Rome
I was excited to visit Rome again, if for no other reason than to see if my
memory of being there in the 80's matched what it was like today. The first
day we decided to go to the US Navy base in Naples. I wanted to show Mic, who
is Danish, what a US base is like and of course, to shop at the commissary and
BX. We bought the tickets the night before and the agent spent a bit of time
finding us both the morning and evening high speed trains, about an hour each
way. The regular train was just over 2.5 hours. We had to be in Naples at a
certain time to catch the military shuttle to the base, so we got up at the
crack of dawn and headed out. Once at the central station in Rome, we looked on
the board, but couldn't find our train. We finally asked an agent who told us
that train left an hour ago. How stupid could we be, we both looked at the
ticket which clearly said departure 0730 AM. It was now 0830 AM. I'm not sure
how we got that wrong, but we did. The tickets were a half price special and
non changeable or refundable. We decided to just hop on the next train and play
stupid tourists if we got caught with the wrong ticket. About half way into our
trip, the ticket agent came along. She look at it for quite a while before
telling us we were on the wrong train. We said we missed our original train.
She said no problem, but you paid extra for the high speed one. Well, what can
you do? She nodded and handed us back our ticket.
Eventually we made our way to the shuttle location, but we had plenty of
time to kill until the next bus. There are two sites in Naples, one is near the
airport and the other is 45 min away. At the airport site, there is a small
store called the shoppette which is like a convenience store, but bigger. We
perused around for a while then headed to the food court for lunch. Mic wanted
to try a Philly cheese steak and I didn't care what I ate, as long as it came
with a diet Mt Dew. The Dew of course was delicious, the sandwich not so much.
Mic asked if that was really a Philly cheese steak and I said no, not really.
I'll have to make him a real one at home. It was nice for me being on a base
again. Although I'm retired and love it, there is so much I miss about the
military and just being around them makes me a bit nostalgic. Eventual the
shuttle came and the real shopping began. I had a list of things I wanted and
we made our way thru the BX first. The BX is basically a department store, with
clothes, electronics and home goods. One thing I was looking for was a Pyrex
measuring cup, with both metric and imperial markings. I've gone through two so
far in Malta. They were plastic and the markings faded very quickly. We found
the measuring cup, right next to a red nested cup system. (1/4 cup inside the
1/3 cup...) The funny thing was, the glass cup looked so much bigger than
the red cup. In fact, the red one fit entirely in the Pyrex one. We kept
thinking they both have to be 1 cup, right? Of course, the Pyrex had quite a
bit of space above the marking, but it just looked so off. We decided to put
both in the cart, find a water fountain and conduct a little experiment.
Logically, we knew they were both 1 cup, but optically it looked impossible. We
wandered around for a bit longer and made our way to the checkout, forgetting
all about the water fountain. When I saw I still had both cups, we laughed and
told the checkout girl what we were thinking. She looked at us like we were
crazy. She said do you really think they would make a measuring cup that wasn't
a cup? No sense of humor that girl.
Our next stop was the commissary, which is the grocery store. That is a
bit more fun for me because there is so much food I miss that you can't get in
Malta. While they certainly have more than enough variety of foods here, you
just miss things from home, like Mac and Cheese, graham crackers (for cheese
cake), sun chips, crystal light, and Miracle Whip just to name a few. After
shopping we headed to the food court for something to drink. They had a Taco
Bell and Mic had never eaten there. We were pretty full from lunch, but decided
we had room to share something. I wanted him to try the crunch wrap and of
course he liked it. They do have fast food in Malta, called pastizza shops.
They are basically tiny shops with all the food in the front glass counter.
Pastizzi are usually diamond-shaped or round-shaped and made of filo pastry. The
pastry is folded in different ways according to the filling, the traditional
ones being ricotta or mushy peas. They also sell pizza slices and other savory
pastries, kind of a pop over. I like the one with hamburger and onion, but they
normally have too much pastry and not enough filling for my taste. We also have
McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut and KFC. We also have many kabob shops where
you get some awesome wraps and kabobs. Other options are the small cafes on
nearly every street, especially here in Sliema. While they are quite popular
for meeting friends for coffee, they also serve simple lunches like salad,
sandwiches and wraps. Mic did get a little thrill from being on American soil
for the day and our friends were certainly scratching their heads when we posted
something on FB about spending the day in America.
We made it back to Naples 2 hours before our train time. We checked our
bags at the station and wandered around a bit. I was in Naples at Christmas
last year and had my cell phone stolen 5 minutes after getting off the train.
