Somewhat Familiar Territory...

It's not everyday one wakes up to find two half-naked sleeping men in their hostel room...

I have to say I was a little shocked to open my eyes and find my roommates were in fact guys and not girls. But then I remembered that for sake of cheap-ness I had booked a mixed dorm at the hostel here in Rome...

Actually they were both quite attractive and looked very adorable all curled up in their sheets. 

Now you might be wondering how it is I only discovered this fact about my comrades in the morning and not when I arrived the previous night. 

Well, it was pretty late by the time my plane landed in Rome - around 8pm, and then I had to take a train from the airport to the train station which was another 45 min or so. Also, on the train I met a 24year old gal from Korea who was very excited and a bit nervous about her first trip alone abroad. We chatted more about our lives and such and even found that the hostels we were staying at that night were quite close to each other! So when the train arrived, I helped her find her place first (even though we had to ask a few locals for directions because there were no signs on the street). However, when we pushed the buzzer, no one answered and we both became a little worried. I was just about to invite her to come to my hostel to see if we could get her a room there when the lady arrived, apologizing profusely for being so late. 

So with sighs of relief and enthusiastic farewells, my Korean friend and I parted ways (at this time it was about 10:30)

In retrospect, I probably should have stayed with her...

Although the outside of my hostel was appealing, the rooms were kind of a wreck. The door barely worked, room numbers were post-it notes on the walls, there was no airconditioning or fans to speak of, the toilets were plugged, the shower doors hung by their soap-scum and peeling ceiling paint, and well.....it was quite awful. But hey, thus far I have seen no bugs, the sheets are clean, wifi is free (even if it only works in the lobby), and there is hot water so it's not all bad. Just thank goodness I only have to stay here one more night before Tibby and I can escape to the clean nunnery we booked!!

Anyways, after I conquered the grimy shower, I promptly flopped into bed and fell fast asleep (though not before catching a glimpse of our neighbor in the building across from us through my 6th-story window.....let's say he enjoyed letting his hairy belly get some air....)

Looking back, I do remember seeing flip-flops and some tee-shirts on the other beds in the room, along with what I thought was a bottle of perfume....evidently it was powder-blue cologne? Or a trophy perhaps? I just assumed they were girls' items, but evidently not!!

In any case, the boys were both out - there was a big soccer game on last night and I'm guessing they were enjoying the revelry - so I never saw them before I was already in la-la land. I just hope I wasn't snoring too loudly when they came in...lol!
Nonetheless, after I arose and found the two mates were out cold (I probably could've started to sing opera and they wouldn't have moved), I left and had the lobby hold my things so I could go out and soak up the Roman air once again!!

I walked without a map and it was pretty nice to just wander about instead of rushing off to meet up with a group. It was good that I did too! At one point I caught glimpse of a huge obelisk and just headed towards it  to find myself end up in a small, enclosed, but shaded square. I sat down and pulled out my breakfast treat bought at a bakery I passed, and wondered at the people who would pass by and look past me with their cameras raised. 

But while I was enjoying my pastry, I heard a lady utter "Spanish Steps" and I too looked up. Sure enough, I was at the top of the Spanish Steps, chowing down in front of the Trinita dei Monti Church! I had just been in the perfect spot to not be able to see what was around or below me! ha!

...I was sitting right below that ledge there...totally blocked off! lol!

So, after I got over my surprise and finished my breakfast, I got up and kept wandering around the city, walking through some sights I'd seen and some new ones!!

Piazza del Popolo!

...fountain on one end...

...and the other!

I also walked over to the area where the Ara Pacis and Augustus' Mausoleum are located. The first was encased in a glass museum dedicated to it (a bit like Snow White...) and though I wanted to go inside to get a better view, the ticket was 15 euro and I was not ready to spend that much when I could see it well enough from outside!

...the glare in this pic is bad, but the Ara Pacis was basically a Roman altar to the goddess of Peace and was built in celebration of Augustus' return from battle! It's really beautifully carved and shows the skill of the Roman artisans, but like I said, I wasn't going to spend 15 euro to see one thing!

As for the mausoleum, it too was covered up by fencing and construction so I don't have a good pic of it...but it was cool to know it was just a few meters away!

Anyways, I kept on with my stroll, stopping for some spaghetti and gelato here and there but seeing some really cool things!

...outside view from the gates surrounding what I think are the baths of Diocletian...

...bottlecaps in the cement!

...I also went into the church that is connected to the baths of Diocletian - Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (try saying that five times fast...) and it had these really cool doors to the entrance...

...this was a modern work for the church that I really loved. 

Then, after the church, I tried to get into the National Museum of Rome that is also located within the baths, but the ladies at the desk argued with me that I was not a student (hello! I have TWO ID's!!), and kept saying I had to pay full price which was double the student rate. I again didn't want to pay that much for a museum I wasn't totally interesting in seeing....I mean, it would've been cool, but I have bigger fish to fry.

So I just hung around the entrance and took some pictures of the gardens there instead. lol.

Later on, I got super tired from the heat...the water in my bottle was close to boiling...so I eventually found my way back to the hostel where I have been ever since. 

I'll try and go out tonight and find something to munch on. But then I think I'll get to bed early again so that I'm chipper and ready for Tibby's arrival tomorrow! 

It'll be very nice to wake up to her familiar face than those of male strangers....even if they were cute....haha!!