Last day in Rome
Our final full day of the trip starts with brkfst in the patio. Correction, it started with a peek out the window to see that it had been raining. But after eating we went out for a walk looking for : a bookstore, an ATM, a hardware store and a museum and not too particular in which order we found them. By this time, the rain had resumed. It seemed like every other guy on the streets was selling umbrellas. I never found out for how much ‘cause we had brought one. Our first find was the bookstore where Nora got “Elizabeth” an historical novel. This, in anticipation of an 10:50 hour airplane ride tomorrow taking us to Chicago. - After that 4 ½ more to Lax.
We never did find a hardware store- where I would have bought some wire to cludge up a way around the 2 prong/3 prong electrical dilemma. We did stumble onto an ATM which took care of my biggest concern - we’ll need Euro cash to pay the shuttle driver tomorrow for the trip to the airport. Lots of high fashion shops; Nora coveted the boots shown: 1998 Euro = about $2800/pair. We ended our foray with lunch at a small pizza place. I had pizza and beer; Nora spaghetti & lemon fanta--- best meal of the whole trip. For accuracy, I should mention that we’d earlier huddled under the awning of a sidewalk café to duck the rain while sipping expensive coffee. During our wait for food at the pizza place we saw about 25 Jr Hi age kids exit the place and couldn’t imagine where they’d been sitting. Later, I found that there twice as many seats upstairs.
Back at the hotel, I sit in lobby typing this while Nora reads her book. We’re here because they’re cleaning our room. This will undoubtedly be the final posting in LJ written away from Camarillo. We’re quite ready to come home. Too bad we can’t be tranquilized for the flight.
Since writing the above, we did go out for a stroll around the neighborhood. The rain has quit and it’s near sunset. There are far more folks in the Plaza de Popolo than when I earlier took the pix shown. All seem to be having a good time and I’m feeling like I’m seeing the true Italy.
