The train journey from Milan to Rome was utterly painless and we enjoyed a special price – both children were free! After saying goodbye to Fiona at Republicca and buying tickets at the central station we settled into the Eurostar. Chris negotiated with people sitting in our seat – so typically Italian! – and then accidentally dropped his drink bottle on the lady’s head, leading to a furious telling off from her husband and Chris looking murderous and snarling “scusi” several times. By the time we reached Florence one hour later however, we were great friends with the couple. Like several Italians we had already met, they seemed scandalised that we would take 3 months’ holiday because in Italy employment is so tenuous and 40% of young people are unemployed.
We arrived in Rome right on time (we believe his is somewhat unusual so we must have been lucky), weaved our paranoid way through the crowds avoiding gypsys as far as possible, and straight to a taxi.
Roma, Roma, Roma. I was almost scared that because I loved France so much that my love affair with Rome would have waned. No chance! If Paris is grand is beautiful, Rome is magnificent and awe inspiring. Every time we turned a corner it was KAPOW! Then we’d turn another corner and it was KAPOW, KAPOW!! I had forgotten how amazing this city was.
After settling into our apartment, which turns out to be in the Vie dei Coronari which is one of the most beautiful streets in Rome, we meandered the fascinating and ever changing streets and lane ways to look at the Spanish Steps (under renovation, thick with crowds and a total let down), Trevi Fountain (also under renovation – I was devastated but threw my coin in any way), Piazza Navona and the Pantheon (totally amazing). It was hot and sticky and we finished off the day with pizza and pasta in a small restaurant across the road, a cool shower and a sleep in cool cotton sheets watching the curtain blow in the breeze and listening to the Italians downstairs calling to each other.
This morning Chris got up really early and took some amazing photos around Rome. The rest of us arose around 7.30 and headed out looking for breakfast and walked up to St Peter’s basilica. The crowds were thick, the sun was hot and we were told it was a two hour wait, so we walked around the square and vowed to return early on Monday morning. We had bought some pasta and vegetables from an expensive deli ( everything in Rome is so expensive so far) took them home and I made pasta and salad for lunch. After a bit of a rest we hit the town again exploring some more – Piazza Navona, Campo Fiori where we bought “penis pasta” (pasta in the shape of a penis) for Michael. In our explorations we discovered a Segway tour through Rome at night. Unfortunately Michael is far too young for this endeavour and so after an early dinner Chris and Nick headed off for a great adventure, while I settled in at “home” to watch Eat, Pray, Love. Tomorrow morning the Bornas arrive and our Italian adventure steps up a notch!
