Rome 2

At Athens airport waiting for our flight to Crete. We are so ready for some relaxation time, we have had enough of crowded cities where we do not have a clue. We figure out what we need but being always alert is tiring.

Rome is another place we will have to return to. I suppose if we did more research before we travelled we would see more, but I am not motivated until we get there. It was good that we booked a tour at the Vatican Saturday - the crowds there are unbelievable. I mean, crammed in and pushing your way through like on the Metro. And that was with a guide. Although we had to wait a bit, we got to things much faster than if we had just gone ourselves. Plus the guide was very good. The Sistine Chapel was the highlight. When Jude and I were there it was much darker but the paintings have been cleaned since then, plus our guide said there is new lighting. St. Peter's looks much the same except Pope John Paul is buried there. Apparently he's a saint now.

Yesterday we went to the Roman Forum which is what I liked best of all we have seen in Rome. Even though it is right by the Colliseum it is quiet down there and much less crowded. To think that we were looking at things built by Romans 2000 years ago is amazing to me. Everywhere we have gone there are Roman remnants.

Went to the Trevi fountain before the Forum but it is being serviced so no water there. It was a nice walk through old streets to the Forum, though.

After all that we stopped for a beer then just ate there so we could go back and pack. Which we did not do, needless to say.

The metro in Rome is very crowded. They have only two lines. Yesterday Geoff had to wait for me at our stop because I could not get off and had to go to the next stop and go back. So I was a bit concerned about going to Termini Station to catch a train to the airport this morning. But our landlord told us about a train station within walking distance of our place so we walked over there yesterday and got tickets, which made me feel relieved. Of course we got on the wrong train this morning and thanks to some nice people who told us we were not headed to the airport we saved some frustration.

I did really like Rome and Roman people. They also seem reserved (maybe it's from living in a city), but many people have helped us out. Lots speak English.

We ran into some Roman soldiers.