Hey everyone!
We've moved our webpage to gypsysoulstravel.com! So check that site out for these old posts, new ones and more photos!
Thanks for your support!
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Our top 5 used travel products
Travelling is a learning experience especially when trying to figure out what to bring with you. I've thrown together a list of my favorite items that you wouldn't see me without.
1. Travelon purse- I have two sizes of these, a smaller and one that can carry everything and the kitchen sink. I've never felt unsafe while travelling but having these purses let me relax a little more. They have great anti-theft purses and backpacks that make it much harder for people to steal from you. I love the locking zippers because I have much less worry about pick pocketers (which we've seen in action). Anything that makes lives for thieves just a little harder makes it way more unlikely that you will be targeted.
http://www.travelonbags.com/anti-theft
2. Cabin Max backpack- This is just the one I use but any backpack that fits the strict rules for carryon sizes of European airlines. The cheap airlines like RyanAir and Easy Jet charge a lot of money to check a bag so the smartest thing is to travel with on carryon bags. A backpack is the smartest way to go in Europe because the cities are busy, a lot of cobblestone streets, and uphills. This backpack fits everything we need, we've packed for a one week trip for the two of us in just one of these (the other was filled with camera gear...)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V6Y64EK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
3. Soft cover folder with plastic sleeves- This is a relatively new discovery (props to Lee!) and it has been a great one. I place all of our needed paperwork like airplane tickets, train tickets, hotel reservations, etc in the plastic sleeves. I put them all in chronologically so I can easy pull out what we need when we need it. The sleeves are the best part because not only do they organize me but they are also waterproof which makes life much easier.
ps. Our folder is named "The (last name) Adventure Book"
4. Passport organizer- Most people, when travelling, carry multiple passports because of multiple family members and this isn't always easy. You have to remember to grab everybody's passports and anything extra that is needed like visas and if you forget anything else, these are the things that you just can't forget. Because of this, I keep all our passports and other travel documents that have to come with us on every international trip in my passport organizer. They never leave this place except to show them at boarders, of course. This has helped me avoid major headaches because I just have to remember this one thing and then I'll at least be able to enter the country I'm travelling to!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039SZABE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
5. Toiletry organizer- So I don't actually take this organizer with me on trips as it's too big and heavy but it keeps everything together at home. This makes life easier because before a trip I just grab everything I need out of it and go. But sometimes I will take the whole thing on trips where amount of stuff doesn't matter. Anyways, this is where I keep our travel toothbrushes (so we don't have to remember our normal ones the morning of the trip), toothpaste, meds, bandaids, hair brush, face wash, etc. Having travel versions of all our toiletries makes the morning of the flight a lot less hectic.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006I9YK8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Added bonus: Also, creating a universal packing list for your family is very smart. It's a great starting point and then you can add or take away things as needed for the trip at hand.
1. Travelon purse- I have two sizes of these, a smaller and one that can carry everything and the kitchen sink. I've never felt unsafe while travelling but having these purses let me relax a little more. They have great anti-theft purses and backpacks that make it much harder for people to steal from you. I love the locking zippers because I have much less worry about pick pocketers (which we've seen in action). Anything that makes lives for thieves just a little harder makes it way more unlikely that you will be targeted.
http://www.travelonbags.com/anti-theft
2. Cabin Max backpack- This is just the one I use but any backpack that fits the strict rules for carryon sizes of European airlines. The cheap airlines like RyanAir and Easy Jet charge a lot of money to check a bag so the smartest thing is to travel with on carryon bags. A backpack is the smartest way to go in Europe because the cities are busy, a lot of cobblestone streets, and uphills. This backpack fits everything we need, we've packed for a one week trip for the two of us in just one of these (the other was filled with camera gear...)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V6Y64EK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
3. Soft cover folder with plastic sleeves- This is a relatively new discovery (props to Lee!) and it has been a great one. I place all of our needed paperwork like airplane tickets, train tickets, hotel reservations, etc in the plastic sleeves. I put them all in chronologically so I can easy pull out what we need when we need it. The sleeves are the best part because not only do they organize me but they are also waterproof which makes life much easier.
