Day three (even though it's really like day 7)

I guess I should stop and tell you just a little about the hostel experience. This is a women-only place, located within some sort of women's (I assume charitable) organization. It's very quiet. Too quiet. I'm in a room with ten beds, separated by a partial wall. My section of the room has four of the beds. You get a twin bed (only slightly hard), a nightstand with light, a lockable locker with drawers, a couple of coat hooks and closet space. It's a bit convent-like. I'm lucky in that my bed is right next the only desk in the room. No one uses it for its original purpose as there is no chair so I have two horizontal surfaces on which to spread my junk.

Seems as though the closet space was built in proportion to the ceilings and I can't even reach the closet rod.  The room has incredibly high ceilings, probably 18 feet or so, with a few high windows.  I have to stand on the bed to open the window, which is then maybe 8 feet high.

The are two rooms with toilets and sinks, which appear to have been redone nicely within the last few years, except for the fact that one is missing the girlie part of the seat and another is missing the toilet paper holder (and it's contents). There's a shower room with 6 shower stalls. I now know which one is the one with hot water, thanks to my Aussie neighbor. There's also a computer, free wifi and a breakfast room. A note about the wifi: this building is an old convent, built in the 16th century I believe I read somewhere. It's quite warm, even for winter, but was not built for wifi. You must be in the same hallway as the router or no wifi for you, thanks to the wall that are goodness knows how thick.

I had breakfast this morning which was interesting. The appliances make noises that I can't quite describe. There's no coffee pot, but a what I guess is an expresso maker. I'm not a coffee drinker so we're just going to go with that guess. I just know it's louder than any coffee pot I've ever heard. No wait, there are six of these machines! There's no eggs but you can froth your milk, in another loud machine. Sorry I don't get it. I'm a tea drinker. Thank the tea Gods that there's an electric water pot. There's also yogurt, cereal and some wonderful ham and two types of cheeses.

Breakfast Room - note all
the espresso makers

Then there's the toast...  I noticed that they have little packages of Melba toast but I don't know why. See, they also have little skinny pieces of white bread (how long has it been since I've had white bread?). You put the skinny bread in a toaster which keeps your bread hostage for like five minutes.  You can't get it out. And remember this is 220v!  So what do you get out of the toaster? Melba toast! So why the Melba toast packets? I can't tell you. But oh the butter... no matter where in Europe.Oh the butter. The cows are happy here.

But still, hard white toast aside... If you don't need shampoo bottles or room service and are on a budget, for 22e a night you can't beat it. I'd stay here again in a flash.

After my previously explained breakfast, I headed out for the Vatican, about an hour later than anticipated. It's only about a ten minute walk from the hostel.

I reached St Peter's square and, oh my, what a sight that was.  I saw a line and stood in it, as any tourist would do. I thought it was the line for the Vatican Museum but after 20 minutes, I figured out that it was the line for the Basilica. (Turns out my Aussie bed mate did the same thing, I would learn later). 10 minutes after my discovery, I was in the Basilica. I'm much better with everyday life experiences so if you're wanting a blow by blow of the Basilica, check out the  Rick Steves audio tour. That's what I did and it's highly recommended.

After the Basilica, I walked around the corner to check out the Vatican Museum. Uh oh. Two+ hour wait. At breakfast, I was told to NOT take up the offers of the folks offering the tour which will get you to the front of the line. She had done that and still had to wait an hour. Not to mention the pain of having to stay with the group. And the extra cost. I think I'll just wait until tomorrow.

Having now gotten the bus system down, I meandered my way to the stop, pausing at what looked like a small street market in hopes of finding maybe some Saint gear for my friend, Pat. Did you know that you can have 25 booths each selling the exact same souvenirs??  Well, you can. Oh + an All Things Decoupaged booth.

Decided instead to get outta town and spend the afternoon at Aqua Claudio and the acquduct park. It's about 13 stops away from the main Termini, almost the end of the line. 15 hectares of park land, walking trails and seven 2,000 year old aqueducts. These are the things you've seen pictures of since 8th grade world history  Here's the real kick... I saw maybe twenty people, and I was the only one not jogging or walking a dog. No tourists. No one. Ok one.  Me. I spent maybe two hours out there. Just talking a walk like I was at the Trinity River. But I was so obviously not. So nice.

Back to the hostel to freshen up for happy hour. Walking through my neighborhood, I decided to stop at the TI to see if the helpful agent could tell exactly where along my new friend Tram #8 I had seen the Guinness sign. Indeed he could so out I set.

Arrived at said Irish bar and found that the only thing Irish about it was the Guinness sign and the Irish flag in the corner. Pressed on.

Ended up back in my neighborhood at a place called Vin Allegro. In parenthesis it said "Happy Wine". Now from my music days I thought allegro meant "fast" but no matter. Whether their wine was happy or fast I was all for it. It was dangerously close to last night's dinner place but willing to take a chance.

The small patio was very crowded so I went inside to find a very pleasant but small room decorated exactly as you would expect a wine bar in Italy to look. Or France. The waitress passed by, looking very hip and skinny, not giving me a glance. You get used to this but I had an uh-oh moment. What was I in for?

Turns out it was all ok. Her English was about like my Italian but we managed though it giggling. She even asked to me how to say a few phrases in English which almost made me feel as though I knew what I was doing. At her recommendation, I ordered a Nobile di Montepulciano from from the Tuscany region. Marvelous. At 7e, it ought to have been.
 

Not really wanting anything tomato-y after last night's lasagna, in ordered "Ravioli stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and spinach in a butter sage sauce".  My nice waitress was bound and determined that I should have tomato sauce on it. We finally agreed that it would have tomato sauce on one half. Mistake. Same red sauce as last night. But the ravioli made up for it. Super yummy. And oh the butter sage! Didn't exactly taste the sage, but wonderful none the less.

Stopped by the bar playing Oasis previously mentioned and had a 3e big glass of vin rosa a la casa. Ok I'm mixing up my Italian and Spanish but I think you get it. Is there NO bad wine here?

Back to the hostel where there is always someone asleep. No matter what time of day, it is always quiet and usually dark and you have to find whatever you're needing (toothbrush this time) by feel.

Toothbrush found. Time for bed.

(Coming home tomorrow so I'm obviously behind. Will catch up. Maybe when I'm stuck in ATL because of the ice storm).