Ciampino Aeroporto

Miracolo! After being thoroughly warned and waking up at five am, I am at the airport three hours early. No sweat. But I was lucky, bus, metro, bus, all with no waiting, and I even have my return ticket from airport to Rome. I fear ironically, it may not be so simple at the Stansted end, but we'll see, I have made all the preparations.
But as for yesterday, a bit of tourism and meeting the next hostess, Scottish Italian, Iolanda. She was happy that I leave my back pack at her place as Ryannair is strict about only one piece on board. So I arrived as arranged at 5.30 al punto, and she graciously received me with her strange Scottish Italian accent. Also, a with a chiwahwah and a cat to share my bed. Luckily I did go as neither she nor her husband Fred will be home when I return in a week, so more things to arrange, perhaps leaving the key at the cafe next door, although when I had a chinotto there he was a bit surly. Iolanda and daughter Sophia are going to Wales to a look at dorms for the Uni term starting in October. Their three daughters are all studying in UK. Sophia, the youngest, wants to be a sculptor, and is studying in Wales! Anyway it will be an interesting week with Fred who teaches English part time.

But before this visit, I had the pleasure of visiting the Pantheon, and witnessing another interesting event, the reciting of the Rosary, at midday. Similarly I had witnessed it on on the steps of St Peter's, with many languages being used. In the Pantheon, which has signs up for Silenzio, the noise was a steady and a loud hum, so the verses of the rosary had to be amplified. A Bishop and assistant priest were reciting the verses, and a few people, who all women and me, were sitting in the front.

The other hundred or so were milling about, taking absolutely no notice, they just wanted their photos.

Before the Pantheon, not too far away, I visited the famous Piazza Navona, a great disappointment, another tourist trap like Fontana de Trevi, and totally ruined by the thousands there. E la vita in Roma!

I wanted to experience a 'smart ' street, via Boschetto, also not far away, or so I thought. It was quite a walk but I jumped on one of the many buses to shorten it a little. Well is was a simple little back street , but some nice shops and a few cafes where I stopped for an English tea with lemon. The waitresses were so lovely I will return when I come back. Each quarter of Rome has a different feel and it's necessary to try them to find out, although via Boschetto was also recommended in Trip Advisor.

I return for my last trip to Cipro and via delle Medaglio d'Ore, and hope I don't see the young Bangladeshi trying to sell garlic near the supermarket. He is so nice and stands there all day waiting to sell one plastic bag of garlic . Rome is full of illegal immigrants trying to make a euro, and also those who are begging, like outside St Peter's, where the cripples and deformed are lying on the streets waiting for the odd penny to fall in their way. Somewhat depressing I must say.

Now for the Ryanair experience...do I think I could ever do it again, I wonder sometimes. It was a miracle we took off. Crammed like sardines in a tin, crazy Italians on a weekend lost in London with their mistresses, and kids on the rampage. Luggage stuffed everywhere, no wonder they put a limit on one piece but it's still abused.

 We are ten minutes late leaving, and I'm a bit nervous about the quick transfer but suddenly realise I have an hour up my sleeve,with the time change!
Relaxed I chat with my Italian neighbour who is off to London on business for one day only. Such is Ryanair. This Irish company, built and nurtured in Ireland's boom time of twenty years ago, is still flourishing and has the stranglehold on cheap European travel.

Well, have arrived in larger London, which makes Rome look like a village. Managed to escape from Stansted airport clutching some English pounds from the ATM, no Euros here, and made my way through the maze at Liverpool St station. Was earlier than expected (one hour time change thank God) so I tried to use the machine to collect my return ticket I had booked on the net. No luck there, it didn't recognise my card. Too bad, I can't waste time on this, must rush to Paddington for my connection to Pershore. Asked someone which line, Hammersmith, so took it and watched the once familiar stations fly by. Once in Paddington, now undergoing a huge transformation, I walked another ten minutes to find the main platforms. I again asked where the Worcester train left from, and he said, wait, it will appear when it's been given a slot. So I bought a sausage-roll in honour of England, and then felt like a coffee. Eventually I located a coffee stall, asked for a small flat white, and received the best coffee I've had since Hobart, really! Feeling better, and as I had time, I found the Mens and discovered it was thirty pence, cheaper than Rome, at one euro.

All well, I then found the platform and am typing this in heated warmth, as it is freezing for a spring day, at seven degrees centigrade. I will be looking for a pullover in Pershore!,