Believe me, this time I kept my bag clutched tight! We initially wanted to get
some pizza because, well Naples is supposed to be the birthplace of pizza and it
was fantastic! So much so that I had it for dinner every night when I was here
before. We were too full from eating all day, so we had to skip the pizza, but
we did see some pastries we couldn't pass up. We got a bag and added it to our
growing stash. It feels like we do little but eat every time we leave Malta,
but I guess that's part of traveling. We made it back to Rome exhausted, and
slept for 12 hours straight. After 2 late nights and 2 very early mornings,
apparently we desperately needed it.
We spent Friday going to vinyl record shops for Mic. He buys and sells
collectable vinyl records, mostly classic rock, his favorite genre. http://www.groovusmaximus.com I'm
slowly converting him to country music. OK not really, but at least he stopped
crying when I play it. I decided to tag along with him, thinking I would shop
at interesting stores nearby. Well, it was a dismal day for both of us. We saw
some of the more seedy parts of Rome. Many of the shops we found were closed
and the ones that were open had nothing nearby of interest for me, and nothing
inside of interest for him. I did get my 10,000 steps in, so I guess it wasn't
a total loss. Actually, two good things came out of it. Mid morning we found a
shop that was open, next door to a coffee shop. I thought I would enjoy a nice
cup of tea while I waited. I was delighted when the waiter brought me a lovely
little tea set complete with a sugar bowl with rock sugar. I admit, I
enjoyed it much more just because it was all so pretty.
Much later in the day,
we found ourselves near the Colosseum. We took a break from shopping to go
check it out. We were quite disappointed to see one entire side covered in
scaffolding but we were still able to get some great pictures. The line to get
in was way too long, so we didn't go in. We were getting hungry so we decided
to grab an early dinner. We basically picked one of the many nearby restaurants
(Binario 4) at random and went in. It was probably the best calzone I ever had
and Mic was delighted with his pizza. When the chef passed us, we told him how
pleased we were. I never put reviews on Trip Adviser but this place was just
too good not to leave a positive comment. I was shocked when I saw all the bad
reviews they had received. They were slammed for both bad service and bad
food. We had excellent service from the moment we walked in. Our order was
taken and the food delivered very quickly despite being fairly busy. The chef
brought us a sample from a pasta dish he had just made and he stopped to chat
with us. They brought me ice for a drink I brought with me and even charged my
cell phone while we ate. Maybe they read and learned from the previous bad
reviews, but we were so impressed I texted some friends who were coming to Rome
the following week. They also had a great experience. In looking at Trip
Adviser, I see they have another bad review the following week, so who knows,
maybe we just lucked out.
On day 3 we took the hop on hop off bus tour. We stayed on the bus for the
full 1.5 hour trip, then went around again and got off the places we wanted to
see. First up was the Vatican. The line was unbelievable! There were many
people selling 'skip the line' tickets, but the cost was about €40. Not worth
it we decided. We roamed around the Vatican grounds then went to the post
office. You can send a post card with a Vatican stamp and postmark, which we
did. Mic to his Mom and me to Sylvia. We stopped at a cafe for lunch and saw the
typical roaming street vendors we've seen all over Italy. They were selling
selfie sticks, string bracelets, purses and the like. This time, we saw
something different. A man walked up and started playing the violin. When he
was done, he took off his cap and went around the cafe, sticking it in front of
each and every person there. I really don't mind the vendors selling things.
They're just trying to make a living and I have much more respect for them then
the numerous beggars we saw. Especially the 20 something man we saw changing
places with (presumably) his mother on some church steps. What I find annoying
is how aggressive they are. I'm surprised the restaurants don't chase them
away, because that's where they seem be the worst. You're trying to enjoy a
nice meal and you have an endless parade of aggressive men all but demanding
that you buy something from them. Admittedly, they weren't as bad in Rome as
some of the other places we've visited.
Our next stop was the Spanish Steps. Just our luck, it was under
renovation and there were fences all around it. Well, that was sad. On to the
McDonalds. When I think of Rome, I remember the trip my Mom and I took around
1986 when I was stationed in Germany. We visited the Vatican, the Spanish
Steps, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain; all the big tourist places. Don't get me
wrong, they were magnificent, but then I expected them to be. What left a
lasting impression on me, for some reason, was the McDonalds. What I remember
was walking down a long marble corridor with huge columns and Roman statues
along the way. Once inside, the place was vast! (Google says it could seat 450
and was the target of massive protests saying it would ruin Rome. Also huge
lines, as Italians gathered, en mass, to eat there). Right in the middle was a
huge square of glass cases with very un McDonald like fare, including ostrich
and quail eggs. I don't remember the other food items, but it was 'weird' stuff
I had never heard of and would certainly never try. At least the young 24 year
old me thought so at the time. Mic and I found the right place after being sent
on a wild goose chase by a sign pointing us in the wrong direction. Well, today
it looks like any other McDonalds, just a whole lot bigger. There wasn't a long
marble corridor with columns and statues, but there were two shorter marble
hallways. It was still the most elegant fast food chain I've ever seen. And
no, we did not eat there.