ps. Our folder is named "The (last name) Adventure Book"
4. Passport organizer- Most people, when travelling, carry multiple passports because of multiple family members and this isn't always easy. You have to remember to grab everybody's passports and anything extra that is needed like visas and if you forget anything else, these are the things that you just can't forget. Because of this, I keep all our passports and other travel documents that have to come with us on every international trip in my passport organizer. They never leave this place except to show them at boarders, of course. This has helped me avoid major headaches because I just have to remember this one thing and then I'll at least be able to enter the country I'm travelling to!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039SZABE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
5. Toiletry organizer- So I don't actually take this organizer with me on trips as it's too big and heavy but it keeps everything together at home. This makes life easier because before a trip I just grab everything I need out of it and go. But sometimes I will take the whole thing on trips where amount of stuff doesn't matter. Anyways, this is where I keep our travel toothbrushes (so we don't have to remember our normal ones the morning of the trip), toothpaste, meds, bandaids, hair brush, face wash, etc. Having travel versions of all our toiletries makes the morning of the flight a lot less hectic.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006I9YK8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Added bonus: Also, creating a universal packing list for your family is very smart. It's a great starting point and then you can add or take away things as needed for the trip at hand.
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Differences between the US and the Uk as seen by me!
Alright, having lived in the UK for almost a year and working in a UK business, I have firsthand experienced the cultural differences. Yes, yes, we both speak English but that doesn't mean we always understand each other! Here are some differences I have come up with in case you feel like visiting one day!
Honking- Nope, doesn't happen here. If you're angry, flash your lights and say angry things to yourself. You only honk if you're about to die in an accident or you really need some help.
Driving- Well obviously there's the other side of the road stuff but they are also much politer drivers! If you're waiting to turn onto a busy road, I guarantee somebody will always stop to let you out. That's pretty awesome because some mornings, I have to wait for somebody to let me run across my house's busy street, have somebody let me open my car door (parked on street) and wait for somebody to allow me to pull into the street. It always happens! And quickly. This is probably one of my favorite things about English people. Also, please note that roundabouts are awesome and I dread seeing streetlights or stop signs again.
Crosswalks- Basically, they stop for people at crosswalks. If there's somebody waiting to cross, even on a really busy street, somebody will stop again. And if you don't stop while going the other way, you feel like a terrible person. I'm still in the American habit of "shoot I need to speed up before that pregnant lady reaches the edge of the street." Also, there are a billion types of crosswalks like the pelican crossing, puffin crossing and zebra crossing. I won't even pretend to know what they all mean!
Smaller- Everything is smaller here. The roads are skinnier, the cars are small, parking spaces tiny and rooms are smaller. This does make the roads just a bit scary to me. There's no room for not paying attention and drifting at all. Shoulders don't exist really. As for the cars, they're all hatchback basically. Trucks are quite rare. And parking..I've never been good at parking! But because I live here, I am getting much better! The spots are probably 2/3s the size of spots in the US. Rooms are smaller in houses because everything's older. Open plan wasn't popular back when many places were built.
Parking- I'm pretty sure every Brit is a professional parker. If you go into any car park (parking lot haha) then you will see nearly everyone backed into their spot. Not just pulling through but legit backed in. It's no secret that I'm not the best parker but these guys are just showing off. Also, parking tends to be a free for all. There are certain lines on the side of the road which show if you can park or not and if they're not there, then you can park where ever. Parking in the middle of the road turning a two lane road into a one lane is commonplace, same with parking on sidewalks.
Obstacle course- This is what I call the roads here. Like I said, they park wherever for the most part so you really have to pay attention. People do this on blind corners too so you have to basically just go around them and hope nobody comes! It's really fun when they're parked like that on both sides of the road. Another part of the obstacle course comes when you see a sign that reads this: "cars in middle of road." You see that and think "what?!" It means that the curve for people driving on the other side of the road is too tight for them to make.
Different words- I'm not always positive we speak the same language! Working in a UK office, I can't tell you the number of times I've said something and have only received blank stares in return. Like the word "restroom." That doesn't exist here! You need to call it the loo or toilet to be polite. Or there's bankers' draft instead of cashier's check. I'm the official translator in my office for the Americans that come in and vice versa.
