16. Milano to Roma

Monday 30 March.  Milano to Roma (572 km).  We leave early Monday morning, but waste time wandering the downtown Milano streets, which seem to be large concentric circles.  I think I am making progress, heading in the right direction, but then I lose sight of those important direction arrows, make a wrong turn somewhere (or fail to make the right turn) and find myself not far from where I started.  It is an hour before I finally locate the A1 to Roma.  It rains again at times as we head south.  Italian gas is the highest price so far (about $4.50 a gallon, compared to about $3 a gallon in England). 

The scenery begin to change at Bologna with cypress trees appearing on the tops of the hills into which the motorway ascends.  We arrive in Roma at about four o'clock.  The ring route drops us off on a direct line to our destination, but the traffic is horrendous and it takes another hour or so to travel the few miles to our hotel.  I unload everyone at the hotel (Emmaus Pensione, Via Delle Fornai, 23, one family room for six) and am happy to park the car in a garage until Saturday. 

Our one large room pensione is pretty comfortable, but noisy in the evenings with all the street traffic below our third floor room.  We have our own toilet and shower (it floods, but we do not complain).  We are across the street and half a block from St. Peter's, to which we walk, soon after arriving.

Scenes from our Pensione

It is hard to know where to start with when it comes to Rome: the water fountains, the churches, the old buildings, the Fiats, the traffic patterns (no lanes!), the horns, the sirens, the diesel smell, the Look Out! crossing the street.  The Pieta is the consensus favorite sight.  The Sistine is my favorite but the experience was somewhat lessened by the crowds: thirty minutes inside, staring, craning, over and over, the children bored, chocolate for everyone.  Then there is the food: mostly canneloni, but pasta in broccoli and garlic cream is a big hit too.  Pizza and drinks next door at the Bar for 40,000 lire.  Gelato every day.  Lots of red wine. The itinerary:

 Tuesday 31 March.  Roma.  Windy, cool.  Sprinkles at night.  We meet Mrs. Bartoli at the Jesuit Bureau and confirm our tickets to Wednesday's papal audience.  She also offers tickets to the Vatican Gardens, which we tour today, following a tour through St. Peter's and after buying rosaries and Jeffrey's first communion gift, which we will bring with us to the audience.  After the gardens, Cathy and I take Jeffrey to the Excelsior for a drink, leaving Robert and Mara with Thomas, who now has a sore throat.  On the way we stop at the Spanish Steps, and afterwards visit the Trevi Fountain.  Cathy, Jeffrey and I make the traditional coin toss, guaranteeing our return another day.  We have dinner near our pensione at an intolerably slow pace, weren't done until ten o'clock!

Three Pictures from Our Private Visit
to the Vatican Gardens

Trevi Fountain

Spanish Steps

Wednesday, 1 April.  Cloudy, sunshine, some showers.  We pick up our tickets for papal audience, and see the Pope.  Most people are very early and we sit and wait.  Waiting for the pope is like waiting for the Johnny Carson show to start: Is that the warm up guy?  Is there some delay?  Is that him?  Etc.  Lots of conversations, rumors, buzzing and, most noticeably, there is an electricity in the air.  The Pope's message, in Italian, French, English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, German and Moravian: the gifts of the Holy Spirit, together with Jesus' message: "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you." (Sounds like Thomas: "If you hurt me, I will hurt you.")  John Paul looks tired.  The three older children shake his hand afterwards, as he walks down the aisle and presses the flesh.  Afterwards, we eat lunch at Osteria Roberto; two English priests sit next to us.  Today it is Robert's turn to go with Cathy and me, and we visit San Clemente (recommended by Mrs. Bartoli) and John Lateran, walking by the Colloseo and Piazza Venezia, before returning to the hotel by taxi.  Dinner is pizza at the nearby bar.

Mara and Robert in the
CRUSH of Greeting John Paul II

Thursday, 2 April.  Cloudy, showers.  Our first stop today is the Vatican Museum from 10:45 - 1:30 or 2.  Sistine!  Map room!  Lunch is across the street at Hostaria Dei Bastioni on the Via Leone, good broccoli pasta.  Afterwards Mara, Cathy and I sightsee at Maria Maggiore (Mara and I go to confession in English), then we visit the shopping area near the Spanish Steps and top off our visit with coffee at Cafe Greco.  After the rain starts, I buy a Valentino umbrella.

It's Not Always Sunny While We're in Rome

Love the Food in Rome!

Friday, 3 April.  Lovely day! Today is major attractions day: Colloseo, Palatine, Roman Forum (the wisteria in bloom everywhere!), Piazza Navone, Pantheon (closed), Moses at St. Peter in chains, St. John Lateran and Santa Maria Scala (which has the stairs Jesus was said to have walked up to Pilate).  Dinner for the children is pizza at the bar again.  Cathy and I walk up the street to a nice place on Aurelio.

The Afternoon at the Colloseo and Roman Forum