announce on the loudspeaker that he had won the bet.  Haha she refused, but he tried for a good like 10 mins to get her to do it. 

We stumbled out into the airport around 2:30 AM, but had to chill in the airport till 5:30 because that’s when the trains started up.  We curled up together in one corner of the airport to wait, as it was freezing in that airport.  I don’t think Britain believes in heating.  So many of their buildings are suuuuper cold and they have these tiny little rectangular heaters against walls in rooms.  I’ll have to put a picture up of one some time.  They’re basically the weirdest heaters I’ve ever met.   You could see your breath the whole time and we were just shaking.  FINALLY the train came, and we somehow found our way home.  We had been up for over 24 hours, and had spent 13 hours in airports or on planes in all.  Disgusting.  We stumbled into the center at 6:30 AM and went straight to sleep.  I slept until 1 in the afternoon and felt gross.  I hadn’t showered at all in Rome, because the shower was nasty, and let me just say, you get more disgusting on planes and sleeping in airports. 

Gotta love that Coliseum.

But honestly, it was one of the best parts of the trip.  We had so much fun talking with all the British people, and it really showed me how nice they can be.  I feel like they hate us so much here in London, and that British people are mean.  They have a “stiff upper lip” mentality and are not friendly.  But they were so nice and pleasant to us, it was amazing.  Definitely a great experience for me.  It’s funny too, because we were all soooo ready to come “home.”  The London Center really has become my home away from home.  It’s what I’ve gotten used to and feel comfortable with.  We just wanted to get back into our element and feel at home.  I never thought I’d feel this way about the center, because I’ve basically wanted to go home ever since I came to London, but it’s become a great place for me.  And I feel safer in London, much safer than I felt in Italy.  Also, I understand the language and transportation system and I’m not in fear of getting in trouble all the time. 

One of my professors summed it up perfectly about traveling, he said “the two best things about traveling are the anticipation and the memories.”  He also said, “it’s fun to leave, but it’s even better to come back.”  My experience in Rome was a wild one from beginning to finish.  I never thought I’d have to plan a trip to a foreign country on my own and figure out traveling, housing, itinerary, etc. all in a foreign language.  One of our American roommates told me the first time you do this it can be really intimidating and overwhelming, but he assured me that the first time is the hardest and after that it gets easier.  He told me that after this I’ll get the hang of it and adjust to wherever I am.  So next up is my Ireland trip that I’m planning right now and then my trip to Denmark.  Another adventure awaits!