Roma 1

Our first real day in Roma. We felt like major explorers on our way to new sights and wonderments! the hop onoff bus was the best thing ever. However straight away - it is Saturday! Oh, oh - that means weekend visitors, local people, busy, busy, busy. The bus was full straight away (at 9.30am) with long stops as more people got on. The places we saw yesterday were full of long lines of people waiting to get in. The places that were so magical at night (Circus Maximus) which is a huge block of an ancient stadium which held 300,000 people. In an oval shape it was where the Ben Hur type chariot races were held. In the day it looked like a long oval block of grass and dirt with some ruins at the end! Disappointing so we didn't get off there. We did get off at the National Monument with a huge horse statue of Victor Emmanuel. There were two steps there (one by Michaelangelo) which we climbed and led onto the Museums at the top, plus another church! Every stair way leds to other secret places I have discovered. The National Monument was magnificent with soldiers standing guard over the tomb of the unknown soldier. The crowds tho .... you can only get into the area through one gate guarded by a guard with police everywhere.
After that off at the place down this street full of flash shops for the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The Trevi Fountain was easy to find. Follow the tourists down these little narrow streets and low and behold .... how magestic it was! It was a huge fountain off a wall (not like any of the others) but the tourists! 3 - 5 tiers of people crowding around it in a semi circle all taking photos, selfies etc. It was hard to capture the beauty of the artwork which was amazing. Dave threw a coin in (for good luck apparently) over the heads of all these people! Then it was to find the Spanish Steps. So between map and following the tourists there they were - covered in people! it was hard to even sit down for a photo. We climbed up them to the church, then down again. That was it! Very disappointing and nothing really considering all the other wonderful things we have seen.
I was a bit dispondent so we had lunch at this lovely little sidewalk cafe with waiters that kiss your hand, give you free bread and dip platters and mama mia everything! that cheered me up.
It was a big day of walking by the time we got back about 4pm so rest and then down for a meet and greet with our bus tour people who are all staying at the same hotel as us. Interesting bunch - mostly American and quite a few women who are holidaying with 2 or 3 other women. The tour director (not guide) then took us all on the bus to a restaurant for dinner that was part of the package. We sat with some Americans and Canadians. They seemed friendly and lots of sport discussions went on. Dave was happy to discuss the ins and outs of grid-iron compared to rugby, the Ryder Cup (golf) etc.
Felt like the bus tour will be quite good, tho seems to be a few optional excursions already which we didn't realise you had to pay for (thought the tour was mostly all-inclusive).