We caught the 09:13 from the campsite to the Metro station again this morning and then the two Metro trains to get into the central Termini station. We changed again there to Metro line A and got out two stops later at Manzoni. Our son Simon and partner Katie were staying at a small hotel a short distance from this station, opposite part of the Roman aqueduct and near to the Roman city gate Porta Maggiore. It was great to see them again and we looked forward to spending a long weekend with them. They had a good flight out to Rome and, despite an after midnight arrival at their hotel, they looked fit and well.
We all decided that because the sun was shining, we should concentrate on outdoor sites today. The weather actually deteriorate rapidly after we started walking but we stuck to our plan. We walked for about 20 minutes to the Colosseum and joined the crowds. The Pope was due to lead mass there at 21:15 and 200,000 people were expected to be in the Colosseum on around it at that time. The television vans were already in place and lighting had been erected. The queues for entry into the Colosseum were incredible and we suspected that the last people in the queue would not get in for at least two hours. We decided that we would leave that until another day! We were also disappointed to find that arrangements for the Roman Forum had changed. Even our 2008 Fodor's guide said that it was free but they have now changed it to be included in a joint ticket with the Colosseum and Palantine. At €9 for the combined ticket, it is not expensive but it restricts the freedom of being able to wander through the Forum at any time. What is more, you have to join a huge queue to be able to purchase the ticket.
We walked on passed the Circus Massimo to the river Tiber and the island in it called Isola Tiberina. This is allegedly the smallest inhabited island and we crossed to it on the oldest standing bridge in Rome – the Ponte Fabrico dating to 62 BC. Continuing over to the west bank of the Tiber, we found a restaurant for lunch. It was called 'Cornucopia' (Piazza in Piscinula) and three of us had their set €15 menu with three choices for each of three courses. The food was of a very high standard and was much better value than the restaurants near the main tourist haunts. Highly recommended.
It had rained quite a lot whilst we were in the restaurant but was only drizzling as we left. As we passed back over the river on the Ponte Garibaldi we noticed a collection of flotsam caught in the boiling water below a weir. There were the expected plastic water bottles but these were outnumbered by balls – 20 footballs, 1 basketball and 2 rugby balls! We were pleased to see that there were some rugby balls but Simon suggested that, on this very unscientific survey, Italian rugby players were outnumbered ten to one by football players. Perhaps it is just that the football pitches were closer to the river!
We walked on to the Pantheon (still free and very impressive), the Trevi Fountain (busy but also impressive) and the Spanish Steps (actually paid for by the French, but not very impressive). After a reviving cup of coffee we found the Spanga Metro station, saying goodbye to Simon and Katie at Termini as we changed lines for Castelfusano. Simon was threatening to go to the Colosseum tonight, so we look forward to hearing all about it tomorrow, if he makes it.
We arrived at the Metro terminus, Columbo, at a time when there was a long wait (over one hour) before the next bus, so we decided to make the 25 walk back instead. It only took us 20 minutes because a strong, cold, northerly wind blew us along and the rain in the wind made it very unpleasant, giving us a real incentive to walk quickly!
Photos: View of the Colloseum from the Forum; The Pantheon; A very good 'living statue' in one of the streets of Rome. We really thought that it was a statue at first but he woke up and gave a very drunken wave when money was put in his collecting box.
We all decided that because the sun was shining, we should concentrate on outdoor sites today. The weather actually deteriorate rapidly after we started walking but we stuck to our plan. We walked for about 20 minutes to the Colosseum and joined the crowds. The Pope was due to lead mass there at 21:15 and 200,000 people were expected to be in the Colosseum on around it at that time. The television vans were already in place and lighting had been erected. The queues for entry into the Colosseum were incredible and we suspected that the last people in the queue would not get in for at least two hours. We decided that we would leave that until another day! We were also disappointed to find that arrangements for the Roman Forum had changed. Even our 2008 Fodor's guide said that it was free but they have now changed it to be included in a joint ticket with the Colosseum and Palantine. At €9 for the combined ticket, it is not expensive but it restricts the freedom of being able to wander through the Forum at any time. What is more, you have to join a huge queue to be able to purchase the ticket.
We walked on passed the Circus Massimo to the river Tiber and the island in it called Isola Tiberina. This is allegedly the smallest inhabited island and we crossed to it on the oldest standing bridge in Rome – the Ponte Fabrico dating to 62 BC. Continuing over to the west bank of the Tiber, we found a restaurant for lunch. It was called 'Cornucopia' (Piazza in Piscinula) and three of us had their set €15 menu with three choices for each of three courses. The food was of a very high standard and was much better value than the restaurants near the main tourist haunts. Highly recommended.
It had rained quite a lot whilst we were in the restaurant but was only drizzling as we left. As we passed back over the river on the Ponte Garibaldi we noticed a collection of flotsam caught in the boiling water below a weir. There were the expected plastic water bottles but these were outnumbered by balls – 20 footballs, 1 basketball and 2 rugby balls! We were pleased to see that there were some rugby balls but Simon suggested that, on this very unscientific survey, Italian rugby players were outnumbered ten to one by football players. Perhaps it is just that the football pitches were closer to the river!
We walked on to the Pantheon (still free and very impressive), the Trevi Fountain (busy but also impressive) and the Spanish Steps (actually paid for by the French, but not very impressive). After a reviving cup of coffee we found the Spanga Metro station, saying goodbye to Simon and Katie at Termini as we changed lines for Castelfusano. Simon was threatening to go to the Colosseum tonight, so we look forward to hearing all about it tomorrow, if he makes it.
We arrived at the Metro terminus, Columbo, at a time when there was a long wait (over one hour) before the next bus, so we decided to make the 25 walk back instead. It only took us 20 minutes because a strong, cold, northerly wind blew us along and the rain in the wind made it very unpleasant, giving us a real incentive to walk quickly!
Photos: View of the Colloseum from the Forum; The Pantheon; A very good 'living statue' in one of the streets of Rome. We really thought that it was a statue at first but he woke up and gave a very drunken wave when money was put in his collecting box.
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