Roma

Italian Drama

I was five minutes on the train, in my lovely compartment for one. I was settling down for the night when the ticket inspector burst in "Youra ticketa isa nota gooda!! The data isa wronga!" We descended into full on screaming match, where the biggest insult turned out that he thought I was English! Back in those days I didn't speak any Italian at all, now I am fluent! I reluctantly bought a cuccetta with whatever mixed currency I could scrape together. My change was a mix of French Francs, Deustch Marks, Swiss Francs, and Italian Lira! We had another screaming match before delivering me to my new compartment where I shared with these friendly two brothers from London! I actually met them again in the Vatican!

The train was overbearingly hot, and I couldn't wait to get out to get some cool air. Wrong!! The doors opened, and it was as if I stepped into an oven. I was hating Italy already. Sweat dripping from my brow, I went to a telephone box and called Fr Kevin Doran in the Collegio Irlandese. I was told to get a particular bus, and get out after the obelisk.

I arrived and was warming met by Kevin and we sat in the garden surrounded by palm and orange trees, Kevin is his priest attire was suffering dressed in black, continuously mopping his brow. Having travelled around continental Europe now for more than two weeks, it was really nice to have cornflakes and milk for breakfast!

Me enjoying the smallest country in the world!

Kevin gave me detailed instructions on how to buy tickets "bigletti" and how to navigate the "metropolitana". I explored mainly by foot though, asking strangers to take photos of me at various strategic places.

After the collosuem, I entered the Roman Forum, in the overpowering heat I befriended a Scot who was studying archeology. He gave me a sort of free guided tour. His insights were fantastic. But his words chilled me, "The Roman empire fell, and so will ours, we are not any better"

At the end of my stay, Kevin and his colleague treated me to a wonderful pizza and some Italian wine. We had also done the Rome by night walking tour with some free history lessons. They set me off at Roma Termini and I boarded yet another train, this time up North to Venice

#Italy #Interrail #Rome #Colloseum #KevinDoran #Archeology