Rome, Day #1 (Trip Day #10)

Day 10/1

We slept in, but couldn't. Our wake up call was for 8:45, and we were at breakfast at 8:15.  We were ready to go and so we went to the airport.  They wouldn't let us check in because we were too early.  So we waited.  Then we went through security, checked into our flight, and then went through security again.  More time to wait.  Checked out duty free, it was huge and had different shops as well, including household appliances.  Explain to me why I would buy an appliance that uses different plugs than I have at home... seriously!  Okay, flight to Rome.  It is one of the planes with 3 seats on each side of the aisle.  It has a total of 32 people on it, including flight attendants.  It is also the smallest plane I have ever seen.  Matt's legs didn't fit in between the two rows and his head is higher than the seats.  He has no headrest at all.

When we arrived in Rome, we went through Customs.  This was an interesting experience.  We waited in line and then showed our passports and all he did was look at our county (maybe) and say go ahead.  I don't think he even stamped them.  And we were off.

We found the train, and tried to use the automated tickets but they wouldn't accept our credit cards.  Grrr. On the train.  To the metro.  The train and the metro are technically in the same building, but getting from one to the other, I think we might have walked a half-mile in tunnels.  Out of the metro, found the hotel across the street.  Our plane landed at 4:30 and we got to the hotel at 7.  Crazy.  Next time we are taking a taxi.  Up the elevator, down the stairs, and up the stairs to our room.  It is small.  The bathroom is miniature and there is a faucet on the wall.  We tried it; it is a bidet.  Awesome.  However, for no reason whatsoever, we have a huge interior terrace.  I don't know what we are going to need it for.

Out for dinner.  We walked and found our first piazza and fountain.  Then up another street towards the Piazza de Spagna.  We ate dinner at the bottom in another piazza.  Caprese salad, gnocchi, and walnut & truffle ravioli.  Delicious!  We walked around and turned a few times and by accident we found the Trevi Fountain.  We stopped in a grocery store for water for tomorrow and headed back to the hotel.  We passed 13 gelato places on our walk.  Then we got help figuring out what we needed for the Vatican tomorrow and got an insider's guide to Rome from the concierge.  It is 10 and we are exhausted.