I thought I would remember how to start this post, but blocking memories out seems to be one easy thing to do. It is like reading a book, you didn’t bookmark it, and then you start to recall which part of the story did you stop, before you try to flip through it to find it somewhere.

I could barely recall how to start. I know I can’t wait to purge all these.

17th March – 5th day in Europe

It was the hardest day of the trip, and for a good reason.

Despite that, it was also the best day of the trip so far.

I woke up, dropped the note, and said my disappointments, and goodbyes.

It was not a drama stunt, but it was the point that I have had enough of the lies that were concocted by them and knew the only way I could get out of them, is to walk.

It wasn’t that I was stupid. When there are aggressive people calling you names despite of the lies when you bust the truth, you just bite it down, until the day you can shove the truth in their face and wonder how they are gonna wriggle their ways through this again.

I could have pretended till the end of the trip but I didn’t.

He didn’t know that I knew.

I left the hotel, and wandered onto the streets of Rome, surprisingly barely remembering any of the disappointment from before, and started exploring on my own, with a map in the pocket.

I walked a couple of streets down and found Basilica di San Giovanni. And then ah, the easily distracted being of me was quick to be awed and barely remember anything lah!

Until, the desperate calls and “sincere, genuine, sentimental, pleading” SMSes started coming in.

I asked strangers to help me take pictures, and the moment I was on the streets alone I got more smiles and eye contacts (Italian men are soooooo seexxxxaaayyy).

I had forgotten some stuff and headed back to the hotel, I managed to shake him off as I ran across the street and saw him disappearing down the other way.

I went up and grabbed my stuff, and he returned. Bah!

There was no drama, no raised voices, no nothing. Just me saying what I had to say, with a smile and plenty of peace. What transpired was what came across as sweet and genuine then, and as he grabbed me suddenly and threw me into his arms saying those words, I was moronically charmed again. Sometimes, being stupid knows no boundaries.

But being stupid had its advantages. At least it took the mind off things easily, and that set the pace for one of the most liberated days of my adventure. Ignorance could be a bliss, I guess.

And I just finished writing about the hardest part of the trip. Now on to the real highlights!

The thing about taking the metro in Rome is that the ticket is one flat rate, and instead of taking it straight to the Ottaviano Station, we dropped off at the Termini Station, and searched for a long, long time for this shop.

In the subway, there was an accordian player playing in the cabin, and even travelling in the metro is such an art!

With the minimal Italian I could muster, we managed to find the place after asking for directions.

And of course, the main reason behind it is to do something really, really Italian – Exploring Rome on a vespa and getting to the other side of Rome across the river where Lavicant Vatican City is!

That took a bit of spontaneity since I probably have to be confident of my navigating skills.

The chap at the shop was nice to tell us we could drop it off in the evening and he would wait up for us. The original bike chosen was reluctant to start, and it was fated that we got the authentic Vespa instead, and I could pretend to be Audrey Hepburn for a day.

The vespa stopped at the traffic junction and I wasn’t sure the road to go. I managed to follow the road signs on the sides of the pretty buildings but couldn’t figure out the last bit of the route.

I asked the auntie who stopped next to us the way. She didn’t understand when I repeated “Vatican City” many times, before I rolled my tongue and purred, “Dove di Citta del Vaticano?“.

VOILAA!!! It worked magic and she gave a comprehensive “Ahh” before pointing out the directions. Straight, turn left.

And as we twirled a roundabout, and parked by the roadside… we got off and walked a short distance, made a little mistake of walking into the forbidden part of Vatican City, before the Swiss Guard (who is sibei handsome) smiled and told me I should be heading other way. We stopped to buy an icecream, and then -gasp- arrived at the preeminent structure before us.

I immediately whipped out my phone and messaged the one person I know who could totally understand the exhilaration of me standing before it, looking at the sunbeams raining down, feeling the urge to tear, and almost wanting to sprint into the square.

I. AM. IN. VATICAN. CITY. AND. I. AM. ABOUT. TO. SET. FOOT. INTO. THE. PLACE. THAT. HOLDS. MY. DREAM.

I WAS GOING TO SEE ADAM’S KKJ IN SISTINE CHAPEL!

One that is not Version 3.0 that doesn’t response to any chest compression and no amount of CPR could resuscitate it back to life.

Ahem.

I hopped and skipped beyond the entrance, and I truly understood what was “The happiest moment of my life” as described by an earlier SMS.

No words. No words can describe how minute I felt when surrounded by such an ethereally structure, a masterpiece so beautifully crafted standing right smack in the centre of St Peter’s Square.

