Just when we needed a good sleep, we didn't get one! We were both awake at 2am, then when I did eventually get to sleep, I apparently had one of my fairly rare snoring sessions. Paula sneaked out on to the balcony with a towel and her pillow for an hour or two, but gave up, and came back in and immediately fell asleep, whilst I was awake listening to her snore!
Up OK at the 6:15 alarm to find we were not on the same pier as usual. A light breakfast and then down to meet Teri & Alex in the Atrium at 8am for the trip to Rome, using the train. The free shuttle to the port gates worked well enough and we turned right and paid €12 each (plus €1 just for a timetable and map!) from the kiosk at the exit to the port and continues along the sea front for about 5 minutes, to the railway station. An easy walk. We were told to validate our tickets at the orange terminals at the station, but we walked straight to the appropriate platform, only to find there wasn't a terminal on our platform… We shoved Alex across the tracks (illegally) past the weeds, (see pic) to find the validation terminal and he eventually returned via a tunnel we hadn't even seen, tickets duly validated. Shambles number 1.
The train arrived OK from the north and we piled on, but not everyone managed to get a seat. We did, but obviously many parents these days, do not teach their kids the old courtesy of giving up your seat to ladies or indeed, adults, of either gender. There were several youngsters occupying seats whilst adults were standing. They must have been from the Disney Magic ship, or the Norwegian Epic, as there were no kids on our ship!
As there were the three cruise liners in, there were 1,000's of people doing organised tours and 1,000's also doing their own thing, not to mention this is a major changeover port for many ships, so there are always people dragging their luggage around. Total chaos and not really very visitor friendly.
The journey into Rome was OK though, our train being on time at Civi, at 8:41, arriving at Rome Termini at 9:45. Let us put this in perspective. Rome is home to a fair few people so unlike Auckland, which has just one station; no through route; probably 4 platforms narrowing to one in and one out, we arrived at platform 27 at Termini - the third Rome station - and headed for the Metro (Rome's underground) line B (they only have A & B). It was a fair walk even for us, but well signposted - up to a point. Our train tickets also included the Metro and once we found the right line, it was simple enough to scan the barcode and walk through. Two stops down the line for the Colosseo, along with about 200,000 others. (Slight exaggeration here, but you get the gist.) No doubt you can work out what Colosseo is in Rome. We piled out with about 120,000 others – approx.
We had been advised that to jump the long queue for tickets, just grab a guide. The young guy we approached seemed to change his story each minute and wanted the standard €12 for the entry ticket and a further €18 for the guided tour(s). We debated this for a while but Teri and Alex weren't at all keen and so he changed his story and said that as long as Paula and I paid, that was OK. He led us across the road to what appeared to be a large group assembling, not the small group we expected and he then wanted €120, claiming that the queue for tickets was likely to be 2 hours… We bid him farewell and joined the ticket queue.
Twenty minutes later we were at the ticket booth, handing over €12 each.
For future cruisers without tickets purchased on line, or visitors generally, take note:-
1) If you are on an EU passport (and have a photocopy) it is about €7.
2) However, if you are over 65 on an EU passport, with proof, entry is FREE….
We didn't have a photocopy with us. We have now.
We climbed the steep steps to the upper level and followed the general route, clockwise around this amazing structure with several indoor displays included, then down a level, then out again in a lot less time than on a guided tour. Most of the info is available on line anyway and the days of suffering boring history lessons are thankfully now optional. There is a fair bit of restoration work going on, inside and out.
Once we had done, we walked out and up the hill alongside but this was a dead end, so we had to double back and walk along the main road, in the general direction of the Trevi fountain. Interesting to see the local police moving on a female beggar who had been kneeling down in a position of prayer and did not seem in any way handicapped, wasn't old and obviously knew the local street sales people well. H'mmm. Methinks that many of these street beggars are professional beggars, just as at home.
We eventually made it to the Trevi fountain and appreciated it for what it is. About 2,000 others obviously agreed, as they were there at the same time, relaxing. A very impressive structure. After a cold can of coke (from a wine shop – half the price of the other establishments) I grabbed a tasty, rather sticky, cherry crepe from a nearby shop, whilst Paula had an ice cream. Teri did the traditional throwing of a coin over her shoulder into the fountain, (said to ensure your return) then we trekked back to the Metro, but only after a couple of wrong turns. One of those demanded that we return to the Trevi fountain, so it works!
Another shoving match to get on the Metro, where I am pretty sure the guy next to me opened my front cargo pants pocket, as I felt and heard the Velcro pocket flap pull. I stared at him just about at the same time Alex was having a serious discussion with him regarding his queue jumping technique… Hard luck sunshine. All my pocket contained was a pack of tissues anyway – which he didn't get. He and his pregnant(?) girlfriend wearing a very tight, white and green knitted dress, seemed very eager indeed to get off at the next stop. I wonder why?
Back at the railway station, we struggled to find the correct platform. Another shambles. We needed platform 25, but the platforms only seemed to go up to 24 and the signs for 24 – 29 weren't exactly clear! It was worse than looking for platform 9¾ and the Hogwart's Express at Kings Cross .
Eventually, we found it but someone (not me, someone with the initial A) had the timetable all the time, and he thought the train left at 13:25, but we eventually found the correct platform and dived into the first (double decker) carriage at 13:23. We should have gone further up the train as it was almost the last carriage into Civi, the last stop, but we were grateful to be on the right one at all, sitting down. The train left on time at 13:45. It arrived back at Civi at 15:01.
We were hot, tired, footsore and ready for the ship, but Teri was determined to find a shoe shop, so we went our way and they went theirs.
An atrium drink then Paula caught up with sleep and I caught up with some of the blog. A day or three behind at the moment, as you may have gathered. The internet is very slow at the moment, but at each sector, we have been able to grab free, extra minutes. When it takes about three minutes to get to look at just one email, there is a tendency to not bother unless it is important or a message from friends. As I write this, it took me 13 minutes just to access my email web server home page and didn't manage to read a single email. (I don't download messages when travelling.)
After sail-away we went to the Horizon Court, as it was open dining (it always is on changeover days) and then on to the 9:45pm show. This was a mixed show for those who joined us at Rome (272 passengers) introducing the dancers, singers and the orchestra for just one number and the rest of the show was an English ventriloquist/comedian, a finalist in 'Britain's Got Talent' and a protege of Simon Cowell.
As Steve Hewlett was totally new to all of us, we had no idea of what to expect. Sadly, half his luggage didn't arrive, so he bravely went on with just half his props. These ranged from a table napkin; a couple of glove puppets; two crows (Sheryl & Russell…); a fake toilet roll with the line of the night:-
"I'm not looking forward to tomorrow."
"Why is that?"
"I have to be up at the crack of Dawn…"
However, his star puppet was not the Simon Cowell miniature, but the old guy, 'Arfur Lager'. A really enjoyable act and a 9½ out of 10 from me. We look forward to a full show.
Cabin at 11pm and another early start tomorrow, for a ship's tour to the walled city of Lucca, from the port of Livorno. I think we'll sleep well.
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