April 17, 2017
Today’s excursion saw your favorite cruisers walking 8.6 miles to see the Trevi Fountain, and a beautiful fountain it is. Closed for almost 2 years and refurbished at a cost of over $24 million, it is a sight to behold. If you can get close to it.
The last two days we have assembled with masses and multitudes. 80,000 on Sunday, and who knows how many today. There are 4 levels of standing or seating around the Fountain, and barely an empty place to place a tourist’s boat. Finally, Bonnie spotted an opening and I skirted in, turned my back to the pool and threw a coin with my right hand over my left shoulder.
Bonnie photographed the event, and the recreation, in case she missed it the first time – no way I was going to fight, a second time, those huddled masses yearning to breath free at water’s edge. Then she hurled her coin over the top of everyone to a perfect kerplop in the water. Authorities say they take $750,000 in coins out every year and use every cent for local charities. We did our bit.
The song speaks about three coins in the Fountain. Well, the legend is this: one coin if you want to return to Rome someday (we do), two coins if you want a new lover (we don’t), and three coins if you want to get married (we are, and that one time will be sufficient).
Today was a continuation of the Easter Holiday, and so the Trevi Fountain stop was rerouted for the Hop On Hop Off Bus. If I had followed the map instead of the signs along the road, we would have saved about a mile on our walk. Don’t believe the signs when you are looking for the Trevi Fountain. Walk straight down Via Barberini until you come to Via Vittorio Veneta and turn right. There you are! Not on top the hill where the Italian presidential palace is located (with an impressive fountain of its own, I might add). Not down, or rather up, some incredibly steep side street (with not even a refreshment stand selling small bottles of water for 2 Euro). Signs lie!
Speaking of prevarication, the woman who sold us the tickets, said it would only be a five minute walk from HOHOB stop #8 to the Fountain. She must be related to the tour guide we had in December in Sicily who said, “It’s only a few steps.” It is, if you are capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Oh well.
We got back to the bus, and tried to go on through the open back door. An officious little snit said, “No! You must use the front door!” So off, and back on. But a good ride back to where we started near St. Peter’s Square.
Back at San Pietro train station, it was another story of adventure, weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth (since we couldn’t gnash the snotty ticket seller who assured us that the train to Civitavecchia had always been scheduled to leave at 16:32 on Track 5 – and it had been posted electronically on Track 3 and the Track 4 and then taken off the board and a handwritten sign posted – we made it with two minutes to spare! But I will let my traveling companion regale you with that, and more from our day.
Heeeeeere’s Bonnie!
TTFN
If I can stay awake. Well, the day started at 6:30 with baths, breakfast, etc. I made the bed, washed the dishes and then swept the floor before getting my bath. I also got the trash ready to carry out. Hey, am I not supposed to be one vacation! Oh well somebody has to do the dirty work.
We headed toward the train station and made the walk in about 30 minutes. Purchased our tickets and had a 30 minute wait till the train left. We got on the train about 20 minutes prior and waited patiently. Soon after we got on , a man and his dog boarded. These people take their dogs everywhere. There were 3 in the McDonalds yesterday. These are not service dogs. Soon we were off. Unlike our earlier train rides they did not announce the stops, so we had to watch to be sure we got off at St Pietro. That should have been a warning to us that all was not as it should be. The army and police, with their machine guns hanging across their bodies, fingers on the triggers pointed toward the ground, were still out. We finally found the hoponhop bus ticket office and purchased our tickets. We had to walk across a bridge and up a street to board a bus. There was a lot of car and people traffic. Finally on a bus we headed to the first stop for us, stop 8, so we could walk to the fountain. Walk a horrendous walk. We walked down here, then there was a sign and then up a huge incline only to have to walk back down and we still weren’t there. When we finally arrived and were walking toward the mass of people and the fountain a man pushed the wheel of his baby carriage in front of my foot and I almost fell face forward. People just go and don’t look. I am constantly watching people and my feet. There have been more people shoving, pushing and being just generally rude these last two days. I tell, them someday they too shall be old.
The fountain was beautiful but I had no chance to get close so I threw a coin from where I could. It did make it. But I guess I will get no wish because I didn’t throw it over my shoulder.
Well, you know how ever far you walk out you must walk back so back to the bus stop we headed. After boarding the bus we had to ride to the end of the route before it would start over again and we could get out at the Palentine hills. But by the time we finally got there our minds were willing but our bodies weren’t. So we took pictures from the bus and rode back to stop 6 where we had gotten on near the Vatican. As we started our trek back to the train station, we stopped at a food truck. We purchased one salami pizza panini and 2 bottles of coke for 13 euros. We found a wall nearby and sat down to consume our food. Then, off we trekked to the train. After we arrived we thought the worst of our day was over, but of no. Following the posted signs we went to track 5 for a train at 15:32 ( it was just 3) , that 3:32 for all you Augustans. Well we sat and no train came. I walked down to read another posted sign and now it said the train was at 16:32 on track 3. So we moved. Now the train is coming at 4:32. Well, were sitting there and the dude comes on and says something about Civi... on track 5 at 16:32. The sign still said track 3. Then, they flashed it up on track 4. By this time we were very frustrated so we hurried over to the ticket window, and a note taped up said that at 16:32 on track 5 for Civi... We explained to the lady that the signs outside said 3 and she just about said we were crazy it had always said 5. UUUUGH!! We went rushing back out because it was 16:30. We got up and down 3 long sets of stairs and just I time to board. It was super crowded. People we taking 2 and 3 seats with their luggage also. We found 2 seats facing two young women, who in that hour train ride talked unending. The one woman would say eeh about every fifth or sixth word. Kind of like Americans will say like...
They did not stop at all the stations going home and did not announce them at all, so we had to be careful and watch. We got off safely and were heading back looking for some place to eat. Everything was closed. WE finally after walking almost home headed back to McDonalds. I finally got to go to the bathroom for the first time in 8 hours. We did find an ice cream store and had an ice cream cone. He got coffee chocolate and I got mint chocolate. You had to pay first and show the receipt before you could order your cones.
We made a quick stop at Pam and I got a coke. Then home and up the steps, he took the elevator , unlock the door and we are in for the night.
No more hiking tomorrow except to the Japanese martyr church.
Love Mom, Granny and Bonnie
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