Roma!

I arrived in Rome safely and on my first evening went for a wander around the city (which is surprisingly small, so most things are within walking distance of my hostel. I caught my first glimpse of the Colosseum by sunset and headed on to the Trevi Fountain. It was PACKED. I've since been back and it was slightly less crowded, and both times I headed pretty quickly to a nearby gelateria which Sarah (sister) highly recommended. And yes Sarah, it was really good =P

In the next two days I went to the Vatican, fascinating but wouldn't want to go again, and the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill/Colosseum which were ridiculously old. I was able to get groceries and use the hostel kitchen to pack lunches to save money for gelato, and on Wednesday night Kim, one of the hostel receptionists - a crazy british woman who has been living here with her sister for 8 years and always seems to be off to a bar or the beach- cooked pasta for a bunch of us just because she felt like it, so everone brought wine and I met some Canadians who I've been hanging out with since.

We went to Villa Borghese, and we even visited the Galleria which you can only see by appointment! The Gallery is housed in a Palace owned by one the Borghese family who had a couple of Pope's at one time or another and it's a private collection of paintings and statues, including plenty of Italian greats like Caravaggio and Bernini. The grounds are immense, and there's a fountain around every corner, there's even a zoo. We've also been to the pantheon and the spanish steps, and eat a ridiculous amount of gelato from this amazing place just near our hostel Palazzo del Freddo di Giovanni Fassi. One evening Francis - our Indian receptionist who likes to play cruel jokes on his guests, like telling them he's given away their bed or that they need to wear a suit to St Peter's Basilica - took us to a evening picnic in a park near the Colosseum with some locals. Then last night it was free pasta night again, and this time the whole hostel joined in (luckily it's quite small).

Actually I highly recommend this hostel to everyone: The Ciak Hostel, and for the last two nights I've been staying in their other building just down the street The Secret Garden which even has a little rooftop terrace for breakfast. Tonight I'm off to a new hotel to start my Intrepid tour, so next comes Naples.