Spelling- Many words are spelled similarly but have an extra "u" thrown in to mess with you. There's cheques instead of checks or centre for center. There are such small differences that sometimes you think you're a crazy person. I remember one day at work, I sat and stared at the word "mould" trying to figure out why it looked weird but spellchecked correctly. They added that darn "u."
Old stuff- It's no secret that the UK is an old country but it's unreal to experience in person. I live in a house that was built in 1844 and that's new here! You'll walk around somewhere and see signs that this building has been there since the 17th century. It's just crazy! You really realize just how baby the United States really is.
Talking to strangers- In the US, you're considered rude if you don't look people you walk by the eye and smile or say hi. If you try that in the UK, people will hurry away thinking you're a crazy person. Even in shops, you don't typically get greeted by the staff and that's totally normal.
Saying "hello"- When I walk into my office, the first think I always here is "are you alright?" The first time I heard this, I literally had no idea how to respond! It's the UK version of "how are you" not "are you about to die?"
Eating out- Man, do I miss the doggy bag. I feel so wasteful here since I never finish my entire meal but it's not a cultural thing to be able to bring it home. Also, you don't get free refills on drinks so you have to remember to ration your drinks. That's pretty sad. On that note, I miss ice! Brits don't do ice like Americans do and the drinks typically come to you lukewarm. The servers aren't in your face like the American version. They don't rely on tips so can let you eat in peace.
Measurements- The UK seems to be between the metric system, the US system their own unique brand. They use pounds for weight but up to a certain point, they use "stone" for a measurement too. That is about 14 pounds so they'll say like 10 stone and 10 pounds. Then they use miles per hours not kilometer but they definitely use Celsius. What a mix!
The humor- I love British humor! They have that dry sarcastic thing going on and that's what I use too. In the States, people don't always get my humor but that's not a problem here! There are so many shows that they have in both countries but are so much funnier here because of the commentary.
Guns/Personal defense- The English do not understand the American fascination with guns. It's extremely hard to get a gun here and rightfully so. Gun ownership just isn't an issue here. Now something I don't understand is some of the defense laws. If somebody comes into your property to steal something and they get hurt while at your property, they can sue you! That's just messed up. I like that I have the right to protect myself if needed in the United States but everybody is more protected here, even the criminals.
Those are just a few of the differences I came up with off the top of my head. These two countries speak the same language but the cultural differences are many. I love living here and learning new things about another cultures. If I didn't live here, I wouldn't ever be able to experience all these differences myself. Living in England is a wonderful experience.
Honking- Nope, doesn't happen here. If you're angry, flash your lights and say angry things to yourself. You only honk if you're about to die in an accident or you really need some help.
Driving- Well obviously there's the other side of the road stuff but they are also much politer drivers! If you're waiting to turn onto a busy road, I guarantee somebody will always stop to let you out. That's pretty awesome because some mornings, I have to wait for somebody to let me run across my house's busy street, have somebody let me open my car door (parked on street) and wait for somebody to allow me to pull into the street. It always happens! And quickly. This is probably one of my favorite things about English people. Also, please note that roundabouts are awesome and I dread seeing streetlights or stop signs again.
Crosswalks- Basically, they stop for people at crosswalks. If there's somebody waiting to cross, even on a really busy street, somebody will stop again. And if you don't stop while going the other way, you feel like a terrible person. I'm still in the American habit of "shoot I need to speed up before that pregnant lady reaches the edge of the street." Also, there are a billion types of crosswalks like the pelican crossing, puffin crossing and zebra crossing. I won't even pretend to know what they all mean!
Smaller- Everything is smaller here. The roads are skinnier, the cars are small, parking spaces tiny and rooms are smaller. This does make the roads just a bit scary to me. There's no room for not paying attention and drifting at all. Shoulders don't exist really. As for the cars, they're all hatchback basically. Trucks are quite rare. And parking..I've never been good at parking! But because I live here, I am getting much better! The spots are probably 2/3s the size of spots in the US. Rooms are smaller in houses because everything's older. Open plan wasn't popular back when many places were built.
