This was a non event. We got up, put our last things in our bags, checked out, walked across the street to the train station, and got on the train. This was our longest train ride, and both of us slept. We were a little disappointed not to have coffee on the train, but it was okay.
It was immediately apparent on arrival that Rome is an order of magnitude different from any of the previous cities. I feel exactly like I felt stepping off the train in Penn Station the first time I visited NYC. Kind of an, "OMG, what have I gotten myself into" feeling.
We got in the cab line, which had some person who may or may not have been legit asking us if we were going to some place we didn't know, and a slightly more assertive than normal beggar shaking a can at us. Luckily, the line moved shockingly fast (and wasn't that long to begin with) and I'd had the forethought to write the address of our B&B on a piece of paper to show the driver.
This driver spoke pretty good English, thank goodness, as I was not up to my usual Italian games groggy and overwhelmed. He pointed out a few things as we drove by, mostly which tram we'd be taking and then dropped us at an address that was what I wrote down, but that didn't look too promising. But sure enough, we walked up to the gate of the little business park, and there was Casa Eli Roma, and when we buzzed Elisabetta told us she would be right down.
She was, and she hustled us right upstairs, where, though our room wasn't ready, she gave us a very quick orientation (and promised us her regular 45 minute one when we get back tonight) and then called us a cab to the meeting place for our guide this morning.
So it's 11:30, we're sitting here having coffee and hot chocolate, and still overwhelmed by the people, noise, and chaos. How we're going to pick out our guide from the million out there is another problem.
Wish us luck.
Marty and Lyle
No comments:
Post a Comment