Anyone get the Julius Caesar reference? Yes, I know, I am a nerd. Anyway welcome back to another exciting installment in the chronicles of Sendy’s travels. This entry is devoted to our 2nd port: Civitavecchia---I think I have finally learned the proper pronunciation. Civitavecchia literally means Old Town. Civitavecchia or Civi for short is the port city for Rome. Rome or RomaJ, the Eternal City, the seat of one of the greatest empires in the history of mankind is an endlessly fascinating place. I was lucky to spend four days in the region and overall my experiences were more than marvelous. {I think I will need to come up with new adjectives for this trip/journeyJ}
We arrived in Civitavecchia on the morning of June 29th. As I woke early to observe the docking process in Barcelona, I felt comfortable skipping it this time around. I did however take my traditional first sighting picture immediately upon waking up. {it was not at all a scenic view}
We arrived in Italy on a national holiday so we did not have a diplomatic briefing on that day. Our Italian interport student jokingly remarked that Italians have more holidays than days when they work. Whether or not this is true I have no evidence to contradict. He is a native so I will have to take his word on it. But I could be ok living in a place that has a lot of holidays. Means there are many traditions to observe. Anywho, I digress as usual. After a brief customs process, we were allowed to disembark. Chela, 3 of our colleagues and myself had decided the previous night that we would go into Athens on Day 1. So off we went…….
Now the first thing you should know is that there are 730+ people on the ship. Once the ship is cleared ALL of those people feel compelled to leave the ship at once. Unfortunately Civitavecchia had only the one train station so anyone wanting to leave to go to any other part of Italy had to leave from the train station. My travel companions and I predicted there would be a long line at the train station so purposively left a couple hours after the mass disembarkation. Despite waiting for a couple hours, there were still massive lines at the train station. We waited in line for close to 30 minutes to buy a ticket to Rome. The ticket was 9 euro and included round trip transportation to Rome, as well as 24-hour access to the bus and metro system in Rome. This leads me to a major observation about all our ports so far. They have had excellent public transportation systems. They are structured in such a way to encourage public transport. Why would anyone in his or her right mind go to the trouble of driving into Rome with a system set up in such a way? It makes it exceedingly easy to get around at very low costs. So most American cities/regions have A LOT to learn. Also the integrated nature of the transportation system is comment worthy. I could not imagine SEPTA having such a fee structure that effectively and cheaply integrated the regional rail and the city systems. Anyway back to the story…
So after our long wait to purchase a ticket we waited almost another hour for the train to arrive. I was in good company so the time flew by. Plus this whole journey has really expanded my capacity for being flexibility. What’s a one-hour wait? Phew, easy breezy.
After our long wait we were fortunate to board an express train to Roma. We arrived in the city in less than 40 minutes. During the ride, I was able to observe the beauty of the Roman countryside. Absolutely breathtaking. It was a mix of clusters of high-rise apartments mixed in with agricultural farmlands. We did not stop once during the ride but through the train window I was able to observe quite a bit of graffiti on buildings, on some of the trains, and at the various train stop stations. It was interesting to see because it reminded me a bit of NYC circa 1980s. I had noticed some graffiti in Barcelona but it seemed to be exponentially more visible in Roma/ Civitavecchia. It is quite possible that I saw more in Italy because we were located outside the tourist zone and had to travel into those areas, whereas in Spain, we were dead in the middle of tourist central. Tourist areas tend to be kept squeaky clean by the municipal governments. Just some thoughts, no real evidence to support the hypothesisJ always a researcher! Ok back on topic…….
We arrived in the Stazione Termini (the main train station) and immediately set out to find those sites, which make Rome famous. My first impression of Rome upon leaving the train station: BUSY! Taxis and cars whizzed by and it had the same energy of any major city. However it did not take long to find the jewels, which set Roma apart. After a short walk, we stumbled across the famous Spanish Steps. They were quite a sight to behold. As it was already quite hot, I did not walk up the steps. Think the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art times 3 or 4. But it was beautiful to observe the steps at the bottom. Like most tourist sights in the high season, there were massive amounts of people and street vendors in the area. There were people trying to sell you everything from sunglasses, hats, handbags, parasols to other kitschy games. Its funny because at all the sites I’ve gone to so far—regardless of Spain, Italy, Croatia---they are all selling the same thing. Its like they all are working from the same supplier. Who knows, maybe they are?
Close to the Spanish Steps is the Via del Condotti, where many of the famous and not so famous Italian fashion houses are located- Dolce & Gabanna, Gucci, etc., etc. I obviously cannot afford anything on this street so I quickly moved on to areas more in my income bracket.
