On our third day we decided to visit the Trevi fountain. It's considered the most beautiful fountain in the world and people throw coins in it to make wishes. What we didn't know is that Fendi commissioned it to be restored - for 2M - and wasn't reopening until October 2015, in case you were planning to go. It is tradition to throw a coin over your shoulder in the fountain and make a wish. There was a minuscule portion of the fountain to throw your coins in.
I wished for the fountain to be open, just kidding.
My friend was supposed to meet her friend in the area so we stayed for a bit. We went to United Colors of Benetton which was surprisingly underwhelming and looked at Birkenstocks because comfort becomes paramount after walking 40 000 steps a day. Unfortunately said friend didn't show up so we continued on.
We decided to check out some shops. In particular COS and &Other Stories - stores I love and don't have in Canada *yet*. Their appeal is their play on proportion and textiles on basics. I didn't get anything unfortunately.
We also went into a small mall. It's amazing because even their malls have incredible architecture as if it's of historical significance.
And maybe they are, I'm not sure.
Afterwards we made our way to the Pantheon. It is one of the oldest buildings in the world at 1 889 years old (126AD). How it managed to do so, is astonishing. Inside, the Pantheon is a dome and has a single light source from a circular hole in the ceiling called the oculus. I was curious if it could tell time like a sundial.
Afterwards we went to Sant'Eustachio, an infamous cafe. It's one of the oldest (as you may have noticed, Rome is rich in legacy) and considered one of the best in Rome. We got some pastries but what's really woah, were their drinks. We had the cappuccino. The body was rich and creamy. The flavour was not bitter; it was smooth. Although it was a small portion, it took a while to drink it. Also it wasn't that expensive considering the quality, it was 1.5 euros if I remember correctly.
What's unique is that people don't sit down on the tables outside since there's a mandatory service charge. Instead they hang out in the cafe after getting their drinks and chat away creating a crowd.
After finishing our drinks we headed to Castel Sant'Angelo. It was originally built as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family. Then, it was used as a fortress and castle by the popes in the 14th century. Today, it is a museum.
Outside it looks like a simple cylindrical structure, inside it was a labyrinth. We didn't die but we did get lost and go in circles. There were spy holes on the walls; we saw canon balls; and even a narrow escape path that lead to St. Peter's Basilica for the Pope.
We ended up going to the top of the castle and hung out there for a while. Then we left and decided it's time to eat.
Bonus: We saw girls taking selfies with a seagull on the way. Basic bitches are an international phenomena, I can confirm.
We were immensely picky about finding an authentic restaurant. We ended up walking a good 1-2 hours without success and at that point there were a thousand more steps as to why we were not going to settle for a tourist restaurant.
Unfortunately, my friend suddenly realized she had lost her phone. We panicked and searched. Being in a tourist country, we were convinced she was pick pocketed, and her phone was never to be seen again. The irony is I am a notorious loser and if anyone should lose something on this vacation, everyone would bet on me.
Fortunately for her, I have the worst luck and the best luck (I have a pretty great recovery rate in dire circumstances). I called her phone and turns out, someone turned her phone in and gave it to the police. After waiting for a while at the place we agreed to meet, we suspected this was some kind of scam. After a few more calls and a few more delays, we did end up not being scammed and the police gave my friend her phone back. It was a suspenseful, stressful hour or so.
After, we resumed our search for food. We probably spent another 2 hours looking for a restaurant and started developing hysteria tbh.
I am actually pretty dumbfounded by the stamina I have. Rome has been pretty much a bootcamp vacation.
Eventually we wound up finding a restaurant and scarfed our that faster than you can say 'Roma!'
When we left, we switched footwear in an attempt to salvage our obliterated feet. I was wearing socks and sandals and my friend wore sneakers with no socks.
No photos of this so it never happened.
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