Rome with Noah, Troy and Momma: Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and New Years Eve in Rome

Saturday, December 31, 2016 - Our last full day in Rome was spent close to the hotel. We took our Grayline tour of Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum like we had originally tried to take on Wednesday, but jet lag had made us oversleep. The weather was great so we had a good tour for weather. It was pretty easy to get on a tour as well despite missing the one on Wednesday and the tickets clearly saying there were no exchange dates.

We were directed to follow one of the guides who came out of a Colosseum tour. We did not get a ticket so we doubted the whole time if we were going to be able to enter Palatine Hill, but it wasn't a problem. They let us in as the guide waived us in. Palatine Hill is, just as it states, a hill so there was a lot of climbing inclines and steps. Momma usually has a problem with this and she did that day as well; but it was odd that Troy and I were both exhausted as well. All three of us did make it to the top and enjoyed the view of the city from above and got to look down over the Roman Forum.

Momma and Troy looking down over Roman Forum.

Roman Forum

After the guided portion of the tour was over, we carefully made our way down the hill. We could have explored the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on our own after that, but all three of us decided that we were too tired. After all, it had been an amazingly busy week.

This was New Year's Eve. I remember it was after dark and we were walking the cobblestones streets between our hotel and the Colosseum and fireworks were popping in the streets everywhere. People from balconies and from rooftops were lighting firecrackers and tossing them onto the street. It did not feel safe at all. Troy and I spent a while at one of the piazzas between our hotel and the Colosseum but we did not stay out long. I was glad as soon as we got back indoors, mainly because of the haphazard and random fireworks and how poorly I felt.

Troy and I were not well. We both had slight fevers and were in bed well before midnight. I lay there in the hotel room listening to fireworks exploding on every side of our building. These were fireworks set off by anybody who had a dollar (or euro). I do not know if Rome has an organized fireworks show. I do not think they have to. I think the citizens of Rome handle that themselves. Either way, Troy, Momma and I were in bed before midnight and that is how we finished 2016 - in bed before midnight with fevers.

The next morning, we had to fly home.