On Friday, September 26 (Ann's birthday), we were up, showered, packed and breakfasted by 7:30. We took a city bus just a block from our hotel to the termini. We made the mistake of not knowing the street name where we should have exited and ended up walking 6 blocks to get to the terminal to catch a fast train to Rome. Many of the sidewalks in Italy are cobblestone or broken pavement. By now the wheels on our rollie bags were beginning to wear crooked. We'll have to explore the possibility of replacing some when we get home. We arrived at the termini and figured out from which track our fast train was supposed to depart. We encountered a late-arriving train here, but they never changed the departure time. When it got close to the time of departure, even though the train had not yet arrived, we decided to start walking down the loading platform because our car was quite near the back. It's a good thing we did, because the train arrived and we would never have made it to the door, if we hadn't already been near our car. The train pulled out nearly on time!!
We were up and out about 7:30 AM planning breakfast at McDonald's, the only time we ate at an "American" restaurant, largely to have "American" coffee. We met our tour bus at 8:45 and headed on an all-day visit to many sites in Rome. It was the type of double-decker bus you could go off and on when you wanted and had English language audioguides. The first thing we were told was there would be an adjustment to our route because today was Independence Day and traffic was expected to be very heavy. We passed the Basilica of St Maria Maggiore which we came back to the next day. It is one of the four papal basilicas, founded in 358 and rebuilt in 440 with modifications in the 18th century. The campanile (bell tower) is the loftiest in Rome. It is known for its 5th century mosaics and its coffered ceilings, said to have been gilded with gold brought from the New World, this according to Frommer's Guide to Italy.
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| Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica |
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| One of the altars in Santa Maria Maggiore |
We drove on, passing by the Trident Fountain enroute to the Vatican. Trident Fountain is in the Tridente Area of Rome, not to be confused with Trevi Fountain.
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| Fountain of the Triton, built more than 3 centuries ago by Bernini. |
We were most interested in visiting St Peter's Square, but not the Vatican. Good thing the latter wasn't on our "Must Do" list because we saw the line for the Vatican from the bus and it had to have been over a mile long, 4 people wide!! I can't imagine how much time was spent waiting. Admission to the Vatican and St Peter's was free today because it was a holiday. Ann really wanted to see the inside of St Peter's Basilica, the largest in the world, so we stood in line for about an hour to get in. We had an interesting conversation with a couple from Boston while we waited in line. As we neared the security screening area, where among other things, guards scrutinize for apparel (no spaghetti straps or shoulders exposed on men or women and no shorts or skirts above the knees for anyone), a woman tried to cut in. There was a group of Asian people behind us and they vehemently pointed to where she had to go to join the queue. We watched her attempts for a while, but then lost interest as she got refused by group after group.
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| While waiting for an hour in the line for St Peter's Basilica, the largest in the world. |
St Peter's Basilica is overwhelmingly huge. It was originally commissioned in 324 by Emperor Constantine, but largely renovated in the 1500s and 1600s. The first thing you encounter along the right side is Michelangelo's "Pieta", which is exquisite. It's sheer emotion which was created in the 1490's when Michelangelo was in his 20s.
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| Michelangelo's "Pieta" is protected behind a glass partition after vandals damaged it. |
Another of Michelangelo's works is the impressive dome, towards the front of the basilica, which supposedly is over St Peter's tomb. It rises to 136 feet, Rome's largest, supported by four pillars. The dome shelters the altar with its ornate 96-ft tall canopy (baldacchino). The canopy is upheld by four twisty-columns designed by Bernini. The artwork is breath-taking throughout the basilica.
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| Dome painted by Michelangelo, said to rise above the tomb of St Peter |
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| Over the central altar is twisty-columned baldacchino by Bernini. |
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We hopped back on the bus to get to Trevi Fountain. We were disappointed to find it under construction and dry.
We did pause to have pizza at a near-by cafe. Then it was on to the Coliseum. Here, too, much construction is going on to recreate the original structures since most have been destroyed by earthquakes and time. Most of the displays have English translations and we rented an audiotour, too. It is amazing the engineering technology the ancients had.
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| Arch of Constantine, erected in 315 to honor Constantine's defeat of pagan Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge. |
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| The Coliseum is being reconstructed based on drawings which have been recovered. |
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| The Coliseum was "family entertainment" in the day. People brought food, cooked meals and behaved like a day at a football game today! |
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| Gladiators were ready to pose with tourists. |
We finished the visit by 3:40 and went to wait for our green line bus. When it hadn't stopped by like other tour buses had and we had been told it ran until 5 PM, we began to get worried. David asked a man who was associated with one of the other tours and was told that they often stop running by 2 PM!! So we got on a city bus and paid our 4 Euros on the bus to get us back to the termini. If you ever go to Rome, don't take the Green Line Tours!! Use the Red Bus Tour. We were overflowing with info and exhausted, so we found a restaurant nearby, had dinner and were back in our room by 8:30!
