Tracystravels's travel blogs:
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Roma at last!
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Rome is quite an exciting city. I arrived yesterday after probably my worst travel day yet....which was topped off with a totally chauvinistic Italian guy at this internet cafe. He was trying to help me but kept putting his hands all over my flash card (which held 1000 pics on it!) while trying to show me how to connect to the USB. He did not know English and I don't know Italian so explaining to him that it was not my usb connection but rather problems uploading photos to Travelpod...well that was not happening! It is kind of funny in retrospect...me saying momento porfavore and trying to sit down and show him my question and him refusing to get out of my seat and yanking the usb connection in and out of the computer while putting his fingers all over my flashcard. Finally, he started screaming in Italian, ripped the cord out of the computer and my camera and left muttering in Italian as he went. I thought to myself, can this day get any worse?
Earlier, I had gotten on the last 2nd class car of the train to Pisa from Monterosso when my seat was actually in car 1 of first class....I was unable to ever get to my actual seat so I was stuck where I was the whole way. The train was late getting into Pisa and I almost missed my train to Florence. Running with an overloaded backpack is no fun I can assure you! Got to Florence and then got on the wrong train to Rome...at least the train I got on went to Rome! I tried to explain what had happened to the train operator who did not speak English. He got two of his colleagues, who also didn't speak English to weigh in on this situation, and then they tried to charge me an extra 8 euros for changing trains! I explained to them that it was a mistake not intentional and luckily this lovely Italian woman who knew English stepped in and resolved the situation. I was escorted to a semi private portion of the first class train with this other lady and we enjoyed a relaxing ride into Rome! It was all too much for me and as I fell into my seat I burst into tears which was totally perplexing for the lady sharing my cabin. She tried to reassure me, 'we are going to Roma, it is ok!'. Soon, it was ok and I fell asleep waking just as we arrive in Rome. Took a quick metro ride to the Spagna exit and found my hotel. Yet another, non-hotel, hotel in the heart of the historical Spanish steps area. What I mean by non-hotel is that the rooms are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of this historic building with almost no lobby. It is really renting a lovely room but without the common area amenities of a real hotel. I slept well and woke up today totally refreshed.
After the internet cafe debacle, I walked up the block to a sidewalk bar called 'American Bar' - a place I would normally avoid due to the usual high prices, and sat down and ordered a drink! The night was warm and I had a great view of the plaza with all of its cars and mopeds speeding around. Then I walked around a bit, discovering that my hotel is located in the 'Rodeo Drive' of Rome. Very expensive designer stores and very stylish people. I fit in quite well with my REI travel clothing and bulky (but comfortable!) tennis shoes! Today, I walked from my hotel area to the Forum and the Colloseum and then back a different route. The city is spectacular, new and old melded together. Roman ruins, historic Piazzas, newer buildings literally joined with ruins or built over ruins. Cars everywhere, scooters and mopeds everywhere, honking. Views of amazing buildings everywhere you turn. I have also found the people to be so nice and hospitable. The attitude I encountered from the residents while in Venice and in the Cinque Terra seems to be gone. Perhaps it is the cosmopolitan nature of large cities, or perhaps it is something I am doing...who knows.
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7 votes 
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