When in Roma... (no,i actually get to use this phrase)

I left for Rome on Friday morning. It was a bit of a tight squeeze—since my credit card hadn’t worked on the airline’s website (as they never seem to in Europe), I only had it reserved, so fingers crossed that they wouldn’t sell it on me. But it all worked out, minus the fact that pilot thought landing the plane was the same as race car driving—I seriously thought that the plane was gonna role. I somehow magically figure out how and where to take the train to the city and—YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!—find Charlie meeting my at the train station. Joyous Reunion and we also received lots of awkward stares (you’d understand if you have every seen us hang out…weird voices and horrible jokes all over the place). Our hostel was wicked close, literally across the street and down a block from the train station. They like to play really sassy ‘90s R&B tunes—check out Usher’s ‘Confession’. It was pretty inconspicuous; Charlie and I walked right by it almost every time we were going home. It was in an apartment building that was attached to the buildings on either side. Up two flights of stairs, then you couldn’t miss it-on account of the BLASTING music. Charlie and I were in a room with a Dutch couple, random man from China (that’s all the conversation we got from him), and girl from BC. We happened to be talk about how much housing sucks this year, when the girl pipes up and turn out to be from there, small (creepy) world.
So the adventure commenced the first day we did the Coliseum, the pantheon and then trailed over across the river. We went through this cute little island with a hospital, also apparently around where all the Romans like to sun themselves. The rive has wide pathways on either side. Anywho… we went to this area that is apparently great for pizza, and inexpensive, delicious food in general. Of course we got gelato on the way. Let me tell you, this gelato was delicious…I wish they made ice cream like it in the states. The gelato is so nice and creamy, but it icy too, in a peasant way, so its really light—I had mint, so it was also v. refreshing. The area across the river, whose name escapes me, has an awesome atmosphere (we went back three times). That afternoon/evening we walking around a bit and then sat down for some pizza, I know GHASP I spent money at a restaurant. It was delicious, delicious, delicious…. I just got a simple margarita pizza and we got a half litre of red wine. So relaxing. Then we went back to our hostel, a nice looooooooooooooooooooooooooooong walk ( but hey we burned of the gelato, right?)We settled in for the niht, alarms set for 8:30 because WE MEAN BUSINESS!
By 9 we were eating our complimentary breakfast (coffee and a croissant) at the café next door, then hopped on the metro to go to the Vatican, as we wanted maximum catholic time. On the metro we saw a sassy performer, which isn’t unusual in Europe in general. But it was about a 60 years old woman carting around an amp, I still am unsure as to what language she was singing, and I still think she was horrible and horribly amusing. We got to the Vatican around 9:30 and it was already packed, it was also a week before Easter. They already were setting up for the mass, and we saw alter servers, Eucharist ministers ‘training’ for the coming Sunday. It was gorgeous inside, minus a certain HORRIBLY annoying group of tourists. By the time we go to St. Peter’s it had been hours and my neck hurt from staring up, but it was beautiful. You could stare at the ceiling of St. Peter’s for an hour and not see it all really. After the Vatican we had a nice lunch, of bread and cheap sliced cheese, Saturday was not our splurge day. We walked around that afternoon and hit up the Spanish steps and walk by the Trevi Fountain (it was way to crowded). When we got back to the train station/hostel area we used our internet passes and hit up the laundromat internet combo store (I know, its as weird as it sounds). That night we got some nice gelato and then hit the sac.
Sunday was wander day. We went to all of the sights we missed and found a nice area plaza sort of near the Trevi Fountain, which we went back to that day. We stopped for PASTA!!!! Oh-my-god. It was delicious. I had gnocchi with just olive oil and Parmesan cheese. We also got bruschetta and some red wine. Only ten euro! And possibly the best meal I have had in Europe, so delicious. I can’t stop saying it. We also went back to our favorite area for a bit and then back to the hostel for our dinner of bread and jam, yum. Literally, we would hollow out the baguette and poor in jelly. We went out for dinner/drink that night with two of Charlies friend from where he was studying abroad in Glasgow.
We crashed when we got back to the hostel and I had the weirdest dream that night. I was in the room in the hostel and there was someone standing in the middle of the room, and the person across from me was sitting up in bed. All these car alarm noises were on and the beds were rattling. Charlie and I woke up, all packed around nine-ish and he had the audacity to tell me there he thinks there was an earthquake last night. “No Charlie, it was probably just a big truck driving by”. LIES. There was an earthquake!!!!!! I survived an earthquake. Okay, okay, sort of… since it wasn’t the epicenter and all, but still! After breakfast we got on our respective trains, and it was smooth sailing ‘till barca!! Woohooo