Our vacation kicked off in Antalya, Turkey: 4 days of sun, sea, and pure laziness. We did the traditional walk through the Old Town, a bit of shopping, and had a weird experience with a cafe. There was this mysterious, glowing red neon trail leading to it, so we thought it would be something "wow," but inside it was... honestly, just meh. The days under the scorching sun flew by fast—the main destination of our trip was waiting for us.

A Stopover in Geneva
Next up was beautiful Switzerland with a long layover. We had exactly one day to explore. The last time I was here was back in March 2017 with my dad for the Motor Show. Seven years later, the city has changed... and sadly, not always for the better.

After grabbing some souvenirs, checking off the famous fountain, and wandering streets still soaked in the spirit of good old capitalism, we headed back to the airport. That’s where a new quest awaited me: "automatic baggage drop." I’d never seen this procedure in my life. I must have bugged the staff five times asking what to do. My main confusion was about pooling the baggage allowance with my partner—it was a pretty weird system. I still have a feeling I booked all the suitcases under my name alone (and we were definitely way over the weight limit).

All Roads Lead to Rome 🇮🇹
The flight flew by on a half-empty plane. Then came a classic tourist mix-up with Uber: I confused Arrivals with Departures. Knowing the translation didn't help when the chaos kicked in!

We settled in near the Vatican. The area was a vibe: ancient history on one side, kids partying in tiny phone-booth-sized cafes on the other. Our hotel felt like a set from an 80s Italian TV show, and the room was pure "brutal minimalism." But hey, dinner was soulful: Belgian beer from a kiosk and pub sandwiches.

Next day was maxed out: Vatican, Trevi, Spanish Steps, and magical evening walks. Also, plot twist: the best pasta we had was from... a regular supermarket deli. Seriously.

While walking near the Colosseum, we realized we were just 10 minutes from Circus Maximus, where David Gilmour was playing his tour. I spent the whole day thinking, "Tomorrow is the day. Dream comes true." Suddenly, I heard it. A familiar sound drifting through the air. I froze and listened... it was Sorrow from A Momentary Lapse of Reason. The wait just became even more intense and sweet.

Day X: Circus Maximus
We finally made it! We arrived 4 hours before the show, just as the ticket instructed—I was terrified of doing something wrong and being late. That extra time was meant for buying merch and a "foamy warm-up" with some beers. The concert was held on the grounds of the Circus Maximus.

For context: today, the Circus Maximus is a picturesque public park and one of the world's most massive open-air concert venues. But in its prime, it was antiquity’s largest hippodrome, where the thrill of chariot races mixed with solemn processions, and the roar of the crowd shook all of Rome. Imagine marble stands rising several stories high, the Emperor’s box glittering with gold, and dust kicking up from the hooves of hundreds of horses. It was the absolute center of ancient hype.

This grand green valley amidst ancient ruins, where chariots once raced, now serves as a spot for walks, picnics, and morning jogs for modern Romans. But during major events, it transforms into a giant stadium hosting global stars, festivals, and city celebrations. Legends have played here—for instance, The Rolling Stones drew a crowd of 65,000 back in 2014.

There was plenty of time before the start. I had made a vow not to drink any beer (restrooms at open-air events can be a real lottery), but upon seeing the orderly rows of clean porta-potties, I surrendered. I decided to enjoy a couple of glasses of "foam" and some snacks. I also bought a cool mug to remember the night. The merch selection was rich: magnets, shirts, hoodies, records, CDs, mugs, picks, you name it.

The Show Must Go On
Over three hours later, we settled into our seats.The ushers weren't really checking tickets yet, and the crowd was just trickling in. At one point, I saw a very familiar silhouette on stage and bolted forward, thinking Gilmour had come out for a soundcheck. Oh, the naivety!)) It was just a tech who looked a lot like him.

Suddenly, all the lights go out. Guy Pratt steps out, announces the rules, and then... total darkness. First, a synth starts playing, followed by the sound of an electric guitar that sends shivers down my spine. A spotlight beam catches a figure on stage. David Gilmour appears, and the crowd goes wild.

Together with his band, Gilmour performed the following setlist:

Set 1
1. 5 A.M.
2. Black Cat
3. Luck and Strange
4. Speak to Me
5. Breathe (In the Air)
6. Time
7. Breathe (реприза)
8. Fat Old Sun
9. Marooned
10. Wish You Were Here  
11. Vita Brevis
12. Between Two Points
(The Montgolfier Brothers cover) (вместе с РоманиГилмор)
13. High Hopes

Set 2
14. Sorrow
15. The Piper's Call (вместе с РоманиГилмор)
16. A Great Day for Freedom
17. In Any Tongue
18. The Great Gig in the Sky
19. A Boat Lies Waiting
20. Coming Back to Life
21. Dark and Velvet Nights
22. Sings
23. Scattered

Encore: Comfortably Numb 🤘

Those few hours, with just a short intermission, felt like a fairy tale. We walked back to the hotel on foot, in total euphoria, trying to process everything we’d just seen. Sleep was out of the question. I lay there, editing videos for my stories, and realized: the dream had come true.

Here is some Pink Floyd classics and the magic of Gilmour for you to enjoy (adding a few videos):