In Search of Caesar

After seeing the Vatican Museum and other sights in Rome that morning, we had yet to do one of the top things on my Rome list: Finding the site where Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15th, 44 BC.  Even with all the bad omens, and warnings of negative dreams from his wife Calpurnia, Caesar’s good friend Brutus- one of the 60 conspirators in the assassination- encouraged him to go forth to Senate that day. Shortly after addressing the senate, he fell dead at the foot of Pompey’s statue succumbing to multiple stab wounds.

After searching the surrounding streets of the Sacred Area for a solid two hours, and even asking multiple businesses in the area for assistance, we came up short and I was crushed. Instead we decided to head out for a beer further north.

I’m not one to wait for a light to tell me to cross the street when it’s clearly safe, so when I made move and Dylan stayed put I lost him in a sea of people. After a few mins. of scanning across the street I spotted him standing near a below-side-walk-level fenced-in area. Clearly we were both exhausted, and needed a break and so I crossed back over to where he decided to rest his legs- and there it was.

Located in the Largo di Argentina square along Via San Nicola de Cesarini were ruins of several buildings including the Statio Aquarum, remains of a latrine in Pompey’s portico, and the very site Caesar met his fate.

If Dylan hadn’t have stayed put when I walked back and forth across the busy streets foolishly, we wouldn’t have found the site we’d searched for hours for. How’s that for an oddity?

Meeting Walt & Natasha

Roaming around Venice in the afternoon we passed another couple, the girl sporting a jacket with Scotland scrolled across her back. It was memorable simply because it got Dylan and I discussing how we wouldn’t wear a jacket displaying we were Canadian, but we would wear a souvenir shirt from a country along our journey. Then again when eating our last Italian meal that night they came into the same restaurant, the Ae Oche (American-style decor, but to-die-for-pizza) at the same time and sat a mere few tables back.

When awaiting our night train to Munich, Germany that night, oddly enough they happened to sit directly beside us on the bench. Natasha and Walt were from South Africa, touring Europe for a couple of months, and as we speculated they had simply visited Scotland on a previous journey. We got to chatting and discovered they were also huge Metallica and Tenacious D fans, as well as catching the same train and going to Oktoberfest.

The next morning when we arrived at the Munich train station we ran into them and mentioned, even though we’d spoken very little, that we were meeting our American buddies at the church outside Oktoberfest Thursday morning and the invitation were open. Too many bizarre meetings here in Europe, it’s still a mystery to me how these things came together.

Meeting Brian & Elizabeth

Our second to last day in Amsterdam, a new couple arrived late one afternoon to the bunk across from Dylan and I. As it turned put there were incredibly friendly Americans: Brian of Phoenix and Elizabeth of Boston. We got to talking and they were also traveling Western Europe for an entire month, including some of the very same cities on our itinerary.

It was odd enough to encounter a couple from our very own continent, as the majority of people there were from Australia, the UK, other parts of Europe, or unidentifiable non-English speakers. The perfect part was their Oktoberfest dates landed on Sept. 24th, 25th, and 26th… The very same three days we were going. So of course we exchanged details and planned to meet up for a night of debauchery and 1-Liter German beer consuming.

As the next couple of weeks went on we kept in touch by e-mail, Brian on his Blackberry and us on our iPhones… though only when we found a free WiFi connection (not always easy). And we heard from Dylan’s best friend Rob, an Italian who spends a month back in his home-land annually, that finding WiFi in Italy would be next to impossible. He was right on the money. Luckily Sunday afternoon as we dined on pasta, beer and wine down a narrow Roman alley-way we found a WiFi connection, got our Internet fix and checked in on life back home. As it turned out Brian messaged Dylan informing us he were in Rome for the next couple of days, and Elizabeth was joining him tomorrow. That was unexpected and exciting but unfortunately we hadn’t the time to meet up, so we again planned for Oktoberfest in the few days following.

Monday, Sept. 22nd, after another day of sight-seeing and before departing to Venice via night train, we decided to take the Metro closer to the train station for another pasta dinner. Exhausted with sore feet on one of a dozen cars of the very same Metro line who did we encounter? Brian and Elizabeth. Unfortunately they were off two stops before ours to grab a free dinner at their Hostel, and we only had a few hours to eat before departing. So yes, again we planned to meet at Oktoberfest.

After dinner and discussions of how surreal that meeting was, we hopped back on the Metro. Just as we were about to get off, Dylan spotted them getting on the same train one door down. We weren’t willing to kick ourselves a second time for not stopping to chat, so we stayed on the train and surprised the daylights out of them. We pretty well decided right then there was no denying we were meant to be friends.

Certainly an outstanding decision as we kept in touch and partied hard at Oktoberfest with our dear new friends for life, Brian and Elizabeth.

Palatine Hill

We arrived an hour later than expected (thanks a lot Olympic airlines) into Rome Saturday night around 9:00pm. After a rough partial-sleep on the ferry from Crete to Athens that morning, and wandering Athens during the day in the pouring rain, all we wanted when we touched down in Rome was a horizontal spot to rest that wasn’t swaying back and forth over the sea.

Colors Boutique Hotel

Dylan had found and booked a room at Colors, a boutique hotel and hostel located within a 10-minute walk of Vatican City. Incredible place with extremely helpful staff, in an area where we weren’t paying an arm and a leg to eat or sleep.