You could spend an hour just standing there, admiring each and every single unique sculpture perched on top of St Peter’s Basilica.

When I stepped into the Basilica, I was shown what I didn’t think was possible. A rich mix of history, geniosity, and pure, dripping talent.

Where can possible such beautiful things exist one? I want to write stories behind each and every element, like the Saints framed in the walls, but I think the recap will never be finished.

So I will just briefly mention the altar with Bernini’s baldacchino in the centre of the basilica which is the bronze canopy seen in the collage above, and the dove right below the dome.

And of course, to see Michelangelo’s La Pieta from 1499 (top right corner), depicting body of Jesus on Mary’s lap after his cruxifition.

As we exited from the basilica, we walked down the galleries that led us a long way towards what I had been looking forward to – Sistine Chapel.

As everyone hurried from one gallery to another, I took my time as I strolled down the corridors, each and everyone of them a piece of art. Was greeted by what was termed “Great castration of Vatican City’s male statutes” in the Angels and Demons movie. Some of them were fortunate enough to have their men-bits intact, though some of them were sadly made enunchs.

The ceilings are extraordinary, and overwhelm with intricate details.

Had to wait for people to clear to take cheeky pictures like the one below where I pinched my nose…. “Who farted?”

.. and the one I mocked at the kkj.

It was more than an hour before I finally set foot into Sistine Chapel, where the huge mass of people were in there, just standing in awe, with their eyes plastered to the ceiling.

I held my breath and was just as overwhelmed. Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

Alas, it was a no-photography zone, and the rule-bender in me did the usual “act blur” tourist stun when I was stopped.

I then faced my camera up in my palm even though I was stopped and snapped away to get some of the shots above.

Unfortunately the shot of me inside Sistine Chapel was too blur to be posted. I even tried to point my finger up and join fingers with the man with 6 pecs but failed.

The journey around Vatican City had wrapped up fabulously with Adam’s kkj, and I left this beautiful state on a high, heading to the jump on the bike to venture to the next destination – Coliseum, where I navigated to perfectly without losing the way.

There is probably not much to talk about the Coliseum that people don’t already know, but to set foot into somewhere more than 1900 years-old, and visualising the brutality that used to take place here, is truly an experience. And it stood the test of time, despite part of it collapsed during an earthquake in 1349. Because of its age, it had seen through different histories throughout the years.

It is actually smaller than I had thought it would be. The ground that covered the arena was removed to reveal the tunnels beneath that used to house the gladiators and animals before each fight. Many of them were killed to entertain the Romans in ancient times, and part of the Coliseum was actually converted to be a cemetery.

It was freaking cold when the breeze came in as you stood at the top of the spectator stand. My teeth were chattering.

As we munched on a hotdog and headed towards the parked bike, we had pretty much covered the must-sees, and we headed back to the heart of Rome, and see where it brings us.

We rode to a small street (again!), going against traffic, before we saw Pantheon right before us. Told you about surprises round the corners when you least expected it.

U-turn back and parked the Vespa next to a pretty eatery.. which we eventually saw Julia Roberts park hers at the exact same spot in Duplicity.

A British tourist struck up a conversation with us as we entered Pantheon, which was erected in 129AD. Pantheon, not the tourist. He was marvelling at how amazing it is for a building this well preserved and it is almost 2000 years old!

The thing about me is, I cannot imagine and really believe that human’s history can be well-documented since so long ago, let alone to be still be able to stand right in the centre of it.

The interior of Pantheon is described as:

The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) open to the sky. The Pantheon is the oldest large-scale dome in Rome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft). A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history.

Which makes me wonder what will happen when it rains?

It is also where Raphael’s tomb lies, with his fiance right beside him.

We continued the tour on the Vespa as the evening set in.

We stopped by the Tiber (Tevere) – the river that divides Rome. Many bridges arch over it and it was just gorgeous in the evening.

We went round and round and round Piazza del Popolo just to get back to the right traffic way.

Rounded up the evening with more travelling on the road and admire the architectural beauty of Rome, passing various churches, monuments, fountains, squeezing in and out of the traffic which was comparable to Johorians’.

Made our way back to the rental shop, stopped by a nice, cosy restaurant for dinner.

With me ordering Carbonara again to “try my luck” and ended up vastly disappointed yet again.

Walked to the pharmacy to get some novelty item, before heading back to the hotel by metro.

Rested early as the next day was one that was planned impromptu-ly (at the expense of Firenze), and was shocked by the news of Natasha Richardson’s injury on the television.

And the day ended with me chewing on the ample memories this beautiful city has left me with.