pancakes & bananas?: 17 Aug. Gladiators and Artisans

Its 0150 and i just started my entry. falling asleep already. Today was the day we visited the Colosso and explored ancient rome. But as always, we had to start with some food. Had brunch at a nearby diner. Not only did it suck so badly, it was pretty expansive.

Today we had a go on the metro. haha it made us kinda malu because we didnt know the roma pass was chip embedded and could just tap through to enter the metro. i mean like who would think a piece of thicker paper would have a chip inside!

Exiting Colosso station, the Colosseum greeted us with a BOOM! It was this massive structure just outside the metro station and boy the weather was hot! Entrance to the colosseum snaked out from inside to the outside. Thanks to the roma pass, we were able to by pass all of it (probably 1hr+) to enter immediately. Audio guide went for 5.50 euros (no student rate wtf and they didnt accept my ISIC card as a valid Identification card) and i felt it was good to give an overview of the history and the different significance of the various parts of the colosseum.

Walking down Via Del Fori Imperiali, we walked passed Foro Romano (Roman forums, were actually just huge ass ruins) to Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II. Its this gigantic building with great skyline views of rome. You can literally see the poping domes and obelisks around town! Searching for food which were all off for vacation, ended up at Campo De Flori and found Camoi de Flori, a bakery that sold cheap pastry and pizza slices! Do try Pizza Bianca & Rossa there. Searching for our as usual closed food sources, we ventured into the alleys of Ancient Rome and Centro Storico, where artisans and quaint little shops lined the cobblestoned road. It somewhat reminds me of a nicer version of our Haji lane. Stumbled upon Yogurteria Creperia l'Angolo dell'Artista (Largo dei Librari, 86), a Yogurt place which apparently only sold sobe and gelato. Sobe was extremely refreshing after a long day of walking under the hot sun. a medium cup goes for 2.50 Euros.

Vernon, constantly on a food hunt, found Frigidarium (Via Del Governo Vecchio 112), a super cheap gelato place which had 2 flavors for 2 Euros but wait for it...., it offered cream or chocolate coating. and omg its like those kind of magnum choc coating. food orgasm i tell you. Alley after alley, it offered this nice italian touch of alfresco dining and small shops which made you want to continue walking, which we did till we reached Piazza Navona. It was this big square which housed 3 fountains with many different symbolic meanings. Buskers and artists added colour to the place. haha, we spent our time there taking many random shots and videos (imagine us dancing in the middle of the square) oblivious to the surround stares and thought we could start collecting busking money too heh. Shearn even got his first fan demonstrating to him how to do a proper dance move.

Navigating through the now dinner crowd (omg i still dont know why dinner starts at 8 here) we found ourselves at the Trevali Fountain Di Trevi. IT WAS a SQUEEZE FEST there! filled with soooo many people that one couldn't really appreciate the fountain. Like i said, do as the romans do, which was to throw a coin into the fountain. According to tradition, throwing the 1 coin ensures your return to the Eternal City. Throwing the 2nd coin in would make you fall in love with an italian while a third will have you marrying him/her. By now, it was completely nightfall and the small lanes were lined with alfresco dining sets and accordion/sax players which added to the mood. Went to the spanish steps to see see and finally set down for dinner at Antica Enoteca (Via della Croce 76). Finally had Cacio e pepe, pasta with ew cheese and olive oil. Im still craving for meal actually.

After our meal with toad feeling high from his 7% beer, going back was the most viable option and trying to find the MA 5 bus stop (replacement bus service for the track maintenance for the metro) led us further, reaching Piazza del Popolo. okay omg i'm falling asleep writing this. shall go sleep! Ciaos!