Rob and I left the hostel this morning towards Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus). On this theoretically sunny day, a surprising amount of rain fell from the sky. By the time we reached the metro station, the walking of yesterday caught up with him; he decided to instead return and rest at the hostel.
Circus Maximus had an actual race today; everything was geared up for the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. Pavilions were up, and runners crowded the nearby city streets.
From there I ambled my way across Rome back to the hostel, wandering through a part of Rome we had yet to explore. As waves of rain passed through I ducked into whatever convenient shelter I could find. While the streets, piazzas, and parks were interesting, the best was the Santa Maria Maggiore (cathedral).
I ran into Rob again at the hostel. I spent a while determining my route out of Rome, which in great part determines my path for the next week or so. I’m used to history from farther north in Europe, which tends to focus on the Middle Ages. History in Rome goes back so much farther. As I head to Athens, that timeline extends father still!
The route I selected over the mountains I deemed remote, so I picked up a SIM card for my phone at the nearby Termine Station. In contrast to the US, 20 GB for 20 euro for one month. The SIM should continue to work in Greece, a change in EU regulations since my Istanbul to Ireland trip.
While Rob flies out technically in a couple of days (on Tuesday), for all practical purposes his last full day is today, given his flight at 6:30 am.
I learned yesterday that the Vatican Museum houses the Sistine Chapel, explaining the high attractiveness. Our plan for tomorrow is to rise early, and take a metro over to the museum to get a head start in line before it opens. Shortly thereafter we will head to a bicycle shop to have his bicycle boxed up, and then Rob leaves for the airport. What I do next remains a mystery. Rob asked I not leave him until his bicycle boxing. That means if I leave Rome tomorrow, I can’t do so until mid-afternoon at the earliest. I also found a camping store to visit. I still feel the impact of not having fuel. The forecast for tomorrow includes a fair amount of rain. Yet I’m ready to be on the road again.
