Rome, May 31, 2017

Rome, May 31, 2017

All roads lead to Rome and it seems that half the world's population decided to get on those roads today. The city is packed with tourists and it's still May. Howard set an ambitious schedule for us: Pantheon, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, St. Peter's, Plaza Navaronne. Jim and I each tossed another coin in the fountain, so tradition says we'll be back. We tossed coins in a few years ago and here we are! Traffic in Rome is a pluperfect mess. A gazillion cars, no lane lines on the streets, cars parked and double parked with abandon and the Vespas, always the Vespas weaving in and out and around. It's fun to watch this moving circus but it makes getting from point A to B a challenge.

We arrived in Rome yesterday afternoon. Once again, the best laid plans... Our little bus was arriving at 9:30 to hover on that little street in front of our Florentine hotel long enough to load us and our considerable pile of luggage. He arrived, the luggage was loaded and four of us got on, then someone decided to make a pre-drive pit stop so went back into the hotel just as a city bus pulled up behind our little bus and laid on his horn. Luigi weighed his options, closed the door and off we want to go around the block and then back to pick up those left in the lobby. Wellllllll, between the one way streets and closed streets and traffic restrictions we ended up crossing the Arno and going on a twenty minute adventure to get back to the hotel. Getting out of Florence is no mean trick. It probably took us a good 30 minutes to get to the A1 highway to Rome. Three hours later we're now arriving at 1:30 instead of noon. Guess what? Our hotel is on a narrow, one way street! Luigi was having none of that so pulled up on the main drag, unloaded our luggage on the street and called the hotel to send Marco with a luggage trolley. Marco made the block and a half trek with his cart over the paving stone streets, took one look at the pile of luggage, took three bags and high tailed it back to the hotel with three people following him only to reappear with the hotel manager. After much discussion with Luigi, the remaining luggage was reloaded into the bus as were we and with the manager riding shotgun, off we went on an involved detour to get to the hotel which included a discussion with a driver who was double parked and encouraged to get the hell outta the way. Somehow Luigi and the bus made it to the hotel but it wasn't easy. But, then, nothing really is in Italy where bureaucracy is both blood sport and high art form.

Best meal in Rome? A piece of Four Cheese and Black Pepper pizza from a hole in the wall take out joint across the street from the hotel! The Marcella Royal is lovely and gracious. Our room small with no view BUT the shower is bigger than a bread box AND has a door that closes. The water pressure is non existent. Give and take. Give and take. The Marcella has a fabulous roof garden with pots of flowers and trees everywhere, the pride and joy of the owner of the hotel. It also has a bar. Praise be. It is overseen by Salvitore, a grin and a giggle and also the slowest mixologist ever. By now we have accepted that NOthing is done fast in Italy, not even opening a beer! Plus Salvitore always brings a bowl of chips and a bowl of peanuts with the cocktail and always runs tabs for the guests. Roof top bar, a good thing.

We're tired of touring, tired of pasta and ready to head home tomorrow. We have, though, thoroughly enjoyed our traveling companions. It's always a crap shoot and with just twelve of us could have well been a disaster. Many hugs and exchanging of email addresses and phone numbers tonight. We all scatter to the winds in the morning but we also all live within spitting distance of each other in Georgia so hope our paths will cross again. Mayu and Kgo, the absolutely delightful 30-ish children of Jin and Yoko, are heading back to Tokyo but will be in Georgia for New Years. Would love to see them again, maybe even adopt them. Surprise, Jay. You're no longer an only child!

Final musings tomorrow from the airport. Jim is big on getting there early so I should have plenty of time to write and post.