April 29, 2019
It may not be raining all over the world, but it seems like it. We started out this morning with an Irving Berlin sky and by 11 o’clock, we had donned ponchos and it rained right straight through until 4. Most of the time it was a light to medium drizzle, but for about an hour it came down pretty good.
We walked down Via Cavour to reach the Forum and stand in line for an hour to get tickets. The walk took us only 30 minutes. While we were standing there, Bonnie said, looking up at the darkening sky, “I didn’t bring the ponchos. Do you think we will need them?” Not being a weather prognosticator, but watching the clouds get heavier and darker I said, “I could walk back up the apartment and be back before you get to the front of the line, but no, I think we’ll be all right.” Like I said, meteorology is not my thing.
There are peddlers all over the city, most of them seeming to be of Indian descent. Not Apache or Sioux of Comanche, but “Oh my goodness. Would you like to buy a Bible? How about a cherry squeegie?” Yesterday they were selling selfie sticks and rechargeable batteries for cell phones. Today those quickly went by the way side and the offerings were ponchos and umbrellas (two sizes). We bought a green one and a yellow one. Ponchos. Green for her. Yellow for me. He wanted 6 euros. I offered 5 for two and he accepted. I should have held out for two each. We slipped them on just as the drizzle started, and were glad we made the purchase.
Finally at the front of the line, I told the lady, “Two old people’s tickets, please.” We wanted to see the Forum, the Palatine Hills, and the Coliseum. Regular price 14 euros each. We got them for 12 euros each. Good for two days. We understood that the Coliseum was one entry, but thought the Forum was double entry. After we got it figured out we had our tickets changed and went to the Coliseum. We ducked inside the metro stop and waited for about an hour while the rain poured down, then went over and got in another line to go through security. The rain had slowed down, mostly.
We wandered around inside for about two hours, and headed back to the apartment, stopping in a grocery store for snacks and another bottle of water. Then supper. The place we ate at last time we stayed out here was slack. We walked in, and no one greeted us. We stood around, and no one greeted us. We walked outside and said to three men standing and sitting and smoking if you could get served inside. One said, “Sure, sure,” and waved us in. We were seated and ignored. We left and went down the street where we were instantly greeted, seated, and served. Greek salad and margarita pizza. Then a McSulry for dessert because Mom wanted one.
Now I am trying to stay awake, at least until the sun goes down. I slept 12 hours yesterday and barely rolled over.
Well, that’s my turn. Now here’s my cruise buddy.
TTFN
Did he say rain!!! The walk down to the Forum was nice. Not to cold and some sun. It took about 30-40 minutes. The line at the forum was all the way back to the road. Really long and slow moving. As we stood there the clouds rolled in over us. Dark, ugly storm clouds. We were almost to the front of the line about an hour after arriving there and the rain began. Not to hard at first but it got worse. The lady did not explain that if we into the forum today at 11:30 we had to be at the coliseum in line by 1 pm. (Okay your father said he had just taken his warmed socks off the small heater and put them on his ears!!!!) That meant we only had about an hour at the forum. So we went back and got them to fix the tickets so we could come to the forum tomorrow and go to the Coliseum at 1:35. So we headed to the Coliseum. It was just 2 blocks or so from the Forum. The farther we walked, the harder it rained. So we went into the metro building along with a lot of other people trying to escape the rain or get on to the metro. We found a spot to stand against a gelato and coffee stand. The dudes selling the ponchos and umbrellas followed all the people into the metro station touting their wares. Pretty soon two army guys carrying machine guns over their shoulders came to run the peddlers out. Whenever the armed men walked away the peddlers came back. Then, the armed dudes came back. Back and forth this went for the hour we stood inside the metro station. It was crazy in there.
Finally the rain was a little less and at about 12:20 we headed to the Coliseum to get in another line!!! We were out in the rain again and in line for at least 30 minutes. There were 3 lines: a line for tour groups, the middle line, where we were, for people who had tickets and the third line to buy tickets. Every line went through a metal detector and had to have put your stuff in through a scanner. There were about 4 scanners. After the line and the scanner we got to show our tickets and get into the Forum. First stop was the potties! And guess what another line!! About 10 minutes to get through this one. Very small, narrow portal type potties. Then, we walked outside, in the rain to look around the first level. You couldn’t go into the lowest level unless you paid for a tour guide to take you. So we did the first level and then because the steps were very long and very high steps we took the elevators that were for handicapped. On the upper level we again walked out in the rain and walked all the way around stopping at the bookstore/ souvenir store to have a look. Then, back down on the elevator and out by way of the entrance because I had my cane. Otherwise you had to go out the back and walk all the way around the outside to get back where you started.
The rain had lessened considerable, but my feet were soaked and so was my hat. The poncho had kept my clothes pretty much dry but you felt damp. So we decided to head back to home base. It was mostly a walk up hill going back. We did stop at a market to get a few snacks for the evening. We made it back to the room about 3:30. Dropped off the stuff and headed out to eat. The first place we tried was not much interested in us but they had some private party going on. The second place was nice. The pizza and the Greek salad were very good. The tax on the meal was 15% and then we also did a gratuity. We had breakfast at McDonalds in the morning and they had a snickers flurry advertised and we decided to try that for dessert. It was just okay.
Well, we are back in the room and trying to get our clothes try for tomorrow. The weather app says it is to be sunny tomorrow. We shall see. Even though it was wet we had a good time. One more day of sightseeing and then Wednesday at 8:15 it is off to the airport and our 11 hour flight home.
Love you all. Mom, Granny and Bonnie
No comments:
Post a Comment