All Roads Lead to Here

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Welcome one and all to our first post for 2014! Okay so, I've been a little more than slack with maintaining our blog but with a new year comes the turning of new leaves and with any luck on the other side or underneath these so called leaves we'll find consistency :) Here's to hoping.

Rewind back three months, Ari and I finally made it to our holiday destination, Rome! The lead up to this vacation was a staggeringly excruciating experience for me. After what I thought was subtly hinting to Ari that he has never really planned any of our holidays, he took it upon himself to organise our end of year trip... With much more in store than just the surprise destination!

As you all know I am not a fan of surprises (to put it mildly) but it was a very sweet gesture by Ari so I went along with not knowing where our holiday was going to be. The plan was for us to arrive at the airport and then find out where we were headed but precisely 36 hours out I received a text message telling me that my flight to Rome was ready for check in! :) And for the next 36 hours I would speak of nothing else.

Quaint backstreets of Rome.

We arrived to a drizzly grey morning in Rome where we took a shuttle into the city centre. On the ride we met a Kiwi travel writer who gave Ari's proposed itinerary of Italy the thumbs up much to his delight. After checking in to our apartment we had our very average first taste of Italian pasta and coffee but not to worry it only got better from there.

Ari and his cafe latte.

The rain started so we got an umbrella, some roasted chestnuts and meandered up the Spanish Steps which I can't tell you what historical significance it held or any useful information besides "slippery when wet" and that there are plenty of people out to make a buck or two off unsuspecting tourists.

Linda and Ari on the Spanish Steps.

Back to the apartment for a quick power nap turned epic three hour snooze (the best!), feeling sprightly and adventurous we walked across town to visit the Leonardo Di Vinci's Big Machines exhibition. Living in Bahrain, there is definitely a lack of cultural activities that can be experienced, we were determined to see as much as we could whilst in Italy.

Casually walking past the two thousand year old Pantheon.

Leonardo's flying machine.

Is there a resemblance do you think?

As you can see we like to mimic pictures and statues (to the best of abilities), here's Linda needing a little bit more yoga practise.

Rainy and wet at the Piazza Navona.

We decided upon dinner in front of the Pantheon, admiring the sheer magnificence and historical charm of the building and surrounds before us and complementing the world of difference a six hour flight can make. Tourists quickly shuffle past hawkers who fling light up contraptions in the air looking for a quick sale while keeping watch for the police, diners politely decline men selling roses, lovers affectionately cuddle for warmth and kiss in public, there is wine on every menu and women are free to express their modesty (or lack there of) through clothing as they see fit.

We are worlds and worlds apart from Bahrain, it feels like a dream. And although the rain continued to fall, the wet had crept up between my toes through the cracks in my shoes and the crispness of the cold air left my nose numb and tingly it could not have been a more perfect time and place to just... be.