Next stop was Trevi Fountain, also under renovation. We were striking out
all around! There was one hole in the fence, right in front of the fountain,
but you could still see the scaffolding. I stood in line with everyone else and
stuck my cell phone through and got a fairly decent picture. I understand that
these treasures need to be maintained and renovated, but all of them, the week
we're there!? Have you ever seen the stupid Trip Adviser reviews? People
honestly write bad reviews like, "Our holiday to the North Pole in January was
ruined because of snow". http://www.101holidays.co.uk/news/opinion/5-types-bizarre-reviews-tripadvisor.
All day, we kept laughing that Trip Adviser is going to hear about this! While
there were plenty of great sights to see and we had a wonderful time, I admit to
being just a little disappointed that the specific ones we were especially
looking forward to, were the ones closed. We can't really complain though,
we're close enough to go back when ever we want.
Day 4 we split up because Mic wanted to go to a giant flea market and I
wanted to see more sights. I headed back to the Colosseum, hoping the lines
were shorter. They were not, it was still a 2+ hour wait. I was more
interested in the Roman Forum, just across the street. The site, which was
originally an Etruscan burial ground, was first developed in the 7th century BC,
and was the central area of the city around which ancient Rome developed. This
was where commerce, business, prostitution, cult and the administration of
justice took place. For centuries, the Forum Romanum was the site of the city's
most important public buildings, such as the Arch of Septimius Severus, built in
AD203 and the Roman Forum Rostra or platforms for public speeches. The Roman
Forum became the spectacular showcase of the Roman Empire filled with beautiful
statues and architecture. The main sight of the Forum include the Arch of Titus
(Arco di Tito), the Temple of Saturn, Temple of Vesta, and the church of San
Luca e Martina. It was very interesting wandering around these ruins because
they were intact enough to get an idea of what it was like, back in the
day.
I spent the rest of the day going down the list of places I wanted to see.
La Bocca della Verità (English: the Mouth of Truth) is an image, carved from
Pavonazzo marble, of a man-like face, located in the portico of the church of
Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The sculpture is thought to be part of a first-century
ancient Roman fountain, or perhaps a manhole cover, portraying one of several
possible pagan gods, probably Oceanus. Most Romans believe that the 'Bocca'
represents the ancient god of the river Tiber. The most famous characteristic
of the Mouth, however, is its role as a lie detector. Starting from the Middle
Ages, it was believed that if one told a lie with one's hand in the mouth of the
sculpture, it would be bitten off.
My next stop was known as "the hole of Rome". Villa del Priorato di
Malta, is home to the Grand Priory in Rome of the Sovereign Military Order of
Malta, an order of chivalry, which remains a sovereign entity. Originally, the
area was the site of a fortified Palace belonging to Alberico II. In the
Twelfth Century, it passed into the hands of the Knights Templar, the famous
warrior monks, who in 1312, were violently suppressed by Pope Clement V. Why
this is a tourist attraction is the view from the large impressive wooden door
to the Villa. Or rather, the view from the key hole in the door. No key is
required; it is sufficient to put your eye to the keyhole, and focus. On a clear
day, you get a perfect view of St Peter's dome, framed by the tops of trees in
the foreground. It seems to stand at the end of the garden path, just beyond
the door. While I could see the dome, and the view was as amazing as described,
I couldn’t get a good picture, so I copied a Google image to show.
I spent the rest of the day roaming around taking pictures of various
fountains, statues and buildings. Around dinner time, Mic and I met up for some
more great pasta. We were waiting for it to get dark so we could go back to the
Colosseum for some night time pictures. I had scouted some places earlier where
I thought we could get a good shot and wow the pictures turned out great! I
can't say enough about the incredible photos my Galaxy 5 cell phone
takes!
Eventually we made our way back to the B&B and settled up with them
before our early morning departure. They said they would need the tax money in
cash. I thought that sounded fishy, they already had my credit card, why did I
have to pay cash? A quick Google check revealed he was right. Italy required
the tourist tax of €3.50 per person, per night to be paid in cash. I'm not
sure why this wasn't done in the other places we had been, but the more shocking
information was that the tourist tax was about to be raised to €10 per person,
per night. That's insane!
Time to head home and plan our next trip to Bologna. For more pictures,
please click on the link below.
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