We found Rome!

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  Rome, Italy
Friday, May 19, 2006

Nothing of note happened with our flight yesterday, other than it was running over an hour late, and we had to circle to land, adding an hour and a half to our flight time. This would not be notable, but it contributed to problems later on. The flight across Europe was pretty nondescript, as it was basically dark and cloudy. I settled back to read the Da Vinci Code (wow, Brown's writing is horrible), occasionally trying to take a stab at what country we were over. Coming into Italy, though, was lovely. The lights are a soft golden color, delineating all the little towns on the way into Rome. I was immediately predisposed to like it, for it was so *pretty.*

Immigration was astonishingly fast, nor did they ask us any questions of any sort. After getting money from the ATM, I turned to talk to Sarah about the train goals as we were walking out of the terminal, and inadvertantly set off an alarm on the door. We glance at each other and continue walking. Quickly. As the airport terminal blares behind us, we scuttle into the train station across the street before we start laughing. I am a menace! Setting off alarms and hitching rides on trains everywhere!

The train into Rome was fine, if expensive. We emerge from the terminal exactly as the directions say, walk exactly as the directions say (by a train station at midnight, mind), and finally give up about a mile away when the road ends. Backtracking, I stop into a Hotel Principe for directions, under the premise that my relatives might be related to these people, so they might be nice. I don't know how tight that theory was, but the man was very, very nice, though his head shaking when he figured out where I was trying to go was worrisome (and as far as he knew, I was by myself). He eventually copied a map from the phonebook for me, and we set back up the road. A mile plus later, (back where we started), we found the turn off steps from the terminal. In the other direction. Getting to the address, there is a note on the door for "Miss Wende" to call the following the number, as we were so very late getting in.

Sighing, we make our way back to the station across the street. Finding a pay phone, we rummage in our pockets for the two .50E coins we got as change from the train tickets, the only coins we even *have.* It won't work. Not for me, not for a bystanding Italian boy who lets me use his phone card after the machine eats the coins. We find another phone and use the credit card this time. I get a man's voice saying "Pronto? Pronto?" and hanging up. Discouraged, I note a bit of tape on that phone and reason that perhaps he didn't hear me. I move to yet another phone. Success! After a very confusing conversation seeming to involve the words "Hello? It is Wednesday?" (It's Thursday.) over and over, the man gives the phone to his wife who says "Wende? We'll be there in five minutes."

Back to the building, where we meet the couple and find Maian B&B is just lovely. We get a better room than we'd reserved, for the same price, with an ensuite bathroom. There are hardwood floors and high ceilings and windows taller than I am. The couple leaves us to our own devices, I experiment with the computer (no admin password on the USB ports -yes!), eat some toast and jam, and go to bed.

This morning, I tried out the chocolate croissants (not exceptional) in the cupboard and mapped out our route. I think it'll be the Colosseum and the Forum today. I hope there're tall buildings to navigate by. Perhaps I'll bring the compass.

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