Friday, 24 September 2010
Ciao!
Well, our last full day in Roma! Will be very sorry to leave – we’ve had such a lovely time here, and the weather has been so terrific – oh well, we’ll just have to come back again some time!
Up at the usual time this morning, and, while Mom says her throat is much better, and she really only has the cough, she decided to stay close to the apartment. (Note: the cough syrup we got last night seems to really do the trick, as I don’t think she coughed at all last night!) So, R and I were on our own for a bit more sightseeing! We had thought about several different things – but finally decided on the one closest to our heart – a stroll down the Appian Way just outside the Porto Sebastiano here in Rome.
Took the metro to Circo Maximo and caught a 118 bus. Quite a traffic jam with everybody trying to get through the same small – one lane – gate at the same time, but eventually we were through it and popped out the other side into the outskirts of Rome. Followed the road past the Quo Vadis church and several different catacombs and finally got out at the basilica of San Sebastiano. From here we had a nice, mostly no cars, walk for a mile or more. We passed the Circus Massenzio, and it was open this time, unlike other times we’ve been by here! Had a good look around the complex – remains of a temple and a house, but the best thing is the excavation of the ancient Circus! Just like Circus Maximus on the other side of the Forum, it’s a huge plot of land – but there are much better remains here than the Circus Maximus, and one is able to get a much better idea of how it must have been set up – and you can almost imagine chariot races going on there! (Go, Ben!) Just down the road from this is the huge tomb of Cecelia Matella, which was also open. We would have liked to walk further, but as time was getting on, we opted for catching the 660 bus back to the closest metro station, and training back into town and to the apartment.
Mom was ready to leave when we got here, and it was starting to rain! Looks like the weather may indeed be changing, because though it’s still nice and mild, the sky has been very overcast since noon. (Also, R reports that we may get rain in Venice!) Mom has mislaid her umbrella, so we were able to procure one for her from a street vendor – fortunately just cruising past as we were making for the bus stop. Nice albeit VERY bumpy ride into the center of town, and before we knew it, we were off near the Pantheon and to the Armando al Pantheon restaurant for our 1 p.m. lunch reservation.
I had a complete repeat of yesterday’s lunch – warned you! Bruschetta with black truffles to start with; breathtaking! And ravioli with cream sauce and truffles for a main course … heaven! So that you know I’m not the only one into ruts, Mom repeated her bruschetta with fresh tomatoes from yesterday, but this time, both she and R had the Friday special – bacala, which is salt cod in a tomato sauce with potatoes. R also had bruschetta, but this time with fresh anchovies for starters … hmmm…Mom and R had a red dessert wine to finish. I waited until we were outside to finish my lunch – great gelato at the store around the corner! YUM!
Back then, on the #62 bus, and figure we’ll in for the duration. The apartment is as clean as it can be without major cleaning supplies (we just have to leave the place “tidy”) and we just have to pack, but the plan is for us to head out tomorrow morning about 9 a.m. (I know it is WAY early for a 10:45 a.m. train, but there is a fair amount of luggage to move, and R likes to be there early, as do I!
We picked up some walk-away pizza if anyone is at all hungry tonight, but I rather have my doubts!
So – the next time I’ll be blogging will hopefully be tomorrow night from Venice! (Hard to believe that we will go from Rome to Venice in 3 hours 38 minutes! That’s really moving!) I just re-read the info about our hotel, and it looks like it’s wifi only in the lobby, but shouldn’t be a problem, just as long as we have a connection somewhere! Plan on mostly riding boats, our favorite thing to do in Venice, but we’ll see!
Lots of love,
m
x
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