Ancient Rome Tour – Wednesday May 7/08
We woke up at 6:00 am to sunny weather, but when we stepped into our galley kitchen to light the stove for coffee the problems started. My father-in-law stumbled into the doorway of the kitchen, face pale as ashes, and reported a tummy bug. Close by, my mother-in-law looking just as exhausted, begged us to continue on with our holiday plans. I hated to leave - but had no choice - our Ancient Rome tour had been pre-booked with Presto Tours months ago.
Still not certain about the metro system, our tour was to meet outside the Colosseum Metro stop, we grabbed the bus to Piazza Venezia. We just missed an earlier Bus #916, and my hopeful plans to fit in Santa Maria in Aracoelia, an ancient church known for a miracle, was enroute to the Colosseum. It is said that the statue of the baby Jesus, carved from a tree trunk from the garden of Gethsemane, has miraculous powers, was stolen and never recovered. What a shame.
Some people argue that Rome has over 900 churches. I was never going to see them all, and shrugged off feelings of regret. Sucking up some courage we made a wild dash across the bumper-to-bumper traffic circling the Piazza. We had no trouble finding the meeting place. Presto Tours had included a picture of the meeting place, the lion fountain on the wall of the Metro. Smart thinking.
We woke up at 6:00 am to sunny weather, but when we stepped into our galley kitchen to light the stove for coffee the problems started. My father-in-law stumbled into the doorway of the kitchen, face pale as ashes, and reported a tummy bug. Close by, my mother-in-law looking just as exhausted, begged us to continue on with our holiday plans. I hated to leave - but had no choice - our Ancient Rome tour had been pre-booked with Presto Tours months ago.
Still not certain about the metro system, our tour was to meet outside the Colosseum Metro stop, we grabbed the bus to Piazza Venezia. We just missed an earlier Bus #916, and my hopeful plans to fit in Santa Maria in Aracoelia, an ancient church known for a miracle, was enroute to the Colosseum. It is said that the statue of the baby Jesus, carved from a tree trunk from the garden of Gethsemane, has miraculous powers, was stolen and never recovered. What a shame.
Some people argue that Rome has over 900 churches. I was never going to see them all, and shrugged off feelings of regret. Sucking up some courage we made a wild dash across the bumper-to-bumper traffic circling the Piazza. We had no trouble finding the meeting place. Presto Tours had included a picture of the meeting place, the lion fountain on the wall of the Metro. Smart thinking.
Value for money, our t
our offered a guided tour of three sights: Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Colosseum and the condensed version of the history of Circus Maximus. The guide did her job, but I didn’t get the impression she was a people person. Didn’t smile until she reached our final sight, the Colosseum. The info she offered at the Roman Forum was brilliant, but she repeated herself at Colosseum several times. Leaving the Colosseum I couldn’t believe the words dropping off my lips. I’m too tired to go to Augustus House, honey, let’s get lunch. This is the same sight that I swore never to leave Rome until viewing. Funny, how plans change. 
We stopped for lunch at the Pizza Subway Colosseum, located across the street from the amphitheatre. Two paninis and drinks cost us $22 Euro. Not bad, for a chance to sit and gawk at an ancient monument. Dragging our tired feet past Piazza Campidoglio we made a quick detour. Even from the grand stairs no one can resist this magnificent square designed by Michelangelo.
After a quick dinner we paid our shuttle tour to Pompeii at the tour office of Enjoy Rome. We bypassed on the buses and splurged for a taxi back to the apartment.
1 comment:
From what you've said I'm sensing six months in Rome might not be enough time - 900 churches - yike!
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