Parking- I'm pretty sure every Brit is a professional parker. If you go into any car park (parking lot haha) then you will see nearly everyone backed into their spot. Not just pulling through but legit backed in. It's no secret that I'm not the best parker but these guys are just showing off. Also, parking tends to be a free for all. There are certain lines on the side of the road which show if you can park or not and if they're not there, then you can park where ever. Parking in the middle of the road turning a two lane road into a one lane is commonplace, same with parking on sidewalks.
Obstacle course- This is what I call the roads here. Like I said, they park wherever for the most part so you really have to pay attention. People do this on blind corners too so you have to basically just go around them and hope nobody comes! It's really fun when they're parked like that on both sides of the road. Another part of the obstacle course comes when you see a sign that reads this: "cars in middle of road." You see that and think "what?!" It means that the curve for people driving on the other side of the road is too tight for them to make.
Different words- I'm not always positive we speak the same language! Working in a UK office, I can't tell you the number of times I've said something and have only received blank stares in return. Like the word "restroom." That doesn't exist here! You need to call it the loo or toilet to be polite. Or there's bankers' draft instead of cashier's check. I'm the official translator in my office for the Americans that come in and vice versa.
Spelling- Many words are spelled similarly but have an extra "u" thrown in to mess with you. There's cheques instead of checks or centre for center. There are such small differences that sometimes you think you're a crazy person. I remember one day at work, I sat and stared at the word "mould" trying to figure out why it looked weird but spellchecked correctly. They added that darn "u."
Old stuff- It's no secret that the UK is an old country but it's unreal to experience in person. I live in a house that was built in 1844 and that's new here! You'll walk around somewhere and see signs that this building has been there since the 17th century. It's just crazy! You really realize just how baby the United States really is.
Talking to strangers- In the US, you're considered rude if you don't look people you walk by the eye and smile or say hi. If you try that in the UK, people will hurry away thinking you're a crazy person. Even in shops, you don't typically get greeted by the staff and that's totally normal.
Saying "hello"- When I walk into my office, the first think I always here is "are you alright?" The first time I heard this, I literally had no idea how to respond! It's the UK version of "how are you" not "are you about to die?"
Eating out- Man, do I miss the doggy bag. I feel so wasteful here since I never finish my entire meal but it's not a cultural thing to be able to bring it home. Also, you don't get free refills on drinks so you have to remember to ration your drinks. That's pretty sad. On that note, I miss ice! Brits don't do ice like Americans do and the drinks typically come to you lukewarm. The servers aren't in your face like the American version. They don't rely on tips so can let you eat in peace.
Measurements- The UK seems to be between the metric system, the US system their own unique brand. They use pounds for weight but up to a certain point, they use "stone" for a measurement too. That is about 14 pounds so they'll say like 10 stone and 10 pounds. Then they use miles per hours not kilometer but they definitely use Celsius. What a mix!
The humor- I love British humor! They have that dry sarcastic thing going on and that's what I use too. In the States, people don't always get my humor but that's not a problem here! There are so many shows that they have in both countries but are so much funnier here because of the commentary.
Guns/Personal defense- The English do not understand the American fascination with guns. It's extremely hard to get a gun here and rightfully so. Gun ownership just isn't an issue here. Now something I don't understand is some of the defense laws. If somebody comes into your property to steal something and they get hurt while at your property, they can sue you! That's just messed up. I like that I have the right to protect myself if needed in the United States but everybody is more protected here, even the criminals.
Those are just a few of the differences I came up with off the top of my head. These two countries speak the same language but the cultural differences are many. I love living here and learning new things about another cultures. If I didn't live here, I wouldn't ever be able to experience all these differences myself. Living in England is a wonderful experience.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Nothing Like Driving a Porsche...
Lee has officially declared that he "has the best in-laws ever!" Apparently the way to a man's heart is to let him drive a Porsche. My parents bought him this experience for his big Christmas gift and boy, was he happy.
We headed over to Silverstone, which is where they do Formula One racing. Porsche has their own tracks there for people to drive on. They do it for entertainment and to teach people how to better control their Porsche.