Sunday, September 28, 2014 Sunny, 60s early, 70s later
We were well rested and ready for more adventures, starting with breakfast at a local bar. Bar, you say! Well in Italy a bar is more than a place to get an alcoholic drink. Many sell metro tickets, sandwiches, coffee (even Americano), sundries as well as booze. We enjoyed lemon-filled croissants and Americano coffee at the local bar.
We then bought Metro tickets for the subway heading to the southeastern edges of Rome, near the Appian Way. The subway in Rome, is very deep, down two very steep escalators and well marked. Again the transit system impressed us.
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| Waiting for the metro underground. |
We zipped along following the posted maps to our stop near the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterno. This basilica is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, not St Peter's. The facade is by Alessandro Galilei featuring statues of Christ and the Apostles which ring the top. Across the street is the Palace of the Holy Steps. There are 28 marble steps, now covered with wood to protect them, which are purported to be the steps from Pontius Pilate's palace which Jesus climbed to appear before Pilate. People climb them on their knees, praying as they approach a chapel at the top. We didn't wait in line to reach the chapel, but took the stairway nearby.
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| St John Laterno Basilica--note the apostles' statues on top. |
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| The interior of St John Laterno was not nearly as ornate as many other churches we visited. |
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| 28 wood-covered marble steps climbed by Jesus when he stood before Pilate. |
The next stop on our agenda for today was the Catacombe di Domitilla, Rome's longest catacombs at 18 km (11 miles) built below land donated by Domitilla, a Flavian noblewoman who was exiled from Rome because she was a Christian. There is a story connected with our effort to find this location based on directions given in Frommer's. The catacombs are far enough outside Rome proper they were not on any of our maps, but Frommer said to take bus 714. We found the right bus stop, but David was reluctant to go somewhere for which he didn't have a good map location. But Ann, ever the optimist and scotch (although really she's German), didn't want to spend 30 Euros on a taxi which we'd been advised it might cost round-trip. So we asked the 714 bus driver if he was heading towards the catacombs on via della Sette Chiese. He waved us to board, and off we went. We knew at which stop to get off and proceeded to walk when we didn't see the street name. We saw a flower shop with young men attending it and asked them in English, but they didn't understand enough English to help us. They took us to a man washing a car nearby who did speak a bit of English and pointed back to the bus stop and go back another bus stop then head off ahead to the right. Well, we went back to the bus stop and lo and behold! there was the street off to the right. We started walking Sette Chiese, but we still didn't know how far we might have to walk and if we were going the right direction on that street. Ann stopped by an elderly gentleman who was sweeping the street in front of his shop, and asked, in English, how far the Catacombs were. He tried to explain in Italian, but Ann could not understand but motioned to her feet, demonstrating could we get there on foot. He understood and motioned it was not far. So we headed in the same direction we'd been going, and there around a slight bend was Catacombe di Domitilla. Unfortunately we got there just as they were closing for two hour lunch. We sat in a lovely arbor on the grounds, which had signs about the catacombs, including burial practices of the era. We had snacks and there was a drink machine to buy water and birds chirping, so the two hours went quickly.
Roman funeral rituals were very strictly regulated including legal and hygiene/sanitary rules. Death was considered entrance into an indistinct, dark kingdom ruled by the god of underground. Burial at night and outside Rome were also custom. Christianity adopted some of the same customs of burying the well-attired body with jewels in crypts carved out of the limestone in tunnels which came to be known at catacombs. Christian burials were done during the day and were joyful and hopeful because death was seen as entrance into the true life. By the 4th century, a Mass was associated with burial in Rome, not outside the city walls.
An English-speaking guide led our group of about12 people down into the lower worship area which had been constructed later and proceeded to dispel some of the myths associated with the catacombs. They were not secret, nor hiding places for persecuted/martyred Christians. That's a Hollywood myth. The catacombs were burial places for ostracized Christians who buried their dead in crypts carved into the soft limestone. It took a lot of wealth to bury there and often they were buried with gold and expensive trappings which were later looted. There are over 150,000 niches some of which are still sealed crypts. We walked several tunnels. In one was an incredible painting dating to the mid 300s. This mural on a curved arch leading to wealthy persons' crypts shows Jesus and Peter and Paul together even though they didn't live at the same time. It is not preserved in any way nor has it been restored, yet the colors are still quite vibrant. No photos could be taken in the catacombs, so we've stored away lots of mental pix!
By 4 PM we were back on bus 714 and heading back to termini. We rode with anxiety the whole way because it did not have a machine from which we could purchase tickets, which other metro conveyances had. We read about how badly we'd be fined if we were caught not having a ticket!! We got off near the Teatro dell Opera and Piazza della Republica and walked this area back to our hotel to rest until dinner. We returned to Ann's "birthday restaurant". This time we ate outside at tables with goldfish bowls for centerpieces.
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| Being entertained by a goldfish while awaiting our meal |
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| Fresh herbs were part of the decor |
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Monday, September 29, 2014--sunny, crisp.
