All roads lead to Rome

“In Rome, the emperor sat in a special part of the Colosseum called the Caesarian Section”

The quote might serve more as an unwarranted distraction than food for thought. Nevertheless!

Come to Rome and you will find it in the same condition as it probably was during Caesar's time. Little has changed since then: same old piazzas teeming with swarms of painters, hawkers, kids, dogs and disguise-artists going about in a systematically random manner, grand structures of once the greatest global empire, narrow twisted lanes and streets with the ever frequent but still so elusive fragrance of pizza from the nearby cucina which tempts you again and again to amplify your calorific intake.

With tired bodies but curious souls, we came out of the metro near the banks of the silty Tiber and started walking in the direction towards which the crowd was going.
One way is to follow the conventional route taken by most of the tourists, especially Americans, that is - get inside an open top sightseeing bus which takes you to all the major places of interest without much effort. The other option is to forget about the guidebook or public transport and just get lost in the alleys and boulevards of the Caput Mundi, finding your own way to the major attractions, away from the maddening summer crowd and tourist traps. Incidentally, this random walk through less touristy areas also happens to be the cheapest since you can buy all kinds of stuff at local prices without having to pay exorbitantly. And of course, it feels more satisfying to be known as a traveler or explorer, rather than a tourist!

Vatican needs no explanation, the pictures should say it all. The seat of the Holy See and the Pope's own country is a small enclave inside the Italian capital and, with all its pomp and glory, never ceases to bedazzle the onlooker. The Saint Peter's square, the cathedral and the Vatican museum are all spectacles of a pure artistic grandeur. Despite the numerous instructions and notices to have one's shoulders and legs covered, you can still see bitches in tiny clothes trying to get inside the cathedral and being stopped at the gate by the security. Well, call it a cliche, but most blondes can give dumbness a run for money.

I shall avoid the fury of feminists though. Personally, I found Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia and St. Peter's square the best parts/structures of the city. Colosseum is grand, but has been made into too much of a fuss to be justified. I find Gwalior fort and Ranthambore richer and more majestic than this gladiators' arena, but again, that's a personal opinion. A friend suggested that one should go to Rome after reading Dan Brown's 'Angels and Demons' - maybe I'll read it before going to Rome the next time.

After exploring the imperial city through all of its seven hills and having feasted on lots of pizzas and lasagnas, we headed back to the hostel late in the night. But it started raining like hell and somehow we lost our way (the hostel was deep inside a forested resort, a little outside Rome, close to the sea). After making fool of ourselves for 80-90 minutes, we finally got inside the hostel and plunged onto the bed for a lovely and well-deserved sleep (the previous night was spent under the stars after all!). Next destination - Italian riviera.