Sorry people I have been in transit forever. We just got into Nigeria, the flight left just in time before the Turks decided to stage a coup.

So we got to Venice that day, it was so crowded. Dunno where there are so many tourists all over Italy.

I tried to resist... But my wanderlust got the best of me..
Here I am, at the bus terminal on my way to Venice. I hope to return tonight and head straight yp the airport for the journey home.

More updates in a bit.

For the dude that wanted a pix of my shoe with Oyinbo in the background.

Here it is!

biggiyke:

u mean u paid fully for ur flight b4 getting the visa?
what if u hadn't gotten it?
just wondering.

I did not say I paid for the flight. I said an online booking was just fine

eunore1:
Wanderlustian, I heard there was a train accident in Italy. Far be it from you and your baby that you were involved, kindly post something to confirm this assertion. God protect you and your baby and bring you back home safely in Jesus name. Amen.

I heard about it too. It is such a frightening situation I can only say its the devils work. How can two trains collide head on. Was someone sleeping. It happened in a remote part of Italy though. Thanks for your prayers. God bless you.

biggiyke:


nice to know you both are enjoying your trip.
i have a quick question though. when you applied for your visa, did u submit a confirmed flight reservation as part of your application? i am about submitting my german visa application.

Flight reservation yes. Just booking online. That's all.

fredoooooo:
Wanderlustian, I only recognized the pope John Paul 2 tomb and inside the Vatican ... you have a limited time Sha .
The last time I was there ,I would walked from Roma termini to piazza Venezia . Sit at piazza novona for Caffè. .. Italian Caffè not all these American and British water Coffee oo
Did you see the trevi fountain before you leave rome ... ? was under construction the last time I was there .

Venezia is cool , I was there some years back I could remember my hotel was in mestre ( 5 minutes) train to venezia it was fun ...
In D'uomo(milano) and Venice you're most likely to bump into a celebrity. ...
Where as in Rome central you will be taking caffe and eating in a restaurant with politicians and you won't even recognize them .. it's crazy the gaps poverty created between us in Africa ...
I'm waiting for the pictures from your venezia trip o, enjoy yourself on the boat ..

I stayed at a hostel just close to the Roma Termini

I agree, two weeks is just too short!

jamesoo1:
if you have time you may visit long lake, Lugano Switzerland, is just 1 hour from the Milan Central Station by train, it cost 14 Euro for one way trip, I just came back from there yesterday, is a very nice place to visit.

Wowz!

I leave for 9ja on Friday *sobs*

fredoooooo:
the colloseo ,Spanish step , Castel sant'Angelo ,the forum and other pictures. ... I'm waiting o

Lol,

Are you naming the pictures I posted?

Anyways, the suffer in Rome is too much. There's too much to see and do within the short time frame. I'm back in Milan. My MIL says I have lost weight from these few days of trekking. Maybe I should trek more often. I'm taking today off to rest. I hope to visit Venice tomorrow, hopefully MIL will take care of the baby while I dash out for a day.


Gradually the 2 weeks is coming to an end! What else can I say?

doubletroublmum:
Hi wanderlustian,

I really admire your strength going to all this places. How is your baby coping? Wish you a great time in Europe

Thanks a bunch. She's asleep half the time on my chest, back or in a stroller. Time she's most active is at night playing with the other housemates when I really need to snooze!

At 12 noon, the Pope emerged from his window... All of you waiting to see Pope

This was the closest I could get! But I took a video so that y'all can at least hear his voice

Now back outside...

People came to represent their countries. Many flags were sighted, Argentina, Spain, China, Australia, etc

Was late to mass... So we stood, after a while I boned, cos I needed to book space for when Pope will show. More pix from inside. Points to note:

You cannot wear shorts (for men), anything above the knee and sleeveless for women. They will turn you back bllat the door.
There is a security check point before you enter, so don't carry metal objects
Security is tight but not stifling. There are polizia and soldiers and Swiss Guards everywhere.
If you are catholic, buy a souvenir (medal, rosary or water) so you can bless it for your use.
You can get married at the Basilica, yup! Just get a letter from your Parish Priest
Infant baptism is also possible, I witnessed one and was like awwww, cos we baptised the baby the weekend before we traveled (see 3rd pix)
You can also pay Penance at the Basilica and pray at the Blessed Sacrament (see 2nd pix)

Inside the Basilica

Just got back from the Vatican! I can't feel my face!

