Tuesday 26 January 2016

Italy - January 2016

Rome

The Guinness

After the challenges of visiting Belarus and Armenia last autumn in search of Guinness this trip proved to be a lot more straightforward in terms of logistics and Guinness availability.  Rome is well served in terms of Guinness outlets, both Irish pubs and Italian bars.  The question was which should I choose to go to to have my pint in.

An afternoon Guinness in Trinity College bar

I'd been here previously a few years ago when the Vatican City got picked out.  Back then the staff at the Trinity College Bar had been very helpful and facilitated the whole Guinness in St Peter's Square experience from supplying the Guinness to providing a reporter.  It seemed a natural choice therefore to choose Trinity College Bar as the place to return to to have my Guinness this time.

Giovanni helps with my quest.


Sometimes when I try to explain to bar tenders the challenge I have set myself they have that worried look on their face that they are being taken for a ride.  And who can blame them.  A man walks into their bar, pulls out a tatty box containing short lengths of straw and claims that his next destination is wrapped up on a bit of paper in one of those straws, and if you don't mind, Mr Barman, please picking it out for me.  In fairness, I too would think it was some sort of drugs con and when that worry subsided I would still be concerned that this weird person was going to occupy their bar stool for the rest of the day.  Giovanni was one of those barman that just seemed a little somewhat nervous, happy to take part and have his photograph taken and take mine but still no doubt wondering to this day whether it was all genuine.  Giovanni did succumb to picking a straw that contained my next destination, Paris.

Yes, it is getting a bit tatty after visiting 42 countries.

Trinity College Bar



The Sights

Can you tire of a great city such as Rome.  I don't think you can.  Having said that I think this visit somewhat lacked the wow factor that my first visit held. That was almost inevitable, especially having seem the most famous sights last time.  I toyed with the idea of going outside the centre to the Appian Way and catacombs but just could't get enthusiastic about it, not In January anyway.  My weekend therefore was spend seeking out some new corners of this city as well as revisiting some others.

Michelanglo's sculpture of Moses in San Pietro in Vincoli
Wandering around without any sort of plan in a particular can be frustrating but does have its advantages.  For instance, when you wander past a building and follow some tourists to see where they are going, only to find its a church containing a Michelangelo sculpture, the chains that bound Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem and some very Gothic sculptures of skeletons.

Difficult to visit Rome without returning to some of the old favorites - the Colosseum.


Accommodation

I suppose I could have varied things by staying somewhere different this time but I stuck with what I knew.  I Dormienti is both central, clean, welcoming and good value for money.  It's on the lovely narrow Via Urbana in the Monti district with its eateries and quirky shops and  a stones throw from the Colosseum.

No, not my accommodation which looked very bland from the outside.  The morning winter sunshine however brought out the colours on some expensive Rome residences very well indeed. 


Transport 

The sameness of this trip to Rome compared to the last even extended to the flights.  I flew with Monarch from Birmingham  to Fiumicino Airport and from there caught the Leonardo Express train into the centre of Rome which was only a ten minute walk from my hotel. There's an efficient transport system within Rome including a metro but I didn't need at this time as I walked everywhere as the weather was good.


Carry on up the Tiber - heading to St Peter's Square.


Team Make Up


This turned out to be a solo trip. We had discussed making it a family holiday but circumstances conspired against in including one member of the family putting their passport in the washing machine. It may result in a clean passport but makes it difficult to read at the same time. February half term looked a possibility at one stage but the Six Nations rugby championship has started by then and England play Italy in Rome making the flights expensive. All in all that's why it ended up being a weekend visit by myself.

Santa Maria Maggiore

The Food


One of these trips I'm going to be able to write reams about the local delicacies and the fine restaurants, but not this time. I snacked all weekend on pizzas and paninis. They just taste so much better than they do in the UK and its so easy to pop in somewhere, order and have it warmed up for you there and then.




Quirky Moments

The phone charger I'd brought with me didn't seem to like the different voltage system. Stepping out from the hotel in the morning I realised I needed to keep my eyes open for a shop selling chargers. I didn't have too far to go. About three doors down from where I was staying was a phone accessory shop selling the latest cheap imports from China. Back in my room I unpacked the charger and plugged it in. BANG. Back to the shop I go with the charger still smoldering to be greeted by a bemused shop assistant. Before I could try the replacement I had to wipe off the scorch marks off the socket and get the hotel manager to reset the trip switched. Luckily the replacement worked a treat.

St Peter's Square after the Sunday morning crowds had dispersed.


Lasting Memories

The centre of Rome is just crammed with attractive buildings of interest. In fact, it's hard to find an ugly sight in Rome whatsoever.



More photos of the trip can be seen by clicking here