Just amazing how much you can cover in one day. Started this morning with the alarm going off at 4.50am on the boat so we could be ready for our 5.30 transfer to Athens airport. Catherina and Drazen our cycling guides very kindly got up early to get us a coffee and say goodbye which was much appreciated. All the usual check-in and security stuff and we eventually took off at 9.00. Beautiful flight to Rome - crossed the Ionian Sea with its beautiful Islands similar to the Agean where we had so happily spent the last week. Our flight then took us acrosss the heel of Italy and then up the West coast over the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Naples and into Rome - a spectacular flight.
Rome airport won our title of worst baggage handlers in the world- 40 minutes before we got our luggage. Found out that the train costs Eur14 each and the bus is 5 so we naturally took the bus into Roma Termini, the huge central railway station and transport hub and renowned mecca for pick-pockets. Survived. Our "Independent" Hotel is just down the road so a 3 minute walk had us booked in by 12, got our map and off we set for a bit of a first wander around the Eternal City.
Rome really is beautiful. The buildings are very impressive and many streets tree-lined - some with orange trees! Huge memorials and fountains everwhere. We walked via the "Plazza della Republica" to the famous Trevi fountain where there were of course hundreds (thousands??) of those damn tourists cramming into the square.
My poor school-boy Italian is coming in quite handy - amazing how a "bon giorno" or "grazie" and "va bene" change the attitude - they get quite friendly very quickly. Back to the hotel (really terrific room) after the excursion for the luxury of a soak in the hot bath - a luxury not available for the past week on the boat. Wonderful. Along with putting the toilet paper down the toilet - a practice banned on the boat (it had to be placed in a bin and collected by the crew each day) - the joys of boating in Greece. This was also required in most of Turkey - just thought any prospective Turkey visitors might like to know that!
Dinner tonight was at a terrific little side street ristorante just down the road - roast lamb for me, calamari for Elizabeth with tiramisu for sweets - sorry to report, all absolutely gorgeous. With 500ml "casa rosso" - eur45! Good night.
Trivia: The Trevi fountain was built on the site of an ancient Roman Aquaduct. It was built over 20 years in the mid-1700's. The word "Trevi" simply means three (tre) streets (via) as the square is the meeting point for three streets.
pictures:
*fountain at Piazza della Republica - plus reclining Madonna???
*first view of St Peters
*Trevi fountain (of "Three coins in a Fountain" fame) - the legend is that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain you will surely return to Rome - its HUGE.
streets lined with orange trees sound so beautiful
ReplyDelete