After first arriving, we walked around the display room where we got to jump inside all the cars and check them out.
Soon we decided to head up to have a three course lunch which was a part of the experience. And it was a fantastic lunch! But in my opinion, anything that has to do with Porsche has to be good.
After finishing lunch, our driver guide for the day met us. We walked own to the track where they keep the driving cars and we found the first car that Lee would be driving.
I waited for Lee to finish then headed down to meet them as I got to be in the next car. It went off-roading and was slightly terrifying. We went straight up hills and straight back down them. Going downhill, the driver pressed a "downhill" button and then took his feet off both pedals. The car did the rest of the work! This car did tons of crazy things, it was so much fun to be inside of!
The next car I was inside of too. This was more speed oriented. He put the pedal to the metal and showed us what the car could do! He also emergency breaked the car and swerved "around a kid" and kept in complete control. He was going so fast around turns and straightaways, it was epic!
I hopped out after some stomach turning fun and Lee got to drive his last car. Apparently, he did some crazy fast things too!
Going back inside, Lee did NOT want to leave. He has never really been a huge car guy but apparently a Porsche is a whole other level as he was a kid in a candy shop. There were so many smiles!
And the rest of the two hour car ride home I got to hear "I want a Porsche" over and over and over and over...
Lee here, figured I had to add in a couple things because as she said she wasn't with me the entire time. First off let me say, I want a Porsche. Now about my first car driving experience. Steve (my "instructor") had me warm up to the car a little bit by driving a few laps around one of their small tracks. After like 4 or 5 laps he decided it was time to test my driving abilities. So what he did was had me drive over to a set of sprinklers that were spraying the concrete. I was told to drive between 2 little curbs where a "kickplate" would send the car into a fishtail. He told me to give it a go to see how I would do and then correct my mistakes afterward. I failed that time, however he said that I did everything correctly just since I wasn't sure how it would feel when it happened I was slow to react. After I did it the next 3 times flawlessly he let me know that I've done the best at it that he has ever seen (other than the professional drivers like himself, of course).
After that the next car was like a small SUV, which we took off roading. Since Madison already talked about the off-roading part I'll move on, passing over that and the next car where Steve went launching the car and emergency braking. We did learn that Porsche has an awesome theory: you should be able to brake in half the time you can accelerate. So if you go 0-60mph in 4 seconds, then you should go 60pmh-0 in 2 seconds. And they sure did that.
The last car that I drove I got to do the launching and emergency braking. So apparently this car and the one before had a luxury, sport, and sport plus settings, all so that you could get a little more power out of the car albeit it made you feel when the car shifted gears. So once again he had me do a couple laps to warm up to this car before I got to launch the car. Apparently the car had a built in setting where it would get as much grip as possible and get all the power possible. When he explained how to do it I was apprehensive until I launched it. I had to use my left foot and hold the brake, and then stomp on the gas, all the way to the floor. The first time I tried to stomp the gas I didn't press the pedal fast enough so Steve had me stop and redo it. After holding both of the pedals for a second I had to get off the brake while still holding the gas completely down. When the cars launched they really sat you back into your seat. Basically, it was an amazing day. Oh, and by the way.....
We headed over to Silverstone, which is where they do Formula One racing. Porsche has their own tracks there for people to drive on. They do it for entertainment and to teach people how to better control their Porsche.
After first arriving, we walked around the display room where we got to jump inside all the cars and check them out.
 |
| Lee's dream car |
 |
| Annnnd I'll take this car |
 |
| and I bet we couldn't even afford a bike |
Soon we decided to head up to have a three course lunch which was a part of the experience. And it was a fantastic lunch! But in my opinion, anything that has to do with Porsche has to be good.
After finishing lunch, our driver guide for the day met us. We walked own to the track where they keep the driving cars and we found the first car that Lee would be driving.
 |
| some good looking backsides... |
I waited for Lee to finish then headed down to meet them as I got to be in the next car. It went off-roading and was slightly terrifying. We went straight up hills and straight back down them. Going downhill, the driver pressed a "downhill" button and then took his feet off both pedals. The car did the rest of the work! This car did tons of crazy things, it was so much fun to be inside of!
 |
| going up! |
The next car I was inside of too. This was more speed oriented. He put the pedal to the metal and showed us what the car could do! He also emergency breaked the car and swerved "around a kid" and kept in complete control. He was going so fast around turns and straightaways, it was epic!
