Rome, Italy

Saturday 27th March 2015: 

After a long drive day, we arrived in Rome around 5pm and Brendan quickly discovered how unorganised and unsystematic the Italians are. We got stuck into a walking tour, passing Piazza Venezia and the Pantheon. 

We also saw the Trevi Fountain, which was disappointingly having maintenance carried out, therefore drained of all water and completely fenced off. We were told the works were due to finish at the end of 2014, and yet there appears to still be a long way to go. 

On Sunday, we made the "international" trip to the Vatican City (it is actually independent of Italy, and the world's smallest country) for the Pope's blessing, it was a special ceremony for a Palm Sunday. 

Next, we were taken on a tour of the Colosseum and ancient relics of the Roman Forums, Later, we sat and ate gelato in the sunshine on Europe's widest staircase, the Spanish Steps.

Having previously visited Rome, Roslyn had more of an opportunity to observe the overall lack of cleanliness. While amazed by the history and appreciative of the major landmarks, Brendan was also disappointed by how unorganised and commercialised Rome seemed - he expected better from the capital city of Europe's most visited country.

The accommodation was also strange - the hotel we were booked into only had a few rooms available and so the rest of our group was sent around the corner to another building they owned. This building clearly didn't originate as a hotel, and at some point has just had walls and doors added in to create rooms - there was no consistency in furnishings, deco or room size.

Highlights:

- Piazza Venezia

- Trevi Fountain

- Pantheon

- Pope's blessing on Palm Sunday

- Tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forums (again, with a local guide who was absolutely terrible)

- Spanish Steps

- Gypsies again selling selfie sticks, but also some with handbags and sunglasses 

- Shit Pants ended his reign of inappropriateness on the group, returning home