Blog ≫ 2022 ≫ Midlife Eurotour part eight - Rome
I arrived in Rome reasonably early in the morning. Rome Termini seems like another big shopping centre station, and as I left the platform I felt strangely like there were lots of people looking at me. Lots of people facing me, like you get when you come out of an airport, and everyone is looking out for the person they've come to greet. No-one there to greet me of course, but I started thinking "what if there are thieves and muggers looking to pick off a weary traveller?" and I buttoned up my pockets for extra security. Nobody mugged me.
Next impression was that it's hot, very hot, and a little bit grimy. I fired up the Citymapper app again (this has been amazing I have used it in every place I've been on this trip) and found the way to our hotel. We'd chosen one that is super close to the station, as we knew I'd be arriving this way, and we'd all be leaving from here too. So just round a few corners and I'm there. Past a lot of homeless people, sleeping in fairly established looking camps sadly. Not begging, just sleeping there on stacks of cardboard with their few bagged belongings around them.
Anyway our hotel looks nice! I'm too early to check in, so can't get to the room yet, but the place looks quite fancy. It's called "Hotel Diana Roof Garden", maybe just a bit of SEO manipulation in the name there, but it has rooms up to the sixth floor, breakfast is on the seventh, and then there is a roof garden restaurant on the eighth, the roof. I can check myself in, and leave my bag, and so I head off out again until the others arrive.
I set off on foot, thinking to check out The Pantheon and see what else I could. We've been to Rome before, but nothing was really familiar while I was walking around. My walk to The Pantheon took me past the Trevi Fountain and then to the Spanish Steps, so I've basically done all the sight-seeing and ticked off much of my bingo card before anyone else has arrived. Oh yes, I made new versions of these bingo cards with just Italian things on, to add a bit more interest for the kids.
I expected to sit down and have a coffee, maybe an Aperol Spritz, little treat for myself, before everyone arrived. I'd seen a lot of places that looked OK, might do, but when I finally settled on one and sat down I found they wanted six euros just for an espresso. Excessive, so I'm afraid I made my apologies and left again. Went in a little supermarket and bought some juice, and headed back to the hotel again. Surely they'll be here soon? I think I can check in anyway.
I got into our room, and it's a two room suite, with sliding panels to section off the rooms. It's got two TVs and a bidet, that's the level we're talking.
Clare and the boys and Grandpa turned up a little later, slight delays. Plus of course they had checked in baggage, and then a transfer from the airport to our hotel. We all headed out again to find the Trevi Fountain again, and the boys were quite taken with throwing coins in. Obviously super crowded at this tourist hotspot, but I think we got some good pictures.
Looks like we went out for pizza, and I had my first of many Marinara pizzas on the first day too. Very simple pizza base, with tomato and basil and garlic, and no cheese, awesome.
As I did a post for each day of my pre-holiday-holiday I should probably do the same for Rome. But will I be able to keep this up for the rest of the trip? Next stop Vatican City.
Estimated 514 cups of coffee from my barista pro1 probably comes to £2.01 a cup (including actual coffee and now servicing1 but not the 'leccy).
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