Saturday, June 26, 2010

Roma con mia sorella

Revisiting Rome with Kathy was unreal.  We were both exhausted from our long journeys, and seeing sights like the Coliseum with my little sister by my side was strange, like a dream. 




We had some trouble meeting up in the airport.  When I got to Rome, I gathered my baggage and then headed over to Kathy's terminal (we flew separately) to meet her at her baggage claim.


Now begins a typical tale of European inefficiency and ridiculousness.  I arrived outside the baggage claim to the sight of bright red signs declaring that no one could enter.  I couldn't even see inside, because the glass sliding doors had been painted an opaque gray.  What risk they thought I would pose to the baggage, I do not know.


I had told Kathy to wait for me right next to her carousel, and like a good little sister, she did just that. For two hours. While I waited outside.  I tried to sneak in, but the policeman caught me and had zero sympathy for my situation.


Kathy and I had no way of contacting each other, so all my tactic was pure stubborness - I stood outside those sliding doors and stared at the policeman each time they opened. For two hours.  And guess what?  I broke him down.  He finally let me in, and I immediately found Kathy.


Ridiculous.


After that, we had a long and difficult journey to our hostel from the airport.  We were so tired, and navigating the train, the left luggage, the atms, and the map was almost more than we could handle.


But we persevered and made it safe and sound to our hostel, near the Termini train station.  I took Kathy out that night to see the Trevi fountain and the Coliseum and to try some gelato.




The next day, we went on a walking tour of the city, stopping at Gesu for mass, then the Trastevere for lunch, then the Vatican, then shopping in the centro.




 Finally, we headed back to our hostel, recollected our things, and caught tot the train to Assisi.  


It was a tiring and rushed visit to Rome, but Kathy agreed that it was worth it.  She had never been to Europe before, and it was good for her to see a bit before we retreated to the Umbrian countryside. 

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