Their flight left just after 6pm and about two hours later they landed at Roma Fiumicino airport. They collected their bags and bought tickets for a bus that brought them to Termini train station in the middle of Rome. They waited until their luggage was loaded from the bus and they walked via Via Cavour and Via Principe Amedeo to Via del Viminale where their hotel was, hotel Columbia.
"Welcome to hotel Columbia, do you have a reservation with us?" The friendly woman behind the desk asked.
"Sì sotto il nome di Moore,[Yes under the name Moore,]" Callen replied in perfect Italian.
The woman typed something on her computer. "Ah si nella camera doppia standard. Posso avere i tuoi passaporti per favore? [Ah yes, in the double standard room. Can I have you passports please?"
Callen and Zoë handed her their passport and they were checked in.
"Nella tua camera c'è una cartella con informazioni sull'albergo e alcune cose di Roma. La colazione viene servita all'ultimo piano.[In your room there's a folder with information about the hotel and some things of Rome. Breakfast is served on the top floor.]"
"Grazie."
Their received the key to their room and took the elevator upstairs to the third floor. They came into their room. Behind the door was a small closet and next to it the door to the bathroom. The bathroom had a vanity and a tub and shower in one and a toilet. The walls and floor had white tiles. Next to the bathroom door, against the other wall, stood a desk with chair and a mirror and next to it the double bed. Right of the door was a bench to put the suitcases and next to it a dresser with the mini-fridge in it and a TV on top. Next to the dresser stood a lounge sofa with a chair. Above the bed hung a glasslike chandelier. They quickly freshened up a bit before they went down grab a quick bite to eat. They had eaten something small at the airport already before leaving so they didn't need much. Before they left they returned their key at the desk. They couldn't take the room key with them, they had to leave it at the hotel. They went across the street to Café Washington. Zoë had lasagna while Callen had spaghetti with meatballs.
"Hmmm this is definitely one of the best lasagnas I've ever had," Zoë stated once she took a bite. "And it stays so nice upright on my plate, when I make it at home it always plummets down when I dig into it," Zoë joked.
"This spaghetti is delicious too. But hé, we're in Italy, if you can't make good pasta here then you might as well close your restaurant."
"True."
They enjoyed their dinner before going back to the hotel. They retrieved their key and went upstairs. They put their stuff away before they got into bed. Tired from all the traveling they fell asleep right away.
The next morning they went up to the breakfast hall.
"Buongiorno," they greeted the woman behind the bar and gave her their room number.
There was a delicious spread with all kinds of bread, yoghurt, sweets, cheese, meat, eggs.
"Do you want some coffee?" Zoë asked Callen.
"Yeah, cappuccino please."
Callen took their plates to the table as Zoë went to order them some cappuccinos.
"Two cappuccinos please," she asked the friendly woman behind the bar.
"Si."
Zoë went to her table and a little later the two cappuccinos where brought.
"Grazie."
"Prego."
They enjoyed their breakfast before they went back to their room to get their things. Today they were going to see the sights around their hotel. Zoë had made them a route. They turned their key in at the desk and they exited the hotel. They went right and took the fourth street right onto Via Agostino Depretis and they came to Piazza del Viminale. They walked further and took a left onto Via Nazionale and then the first right onto Via Genova. Through the gardens of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale they walked to Via del Quirinale. They followed the street and came to Piazza del Quirinale. They took the steps at the far right down to Via della Dataria and took a right onto Via de Saint Vincenzo. Through a small street they came at a square where the Trevi Fountain was.
"It's so weird that you suddenly come out of these small streets and then bam, there's the Trevi Fountain," Zoë stated.
"Yeah, like right in the middle of the city is this huge fountain."
They took a few pictures at the Trevi Fountain before continuing there way. Via Via della Stampera they walked to Via del Tritone and towards Piazza Barberini. When the traffic was quiet they quickly crossed the street towards the middle of the square and took a few pictures at the Triton Fountain. They walked back the way they came a bit and took a right onto Via Sistina, a left onto Via Francesco Crispi, a right onto Via di Capo le Case and another right onto Via Del Due Macelli. They arrived at Piazza Di Spagna where a fountain and the Spanish Steps were.
