Sunday 28 December 2014

Hello Rome, We Meet Again

Oh My God!  I haven't blogged in ages.  So long that I have forgotten my email address.  I went to a full on panic mode when I entered my old email address and I was told that the email has been deleted.  Yes, I have used several email addresses in the past and created more than one blog. I belong to the era where everyone wanted to write and over exposed themselves.  :P  I had a personal blog once, a fashion blog and a blog to sell my clothes but I only maintained this one as my personal life has began stagnant, my fashion went nowhere and I have sold all my unwanted clothes.  

From July until November, I was focused on work.  Honestly, the only social life I had was my workmate's leaving do.  I was basically married to my job.  Travelling 20 hours each week, working full time and working for my dream job.  Only now I realised that I shouldn't waste too much time on work but on things that matters.  Anyway, this is a travel blog so let me tell you about my trip to Rome.

This isn't my first time to Rome.  Let's get that out of the way.  Rome holds a special place to my heart as it was one of the first European countries that I've been in.  It was also the starting point of my 2009 European trip.  2009 was my most challenging year.  It was the year that I lost my first high paying job, I experienced a proper broken heart, my family got separated to work in different countries and it was also the year that I started dating my husband.  Just telling you about it makes me feel exhausted.  Rome is a city full of history.  It is exciting if you are into it, but not so if you hate walking.  This trip was planned but I had nothing on our agenda as it was my MIL's 60th.

I had to work boxing day and my husband booked a late flight so when we arrived in Rome, it was almost time for dinner.  The first night was spent eating seafood, pasta and cheese and drinking Proseco.  :)  The following day, we woke up early for the mass in Vatican.

Shot of the Vatican City at 7:30am on a Sunday.

As a Catholic, there is nothing more exciting than attending a mass in Vatican or seeing the Pope.  Luckily, I was able to experience both in the same day.  On our first trip to the Vatican, we were able to see the old Pope, Pope Benedict and attend his mass as well. This time, we attended a mass in Italian by a Vatican priest where I had to respond in either English or Tagalog.  I know how mass sequence goes but I also had to focus on trying to understand what the Priest is saying as I don't know how to speak Italian.  Some words I did understood so I just had to piece together what the Priest was saying.  If you want to go to the Vatican City or attend the mass, I suggest you go super early so you don't have to queue.  It's nice to see the square deserted as well and you don't have to queue up to get inside the St. Peter's.  On Sundays, Pope Francis gives his speech as well.  I was on the verge of crying just experiencing his Holiness.  

From the Vatican, we walked to the Pantheon.  It was a 20-30 minutes walk.  Apparently, it was a Pagan site until it was converted into a Church.  Forgive my photos as everything was taken from my iPhone. 

My photo don't do justice to the place.  It was a magnificent structure that survived the test of time.

From Pantheon, you can walk to the Roman Forum and the Colosseo Roma.  At this point, I was knackered and my feet was hurting so we had to go back to the hotel and rest before my MIL's birthday dinner.

My MIL's birthday was a success.  It was very intimate, immediate family only and partners.  I am lucky as my MIL is incredibly generous and kind woman.  She thinks about her family first and is extremely over protective of the people that she loves.  She raised her children well and I thank my lucky stars everyday that I met my husband.  

 My husband and I overjoyed.  Not even a drop of Proseco at this point.
That parcel was filled with cheese.  Cheese with pancetta and asparagus is amazing together. 
The chocolate panna cotta that is a normal panna cotta drizzled with chocolate.  You had me fooled then.  Nothing still beats the panna cotta in Morocco.  

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