Because the hotel was a little way from the train station Max and I took a taxi at about 8am with all the bags and the others took the bus, this worked out well.
As I write this sitting on the very fast train we are traveling at 240kph!
The Hotel Bianca in Rome was very close to the station which was great. When we walked out of the station we had to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, the cars do not stop until they see you trying to cross and they are off again as soon as you are passed, very hard for your mother to come to terms with.
One of the reviews for the Hotel Bianca said it was like Faulty Towers and it was but in a comfortable way. The lift is tiny and can only fit 2 people at a time. I got told off by the conserge (who looked remarkable like Manuel) for pressing the lift button too many times.
We had our last meal together as a group at a little place around the corner on Judit's recomendation, all you can eat buffet for 8.50 euro and it was amazing! All sorts of vegetables, salads, fish calamari and other delicacies. We had taken up a collection for Judit, as the tour guides only get minimum wage and she had been fantastic, so we were able to have a little presentation. She said that we had been the best group of the season and I think she meant it.
It was just as well we had a big lunch because at 1pm we headed off on what was supposed to be a 2 hour walk and as we would later find out got to 37°. Four and a half hours later we had seen every icon in Rome! And negotiated the subway!
Exhausted it was then easier for us to head straight to the Vatican for our night tour rather than go back to the hotel. So we said our goodbyes to our tour guide on the platform.
We pressed on and at 7 had found our way to the entrance of the Vatican (just walked 2 blocks out of our way so not too bad)
The Vatican was everything I expected and more, the detail in the paintings and sculptures was incredible and it just went on and on. Of course the icing on the cake was the Sistine Chaple (no cameras) but were were able to sit for a while rest our bones and take it all in. The subway was closed after 9 so we had to take a bus back to the termini, that last couple of blocks walking home was the longest I've ever walked. Into bed at 11. A really big day, we all slept well that night. |