We took the train to a new area of town to check out the Trevi Fountain. The fountain is massive and has been in existence since 1735. Can you imagine just walking around something that existed for almost 275 years? You think that’s old, wait until you hear about some of things I’ve seen. The fountain is famous and the tradition is that you throw some money over your left shoulder while making a wish. Of course, I did that. Can’t tell you my wish or it won’t come true…. well I’ll tell if you ask real nice! After the Trevi Fountain we wandered about until we found some food. We found this cute bar/tavern, which was running a special of a pizza, and drink for about 7 euro. When they say drink they also include soft drinks, beer or wine. Cool, right. They obviously have a different relationship with alcohol than we do! Please note there is no such thing as free water in Europe. If you order water, it will likely be bottled. Took me by surprise in Spain but in Italy, I was an old proJ anyway, we ordered two pizzas and some drinks. Our grand total for lunch for five people about 18 euro. You cannot beat that! And the pizza was AMAZING! This was my first taste of authentic Italian pizza and I have to say we, in the US, got it wrong. It’s so different. Much lighter, much tastier! Plus our waitress, Lucy was super friendly and made for a wonderfully warm experience.
After lunch, we moseyed around a corner to find gelato and stumbled into the Pantheon. Yes, the pantheon of Ancient Roman fame. Right in the middle of the street. Surrounded by modern conveniences a building, which has existed for thousands of years. Can you believe it? Neither could I! It was so surreal. I found the whole visit to Rome to be surreal. I could not believe I was there and having those experiences. The building was magnificent to behold and the pictures simply do not do it justice. When we arrived, the building was closed but just being in front of it was enough for me. We then set off to find the Coliseum. A short bus ride (yes a public transit bus) we found ourselves in front of the Coliseum or IL Colosseo as its known by the locals. It was another impressive building. I take back what I said about not liking architecture. I did not like Gaudi and that type of architecture but the ancient stuff I could look at all day. To think that before they had motorized power sources or any of the building and construction tools we have at our disposal today, these places were able to create such beautiful and awe inspiring monuments is truly remarkable. Now granted, I realize that many of these buildings were built on the back of slaves and some pretty horrendous tactics were used for those who did the building, but it still gives you pause.
I did a tour of the Colleseum. Thus far, it has been the only building I have paid to enter. It was amazing. The steps were steep and to imagine the 100,000s of Romans who entered the building on a regular basis for the games was interesting. The tour guide shared that the spectators were beat with whips to encourage speedy entry into the building. Not like today where people take their time to get to their seats at an event. There was order in the Roman Empire! Hahaha! Anyway our tour guide also explained in grim detail the number and extent of the games’ causalities. Several thousands of fighters and animals were slaughtered for public entertainment. Makes our fascination with reality TV seem tame in comparison, right. It was H-O-T though and before long the heat took its toll. After the tour, we had only one more stop before calling it a day. One of my colleagues is a devout catholic and wanted to get tickets for the papal audience, which would be held the next day. So off we went to Vatican City….
So technically I visited two countries in one day. The Vatican is a sovereign nation. Like all the other nations thus far, they failed to stamp my passport. Boo! Anyway we took the train to Vatican City to pick up the tickets. While I am not Catholic it was interesting to enter St. Peter’s Square, see the Basilica and observe the beauty of the area. As it was a Catholic holiday, the Festival of Saints Peter & Paul, the entire area was full of different clergy people- priests, monks, nuns, friars of various orders. It was kind of cool to see such a variety and obvious presence of religiosity. We waited while the tickets were procured. Every Wednesday, the Pope does a mass on the square to which millions of people attend. I returned to Vatican City on Wednesday and saw the throngs of folks but quickly walked in the other direction. My colleague who did attend the papal audience described the event as life changing and transformative.
As I indicated earlier, the Coliseum is the only site where I paid the entrance fee. As such I did not enter the Vatican, see the Sistine chapel or any of the associated galleries. I’m sure it would have been nice but as I have limited interest in art museums (in general), compounded by the fact that you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside and that I have very little interest in Catholic history, I thought my time in Rome could be better spent elsewhere. I also don’t like to stand in lines so the 2-hour long waits to get into these buildings were not something I was up for. Rome is definitely a city I would visit again; perhaps I will catch these sites then.
After getting the tickets we stopped for dinner. I had lasagna and a glass of vino—when in Rome…... my meal was delicious. We made our way back to the metro to catch the train back to Civi. When we got back to the Stazione Termini we realized our train was scheduled to leave in a few short minutes. If we missed this train we would have to wait for at least 1 hour. So we ran. I don’t mean a light jog or power walk. I mean a full out, heart racing run. I don’t run. Well I do run but it usually within the comfort of an air-conditioned gym on a treadmill. Not across a crowded train station. We ran to meet the train. And when we got to the track, the train was there waiting. And there it sat for another 10 minutes! Can you believe that? After all our exertions the train waited for 10 minutes. Oh well, I’m sure it was in someone’s benefit. This time around the train was not express and stopped at every single stop between Rome and Civi. The ride back took about 1 and half hours.
