Rome - Trois

Up and out early this morning, checking out of the room and storing my bags at the hotel. I have both cameras fully powered and ready to go, and the goal is the Colosseum.  Caught the 85 bus at Vittorio Cavour next to the Hotel Diplomatic and was back to the Emmanuel II monument in twenty-five minutes.

I stopped here to catch a couple of pictures I wanted yesterday but didn't take. This sort of demonstrates the controversy over the monument and it's "fitting" in with the other sights in the area.

This is the upstart "newcomer" monument

This old Christian church piazza is immediately adjacent.

And this, even older, site is immediately adjacent to that.

I don't think any "go together" aesthetically, but what in the world do they expect?  There can easily be a thousand or more years between them.  And I sort of like the display of "how much" had been here for "how long."

I took another shot of this scene because I really like it.

And, just down the street...probably the most recognizable profile in Rome.

A little closer.












Up close and personal

Okay...so, enough of culture.  A little potpourri of my visit.

A couple of blocks from the hotel (Via Muzio Clementi 81), I believe on Via Federico Cesi was the La Cupola Ristorante.  I had an absolutely great Italian dinner there Friday night, starting with lightly smoked swordfish in a garlic and oil sauce, followed by the best minestrone I've ever eaten, that followed with nice grilled lamb chops, all accompanied with a nice little white wine.
There is a restaurant of the same name in Litchfield, CT where my friends Bob and Karen live.  It, too, is excellent fare.


And finally, the miserable end of the story.  Who knows, perhaps in punishment for thinking of coffee table books, as I was headed to the airport to return home my wallet was lifted on the Rome metro at the central termini.  I sort of have to hand it to them (I didn't), they were slick and professional.  At its most crowded at this terminal three young women each carrying babies maneuvered to get past me.  I thought they were moving to get out at the next stop (with me) so I tried to make room by squeezing back against the door of the car.  They were quite attractive in a dark and sultry sort of way, with the first one breast feeding what appeared to be a two-or-three month old infant that was in no danger of going hungry, if you get my point.

As they pressed closer I noticed the middle one could really use a bath and a little deodorant.  After a moment or two of this I was ready for the door opposite to open and deposit us on the platform, but that didn't happen, they continued to move slowly past me as the train stopped and the door opened.  I had, meanwhile, helped them by reaching down to get my carry bag from the floor, protecting the wrong things (dirty underwear vs. drivers license and credit cards, you dummy!).  I never felt a thing until about four steps latter as I exited the car.  I knew something was wrong and felt for the wallet only to discover it gone.  I knew what had happened immediately, and turned to re-enter the car and confront them when the door closed and the train was gone.  On thinking about it, you have to believe that they have a protector or two running around with a couple of knives, or whatever, so I'm sort of glad my hasty idea of returning wasn't possible.

I turned a corner and there stood two police officers, a man and a woman.  I told them my wallet had just been picked by three young women nursing infants and the lady cop said, "ah, the gypsies."  Since they knew so much one would think they would do something, but their idea of protect and serve was to direct me up one floor to report the loss.  On reaching that floor another officer's idea of the same concept was to direct me up another floor to another office.  Upon reaching that floor an officer up there told me to go to the police station in the terminal at which point I said, "to hell with you and your pickpockets, I've got a plane to catch," so I went to the ticket office and purchased my ticket for the airport where, within an hour I had canceled the credit cards and moved on.

My major problem now is, what about my license?  I'm supposed to take off on a big motorcycle trip in 30 days.  This morning I sent via FedEx a package to my buddy WT asking him to put the obligatory money order ($11) into the enclosed envelope and send it to the Texas Dept. of Safety for a replacement license.  Their web site says it can take up to 45 days (and they aren't, usually being asked to send them to France).  Oh, woe is me...woe is me.  Another saga in France.  Saga, obviously, to be continued...