Last day in Roma

Friday May 13^th

Last day in Roma

After having a huge sleep in we piano piano made our way to the centre of Roma and jumped on one of the hop on hop off tour buses and just cruised around for a few hours savouring the lovely sights of Roma.  We jumped off at the Trevi fountain and found a lovely little restaurant and had our best meal in Italy it was fabulous.   We are both feeling a bit frustrated as our accommodation at the Sheraton Roma is less than adequate in many respects,  we can’t get internet connection and we really were wanting to skype home before we  head off to New York.  Finally after 24 hours and himself demanding to see the manager we have it and a bottle of wine on the house!   Himself doesn’t get upset to often but this really has been a real shonky hotel.  Believe me, we know after nearly 8 weeks of being on the road.

Italian driving and parking must be mentioned in this Italy blog.  Well the motor cyclists all wear helmets and for good reason I have no doubt, they are very courageous the way that they weave in and out of the traffic on the inside and the outside at very ambitious speeds.   The motorcyclists love it when they hear an ambulance that is going in their direction, you should see them, they tail the ambulance as it creates a clear path for them and there maybe twenty or so tailing behind the ambo.  I would hate to be in need of an ambulance here in Roma as due to the traffic they can’t possibly get to a patient quickly.

It is really amazing to watch the drivers, it is so different in Australia, we are such law abiding citizens in Oz.  But more than the driving, it is the parking that fascinates us.  Clearly where there is no parking, not only do they park but they double and triple park.  A solid white line means nothing here, except perhaps come and park on me! A No Parking sign doesn’t mean no parking today, that must be there for yesterday or perhaps tomorrow, but certainly not for today!!  What continues to amuse us is how do people get their cars out when people double and triple park with, beleive me no more that 6 inches in the front or at the rear of the car, they are left with no room at all.  Oh such fun! We have decided that if they brought in more traffic infringements the Italian government would be very rapidly out of their debt.  One can’t really describe it, it really has to be seen to be believed.  I tried to capture it in a photo, but with little success unfortunately. All I can say is that it is chaos, but certainly great fun to watch.