Rome didn't start off well at all. We had been on the coast of the Adriatic Sea for a couple days enjoying some down time before crossing westward to Rome. On the way we got a flat tire. "Jess, do you feel that? It's like I'm driving on eggs," said Steve when the car started to wobble a bit. We slowed down and pulled into a rest stop. This was a no-utility stop, only a parking lot with some tables in the grass. And of course, I really really had to pee. I had to trudge down a steep hill to a spot where none of the semi trucks parked above were in view. I wasn't the first. Eww. Steve walked back up the freeway to see which exit we were at and then called the ADAC (the German AAA). After about an hour a young chubby guy with sagging pants pulled up in a tow truck and was clearly in a bad mood. He had to really struggle with the bolts to get to bad tire off and looked like he wanted to curse. That was after he dented the van trying to put the jack under the side panel. As if the poor van wasn't torn up enough already.

So, after the grumpy tow truck guy poured a bucket of sweat onto the steaming pavement, he took down the information he needed, refused our offer of water, and drove off. We had no idea what the condition of the spare was so we drove carefully to a nearby exit where we were planning on asking somebody where a tire place was. We saw the Michelin Man on a banner next to a driveway and though, why not? We drove up the gravel road to find a mechanic shop. The greasy shop guys were very helpful despite the language barrier and one of them even drove to a friend's shop to pick up the size tire we needed because they didn't have it. While a young guy and a girl in velour sweat pants changed the tire, we talked to a jolly Italian guy who I assume ran the place. He told us about his heart condition and the time he got a speeding ticket in Germany while not wearing his seat belt. We had a good time chatting then paid 100 Euros and were on the road again.

We arrived to the first place in Rome where we were going to stay a couple nights. After settling in and putting out the table and chairs, Steve went to use the bathroom. He came back to report there wasn't a bathroom. This had been a big misunderstanding with reception. They only had a chemical toilet to dump the waste. So, we packed up again and drove to another place we found online. Although it was 30 Euros a night, it was perfect. It was a campground/hostel with a pool, two bars, a restaurant, magnificent bathrooms, 24-hour laundry, a mini market and free internet. We settled in for the night after a dip in the pool and planned on spending the next two days exploring Rome.

The first day in Rome was close to terrible. First of all (our mistake) it was a national holiday. June 2nd (Festa della Repubblica) celebrates Italy becoming a Republic after WWII. It is the equivalent of the 4th of July in the US. And as Rome is the capitol, thousands of Italians flocked to the city for the day of celebrations and the military parade, which we watched a bit of near the Colosseum. On top of it being a holiday, it was a Saturday. Double trouble. This is the day we had chosen to tour Vatican City and the Vatican. It was a mad house. A charming Australian guy on the street reeled us in to join a tour. After adding up the prices of getting into the sights we wanted to see, it was only a few Euros more and it let us skip all the lines. So, we went with it. It was a wise choice. Although it was hard to understand the tour guide's strong Italian accent, she knew a lot and seemed to enjoy her job. We saw the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. It was overwhelmingly amazing. The crowds in the museums, however, were terrible. It was jam-packed. We could barely stop to look at something for more than a few seconds because hoards of people behind us were shoving through and our tour guide's little scarf-topped stick was quickly disappearing. If you got too far behind, the reception on the headset started to go fuzzy so I missed a lot of information. My favorite parts of the museum were the hall of tapestries and the hall of maps. The intricate detail is unbelievable. Upon leaving I popped into a mobile Vatican post office (it has its own postal system separate from that of Rome) and bought two stamps to send postcards to my mom.

For lunch we stopped in at a very busy restaurant, which is usually a good sign. After getting wilted salad and stale bread, our food came. It was the grossest pasta I have ever seen and tasted. Steve's carbonara had slimy, uncooked egg dripping from the noodles and my lasagna was so mushy I guessed it had been made several days before, frozen, and then stuck in a microwave. The waitress had an enormous sore on her lip which was covered with a clear blister bandaid and she was constantly sneezing or coughing into her hands and then wiping them on her apron. I doubt she took the time to wash up before bringing out the food. We found ourselves trying to deter other tourists stopping to look at the outdoor menu with sideways glances and head shakes. We left as soon as possible and tried to forget about it.

Later we decided to treat ourselves to a gelato. We found a place where people were getting two or three scoop cones with little edible decorations stuck into them. We thought, ok it might be 5 or 6 Euros each but it seemed worth it. After ordering and getting our cones we went to pay and it was 35 freakin' Euros. 35! Steve's was 20 and mine cost 15! WTF!? We were stunned. I still smiled for the photo but Steve couldn't bring himself to do it. At least it was delicious.

We wrapped up the day with a visit to the over-crowded Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps and then decided that the pool was calling our names. We took the metro to the bus stop and waited for an hour for the bus to arrive. When it did, it was packed full. A few people jammed on but the majority of the 60 or so people waiting at the stop were out of luck. We had no choice but to walk, that or wait another hour. We walked 30 minutes to the campground, part of which was on the side of the highway. It was a pretty bad day.

Our second day was much improved. The city was less crowded. We spent the day walking around seeing the sights. Our first stop was the Pantheon. It was incredible. Steve took some amazing pictures there. Afterward we went to the Colosseum to get our voucher exchanged for tickets that let us into the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Our tour of the Colosseum was later in the day. We walked around, took pictures and marveled at how old everything was. It's hard to imagine. I loved studying Greek and Roman mythology in school so it was fun to see the places I had only read about. The Colosseum tour was amazing. We saw the lower levels where the animals were kept and the uppermost level (the one that remains) with great views of the city. Our tour guide was good but flustered over some technical difficulties with the headsets and having to run down a guy who was wandering areas he wasn't allowed in. She kept apologizing. Overall, it was a good second day.

I don't think it was the city's fault so much as the chain of events, but nonetheless I was not swept off my feet by the ancient city. It was amazing but also overwhelming. I think it would be best appreciated over a longer stay, seeing one or two things a day and really soaking it all in. I was glad to have seen it and also glad to move on. Besides, Tuscany was calling and I could practically smell it.