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June & July 2005

Rome & Vatican City

Jeremy Koh
2005-11-05 11:48:59

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describe. I just hope your imagination is good enough. :)
One of the Palm Islands in Dubai.

Soon after, we arrived at Fiumicino Airport in Rome (also known as Leonardo da Vinci International Airport). The airport terminal itself is pretty spartan and boring. After collecting our luggage, we headed to the subway. Well apparently there are two types of train you can take to the historic centre of Rome- the express train and the metropolitan train. We chose the cheaper option- the metropolitan train (treno ordinario) which cost only �5. However, it doesn't bring us all the way to Stazione Termini, the main train station in Rome. We had to make a transfer midway to the Rome Metro which cost us �1. Soon after, we arrived at the Termini Station.

We decided to head to our hostel, Casa Olmata to offload our baggage before we explored Rome. Lo and behold, the hostel was closed. We had arrived during their lock-out hours. Well, it's either we wait outside their hostel, or we explore its vicinity. We chose the latter option. Weighed down by our backpacks, we walked towards the Basilica di Santa Maggiore (Saint Mary Major Basilica). Well at that time we didn't know its significance, but we were amazed at its beauty.

The church is considered by many to be the most beautiful church in Rome after St. Peter's Basilica and it's not hard to see why. The basilica is rich in works of art and the artwork covers every nook and cranny of the church. Makes your head spin with all its beauty. You literally do not know where to look. Built over the pagan temple of Cybele, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the only Roman basilica that retained the core of its original structure, left intact despite several additional construction projects and damage from the earthquake of 1348. It is also one of five churches considered to be the great ancient basilicas of Rome. Currently, it is the largest and ...