So I left quite early and got there at 9:30am to beat the queue. Any truly I did. The Pope was going to show up at 12 noon (in time for the Angelus, so I took a quick tour of the Basilica.

The words I have to describe the Basilica... I feel like I died and went to Heaven!

Just woke up! Yesterday was so tiring.

The sun here eh! It's like this is the Sun's birthplace! Haba!

Getting ready to set out to the Vatican!

smithsydny:
@second pic see oyinbo head nah.. do u go in group? I dont get it

You buy a tour bus ticket on the streets and wait for the bus to pass. It is called hop on hop off. Meaning u can always join the bus back when you have finished exploring these places.

The crowd is too much. I'm discouraged to enter these places. Will try again tomorrow after mass

There's a crowd everywhere. It's not encouraging to down from this bus.

Please can someone name this place. I was not listening to the tour guide. I'm thinking it is Circo Massimo or Plinto Hills.

The Supreme Court of Cassation

We passed the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Saint Mary Majore).

The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsanta maˈriːa madˈdʒoːre]; 'Basilica of Saint Mary Major', Latin: Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris),[2] or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Papal major basilica and the largest Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy, from which size it receives the appellation "major". The Basilica is located at 34 Piazza del Esquilino, some five blocks southwest of Stazione Termini.

The ancient basilica enshrines the venerated image of Salus Populi Romani, depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary as the health and protectress of the Roman people, which was granted a Canonical coronation by Pope Gregory XVI on 15 August 1838 accompanied by his Papal bull Cælestis Regina.

We approach and pass through the Piazza Venezia

Piazza Venezia is the central hub of Rome, Italy, in which several thoroughfares intersect, including the Via dei Fori Imperiali and the Via del Corso. It takes its name from the Palazzo Venezia, built by the Venetian Cardinal, Pietro Barbo (later Pope Paul II) alongside the church of Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice. The Palazzo Venezia served as the embassy of the Republic of Venice in Rome.

One side of the Piazza is the site of Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Altare della Patria, part of the imposing Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, first king of Italy.

The piazza or square is at the foot of the Capitoline Hill and next to Trajan's Forum. The main artery, the Viale di Fori Imperiali begins there and leads past the Roman Forum to the Colosseum.

1st stop is the Colosseum.

From Wikipedia
The Colosseum or Coliseum (/kɒləˈsiːəm/ kol-ə-see-əm), also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium; Italian: Anfiteatro Flavio [amfiteˈaːtro ˈflaːvjo] or Colosseo [kolosˈsɛːo]), is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of concrete and sand,[1] it is the largest amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in AD 72,[2] and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir Titus.[3] Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96).[4] These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).

The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators,[5][6] having an average audience of some 65,000;[7][8] it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles (for only a short time as the hypogeum was soon filled in with mechanisms to support the other activities), animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Although partially ruined because of damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is still an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and has also links to the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum.[9]

On the big bus waiting to start the tour.
Tour buses leave from Roma Termini

Hello good people!

I was dog tired yesterday. I can't believe how soundly I slept in a hostel full of people. It is remarkably clean. Too clean for comfort. I have stayed in hostels in New York, the second one being the worst experience in my life. Infact, it is a story for another day.

I'm very comfortable here. I have a lot of help with the baby, most times she's entertaining people from other countries who have never interacted with a black baby. We have some girls from Brazil, guys from Croatia, a guy from Meykiko (that's how he pronounces Mexico), a Korean guy who thinks all black people look alike, while I think all asians look alike, some Americans, a guy from Morrocco and his buddy from Algeria and yes, the Nigerian girl, who is for obvious reason my bestie here.

I chose not to go out today. It was too hot!!! Gosh! I stepped out to get some milk for the baby and it was burning! I went back, took a shower and went to bed. All the oyinbos wore their tiny shorts and tiny tops, excited to be in the sun.Me and the 9ja babe told them goodbye. While we stayed back and turned on air conditioner to full blast. Hian!

The baby was also very tired, she spent a lot of the day sleeping, and I was glad we did not go out... I'm ready for a full dose of crankiness if we don't go out tomorrow as she is well rested.

The Nigerian girl was also on tour. She lives in Lagos but started her tour in UK. She arrived late last night and was robbed of 100 pounds on her way to our hostel. She said someone bumped into her, said sorry and moved on then when she got here, her 100 pounds was missing! Luckily she had a bit of cash hidden somewhere in her luggage.

