16th July 2010 - Rome Trip Day

Breakfast was a bit odd as in its selection,but yoghurt and bread filled us up. Then off to the Colosseum

It took us about 30 mins to get there after a short trip on the Rome underground (Castro Pretorio to Colosseo). The Rome Metro is not very extensive with only two lines. Apparently is really had to build more stations with all the remains in the ground means that it takes years as they have to be preserved first. I was tempted to take up the tours being offered but guides around the entrance gates but Gemma convinced me to ignore them.  

The Colosseum is grander than I imagined, it looks like I expected but I was not ready for the scale. It would really have been something to see working. We passed on the Palatine Hill as it was very hot and we had time issues. We went to a small food bar and had pizza slice and lemon drink. This was some of the best food we had in rome, though all the food was good if not the service. Then we walked to the restaurant to get the pictures. While we were walking along I noticed that Italian rubbish collectors are very pretty, we need to upgrade ours. We just hung around the square then back to the hotel to drop off the pictures and get ready for the trip.

We made our way to  the tour pickup point. This is the tour that Gemma was arranging when she was cooking me in the night with the assistance of her Italian boyfriend. Its a very small office with two seats for about 30 people. So we shuffled around and inside and out while we wait. There are several tours starting at the same time but it all gets sorted out. By 15:00 we were on the way to Tivioli.

Its a 45 min trip which was done at a good pace with decent roads. This place used to be where well off Romans came during the hot times. Quite a nice place.

We start off by looking at the Villa d’Este and in particular at the water gardens. The whole water system is powered by gravity, the fountains and the pools etc. Just putting your hands in the ice cold waters is quite a thrill. I found Pegasus and had a shot taken there. 

After a time we went to Hardrian Villa. The guide was working a scam of trying to get people not to go to the Villa so he could keep their entrance fee for himself. 

Unfortunately we only had one hour. Again I  did not expect the size of the place what can it have been like when it was working! 

Back to Rome in time for tea. We had dinner in a restaurant near the hotel. This time the waitress was a laugh and so we left her a tip which she seemed to be surprised about. The food was good and the beer was cold.

The place is full of Italian tourists, I expected foreign tourists but I did not expect so many italian, silly eh

Its really hot, the shower in the hotel was a god send.

I like Rome a great deal must come back again.

15th July 2010 - On a train

Not to Rome yet.

We slept badly as the ride is really rough and the noise level very high. Only coffee as there is no food left on train. The crew say they have no change but of course they have change they are just stealing from people. Time passed and so did Italy though there is no sign of the breakfast that they said they would pick up at a stop and we are 5 hours behind schedule. The guard says that we will be 4 hours late into Rome. This train is spectrally  bad (the company running it has lost the contract and service has since ceased)

Spoke to a person in the next compartment she thought she had left enough time to make a 3 hr connection in Bologna and is now very worried. They gave us water tea and a small stale bread for breakfast and we were 3 1/2 hours late into Rome Termini.

The hotel was about 10 mins walk from the station. Daniel checked us in, the place is spread over several floors but strangle the lift does not server any of them! The lift stops at mezzanine floors not attached to the real floors. 

The room is small and clean. The it was out again. Walked to the pantheon. At last a really impressive building. Stopped at a water fountain that they have scattered around, it was really cold and really good. Then a good walk to nova something. Quite packed, we had drinks at a cafe but the spoilt brat of a waitress was not impressed when I did not leave a tip.

Then down to Argentine square that Gemma knew. It was a bit early for dinner so we had a walk around. Watched a woman trying to be run over by a tram! Lots of Roman stuff, surprise!

We had a very nice dinner, with (for me) a 1L beer. Afterwards we took a taxi back to the hotel. The driving was fine, no like I had imagined it. When we got back Gemma realised that she had left her paintings in the restaurant , we phoned them and confirmed that they were there.

Went to bed, woke up boiling as the air con was off. Wondered where Gemma was, turns out she had snuck down stairs to see the boy on reception, as she had taken the room key with her the air con had switched off.

She was down there quite a while as she was trying to get a trip for the next day sorted and needed to send a fax. While the boy was sorting that out she had the work reception including booking some people in and handing out keys etc. Still she also managed to get us some free Wifi.