It's been a fine time these past few days in Rome. I've seen a LOT of churches (there are just SO MANY of them - all stunning!). In addition I have been to a museum or two , and areas of the city that warrant poking around at leisure. Today I went on a one hour tour of the Jewish Ghetto. I learned that Rome has the oldest Jewish community in Europe, and that the Jews who came here originally came from the Holy Land and so were neither Ashkenazi or Sephardic Jews, but are a third distinct group - Italian Jews. They had a pretty rough go of it due to Papal restrictions on their ability to do business and move about. A wall was built around the Ghetto and for three centuries they were subjected to a curfew. The wall was taken down and the Tiber river was walled throughout the city in the late1800's (?), thus preventing the regular flooding of the ghetto, and thus allowing for healthier, cleaner conditions.
The area of Trastevere (across the Tiber) is a very interesting part of Rome, just south of Vatican City. Although it is absolutely crammed with tourists, it has a quint, small town feel to it. The buildings have a different style to those in il rioni di Termini.
Two nights ago I was joined by my friend Valerie. She had been travelling in places north of Rome, and took the train from Cinque Terre to Rome to meet me.. At least that was the plan - to meet at Statzione Termini just after her train was due to arrive at 18:00. Well, she didn't arrive and so I decided I had to make my way to our accommodation without her (I was shifting from the hostel to a small pensione near Il Vaticano, where we had a room booked for 5 nights). We had no way of communicating, both being phoneless, and the internet connection at Termini was hopeless (she finally got my messages this morning!). But she did have the address and so I hoped she would just hope a cab when she arrived. Problem is, there is no "reception" at such establishments and I had no way of knowing when she would arrive, short of parking myself outside on the sidewalk, waiting for her. It was after 8:00 and I still hadn't eaten, so I left a note on the locked gated entrance, and headed to a nearby, rather nice restaurant. It was a great relief to look up from my piatti di gnocchi and see Val peering through the window, looking for me! She had had an epic day of travelling to Rome due to rail line wash-outs, and was bumped to a bus. She was over two hours longer, but arrived safe and sound, if more than a little weary.
So, we have had a couple of good days, one together and today on our separate ways. Val's hip is much worse than my back, which is troublesome enough, so after logging several kms in Trastevere yesterday, she opted for the hop-on/hop-off bus tour, while I did my own walk-about .
On my way back to our room, as I was making my way up the street opposite the Vatican walls, I looked ahead and I say to myself "OMG that's Teresa Spinelli!" And sure enough, it was. Istopped her by saying her name, and she said "Yes" and I said "I'm from Edmonton". There are about 4 million residents in Rome and probably half a million tourists. What are the chances? E uno piccolo mondo, no? We had a brief chat, I told her how long I've been shopping at her store, she took our selfie, and said to look her up next time I'm in the store. Pazzo. Crazy.
The area of Trastevere (across the Tiber) is a very interesting part of Rome, just south of Vatican City. Although it is absolutely crammed with tourists, it has a quint, small town feel to it. The buildings have a different style to those in il rioni di Termini.
Two nights ago I was joined by my friend Valerie. She had been travelling in places north of Rome, and took the train from Cinque Terre to Rome to meet me.. At least that was the plan - to meet at Statzione Termini just after her train was due to arrive at 18:00. Well, she didn't arrive and so I decided I had to make my way to our accommodation without her (I was shifting from the hostel to a small pensione near Il Vaticano, where we had a room booked for 5 nights). We had no way of communicating, both being phoneless, and the internet connection at Termini was hopeless (she finally got my messages this morning!). But she did have the address and so I hoped she would just hope a cab when she arrived. Problem is, there is no "reception" at such establishments and I had no way of knowing when she would arrive, short of parking myself outside on the sidewalk, waiting for her. It was after 8:00 and I still hadn't eaten, so I left a note on the locked gated entrance, and headed to a nearby, rather nice restaurant. It was a great relief to look up from my piatti di gnocchi and see Val peering through the window, looking for me! She had had an epic day of travelling to Rome due to rail line wash-outs, and was bumped to a bus. She was over two hours longer, but arrived safe and sound, if more than a little weary.
So, we have had a couple of good days, one together and today on our separate ways. Val's hip is much worse than my back, which is troublesome enough, so after logging several kms in Trastevere yesterday, she opted for the hop-on/hop-off bus tour, while I did my own walk-about .
On my way back to our room, as I was making my way up the street opposite the Vatican walls, I looked ahead and I say to myself "OMG that's Teresa Spinelli!" And sure enough, it was. Istopped her by saying her name, and she said "Yes" and I said "I'm from Edmonton". There are about 4 million residents in Rome and probably half a million tourists. What are the chances? E uno piccolo mondo, no? We had a brief chat, I told her how long I've been shopping at her store, she took our selfie, and said to look her up next time I'm in the store. Pazzo. Crazy.
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