"We're in Rome and we're at the Spanish Steps," Callen joked.
They sat down on the steps for a bit of rest and something to drink before walking up the steps. Upstairs they took a left onto Piazza della Trinita dei Monti. At one point they had a beautiful view of the city so Zoë took a selfie of them and then another as she kissed Callen. They walked down the road and before they went to explore the gardens of Villa Borghese. They rented a Segway to explore the park. At the park was a bike rental and they had Segways as well. They had to put a helmet on and got a quick course on how to operate a Segway. For an hour they rode around the park before turning their Segways back in. They sat down at a café in the gardens for some lunch. They exited the park at Viale del Muro Torto. At the kiosk they bought a bus ticket and they took the bus to Corso Minghetti. Via Via del Caravita they walked towards the Pantheon. They went inside the Pantheon and had a look around. From the Pantheon they walked via Via Giusttiani and Croso del Rinascimento to Piazza Navona. They walked into the small church that was there. It was a beautiful square and the weather was beautiful so they sat down at a café to have some drinks.
"It's amazing how well everything preserved is," Zoë said. "I mean a lot of things are pretty old here but it still looks so good."
"Yeah it's remarkable. But it's really beautiful."
"Yeah it is. It's nice to just get away for a while."
"Yeah it is. And it's even better that I get to do it with you," Callen smiled at her and he quickly leaned over to her to give her a kiss.
They stayed at the square for a while before taking the bus back to the hotel. They had some time before dinner so they opted to go in the tub for a bit. Callen filled the tub and got in first before Zoë climbed in and sat in between his legs with her back against his chest and Callen wrapped his arms around her.
"Hmmm," Zoë moaned as she settled herself into her husband's arms.
"I love you so much," Callen spoke and gave Zoë a soft kiss on her head.
"I love you too."
"I still can't quite believe you're actually my wife. I know we've only been married shortly but I've loved every minute of it so far."
Zoë turned her head around a bit so she was hanging a bit in Callen's arms and she looked him in the eye.
"It has been perfect yeah so far and I'm so happy that I get to call you my husband. I wouldn't have it any other way."
"That's good cus me neither."
Callen pulled Zoë closer so he could kiss her. Zoë shifted her position so she was sitting on his lap. Zoë moaned into the kiss when she felt there private parts rubbing against each other. They fooled around for a bit before Zoë slid down onto him. They had some fun in the tub before getting out and getting dressed. Just after 7pm they went downstairs to get some dinner. They went to eat at Ristorante Terme di Diocleziano. Zoë ordered the spaghetti with tomato and basil while Callen took the risotto with mushroom. As dessert they both had gelato.
After dinner they went back to the hotel and played a card game before going to bed.
The next day they took an hop-on-hop-off bus at Termini station. They toured the city and got off at the Colosseum. They had to exchange the ticket they had bought in the bus for a ticket to enter the Colosseum. Since it was pretty busy they could enter the Colosseum in the afternoon, at 2.30pm. So they first when to explore the Romanian Forum.
"Wow, look at this all that still remains of the old Forum," Callen stated.
"Yeah it's amazing. This was the big center of the old Roma."
They walked around the Forum and asked someone to take a picture of them both. At one point there was a big pilar or something lying on the ground so Callen stood next to it and pretended to push it as Zoë took a picture. They walked around a bit and walked via Campidoglio to Teatro Marcello. Over the bridge they walked to the Tiber island where they sat down for a cup of coffee. Via Ponte Palatino they walked back across the river. Through the gardens around Foro Boario they walked to Circus Maximus.
"It's hard to believe that this piece of just grass and sand used to be one of the main attractions in the old Rome," Zoë stated.
"Yeah, this is what the movie Ben Hur is about, right?"
"Yes it is."