I hopped out after some stomach turning fun and Lee got to drive his last car. Apparently, he did some crazy fast things too!
Going back inside, Lee did NOT want to leave. He has never really been a huge car guy but apparently a Porsche is a whole other level as he was a kid in a candy shop. There were so many smiles!
And the rest of the two hour car ride home I got to hear "I want a Porsche" over and over and over and over...
Lee here, figured I had to add in a couple things because as she said she wasn't with me the entire time. First off let me say, I want a Porsche. Now about my first car driving experience. Steve (my "instructor") had me warm up to the car a little bit by driving a few laps around one of their small tracks. After like 4 or 5 laps he decided it was time to test my driving abilities. So what he did was had me drive over to a set of sprinklers that were spraying the concrete. I was told to drive between 2 little curbs where a "kickplate" would send the car into a fishtail. He told me to give it a go to see how I would do and then correct my mistakes afterward. I failed that time, however he said that I did everything correctly just since I wasn't sure how it would feel when it happened I was slow to react. After I did it the next 3 times flawlessly he let me know that I've done the best at it that he has ever seen (other than the professional drivers like himself, of course).
After that the next car was like a small SUV, which we took off roading. Since Madison already talked about the off-roading part I'll move on, passing over that and the next car where Steve went launching the car and emergency braking. We did learn that Porsche has an awesome theory: you should be able to brake in half the time you can accelerate. So if you go 0-60mph in 4 seconds, then you should go 60pmh-0 in 2 seconds. And they sure did that.
The last car that I drove I got to do the launching and emergency braking. So apparently this car and the one before had a luxury, sport, and sport plus settings, all so that you could get a little more power out of the car albeit it made you feel when the car shifted gears. So once again he had me do a couple laps to warm up to this car before I got to launch the car. Apparently the car had a built in setting where it would get as much grip as possible and get all the power possible. When he explained how to do it I was apprehensive until I launched it. I had to use my left foot and hold the brake, and then stomp on the gas, all the way to the floor. The first time I tried to stomp the gas I didn't press the pedal fast enough so Steve had me stop and redo it. After holding both of the pedals for a second I had to get off the brake while still holding the gas completely down. When the cars launched they really sat you back into your seat. Basically, it was an amazing day. Oh, and by the way.....
I WANT A PORSCHE!!!!!!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Birthday weekend in Rome and The Vatican!
http://youtu.be/WnGWCF-x5aM
The Basics:
We used City Wonders for our Colosseum tour and What a Life for our Vatican tour. Both are highly recommended. We stayed in a nice apartment for two people and will be happy to give you info on it!
Rome has been one of my top two destinations that I wanted to see for as long as I remember, it's always between Rome and Machu Picchu for number one. Now imagine my excitement when we decided to make my birthday weekend a long one and celebrate it in this wonderful destination! Needless to say, we did a lot of indulging over the weekend.
We rented another apartment and its location was fantastic. It was literally one block away from the Colosseum. I loved just taking a step out and being able to go there anytime of the day that I wanted really easily.
Our first full day we had to wake up nice and early. I had booked a tour with City Wonders and the tour started at 8:30am. The tour was of the Colosseum underground and 3rd tier. You can only get into those two sections with a tour guide so your group is the only group there and you're not surrounded by people.
A good note for people: go to the Colosseum early, whether you book a tour or not. The place was completely dead that early in the morning, we were really surprised. Our tour guide was an architect so she really knew her stuff and gave us so much information! I think Rome is somewhere you need tours. I mean, these sites are over 2000 years old which is insane and there's no way you can truly appreciate them if you don't have some background information.
