Hopelessly lost on my first solo visit to Rome, Day 2
After a disappointing first day in Rome, I woke up very refreshed and in much better spirits. The superb curtain management system (don’t know what else to call it) had ensured that it remained pitch black until I opened the curtains so I had slept very well.
I had also acclimatised to the smokey room and as I had only one more night before heading home, I decided not to bother changing the room. After having breakfast in my room, I put a do not disturb sign on my door and I headed out to see the sights.
My plan was to walk to all the sights. I intended to start with the Vatican, then see Castel Sant’Angelo before walking along the river to the Colosseum. It was a terrible plan but I didn’t find that out until three hours later.
Anyway I got to the Vatican at around 11.00am and it was a glorious day. It looked like a summer day and felt like early spring. I walked into St Peter’s Basilica and the courtyard where the Pope says mass is as grand, imposing and colossal as it appears on TV. Unfortunately the queues of tourists were equally colossal so I decided to observe from the outside and keep going. If you plan to go in definitely book in advance.
I wondered around the streets nearby for about 10 minutes but these were very ordinary so I carried on towards Castel Sant’Angelo. By then I had decided not to try to get into any of the attractions so I could maximise my short time in Rome. I walked around to the back of the castle and found a fantastic sizeable garden/park which was an Oasis of calm in the very noisy hustle and bustle of to area. Be warned, this area like many near the popular attractions is exceptionally touristy and even in late November it was teeming with people.
It was the best pizza I have ever eaten – ever.
I then walked along the River Tiber to the Corte Suprema di Cassazione (supreme court) and crossed the Ponte Umberto bridge to the other side. I bought some water along the way from a really lovely Asian stall holder who tried to tell me about the City. Unfortunately, my Italian is non-existent and his English was limited so I said goodbye and kept going.
The flaw in my plan became apparent after about an hour. For one thing, traffic runs along the River Tiber (at speed) and the pavements are very very narrow so there isn’t much room to walk, it is incredibly noisy and you breathe in all the car fumes. Secondly, it was the longest route I could have taken to get to the Colosseum.
After three hours I felt asthmatic, exhausted, hungry and I was completely lost. The streets didn’t match up with my map. The area was also weirdly deserted which felt so wrong for a world-renowned tourist destination.
I decided in frustration to try one more street and if at the end of it I still could not find any of the streets around me on my map, I would hop into the next available taxi and go back to my hotel. As luck would have it, the street ended at a massive junction which was overflowing with signs that perfectly matched my map. The next thing I spotted were Japanese tourists and I knew I was close. I could have danced a jig.
I followed them like a stalker and they led me straight to a ruin which was NOT the Colosseum. I was so deflated. Then it started drizzling and of course, I had left my umbrella in London to save space in my tiny cabin only suitcase. By then it was 3.00 pm, it was cold, I was getting wet and I was starving. I wanted to cry.
As I took stock of my situation I noticed a few tourists coming out of the side of this strange ruin which was next to an open field but I still could not see what was fascinating about it. All I saw were some small local shops next to it with a pub and a little traditional pizza eatery.
I needed to take a moment to decide my next move and as I was so hungry I walked into the eatery and ordered a pizza. It was cosy and clean and filled with locals. As the only black woman in the place I drew some curious stares but they were friendly. Believe me when I tell you that it was the best pizza I have ever eaten – ever. I had to stop myself wolfing it down like a crazy person.
It’s funny how a little rest and a little food in your belly can make you feel like a whole new person and transform your perspective.
My mood lifted and as if on cue, it stopped raining. Hop on and Hop off buses suddenly started materialising everywhere and pulling up by the field. I had seen quite a few go past the Vatican so I now knew I had a convenient way back to my hotel.
I decided to salvage the day by paying the exorbitant prices and taking one of them around Rome like a proper tourist until it arrived back at Vatican city. Except I didn’t.
As I walked out of the eatery, I noticed that many of the tourists around appeared to be heading up a small gently sloping narrow street. Feeling re-energised I decided to follow them for a bit to see what the fuss was about.
The street had small pretty houses all joined together facing a very high wall behind which was the ruin. I was surprised to notice that some of those houses were actually hotels. I walked along this tiny street until the end then turned into an even smaller side road and my jaw dropped.
The true magic of the ruin and Rome began to unfold.