We had a 3-person dorm with our own sink and shower for 2 nights. The first girl using up the other bed we hardly spoke to as she was in late and out by 5:00am.

The second night we met Rachel. Rachel was very cool to talk to as she was from Israel, and managed to give us the rundown, very passionately, on the history of Israel within the first 5 minutes of our encounter. She told us how boring Canada was as “nothing happens there,” but her enthusiasm and encouragement made me want to some day visit her in Israel.

The Colosseum & Gianicolo Hill

We were up bright and early on Sunday, Sept. 21st, knowing there was plenty to see in Rome. Our first stop was the Colosseum, which was free with the €20 Roma Pass we picked up, along with free entrance to another museum, discounts on all others, and free Metro, Bus and Tram use for 3 days. Outstanding deal.

The Colosseum, built in AD 80, was stunning. We spent a good hour there before passing Palatine Hill, putting our hands inside the Mouth of Truth and heading over the Tiber River to the Trastevere area for paninis. We then wandered up Gianicolo Hill for a few hours to take in exceptional views of the entire Ancient City.

Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon & Piazza Navona

In the afternoon we threw our coins in the Trevi Fountain and gasped at the sight of the 2000-year old Pantheon. We dined near the beautiful Castel Sant’Angelo on an exceptional (and best I have ever had) pizza and wine. That fueled us for the remainder of the evening of walking and taking in dozens of monuments and various squares including the truly Italian experience of Piazza Navona, previously an AD 1st Century stadium.

After the sun went down we strolled past the Piazza’s various vendors and artists. From one end where the sound of accordions filled the air, to the opposite end where we got up close and personal with the Fountain of Four Rivers as a busker played his rendition of one of my favourite songs on his weathered acoustic guitar- Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”

With sore feet on Monday, Sept. 22nd- the 4 year anniversary of Lost- we checked out of Colors and deposited our backpacks at the train station and made our way again to the Trastevere area for a pasta lunch. In all honesty this was the first pasta I had in Rome, and I hate to say it but the Spaghetti Carbonara I had in Paris was a million times better. But, we had free WiFi and got in touch with our American buddies we met in Amsterdam, Brian and Elizabeth and sent some e-mails home, which is always nice.

Vatican City & The Sistine Chapel

Afterwards we made our way to Vatican City. Our first stop was the Vatican Museum, as we had to get in before 3pm in order to see it all before 4:30pm when they start kicking the art-lovers out.

We saw a slew of ancient artifacts, statues and tapestries though the maze of rooms, each painted from top to bottom with exceptional detail, leading up to the undeniable highlight: The Sistine Chapel.

Walking slowly with the flood of people into the Sistine Chapel I made certain not to look up until fully inside and beneath Michelangelo’s masterpiece, which was completed in the 16th Century. Craning my neck upwards it felt as though the world had come to a complete halt, and the sight of it- as cliche as it sounds- brought a tear to my eye. I really can’t even begin to describe it, and I won’t attempt to- it has to be seen to be believed.

We wandered St. Peter’s Basilica for a bit until our legs really needed a rest. That night we headed back towards the train station and unbelievably ran into Brian and Elizabeth. They were off elsewhere so Dylan and I, with a few hours to kill, found an amazing fresh pasta spot for dinner and wined and dined until we couldn’t lift our forks anymore. Two hours later on the way back once again we ran into Brian and Elizabeth on the Metro and followed them to the Spanish Steps to plan our Oktoberfest meeting for Thursday.

The night we took our first night train from Rome to Venice, killing two birds with one stone as we saved on accommodations and got our commute in. Venice is a whole other city and story to tell. But I sure am glad to have thrown that coin in the Trevi Fountain, as I am now ensured a speedy return in the future to breath-taking Rome… Where I really am leaving my heart.

We’re flying into Frankfurt, Germany, the 8th largest airport in the world, and the 3rd busiest airport as far as passenger traffic goes in all Europe, behind London’s ‘Heathrow’ and Paris’s ‘Charles de Gaulle’. From there we’re traveling counter-clockwise through Western Europe: From Frankfurt to Amsterdam, the Netherlands for a while, then through Belgium & France down to Italy. There’s a possibility of a Greecian get-a-way in there, if we feel up to it (through a last-minute, inexpensive flight). Then before flying out of Frankfurt we’ll stop by Munich, for the 175th Oktoberfest. Only 101 days until it’s commencement date! Fitting way to end the trip, I’d say.

Oktoberfest began in 1810, a wedding celebration for the masses from crowned Prince Ludwig and his Princess Therese. The 16-day event sees around 6.2 million people each year at the Theresienwiese, from all over the world.

So, I now know from various sources to cross the busy roads with confidence, when in Rome. Coffee is less expensive in Venice when ordered standing up as opposed to seated at a table. To not use the convenient on-the-street toilet “pods” in Paris, pour des raisons de propreté (or, for cleanliness purposes, thank you cousin Ali). Tipping isn’t necessary, as it’s included on most restaurant bills. And Amsterdam is best experienced on bike… among many other tricks of the trade that will come to me only when faced with the journey.

Any other tips and advice are most welcome, even your own European (or non-European) vacation recollections, as I’m sure any information I can get will be of some use!