They walked across Circus Maximus and they got back on the hop-on-hop-off bus to tour the city. They had to wait until 2.30pm before they could enter the Colosseum so they had some time left.
"In those movies it always looks so romantic to cruise around Rome on one of those scooters. But if I look at the traffic right now here I'm like no way I'm gonna get on one of those," Zoë said.
"Too bad, I was thinking about renting one," Callen teased her and smiled at her.
"You're welcome to drive one just not with me."
"Darn it," Callen teased again, pretending to be bummed. "Yeah no, these people drive crazy here and those scooters are passing you by left and right. I had my share of crazy pursuits with Sam but this is just another level of crazy."
They took the bus back to Termini station and got off. Across the bus stand was a café so they decided to have some lunch there. After lunch they went back to the bus stand and waited for the hop-on-hop-off bus. They got back on the bus and got off at the Colosseum. They went to stand in line to go in. Before they went in they had to put their bags and electronics in a bin to go through the scanner. They explored the Colosseum and took some pictures before the exited it. Along Via dei Fori Imperiali they walked towards Piazza Venezia.
"You know how my mom used to call this when she went to Rome back when she was young?" Zoë said.
"No, what?"
"Suikertaart, meaning Sugar cake. Because you can see it from afar and it's so white that it looks like little sugar cubes stacked together."
"Hmmm," Callen replied as he looked at the palace. "Now that you mention it, it does a bit."
They went inside the palace to have a look around. After looking around the palace they went back to bus stand to get back on the hop-on-hop-off bus. They took the bus back to Termini station and walked back to the hotel.
"Wanna play a game?" Zoë suggested when they arrived back at the hotel.
"Sure which one?"
Zoë looked around in her suitcase and grabbed a game. "Halli Galli, you know that one?"
"Nope I don't."
"Ah okay, I'll explain it. There's a ball and all these cards with fruits," Zoë explained as she unpacked the small box. "We both get a set of cards and turn them around one by one and when there are exactly five of the same you try to press the bell as quickly as possible. So for example if I have a card with two bananas and you have a card with three bananas it are five bananas in total so then you press the bell as fast as possible. Whoever presses the bell first gets all the open cards, from the other one as well. Who has no more cards has lost the game."
"Alright, I think I get it."
Zoë split the cards between them and put the bell right in between them and the started the game. It was pretty hectic with cards all over the bed and both Zoë and Callen trying to hit the bell faster than the other.
"Ah!" Zoë yelled when she hit the bell just before Callen but Callen slammed his hand down on hers.
"You okay?" Callen asked concerned when Zoë pulled her hand back.
"Yeah, I'm good," Zoë replied as she shook her hand to get rid of the pain. "But I do get your pile of cards."
Zoë had a bunch of cards and Callen had hardly any left but a few minutes later Callen had a huge pile and Zoë had hardly any left. Zoë was up to her last card but now there lay five strawberries so she quickly tried to press the bell but Callen was just faster than her.
"Ah no!" Zoë exclaimed defeated.
"YES!" Callen yelled as he victoriously threw his arms up in the air.
Playfully in defeat Zoë tossed her remaining cards towards Callen who tried to duck but failed.
"Oh you are in trouble," Callen said as he launched himself towards Zoë.
Zoë tried to get out from his grasp but it was getting hard. They ended up wrestling in the bed, both trying to get out of the other's grasp. With a loud thud they ended up on the floor minutes later with Callen on the ground and Zoë on top of him.
"You okay?" Zoë asked concerned.
"Yeah I'm good," Callen replied and they both burst out in laughter.
A few seconds later Zoë silenced him as she kissed Callen. Callen wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeper in response. Clothes flew around the room before Callen turned them around and joined them. They had some fun on the floor before Callen stood up and carried Zoë to the bathroom where they got in the shower together. They had some more fun in the shower before they freshened up. Zoë hadn't noticed it before but as the warm water hit her back she felt like something burned. Worried Callen looked at her back and noticed it was a bit red with sort of burn marks.
