Oct 19 -- Rome
The hotel, Domus Caesari, was within 4km of the Campacino airport yet it was still 35 euros to get here last night. And it's 70 euros, or about $100 to get to Fiumincino airport tomorrow AM. It's difficult to outsmart the Romans.
The hotel is spacious and quiet, in the hills above Rome, a fountain in the courtyard and olive and cypress trees on the approach. I wasn't sure if I wanted to deal with Rome again but after walking the neighborhood and seeing a ghastly amount of trash along the road, plastic bags, bottles, paper, and cigarettes and not a store or a restaurant, I decided to brave the train downtown.
Rick Steve's guide identified the National Museum as one of the places one should visit in Rome. I missed it last time and it is near the main train station. I got on the train about a km from the hotel, memorizing my stop--Pattenella. In about a half an hour I was downtown and I checked the schedule for return trips, about one per hour and walked about 500 meters between a dozen tracks and 29 separate landings, hoping I would find my way back.
The museum did have the best of the statues, frescos, and mosaics recovered in excavations of ancient Rome. The rented audio guide was informative and interesting especially about the scarred and bloody bronze boxer and the different hair-styles on the marble busts that dated them. The famous discus-thrower is there.
After, I bought a cappuccino, a pistachio gelato and walked around the neighborhood adjoining the train station. Lots of hotels, Americans, overpriced shops, and expensive restaurants. I probably should have stayed at a convenient location near the station so that I could have taken the 15 euro subway to the airport but the area was not very appealing.
I'm ready for a vacation from museums. I guess I'm ready to go home.
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