Sunday in Rome; Monday Morning Leaving for the Fiumicino Airport

The "Navigator of the Seas" docked in Civitavechia at about 5:00AM, and the travelers were cleared for exit by 7:00AM.  After another wonderful breakfast in Windjammer, they got their suitcases--each about 40 pounds--and steered them off the ship.  After a little trouble and several questions, the found the correct shuttle bus, which took them out of the port and within 1/4 mile of the train station.  Tugging their heavy suitcases, they reached the train station, bought "andata"(one-way) tickets to Rome from the helpful ticket seller and climbed onboard a waiting train.  It left in 20 minutes.

Once in Rome, they again wheeled their heavy suitcases out of the Termini station and enjoyed the downhill walk down Via Cavour.  They turned right at the tree-lined square and rang the bell at the Hotel Giuliana.  Sowing their luggage, they descended the wide staircase and walked to La Fontana di Trevi--about 9 blocks away.  It was terrifically crowded, but still wonderful to see, with translucent, aqua-blue water gushing from the sculptures and into the holding ponds.  It was so crowded, that it took real effort to penetrate the mass of people and actually get close enough to "throw" 3 coins in the fountain.  Allie and LT succeeded in this.  Eli threw her coins from the second or third row.

Allie and LT toss their coins.

Next, they walked to the Pantheon--also close by.  But since it was Sunday, they couldn't get inside, since a church service was being celebrated.

LT and Allie outside the Pantheon

Since it was nearly noon, they resolved to walk to their favorite restaurant the Sicilian "Melo" restaurant, but upon arriving at Trajan's Column and walking up the steps of Via Magnanapoli, they found that Melo was closed for "Domenica."  So they drifted back to the bottom of Via Nazionale and entered an un-prepossessing pizzaria, called "Cesar."

Sunday "pranzo" inside Cesar restaurant

It turned out to be a great restaurant, family run, with wonderful food.  They had seafood misto--calamari, salmon, mussels, shrimp.  They also had spaghetti carbonara and a separate order of fried calamari.  A liter of vino bianco was only 8 Euros.  After eating their fill, they walked back up Via Nazionale, turned right on Via Agostina Depretis, regained the Hotel Giuliana, were given the key to their room, and decided to take a siesta.


At 2:30PM they received their pre-arranged wake-up call, caught a taxi and sped to the Borghese Gallery where they had a 3:00PM reservation.  It was just about to rain, so the taxi was a doubly-wise choice for the weary travellers.

Allie and LT in front of Borghese Gallery

They toured the sculpture galleries--mostly dedicated to Bernini--Daphne turning into a Laurel tree and Pluto capturing Proserpine and taking her to the underworld.

In the evening, they went to a restaurant featuring food from the Abruzzi region of Italy.  They had lamb, pasta, insalata mista, as well as a litre of tasty red wine from the Abruzzi.  When the food was finished, the waiter brought the well-fed travelers 2 bottles of "digestivos" and told them their after-dinner drinks were on the house.

Before returning to the Hotel Giuliana, they walked 4 blocks to revisit La Fontana di Trevi and see what it looked like in the evening.  It was still crowded, but slightly more peaceful.

They went to bed reasonably early, because they needed to rise at 5:00AM in order to catch a 7:20AM train to the airport.  Early morning showers and final adjustments to the heavy suitcases went pretty smoothly, and the three travelers reluctantly left the Hotel Giuliana, trudged back uphill on Via Cavour and bought tickets for Fiumicino Airport--also called Leonardo Da Vinci Airport.   They actually arrived at the train station so early, that they caught a 6:52 AM train.