Florence – Rome: Train Ride and Casing Out Rome

After breakfast and briefly back to bed, we checked out of our room at 10:45 am.

As timed, 15 minutes later we were standing at the Santa Maria Terminal for our train number 1917 destined for Napoli.  Not knowing Italy geography, I checked at the train information counter whether we were taking the correct train.  The reply was, “Rome is first stop; train goes to Napoli.”

Marie spotted on the schedule board that our train was boarding on Platform 10.

We boarded Coach 10, seats 9B and 10B.  We were joined by Johnny and Audrea, newlyweds (about a year ago) from Edinburgh, Scotland.  Johnny was born and raised in Aberdeen; Audrea from Toronto, Canada.  Audrea recently graduated from University and started a job at a hospital as a physical therapist, specializing in neurological ailments working with those inflicted with Parkinson’s Disease and stroke victims.  Johnny is a technical engineer for the oil and gas industry working for Chevron.  Johnny designs the hardware that go into the drilled hole that pumps the oil out.  They are vacationing for two weeks without an itinerary.  They stayed two days in Rome, 2 days in Florence and are on their way to Naples/Sorrento.  They’ll hire a car when in Naples.

I took out my Lonely Planet book for them to research Sorrento to find lodging suggestions.

They considered going to Pompei.  I informed them about Ostia Antica as an alternative, having researched it and found a great article by Rick Steves and on message boards as a place with all the architecture and historic era as Pompei without the tourist crowds or commercialism.  They seriously considered Ostia Antica as an alternative destination for a visit.  If Marie and I had more time, I wanted to add Ostia Antica to our itinerary, but it will have to wait for our next trip to Italy.

With such good conversation and company, time flew.  We arrived in Rome at 12:45.  We departed with hearty farewells for a safe and happy trip for all.

ROME

Because friends had forewarned us of the heavy gypsy population at this particular train station, we decided it was worth the few extra Euros to take a taxi to our hotel.  Taxis were lined up outside the station.  The car’s dashboard instrument panel read the outside temperature was between 38 – 42°C (= 100.4 – 107.6°F).

1:00 PM:  Checked into Hotel King.  The receptionist gave us a map marking our location and the major monuments nearby, marking the metro lines and highly recommending the old city section that is the “real” Rome.  Breakfast was served between 7 and 10:30 am on the Third Floor.

Room 103 contained two twin beds, a bathroom with a tiny shower (no tub), a standing closet, a desk with chair and air conditioning with a thermostat we could control.  The a/c was blasting at about 60°F.  I turned it up to about 70°F.

After a nap (till 4:30 pm), we performed a timed test run to Enjoy Rome.  We bought two three-day Metro passes (2 x 16.50 €= 33 €) and then headed out to find the Office….

But first, we stopped to eat at Saby’s Express Piazza Barberini.  It was Happy Hour:  two for one drinks!  I ordered a Sea Breeze (vodka, cranberry and grapefruit), Marie ordered a Blue China (vodka, blue curacao, lychee and grapefruit), followed by an Appeltini.  I ordered a Fettuccini alla Scoglio and Marie ordered the penne carbonara.  So good.  When Marie gave our handsome young waiter his tip, he asked Marie if he could give her kisses (on her cheeks).  When in Rome….

On our way back to the main street, we stopped at Marconi Gold Shop, where we purchased a Hello Kitty charm for Marie’s charm bracelet, a Hello Kitty with a pink heart.

We took the Metro from Barberini to Ottaviano.  It was four stops to Ottaviano – about one minute per stop.  After disembarking, we walked to Piazza Risorgimento to take pictures of the Holy See wall before backtracking to find the Enjoy Rome office, overshooting the office by a block before we backtracked again to find its tiny doorway to the office at slightly below street level.

A ten minute walk back to the Metro station; time noted.  We strolled among the shops until closing time, about 8 pm.  With the shops closed and night falling, we took the Metro back to our Barberini stop.  From there, we strolled past our hotel toward Piazza del Popolo.

We walked to Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps, about a 15 minute stroll from our hotel.  I was able to take some pictures of the Vatican dome with rooftops lit up at night as well as the obelisk in the piazza, while Marie sat watching my purse.

Nearly 9:00 pm, we strolled back to our hotel.  When picking up our room key, I requested a 7:00 am wake up call, as well as a wifi password.

Back in the room, I felt several bites on my thighs – flea bites, by the welts that formed.  Marie didn’t feel any, so I can’t be sure the fleas were from my bed, since I napped earlier without incident.  I might have been bitten along our walk.  After my shower, I used my silk bed liner, just in case.  Using my bed liner gave me peace of mind and besides, I packed and carried it all this time.

We watched the Olympics while surfing the internet and journaling before lights out at 12:30 am.