August 1 - August 20, 2005
Rome in August is Hot! It’s said that the true Romans leave the city in August and go tour the rest of Europe, leaving Rome to the tourists. Must be true. There were a lot of tourists in Rome. However, it’s sad to say, there were also many pickpockets and gangs of youth left in Rome that were preying on the tourists. This is our third summer in traveling in Europe and we have never seen as much crime as we did in Rome. That includes our trips to Northern Europe, Holland, France, Spain and two trips to Morocco. Its been said before, but here it is again: Don’t look like a tourist – the shorts, camera, guide book and funny sun hat. However, if you must, put a leash on everything. Tie your wallet to your belt so that when they grab it, you at least have a sporting chance at getting it back. Most of the action takes place in the metro. Yes, that fat, overweight 55 year old in shorts and a TShirt is part of the pickpocket gang. As I saw a wallet pass by, I asked my friend if he still had his wallet. He said yes, then checked again, and by the time he said “no” too many seconds had gone by and the wallet had passed along to others in the group and was long gone. We finally resorted to just carrying a credit card and bills in a pocket that zips that was below knee level on the cargo pants. Other cruisers experienced the gang approach method where 4 or 5 kids would approach you and 2 would distract you while the others would grab your wallets, etc. It was sad to say that every cruiser we spoke to had their own gang – related crime story. Anyways, enough about that.
To get back to the real story, from our marina, we could take the free bus back to the airport, then there were 2 options to get to Rome – the fast $$ train or the slower city buses. We would alternate days of boat projects (washing, waxing, cleaning – getting the boat ready for overwinter storage) with days of touring Rome. We used the Spanish Steps metro station as our home base. That’s a great place to wander the city.
We walked over to visit the new Pope, but, somehow our dates had gotten confused and he was in Germany for a Convention. Same thing had happened last time we were in London. The Queen missed our scheduled tea time. Oh well. The Coliseum was the highlight of our first day off from boat projects. We had tried to get there EARLY like we had been advised, but somehow, didn’t make it till 11am. The line was around the block, but, it moved so fast we were in before we knew it. There’s something to be said for gazing down into the Coliseum and visualizing the many gladiator battles that took place there. We could “see” the time they flooded the area and held boat battles there. Then there was the afternoon where it was the gladiators versus the wild animals that had been starved so they would be ready for gladiator meat, and visa versa. After fighting so many battles, we were exhausted and headed out to explore other parts of the city.
The Piazza di Spagna, or better known as the Spanish Steps area of Rome is a fabulous place to roam if you keep your credit cards firmly in hand. But first, before heading for the shops, there is a fabulous pizza by the slice restaurant just as you exit the metro. If you’re in a hurry, you can order through the window and eat on the go. Otherwise, the little tables inside set you up for what’s to come. If you’ve been to the Venetian in Vegas before coming to Italy, this area looks just like the Venetian.
The architecture is beautiful and the colors of all the adjoining buildings are an artist’s dream come true. The pastel pallet runs wild with almost every hue represented. In the center of the plaza is the fountain. In the 18th century the most beautiful women and men of Italy gathered here, waiting to be chosen as an artist's model. Now, the tourists are hang out on the steps leading up to the church and the area where the artist’s are hawking their wares. Other tourists are in or around the boat-shaped fountain called the Barcaccia, believed to be by Pietro Bernini. Around the piazza, cafes dot the plaza. It’s a pretty wonderful place to spend a few hours.
Every known high end store is located in this area, showing what’s new in the fashion world. Diesel has a great store with $200 sweaters and $80 beanie caps.
Just prior to visiting Rome we had read Dan Brown’s book, Angels and Demons. It’s a “required read” for anyone who wants to wander around Rome looking for the different clues developed throughout the book. Fountains designed by Bernini will take on a whole new meaning. There will be specific things to look for in the Vatican. The book was a highlight of our tour of Rome.
Speaking of the Vatican, we were anxious to experience the Sistine Chapel during our visit to Rome. Jan had studied it at MSU and was anxioius to see it in person. Unfortunately, maybe because it was August, there was nothing to “experience” during our visit. We were herded en mass through the chapel and the guards constantly were blaring over loud speakers not to take any pictures while all the tourists were slying trying to take pictures in spite of the armed guard atmosphere. It was awful. The only redeeming experience happened when we finally got herded into St. Peter’s Basicila. Because it was so big, you could wander at will, much to the guards’chagrin. The Japanese tour groups seemed to dominate the Basicila so it was a relief when we heard a guy say, “Come on over, this is a free tour.” We joined the group and had the best experience in our entire visit to Rome. This guy hangs out in St. Pete’s, giving half hour free tours so you will pay to take his walking tour of Rome later that evening. It was definitely worth it. We plan to go back and find the guy for the evening tour, but, on that particular day, we were a bit too tired to stick around for an evening tour as well. We have his name, but, its on the boat so email us if you want his mane.
It took us about 2 weeks to get the boat put away. We are in the Constellation Nautica Marina, which is “behind” the bridge in Fuiminchino. The good news is that the rate is really good for keeping your boat there over the winter. The bad news is that the bridge broke just after we came through, keeping all the boat’s “landlocked” for several months. We have heard the bridge is now fixed, but the question is, how will it be next April/May when we want to leave? It’s a great little marina. We are “on the hard” there. In fact, from our boat, you can see the free bus going to the airport. As we may have said before, Europe is expensive and Italy is VERY EXPENSIVE. We found a can of Wd40 cost $9 USD and antifreeze was $40 or $50 – the kind you can’t dilute. It was still a constant chase looking for parts for the boat – and struggling to be at shops when they are actually opened. This part of Europe is so different from the States: they open maybe at 9, then close from 1 or 2 to 5 and maybe open at 7, maybe not. Sometimes, they just don’t open. It’s sort of like street signs. Their hours of operation signs are “suggestions.” Maybe they are open, maybe not.
The best thing about Italy is their ice cream. We became experts in gelato. Basically, it’s always good. You need to find all the different gelato shops and test them frequently – put them on a QC schedule – check once at noon and maybe again in the evening to make sure the quality is up to standards. We loved that part of Italy. The pasta dishes were also a highlight of the area. One day I had a $25 USD plate of just spaghetti – and it was the best spaghetti I had ever eaten. It was actually worth the price!
This year ends at this point as we returned to Seattle until next April.