Home to Rome

By this time we are somewhat weary of travel and ready to be back home in Nottingham. But plans are plans (and airline tickets are airline tickets), so we have 24 hours to kill in Rome.

Due to our landlord not showing up in a timely fashion, and an overzealous railway ticket agent who seemed to misunderstand our lack of urgency about getting back to Rome, we were up before the sun, left the room key in the door, and were off to an early train. This one cost more than the other, very reasonable train tickets we had purchased in Italy, and once on board we discovered that we were in our own little compartment on a very smooth, quiet, and fast express train. We were also traveling during the peak morning rush hour, so that probably added to the cost, as well.

The Arch of Titus, in the Roman Forum, famously celebrates the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple, which remains a "Wailing Wall" to this day.

Arriving at Rome’s Termini Centrale before 10:30 a.m., we had contemplated a trip out on the Appian Way to see one of the catacombs, but that quickly began to look like a complicated and expensive proposition. So we dropped our bags at the hotel and walked to the Forum and Colosseum.

We’d seen all this by night just over a week ago on the outside, and on the inside 35 years ago, but it proved to be worthwhile even though we started out less than enthusiastic about it. It appears that more of the Forum has been excavated and opened than was the case three decades ago (or perhaps our memories are fading), and the exhibits in the Colosseum were definitely better than before.

Colosseum exterior

After lots of walking and climbing around the monuments, we found a bench in the sun on a beautifully warm January day (upper-50s) and enjoyed a gelato (very tasty Italian ice cream) before heading back to the hotel.

The Colosseum, interior 

The hotel was interesting. Well located and generally nicely refurbished, this was a fairly expensive place in season, but offered very reasonably off season on an online hotel site. They put us in a big room way up on the sixth floor (no view, however), but when I tried the key for the first time, the entire door handle came off in my hand!

All alone on the Spanish steps (which usually can't be seen because they are covered with tourists)

They sent a guy to fix that, and while he was working on it, I noticed that the remote control would not turn on the TV, and called this to his attention. He messed with it awhile, then said he’d be back. He returned and messed some more, then left to get a different TV, returned with another guy, and after an hour or so even the hotel manager was there. She and the two guys were going back and forth in Italian, as they tried different TVs, new cables, different remotes, etc. Eventually we had BBC World News on the screen, but it really took some doing!

The two of us at Trevi Fountain

Next morning we rode the Metro to see the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, neither of which took very long as there were few tourists anywhere to get in our way. One can't get near either for the crowds in summer. We came back and lounged around the room (to write this blog, etc.) until check-out time, grabbed a quick pizza for lunch, and headed for the airport.

Romans take communication studies seriously.

The flight home was uneventful and we arrived home on time. The first flight, from Rome to Frankfurt, afforded a gorgeous view of the snow-capped Alps on a crystal-clear afternoon.