Europe 2008 Part III — Roma and Pisa

The majority of our sixteen hour ferry ride was spent catching up on some long-needed rest. A walk on the deck at night was quite peaceful. Off in the distance one could make out tiny pinpoints of light that must have been cities or towns. The boat slowly sliced the Adriatic, going no faster than 20 kph.

We arrived at the port of Bari on the morning of Wednesday, April 30th. Hailing a taxi, we headed for the car rental company in the midst of town. We were not-so-pleasantly surprised to find that our driver didn’t exactly know how to find the place, seeing as he had to ask a couple people for directions on the way. In the end, he dropped us off right in front of our destination.

It took us about twenty minutes to get the car (and fortunately there was no penalty for arriving a day later than scheduled). Finally we laid eyes on the little orange Fiat Panda that would become our movable home for the next four days.

After getting turned around in the wrong direction a few times, we found ourselves speeding across the Autostrade toward Rome. Italy swept by in bright flashes of green and yellow, small villages and castles perched on hillsides in the distance. The sky was bright and blue. It had turned into a beautiful day.

Before too long, we arrived on the outskirts of Rome. (By the way, if you’re ever traveling by car in Rome, try and avoid the Autostrade if possible. Though it is the fastest and nicest highway in the country, it also comes with a HEFTY toll). Finding an overnight car park that was completely gratis, we left our luggage in the trunk and headed for the Metro.

Our first destination: the Colliseum.

Emerging from the underground and suddenly coming face to face with the massive monument is one of the more memorable experiences from my trip.

 

The old arena is amazing to behold. What once was the site of so many gruesome martyrdoms and savage entertainment is now adorned with crosses and various Christian emblems. We were able to get inside and take photos and video. As the sun began to sink behind the Roman hills, we took a walk through parts of the old Forum across the street.

Our dinner that night was under the very shadow of the Colliseum. As we enjoyed our pizza, we watched the shadows lengthen and the lights of Rome come to life.

We had not yet found lodgings for the night. Little did we know it was the eve of a great European holiday – May Day. As a result, most of the hotels near Termini Station were full. We decided to head back to the car and sleep for free; but were thwarted by the subway, which closed early.

 

I was forced to book a single room for €60, which ended up being sub-par. I figured Caleb could just sleep on the floor. However, the hotel manager had a different idea. As we began to head to the room, he informed us that Caleb could not stay. I told him we were just watching the end of the soccer game. “Five minutes,” he said. I agreed.

 

What followed was quite possibly the most hilarious (and dangerous) story of our travels. There was a window in the room, which turned out to be a good hiding place for Caleb. He stood out on the ledge; five stories below, the streets of Rome bustled. After about ten minutes, there was no knock on the door, so Caleb came back in. In hushed voices, we decided the manager would leave us alone. We were wrong.

 

About 20-30 minutes later (well after the game had finished) there was an abrupt knock on the door. Swiftly and quietly, Caleb went out the window. I informed the manager that Caleb had left after the game. He didn’t seem to understand (didn’t speak much English); but finally, with a grunt and a shrug he said, “I no see” and walked away. Shutting the door and returning to the window, I had to pull Caleb to safety because he was hanging from the sill, hiding behind the air conditioning unit. His arms were shaking.

 

As my mother would say, this is the kind of story that you don’t share until thirty years from now, when we can all laugh about it. It was a close call, but we managed to hoodwink the hotel manager. In the morning he was gone, so there was no problem checking out.

 

Thursday morning was May Day. We decided to check out the Vatican. Much to our chagrin, it was closed. Of course, if our train had arrived on time in Athens, we would have made the ferry and would have been able to tour the Vatican. We also would have been able to see Florence for a day (which sadly had to be cut from the trip). Ah well. After managing a glimpse of St. Peter’s Square, we walked around the perimeter of the smallest country in the world only to discover that the Sistine Chapel was closed as well.

Across town we went to Maria Maggiore, which was highly recommended by a friend. After espresso and a croissant on the street corner, we went inside and beheld one of the most gorgeous (albeit opulent) churches on our travels.

The time had come to leave Rome behind and head for Pisa. It is a shame we didn’t have more time to see the city, but now I have an excuse to pay another visit in the future. Hopefully next time the itinerary will include Florence as well.

 

Thursday’s travels took us along the coastal road through Tuscany for some of the most stunning rural sights. Passing through small villages, we saw many people outside and on the beach celebrating the holiday.

 

We arrived at Pisa about an hour before sunset and took lots of photos of the famous tower. And yes, along with nearly every other tourist, we took the obligatory “Look!-I’m-trying-to-hold-up-the-tower” photo as well.

 

After a gelato—and a fiasco at the gas station in which we almost lost 50 euros but were saved by a very nice middle-aged couple—we got onto the road and headed northward for La Spezia and the doorstep of La Cinque Terre.

 

Winding through the mountainous roads in the dark, we finally pulled off and slept in the car for the night. The next day would be spent hiking along the Mediterranean coast from one town to the next.

 

It would be, without a doubt, the best day of the trip.