Sarajevo to Rome

We flew from Sarajevo to Rome.  Our Airbnb owner had arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport.  Thank goodness; I'm not sure we would have found our way in the dark late at night.  The apartment was located on a narrow brick street that isn't wide enough for cars.  The driver stopped at the closest street and we walked from there, perhaps a block.  We had all our "going home" luggage with us.  Luggage doesn't roll over cobblestone streets very well.  And the apartment was five flights up, no elevator.  The driver was kind enough to help us haul everything up the stairs and make sure we were still breathing when he left us.

The apartment was quite small, typical in Europe, but so cute!  The bedroom window overlooked a small courtyard below.  The buildings on both sides of our building could not have been more than six feet away.  It would not be unusual to look out the window to find your neighbor looking at you.  The bathroom and kitchen were updated and had everything we needed.

We ventured out early the next morning to see the beautiful city.  On our street we found an old somewhat awkward drinking fountain.  We used this fountain as a landmark to be sure we were on the correct street when returning to the apartment.

Small drinking fountain close to our apartment

John trying the fountain

You can fill bottles or buckets from the spout.  If you block the spout the water shoots upward from another hole so you can get a drink.  Not being familiar with the drinking water situation in Rome, we decided not to drink from the fountain.

The apartment was just off Piazza del Popolo, one of the more famous squares in Rome.  It is a popular place for political events, concerts and shows.  Popolo is characterized by the twin churches that stand on one side of the huge square, the Flaminio Obelisk at the center and the Fountain of Neptune at one end.

Fountain of Neptune with the churches in the background

Flaminio Obelisk

We always find gelato when in Italy, no matter what time of day!

The Trevi Fountain, the most famous of the Roman Fountains; a jewel of water and stone.  I borrowed this photo from the internet.  I would like to go to the fountain just one time when it wasn't crowded with people.  That sounds like I go there frequently; I don't but it would be nice.

This is what the fountain usually looks like

People everywhere

Here we are among the throngs of tourists

Before leaving the fountain the custom is to throw a coin into the fountain to assure your return to Rome.  If you are looking for a bit of romance, you will have to toss a second and third coin to make sure that wedding bells ring soon.  Parts of the movie Three Coins in the Fountain were filmed at the Trevi.  It was also the setting for the most famous scene of the film La Dolce Vita; a provocative Anita Ekberg wrapped in a long black evening dress calls to Marcello Mastroianni: "Marcello, come here!", while seductively plunging into the sparking waters of the fountain.

We like to take photos of the food we eat when traveling, especially in foreign countries.

One afternoon we took a hop-on, hop-off bus around the city.  We had been to Rome before and didn't feel like we needed to do tours of every place again so we just enjoyed the ride past all the famous sites.

St Peter's Square

Close up of St Peter's

One of our favorite Rome attractions is the Spanish Steps.  It's a climb if you start at the bottom - we usually approach it from Pincio Hill, which brings us to the church at the top.  We get a gelato at the top and take our time climbing down to Piazza di Spagna below.  I borrowed this photo from the internet.

Pincio and the piazza used to be separated by a muddy hill.  The staircase was built between 1723 and 1725.  It was inaugurated on the occasion of the Jubilee of 1725 by Pope Benedict XIII.

Our view from the top

Our view from the bottom

The steps are made of travertine; the staircase has 11 ramps, each made up of 12 steps, which divide, wind and come together, constantly changing direction.  They appeared a little differently than we remembered on our previous visit.  We learned that in 2015 the steps underwent a complete restoration, which restored their original appearance and made them more accessible again.

Resting on the Spanish Steps

The main purpose of visiting Rome again was to see the new temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The temple was dedicated while we were serving in Bosnia.  You may remember reading in a previous blog that all the missionaries in the Adriatic North Mission were given an olive leaf made from the leftover stained glass in the temple.  We feel like we share a special connection with the stained glass and the beautiful temple.

Some of the stained glass windows of the temple

The detail in this stained glass mural in the visitors center is amazing!

The front of the temple

One side of the temple

Patron housing on the temple grounds

Inside the visitors center

The Christus and original 12 apostles

How blessed we are

The temple sign/name as you enter the grounds

Our next stop is Salzburg Austria, about 580 miles from Rome by train.  The train trip can take anywhere from 13-15 hours, depending on stops and any delays along the way.  We thought we would be really smart and take the night train.  We can sleep all night and arrive in Salzburg refreshed and ready for a day of touring.  Wrong.  Do NOT take this option unless you are travelling on a luxury train with a private sleeping car.

My bunk in the sleeping car

We got on the train in the evening and found our car.  It had a bench on each side of the car; also a flat bench up higher on each wall.  There was a gentleman from Germany sitting on one bench.  He spoke English and apparently travels by train all over Europe.  I think we looked a little confused after the porter explained everything to us, so the gentleman enlightened us.  The car accommodates six passengers, so we will be sleeping with strangers.  There are also middle benches that come down from the wall when ready for bed.  We were assigned the middle bunks, and once they are assembled you are unable to sit upright on the bottom bench.  Or any of the benches - you are meant to be sleeping when all the bunks are in place.  The German had one of the top bunks.  The rest room was down the hall.

We chatted for awhile, ate our sandwich and read.  About 9:00 PM the gentleman said he was turning in.  I think that meant we were all going to bed now.  He helped us lock our bunks into place and we made our beds.  No way to tuck the sheets so they moved every time you moved.  The blanket was about as thick as a tissue; glad it was summertime.  The tiny pillow was about the size and consistency of a cotton ball.  The bunk felt like we were sleeping on concrete.  We were even more uncomfortable sleeping in our clothes.  I guess we could have changed in pajamas but... all those strangers, you know.

Doesn't John look comfy?

Around midnight the remaining three "guests" boarded and tried to settle in without turning on the lights or waking us.  It didn't matter, we weren't sleeping.  We heard the family in the car next to us leave the train about 5:30 AM so we got up and sat in their empty car.  Sitting upright felt so much better than reclining on concrete.  Next stop Salzburg.