Day 3

Friday, July 12, 2013
Rome, Lazio, Italy
11:20 A day trip today to villa hadriane and villa d'este started with some research last night and then into the termini to get tickets. We picked up our tickets to Florence which fortunately on a weekend are buy one get one free so our 2 tickets cost €46 which mum queued for, whilst I went off to get our zone 3 BRIG all day travel tickets which cost €8 each and will allow us all day travel ad get us our towards trivoli to the 2 villas.

First we boarded the blue B line on the metro up to ponte mammolo where we got off as this is where the bus station is. We went straight out through the same level doors to find the bus for tivoli. There were plenty of people trying to go and we discovered the concept of a queue non existent as several people just bailed on through in front to get on, mum commenting that 'clearly some people are more important than others' which amused me. The doors at the back also open so people got on at both sides and apparently no one seemed interested in seeing our tickets.
11:46 After 50 mins of travelling we seem to be approaching the hills and nearly at our stop for villa hadriane. We get off at the stop next to the Citroen garage and not a moment too soon as (and Im going to sound very old fart now) a couple of eccentrically dressed teenagers sat next to us and started playing music loud on their phones, which can only be described as the chipmunks/crazy frogs hard rave music on this bus packed full of people. Why they think this is acceptable behaviour with the invention of large and stylish earphones available everywhere, I just don't know!
12:01 We set off toward the villa by going down the street to the left of the bus stop, straight to the end of the road, turn right just after the tourist office then just ahead there is a brown sign for villa adriana and some ruins. Its about another 10min walk from here. So it's a left following the sign then right in front of the gardens and follow down the hill with no pavement, past the restaurant and the villa is at the bottom of the hill.
12:26 We had to pay cash for our tickets and audio guide- €11 each plus 5 for 1 audio guide
18:59 We returned to where the bus dropped us off and took the bus up to tivoli, getting off just as the bus got into the centre of town. Walked down to gardens of villa d'este which was a really lovely contrast to the ruins of villa Adriana as the rooms had gorgeous painted walls and ceilings - in the same style as the Sistine chapel, ie lots of little painted panels with little scenes of cherubs and men wrestling lions, people scenes etc. outside the rooms were stunning gardens with endless water features over several levels as of course the gardens were on quite a steep hill and at the bottom were 3 flat pools that lead on one side to a beautiful view over the land below where we had just come from, and at the other end a stunning set of fountains that blasted the water up tens of feet up into the air and the air felt so cool in front of them.

We spent a couple of hours there and once finished walked to the train station which is across the river, we were surprised to find a river so high up on the hill. We got the train which followed the edge of the hills ever more gradually down until it came to a stop at Roma Tiburtina which is just 4 stops away from Termini on the metro line.

It had been a lovely day out, very hot though so we went back to our rooms to shower and put fresh clothes on before going out for dinner for our last night in Rome.
20:13 We were able to catch Bus 40 or 64 which goes from the termini down victor Emmanuel street to where we would get off near the Piazza Navona. Mum had looked up some restaurants to find somewhere well rated for dinner and found a place called Cantina e Cucina just off a street at the bottom of piazza Navona that goes off to the left. They didn't seem to have any outdoor seating but we were taken inside this busy restaurant and found a table. The staff were lovely and so was the food, not too expensive either.

After dinner we walked out to the piazza Navona, I took some photos of the fountains with my tripod, and we just sat down and watched the world go by for a while, just enjoying the warm night air and the hubbub of the chatter whilst a man with a guitar played gently near the fountain.

We set off home about 1030, fighting our way onto an absolutely packed bus which seemed to go round far too many corners and it's no wonder that people get pick pocketed as there are too many people pressed up against each other. The man next to mum and I seemed to be having a bit o a struggle with his trousers, I almost wonder if by the look of his trousers he'd got a boner and seemed to be trying quite hard (excuse the pun) to disguise his misfortune on the bus! I was however very glad to get off at the termini and had my own sense of personal space again and not be pressed up against all these people, particularly the bloke next to me. I have no idea if anyone else noticed or not.

Moving on, we got back to our room, packed our bags and watched the end of angels and demons. A film I can now see one or two inaccuracies in, one being the west wind symbol in St. Peter's square where just yesterday I'd taken a photo of one of the same compass markers, but also noted at the time that all the faces had a blowing face. The other thing that is glaringly obvious is that they were able to run into a practically deserted pantheon and piazza Navona which I'd imagine are jam packed with people most of the year! Perhaps it is in fact quieter in November-Jan time, I wouldn't know I suppose. Still, a good film and nice to be able to see all the places we had been to.

Another thing I failed to do at St Peters, other than not go up to the dome, was to go down the stairs to the crypt. I shall definitely have to come back now. Perhaps a brief visit once again on my way to visit southern Italy as this is something else I need to do.

Best thing: the beautiful fountains of villa d'este. I love water, love water features, the sound and feel make me happy and calm.

Random fact- I did over 20,000 steps today!

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