Our First Night in Rome

St Peters - we actually couldn't believe it was that close

Roman skyline view

 We arrived at our first European hotel stay today  (Villa Aurelia) and checked into our room.  It was nice but just a room and a bathroom, with a little tiny plastic shower (NOTE:  this was the norm for all our hotel stays: no coffee pot, no phone, no little fridge or microwave, just a room and a small bathroom.)  Front desk staff was very nice and spoke English.  Free wi-fi computer to use in the lobby.   Just a 20-minute walk to the Vatican.  Unfortunately, as this was just our two night introduction to Rome to “recover” from the redeye trip and we had not planned a Vatican visit this weekend.


St peter's, up close

    We took a walk around the neighborhood and saw a beautiful view of St Peters.  However, we also saw dumpsters—4 along almost every block, on both sides of the streets, overflowing with garbage bags.  Garbage bags were also just left out on any corner, and graffiti was everywhere.  Well, there were lots of multistoried apartments and condos in that neighborhood after all.
  We went back to the room and took two short 20 minute naps.  By now it was 5 p.m.  and so we walked down the main street looking for a restaurant.  We walked blocks and blocks and found almost nothing…then we decided that most restaurants probably do not even open until late, but we did need to eat.  We walked back then to a small restaurant we had seen.  It was open but with no customers, but we went in anyway and were happily greeted and got great service.  Ron, unable to eat pasta or bread dough (e.g. pizza) and Joan, generally off high cholesterol items still..e.g. cheese on pizza…? and here we are in ITALY!!!!!!???  Ron ordered meat and grilled vegetables – which were fabulous –and Joan had spaghetti.  We found out then about water:  only sold in bottles to your table. 


Dumpsters all long the streets

   We ate well and then stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the room and bought fruit and water, went to sleep at 7 p.m., awoke at 11 p.m. had a snack in the room and then went to sleep again.  Woke up in the morning, totally already attuned to local time.