The first part of the tour brought us to the stage level. We were able to stand on the re-created stage of the Colosseum. It was a beautiful view all around us and there was barely anybody else around. You could just imagine the place being full (somewhere between 60,000 and 70,000 people) and the things that happened on the floor.
 |
| walking through |
Next, we headed even deeper into the Colosseum, into the underground section. This was where they kept the animals and people in the shows or fights. They actually had an elevator system to get stuff and people onto the stage. There is records of forests being put on stage for shows by this system. The underground was cool because you really got to see the inner workings on the Colosseum. There was even an underground river that they used, like for when the water was needed in the maritime battles.
 |
| yes, that is straight across. lots of engineering! |
 |
| those are slices of the original floor |
 |
| underground river |
 |
| original stairs |
We headed up to the third tier next and that afforded some wonderful views. The high tiers were where women were sat. We learned that there used to be a awning that went over the Colosseum. It was attached to wooden poles and went through the holes that are at the top. When it was sunny, guys rolled them out like ship sails. And the guys who did this were sailors! That's something I had no idea about.
After spending time up on the top, we headed back down. We headed out of the Coloseum and onto the next part of our tour!
 |
| The white line of rocks shows where the Colosseum used to come out to! |
 |
| Ancient Road |
A cool feature was Julius Cesar's tomb! Or rather, what's left of it. It used to be a huge tomb but now is some small ruins.
Another cool place in the Forum was Casa delle Vestali (House of the Vestal Virgins). These priestess were chosen from families when they were between the ages of 6 and 10. They had to serve for 30 years. These priestesses had to be virgins for the full 30 years or else they were killed. But the trick was that nobody wanted to kill one of these women so they'd throw them in a room with bread and water and leave them until they starved to death. Or she'd be buried alive. That sounds worse than somebody just chopping! Oh and their job was to tend to the Sacred Flame and it could never go out.
It sounds pretty terrible but there were some perks. Their fathers weren't in control of them so they had independence unlike normal women in their time. They also got the best seats in the Coloseum, had their own dorms and had people to cook for them. So at least there's that..
Another story I loved was how they unearthed this temple below. It was originally a temple for the old religion. When they unearthed it, I don't remember when this happened but the people fell in love with the columns. Those columns are original and are absolutely beautiful. So they tried to take the columns to use them elsewhere but cracked them! Therefore, instead they decided to make the temple into a church..all because they loved those columns.
Next we saw the Arch of Titus. It was built in AD 81 to celebrate Vespasian and Titus' victories against Jerusalem. There are a bunch of Archs in Rome. They are all along this same road/route that rulers would once they return from their victories. The arches were built after every victory so that Romans could understand what happened. They put the story of the victories in artwork all over the arches since Romans were illiterate.
After the tour, we headed back toward the Colosseum for more pictures (since I'm obsessed) and check out the Arch of Constantine. This arch was another one of those victory arches built. It was built to celebrate Constantine's victory over the paegen emperor, Maxentius. Constantine was the leader who legalized Christianity in Rome. This is also the reason why the arch still stands. The popes in later years, took down many of these arches but left this one because of what it represented.
Our tour was a good 3.5 hours long so we headed back to the apartment afterwards to relax a little bit. After some napping, we headed back out to the city. First we stopped at the Victor Emmanuel Monument. It holds the tomb of the unknown soldier. It is a fantastic piece of art.
We headed for the Pantheon next. the Pantheon still holds the word's largest reinforced concrete dome and this thing was built two thousand years ago! Unbelievable! It is one of the best preserved ancient Roman buildings and has been in continuous use throughout its lifetime. And it holds some impressive people's tombs like the artist Raphael. That is just amazing.
 |
| on our way |
 |
| the people are tiny! |
The Piazza Navona was our next destination. It has some beautiful statues and fountains. It also has some great gelato!
 |
| I want to eat Hazelnut gelato forever |
Later that night, we went to the Colosseum to get some night photos. It is just unreal at night.
And then we went to bed early since our tour the next day started at 7:30am! Our next day's tour was of The Vatican! Neither of us are religious but I respect the current Pope and the changes he seems to be making. Also, I love the history of the Vatican. It's such a small place to hold so much power in the world. They're controlled a lot of the world and influenced many people and have also had their fair share of scandal.