On Day 2 in this port, I went back to Rome but this time on a SAS trip. I was a trip leader so it was free trip to the city in an air-conditioned coach. I like the public transit but there’s something to be said for door-to-door service. The trip I was leading was “Rome on your own,” so the trip basically consists of a ride there and a ride back. No itinerary and no responsibilities for me as a trip leader, other than assuring that everyone is on the bus on the way back. So this was my favorite travel day thus far! I got to set my own schedule, walk at my own pace and only see the things I wanted to see. I decided to walk instead of taking the train, which would allow me to see more of the city. The bus dropped us off right outside St. Peter’s Square. I saw the lines for the papal audience and walked the other way. I decided to walk across the Tiber River (well I crossed a bridge!) and down the Via del Corso. The Via del Corso is an avenue with lots of shops and restaurants and along the way I was able to see more sights. These shops were more in price bracket and I was able to buy some souvenirs to take back home, some for me, some for loved ones! As I strolled along the Via del Corso I heard languages from all over the world. I must admit that during that day I was able to get around with very basic Italian language skills. I know how to say hello, thank you, good-bye, do you know how to speak English, and how much does this cost. On those few words I was able to navigate all by myself. I did not know how to say “where is” but whenever I needed directions I would approach someone, say hello, smile real big and point to my handy dandy map. I had no problem getting around. Hand gestures and pointing were also useful tools! So I walked down the Via until I came across The Vittorio Emanuele monument. These massive monuments are so amazing to see at the end of these broad avenues and busy squares. Close by was the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Once I got back to the Coliseum, I felt I had traversed the city a great deal. I hopped on the train and went to the area surrounding Vatican City. I wandered about until it was time to meet my trip participants. We went back to the ship, safe and sound.
In general if I can help it I spend nights on the ship and try to eat on the ship as much as possible—within reason of course. I want to have a good experience but don’t want to spend unnecessary dollars. What can I say the ship is like my home base!
Day 3 found me taking it real easy. Rome is very tiring. Very, very tiring. I was exhausted after two days of exploration. I slept in, ate a late breakfast on the ship. About mid-morning, we (Chela, a couple of students and myself) found our way to a market in Civi. I didn’t buy anything but it was nice to see the fresh produce and vegetables. Plus the typical flee market stuff. Nothing too interesting to buy. I did try to buy a banana and the vendor gave it to me for free. I thought that was nice. I also tried Mozzarella di Buffala. That’s mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk. It was good. It had a different texture than regular mozzarella. We’ll see if I can find it in the states. Also while walking around Civi, we noticed vending machines, which dispensed condoms outside of the pharmacies. I thought this was an interesting public health initiative and wondered if the Italians had done any studies about the effectiveness of these machines in curtailing the incidence of pregnancies or STIs in their communities. Who knows? But interesting. I wonder if US cities are prepared to implement similar programs and how successful they would be? Am I the only one who thinks about these things? I’m a nerd, I know! That was pretty much it for Day 3.
Day 4 was totally different than the other two days because it found me traveling through the Roman countryside. In the handy dandy free box, I found a ticket for a trip to Tuscia and Tarquinia. These were two towns in the country that were part of the Etruscan empire. It was nice to travel through the idyllic countryside and see the agricultural farmlands. We visited Tuscia first, which was really empty because everything was closed for the mid-afternoon siesta. We were able to see beautiful views of the area however. They were also having a lavender festival so the smell of that fragrant herb filled the air. In Tarquina, we walked through the old town and observed small town living. It was quite a big difference from the hustle and bustle of Rome and had its own unique charm. At the end of our visit, we were taken to a local Enocota, where we were able to sample some local wines and have appetizers. It was delicious. We went back to the ship and soon thereafter we left Civi to make the 6-hour sail to Naples. Why we had two ports in Italy is beyond me.
Overall I found Rome and Civi to be beautiful, delightful and charming. I enjoyed them 3 times more than I enjoyed Barcelona. I felt they were more authentic, less contrived. Granted Rome was very touristy and catered to the tourist set. But their sights were considerably more impressive and more in line with what I find exciting when I travel. One of things I am quickly learning is what I like and what I don’t like, even more than before. Lots of self-revelations! One other thing before I go….
As a result of my travels, one thing that I am truly grateful for is the American public restroom. First of all, there are no seats in any of the toilets I visited in Spain and Italy. Wait, I lie I found one toilet throughout all my travels with a seat. It’s in a little pizzeria in Napoli. Considering that Naples itself is a little rough city, finding such a nice bathroom was a pure blessing. Also they make you pay to use the restroom in some public places. We took the train into Rome and we all really had to pee. They charged like 80 cents Euro to pee. We held it! Ridiculous I know. Anyway, next entry, Napoli!!!
Ciao,
Sg