"OMG you're back is very red," Callen stated concerned. "What happened there?"
"I think it happened just now when we were on the carpet."
"Really? You think that's what caused this?"
"Yeah I think that moving back and forth with my back across the carpet caused these sort of burns."
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry," Callen apologized, feeling bad that he had did this to her.
"Hey it's okay honey," Zoë replied as she walked up to Callen and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Just a reminder that we don't have sex on the carpet in the future."
"Yeah, no sex on the carpet. But still I'm sorry."
"Don't worry honey, it'll pass. It'll be okay."
Zoë reached up and brought his head closer to hers so she could kiss him. They finished there shower and got dressed. Zoë looked through her bag and found a bottle of healing cream so she asked Callen to put a little on her back. She finished getting dressed before they walked down. Tonight they were going to eat at Nerone, this was just a few steps down the street. Zoë ordered a pizza margherita while Callen had a pizza quattro Stagioni. As dessert they both had tiramisu. After dinner they went back up to their room and watched a bit of TV before going to sleep.
The next morning when Callen woke up he noticed that Zoë had moved over in her sleep and was now lying wit her head on his chest and his arm was around her. Callen loved waking up like this. Callen wrapped his arms around her a bit tighter and pulled her close as he snuggled against her. He was awake but he had no desire to go out just yet. He managed to fall back asleep again for about a half an hour before Zoë woke up as well.
"Hmm, good morning my husband," Zoë moaned lightly as she stretched herself in Callen's arms.
"Good morning my wife."
Zoë lifted her head up and gave Callen a soft kiss.
"One more day here before we have to leave," Zoë stated.
"Yeah one more day. But we still have all day."
Callen gave Zoë one more kiss before they got out of bed and got dressed. They went to get breakfast before leaving the hotel. Their hop-on-hop-off bus ticket was still valid for a few more hours so they grabbed that bus towards Vatican City. Across Ponte Sant'Angelo they walked towards Vatican City. They had to walk around Vatican City to get into the museum and the Sistine chapel. They already had tickets so they didn't need to stand in line. They exchanged the voucher they had for a ticket and went inside. Just like at the Colosseum they had to go through a metal detector for safety reasons here as well. They explored the museum and the Sistine chapel. They followed the route so they saw everything.
"It's amazing how well preserved almost everything is," Callen stated. "I mean, some things in here must be hundreds of years old."
"Yeah it's amazing. The restoration and upkeep of this must take a lot of work."
They explored the museum further and followed the signs towards the Sistine chapel.
"Haha, just a funny thought. What if Sam had to walk through these small halls?" Callen joked.
"Yeah, tight fit," Zoë added.
The halls up to the Sistine chapel were with stairs and very small. In the Sistine chapel they couldn't take pictures of film so they had to put away their cameras.
Once they were done with the tour they came into a food court so they sat down to have some lunch. After having some lunch they walked back around and went to stand in line to enter the St. Peter's basilica. They didn't have to buy a ticket for this but they did have to stand in line. Here again they had to go through the security clearance. They explored the church and also took the elevator up to look around the dome. They walked back along the promenade and passed by the Castel Sant'Angelo but they didn't go in there. They walked along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and took a right onto Via Cerri and then a left onto Via Pellegrino and followed this straight until they came at a square, Campo de' Fiori. This was a daily market. The market was just over so most of the stands had packed up already but there were few left that were packing up. Callen and Zoë sat down at one of the cafes to get something to drink.
"OMG look at that one," Zoë said as she pointed to one of the trucks.
It was a really really small truck but it was loaded full with even things on top.
"I have a feeling that it can tip over any second now."
"Yeah, I hope they don't have to drive far with that one."
They took the bus back to their hotel and lounged around before going out to dinner. They went to eat at Ristorante Alessio. Zoë took the cod and Callen had the beef as main course. As dessert Zoë ordered strawberries with whipped cream and Callen took the amaretto frozen dessert. After dinner they went back to their hotel and got to sleep since they had to wake up in a few hours to catch their next flight.