Our bus to Ciampino Airport was scheduled to depart at 6:30 AM and we'd been advised to be there at 6 AM to get our boarding pass because passage depended on who got there first. So we ate the remainder of the hard roll purchased Friday evening (it was really hard by now!) and cheese and fruit for breakfast in our room. We pulled our rollies and Ann wore the backpack to the termini where David got our boarding pass which was just a colored card with a letter on it. We noticed quickly that some cards were different colors and letters and we wondered what that meant. We soon found out another bus was departing about the same time for a closer, bigger airport not used by Ryan Air. There were no signs posted nor did the staff for the Trennavision Bus provide any direction until everyone started surging towards a bus which had pulled to the curb. Then those of us going to Ciampino were told to wait in a separate area. Watching the buses park along this narrow street was a real lesson in precision. Finally we were herded to the second bus going to Ciampino and the free- for-all really got started. Again there was no guidance as people shoved luggage into the storage compartment of the bus and surged to get on with boarding cards uplifted. Soon it became apparent not everyone was going to get on and those of us who hadn't been at the head of the line were told to wait for the next bus. Since our luggage was already loaded, Ann struggled to jerk it out of the compartment while David waited near the bus door. We don't know what caused the driver, who seemed to be the one checking people on, to motion to David to board, but then Ann was again struggling to get the luggage stored and join David. We were exhausted by the time we were seated on the bus!! There seemed to be at least two seats vacant at the back of the bus when the door closed and quickly we got underway. We left Rome on the Appian Way, driving through arches of the old wall. Awesome at 7 AM!
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| "queueing" for the Trennavision Bus to the Ciampino Airport |
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| Through the old Roman wall onto the Appian Way enroute to Ciampino Airport |
We arrived at the Airport at about 7:20 for a flight at 8 AM. We quickly proceeded to the gate since we had our boarding passes and watched the process. Ryan Air could learn from Southwest about how to queue passengers, but in general we have observed Europeans don't queue like Americans. There are priority passengers who board first and, as in the US, there is a limit to the size of carry-on luggage. The priority passenger check-in person appeared to be much stricter than the other door person because almost immediately she flagged a passenger for the size of his rollie because it was too big. It was taller than allowed and he was pulled out and required to check his bag. Well the backpack we carried probably could not have met the requirement for its thickness. So Ann put the backpack on and we cleared through the other clerk without difficulty!!
Since when we landed we didn't have to wait for luggage, we could proceed directly to the counter of the rental car we had reserved. We were on the road by 10:35 in our Opel automatic. The clerk had asked David if he knew how to drive an automatic not realizing the car didn't behave like our automatic-shift cars. It took the entire trip back to Kleestadt for him to cuss the car and struggle with speed adjustments. A surprise birthday party awaited us when we arrived followed by a lovely meal We unpacked and rested until about 3:30 and walked to the neighboring village where we took up a trail through the countryside, chatting and reminiscing.
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| We have been surprised by the huge wind turbine fields in Germany. In the foreground are rows of raked hay. |
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| Robby had to relight the candles because Ann laughed so hard she blew some out. |
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| There were enough votive-type candles to form 69. Ann is still trying not to blow out the candles with her laugh! |
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| The wanderers! |
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| We don't know the story behind this sticker on the car of our friends' neighbor, but it certainly resonates with some of our Texas friends in the US!! |
Gabi served ice cream when we returned and Ann started a load of laundry. This is a learning experience, too. Washing machines in Europe run for at least 90 minutes and depend on the temperature being dialed in and the water heated in the machine. Gabi had Ann absolutely stuff the machine and Ann was amazed how clean everything got. She would never put that much into a machine at home. They hung the clothes in the laundry room and the next morning moved them outside to dry. Such a wonderful smell when they are dried outside!!
Ann and Robby worked to upload our 1750 plus pix and we began going through them, eating cheese and crackers and "Clicks' veggie dippers", which Gabi calls them because some time in the past we have served dippers to them. We got through Florence photos when the eyelids began to close.
We arrived in Rome and took a taxi to our hotel because we were not exactly clear about how far it was from the termini. As it turned out we were just a couple of blocks from Hotel Cristina, but we were charged an exorbitant taxi fee. Chock it up to lesson learned. This hotel, too was up three flights, but there was an old (what isn't old in Italy?!), cage elevator which ascended the three flights (actually four flights because the first floor is not on the ground as in the US). We were warmly greeted by the clerk who was expecting us. Again, we were given maps and lots of guidance for touring. We unpacked and went to a restaurant around the corner for Ann's birthday lunch. We were seated just inside the open front of the restaurant, watching as people passed by, enjoying a carafe of wine and great bread. (We have not been eating gluten-free bread as we had been since January back home. Just too difficult and too many great breads here in Europe!) When the bill came, the carafe of wine was free because Ann said it was her compleanno (birthday). 
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