(I de fear Roma already o!). The initial hostel she booked was in a shady side of town, and it was sht dirty. She was able to get a space at ours on booking dot com that's why she came in that late.


Late evening, I got really hungry. I'm fed up of Italian food. There's a kitchen in the hostel so I put the baby on my back (yes, naija style) and went to the supermarket. I got a lot of stares and oohs and ahhs, some people actually came closer to observe how the baby was strapped to my body. One man asked how safe it was to have her on my back . Some Italian women could not get over the possibility of her not falling. All I could think of was hunger. These people don't know what's up.

I looked for noodles, Ramen noodles was 1.79 euros a pack (Una don de madt abi, 1 indomie for almost N500), I decided to go for rice.
After shopping, got back to the hostel, met the brazilian girls making pasta and we got talking about our countries. One of them said there are a lot of Brazilians with Nigerian heritage in her city in Salvador and they have maintained it over the years. After cooking, the food was too much so I shared it amongst the house mates. The Brazilians thought it was to spicy (peppery).The Mexican, Moroccan and Algerian felt it was just perfect. The Italians felt the rice was undercooked and the Korean did not understand the food! Lovely experience getting feedback from different nationalities about my cooking.

I also shared in the brazilians' pasta meal...I felt it tasted bland, like ordinary tinned tomatoes, no pepper no salt!

It's friday night, everyone has gone clubbing. I think I am the only one left in the hostel. Tomorrow, I take a hop on hop off City Tour Bus for 18 euros around Rome. I'm done with trekking abeg! First stop the Colosseum and the ruins next to it.

As scheduled, I will attend mass at the Vatican on Sunday. It has been confirmed the Pope will be officiating, as the mass will be dedicated to World Peace, especially due to terrorism and all that. Some girls said they were turned back from entering the Vatican because their clothes were too short and their shoulders were exposed. Luckily I came with church clothes. Entering the Vatican is free but the Colosseum tour costs 12 euros.

As my Italian friends will say Ciao (sounds like Chaaoh, not ceeaaoh)

Ok, was able to update the blog http://www.wanderlustvoyager.com/2016/07/chronicles-of-mom-with-wanderlustlost.html

flyca:
@wanderlustain:
Please how do you do your online booking? I mean what type of credit card do you use for your payments?
I am wondering if Naira mastercards still work in Europe?

Yes they do. I paid 100 euros for my 4 nights stay here in Rome with my naira MasterCard. I buy my bus tickets using my visa card though. As at yday stanbic was 350 per euro

kachi19:


Sorry but couldn't find it... I've thoroughly searched the blog! :/

Lol, on the right hand side, there is contact me. People have been mailing me from there.

I finally got to my accommodation with some ease, it is not too far from the bus station. I'm in a shared apartment with a lot of people (scary at first) but soon we settled in. They gave us a welcome meal, everyone wanted a picture with the baby, and she was basking in all the attention. She latched on to one older guy and refused to leave his side.

She's asleep now, I'm just trying to update the blog before I sleep. Another housemate just came in, she's also Nigerian! Yay!

Busy day tomorrow. Ciao!

NePro:


Brother some people opinion tire me at time I swear. Even question wey person no suppose ask dem dey ask.. I don't know what they take this white people as gods or something...I never see a single black lady standing by road side blacks are more smarter than that come on

Yes, I agree with you. The blacks I see are always busy, rushing somewhere, not loitering about as we see in US. Black people in europe are much more focused and smarter.

NePro:
Wanderlusta how is the journey going so far? Am having a good time currently in Romania beaching hehehehe. The worst part of it I have been pulled by traffic police almost like uncountable times I paid a traffic ticket enroute to Romania for overtaking a vehicle wrongly currently traveling with a German machine....ok the pics below is the view from my balcony went to the beach again

Wowz!!! I love beaches. Does one get a romanian visa or it's part of Schengen #AskingForAFriend

datigbogirl:


Chai so you dey go blow 600k just like dat.... Money wey you suppose go invest inside one business turn millionaire.... Do you have any business fetching you money? Na wa oh.

Me, blow 600k? How nah!

To get a visa you need to show evidence of funds to support yourself during the trip, that does not mean I going to spend it all. If only you know how long it took me to save it up.

Meanwhile, about business fetching money. Money no go fall from heaven do better thing money go come, na true talk I de tell you so oh!

RichYoungNigga:


You don't have AdSense on your blog

I'm quite naïve. How does that work? Pls share