Our tour was so stupid early because we started our tour before the general public was allowed inside. We did this so we could see the Sistine Chapel before the massive crowds and it was so worth it. It was mesmerizing just walking to the Sistine Chapel. The ceilings left us in awe, they were breath taking.
 |
| mmmm. no crowds! |
A really cool room was the Gallery f Maps. It has painted maps from the 16th century that show all of italy. They are extremely detailed and thought out. They are even usable today.
Stepping into the Sistine Chapel was an unforgettable experience. You can't talk or take pictures inside unfortunately but it really is something you just need to experience. Michaelangelo was unreal in his artwork. He painted columns and coves into the ceiling that looked completely 3D. There was no way to tell that the paintings were actually 2D, just unbelievable. I mean, even the walls blew my mind. They were painted curtains that I actually had to walk right up to so that I could tell if they were real or not, which they weren't! I cannot imagine the skill that it takes to paint this amazing room.
Fun fact: Michelangelo got this job because Raphael and another artist of the day recommended him to the Pope. Raphael and Michelangelo were rivals so Raphael was hoping him to fail. But later on, when Raphael went in with the Pope to view the room, he was in awe. He was completely amazed.
 |
| of course, not my photo but see the amazing skills and 3D effect?! |
And now we will go over some notable artwork! Below is the statue of Apollo.
And this statue below is considered to show one of the best faces of emotion sculpted ever. Michelangelo loved this statue. It is ancient Greek and was found during his time. In fact, the statue's right arm was missing so Michelangelo sculpted a new one. He used what he knew of Greek sculpture and human anatomy to create the arm how he thinks it would have been. And later, in more modern times when we found the arm, Michelangelo's take on it was about perfect. His arm was taken off and the original has been attached.
The statue below is an original ancient Greek. It carries an inscription saying that it was hit by lightening. Today, experts believe that the statue was hit by lightening and unhurt so it was buried into the ground to protect it forever. It's a good thing they did this because of the condition it's in now.
We went to the Raphael Rooms next. His artwork was beyond amazing too.
 |
| painted by Raphael's pupil |
Still in the Raphael Rooms, there's a really great painting. He has painted many famous people into it including Michelangelo. Remember how they were big rivals? Raphael was so amazed by the Sistine Chapel that he painted Michelangelo in respect.
The next few rooms belonged to the Borgia Pope. That family was famous for its scandals, murders and other interesting things that happened in his reign. In fact, the next pope refused to stay in these rooms and created new ones.
 |
| original ceiling |
 |
| Pope John Paul II's tomb |
 |
| those letters are each two meters tall! |
 |
| only the Pope can walk here |
Below is the outside of the door that is very powerful for Catholics. It is only opened once every 25 years and whoever walks through it is absolved of their sins. The other side is cement and the Pope has to chip through the cement to get to the doors.
 |
| cement door |
Below is the statue of St.Peter. If you rub his right foot, it is supposed to give you good luck. Of course, we did this!
We next headed outside the Basilica and up to the top of the Dome. I couldn't wait to see these views that are so famous. The stairs were something else! It was like a funhouse with how tilted they are. It was worth it.
All too soon, we headed back down and headed into the main plaza.
 |
| The Swiss Guard (Pope's body guards, basically) |
 |
| St. Peter's |
There are so many amazing things in Rome to see. Seeing something 2000 years old is pretty normal here which is just unreal. We both absolutely loved this city (Lee wants to live in the Colosseum..) and want to go back to see more one day! But I am thankful for the time we had and am so glad did tours. We got so much more from the tours than just seeing some old buildings. We both loved that part so I guess we will be taking more in the future! To be somewhere you've dreamed of going for forever is an unforgettable experience and I got to experience it with my husband who makes everything more fun.
Some things we heard before going:
1. Lots of pickpocketters
-we had no problems but we are very vigilant. It didn't seem any more different than going to London
2. It's diry
-Comeon people. It's a big city! It's got some grime but it's got old grime which is so much cooler.
Again, we say go and enjoy! Learn for yourself how the city is! We loved it and can't wait to return to see things that were under renovation like the Trevi Fountain!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)