When in Rome...

2019 BC (Before Covid)

I used to travel a lot back in 2019.  The trips were mostly for work, and a couple of times for leisure.  When COVID happened and borders shut down, well at least, hubby and I had fun travel memories to go back to.  Out of this situation, I began to truly appreciate the value of travel experiences over fancy, material things. 

Hello (once again), World! 

Today I did a quick experiment using the Canva app to share my trip to Rome and Vatican through this blog.  I'm not a photographer or videographer, though.  I just kinda felt that may be a photo and video collage would be sufficient to sum up our visit.  Scroll down for the link.  

Weeks before traveling

• Booked a flight from Berlin to Rome via Ryanair website
• Booked a hotel near the Vatican through Agoda - it was mainly intended for our 7am hassle-free Vatican guided tour
• Booked guided tours (small group only)

Five-day itinerary

Monday evening:  Hubby and I arrived at the Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport from Berlin. We participated in the 2019 Berlin Marathon, which I intend to share through another blog. 

Tuesday morning:  Guided tour of the Vatican Museum, including Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.  There was no wheelchair access at the Vatican Museum.  If you are planning to visit in the future and you're gonna need wheelchair access, please check up-to-date information from the museum's official website.  

Tuesday afternoon: Guided tour of the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill

Wednesday morning:  Papal Audience at the Vatican.  Then we also had a quick lunch just outside the walls of the Vatican.  The hole-in-the-wall restaurants there are serving some of the best paninis and gelatos in all of Rome.  

Wednesday afternoon:  Walking and Food Tour - Antica Salumeria (their Prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella are the best), Pantheon, Fontana de Trevi, Hosteria del Mercato, Pompi Tiramisu, and the Spanish Steps.

Thursday morning:  Rest.  Laundry (it was our 2nd week in EU) 

Thursday and Friday afternoon:  We went back to the Spanish Steps to dine and shop. 

Saturday morning:  Airport ---> homebound

Getting around:  walking, taxi, Uber 

Bottomline:  If you're the kind of traveler who appreciates or at least curious about culture / history / religion / cuisine / architecture - Rome and Vatican should be in your bucket list.  

Oh, and the weather.  We were there first week of October.  I enjoyed a healthy dose of sunshine and cool evenings.  Be sure to bring a bottle of water during your day tour - you'll do a lot of walking.  I don't normally drink water from the tap; but during this trip, I refilled my water bottle from the tap a couple of times.  I was fine. :) 

Imagine #PrayforParis

If I am to describe Paris in a sentence, I have to go for a simple, yet truthful statement.

Paris is a beautiful city.  

On a personal note, a travel to Paris three years ago helped me rediscover my center - that one thing I really wanted to do in life.  That marked the beginning of a new journey.  Paris will always be a meaningful place for me.  

Terror exists, in Paris and everywhere else. It attacks the very core of humanity.  However, I am faithful that the goodness in all of us will continue to prevail and triumphant. I can (still) imagine and dream of a better world.

#PrayforParis  

Source:  The song 'Imagine' was originally performed by John Lennon and Ono Plastic Band in 1971.  What you are about to listen to is the UNICEF rendition of that song.  The music video was grabbed from the Universal Music India YouTube Channel.

HPness!

It was early Sunday morning, and my feet were pounding the familiar streets of BGC.  I stopped running for a while and this was the first in several months.  

My memory sent me back to 2005, then 2008.  It's now 2013.  I had no idea that every piece of it would soon be over after eight years.  Memories, whether good or bad, prevented me to keep track of my run time.  I was temporarily lost with thoughts from the past until I caught a glimpse of the finish line. I was trying to clear my head.  My idea of 'clearing my head today' was to race in the 3 KM category.  It never felt this good.  I was racing, winning, and having fun...moving forward to a better life.  

What made it more exciting to reach the finish line for this race - I felt I found my new second home.  HPness!  =)

My first fun run in 5 months. It was not just about winning, but gaining the autonomy and perspective as to where I wanted to grow my career.  Happy and Progressive.  HP.  

A winning partnership (by God's Grace).  <3 font="">

NOT a Prenuptial Crisis: Sleepless over Paris

 

2:00AM - Wide awake.  Moments ago I was watching a music video by one of my favorite bands - Snow Patrol. It's for their song - Open Your Eyes.  I played it three times in a row.  Tears filled my eyes.  Two weeks into my wedding, I've become vulnerable to the idea of being single and the joy of traveling.  I've always wanted to see the world.  I really miss it.  It's more of exploring places and culture by myself - it's one afternoon of coffee, al fresco...watching people and the world go by.  I'm so at peace with it. 

This feeling suddenly hits me.  It's scary to a certain degree.  I should be over this, right?  Am I having a deep recollection of the book, Eat. Pray. Love?  Or may be it's about some sort of influence from the independent women of Sex and the City?  I really don't know which is which, but I feel that I have to let it out as a pre-wedding jitter.  As I'm writing this, I'm feeding my mind with positive thoughts...though my 'single life' will soon be over, I shall look forward to wonderful travel photos that speak of love and togetherness.

For now, my contentment lies in posting my favorite photos of Paris - the City of Light from my Seine River night cruise.

April 2012, I was a dreamy lady gazing at the most romantic facade of the Eiffel Tower...Time flies really fast...Carpe diem.  


Spring 2012 - 11:45PM - Never mind the near zero temperature - appreciating the grandeur, that is the Eiffel Tower. 

Pont Neuf (English, New Bridge) - oldest standing bridge across the Seine River in Paris.  It is an stone arch bridge built from 1578 to 1607.



Notre Dame de Paris (English, Our Lady of Paris) - It showcases one of the finest examples of the French Gothic Architecture.  It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral, seat of the Archdiocese of Paris. 

Latin Quarter - Paris' University Belt, named with reference to the Latin language - it was once the language of learning in the Middle Ages.

A structural marvel, completed by contractor Sir Gustave Eiffel in 1889, in celebration of the French Revolution's centenary.  The 'Metal Lady' lights up at night until 1am (up to 2am during the 3 months of summer).  The splendid (bluish white in this photo) lights twinkle every 30 minutes. 



(Night stroll, back to Radisson Blu) Boulevard Haussmann - a wide tree-lined boulevard, host to (mostly) apartment buildings with regulated cornice height.  It's O.C...but it's grand! 



----------------------------

Now, here's the music video that made both my eyes and mind opened until wee hours of the morning - the familiar route by the Seine River - Louvre - Opera Garnier - Galeries Lafayette - Eglise de la Sainte Trinite (my 'neighborhood' church for a few days) - Basilique du Sacre Coeur (serene, wonderful view of the Paris skyline minus the bustling city life)...the song that made me miss Paris and the sense of autonomy attributed to a collective state: single + traveling + learning + enjoying life.  It was a beautiful experience. 

Snow Patrol - Open Your Eyes (grabbed from SnowPatrolVEVO at YouTube)