History, danger and daylight robbery: Rome to Tuscany

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Jet lag and sleep deprivation waning, my next plan was to complete 2 major sights in one day, the Coliseum and Vatican museum. Roberta did a fabulous job of taking me around her city the night before (including many piazza, the Pantheon (a temple with an open dome), Trevi fountain, Spanish steps). Having booked my queue skipping tickets for the 2 sights online, I set off from Roberta’s chic abode after a strong espresso. We bid ‘arrivederci’ and she sped off on her moped to work, stylish and calm amongst the chaos that is Rome traffic! So followed a long trip to Termini sardine style on the bus, dropping off my luggage to a friendlier Italian who took a copy of my passport – oh, I’m a Kiwi, make a point of it, they’ll smile (unless they are bus ‘inspectors’ – more later…)



Stood in luggage drop off line, I met my first Antipodeans – 2 engineers from Perth - and headed in direction of Coliseum to see, I learned, a fine example of engineering construction. Such modern features as multiple entrances, tiered seating to maximize views of the gladiator platform, and typical Roman archways to create ideal light and sound could rival any current day stadia, using local stone, Travertine. Yet the feats performed in present day stadia aren’t – unless it’s rugby – inflicted injuries, blood drawn, bad behaviour on and off field….. history repeats itself?



Although I did not enter the Roman forum next door, the audio guide I downloaded was fascinating – it talked about its role about 2000 years ago as a political and cultural centre of Rome. Temples and key roads ended here, people even being able to sue someone at it, like an aggrieved ACC claimant maybe! Being the history non-buff I am, Rome, in a nut shell rose from about 500BC, stayed in power for about 200 years by Julius and Augustus Caesar (Emperor Hadrian’s time), then entered decline with various surrounding countries involved.



Interesting facts – Caesar’s home, one of the ego maniac emperors who met his fate gruesomely, was a seedy spot with trendy toga clad money exchangers, sweaty slave traders, drunks, pimps, prostitutes….and tour guides or souvenir sellers! And get this - the fate of ‘vestal virgins’; young girls picked at aged 10 for their role in tending to a temple flame had to swear to 30 years of chastity, living in lavish surrounds and even having a corporate box at the Coliseum as bribery – that meant they could then marry as ‘pure’ women aged 40. If they did not abide, they’d be shamed in public and buried alive with a loaf of Tip top. How we’ve evolved!



Museum of the Vatican and Sistine chapel was the art highlight of Rome. Michelangelo did an amazing paint job, from 1508-1512 of up-scaling the original plans and was believed to have had a neck problem (!). He was a bit controversial to the church with his multiple nudes, depicting things like The Creation (heaven and Earth, light and dark etc), God with Adam as literal equals, and Adam and Eve as pure and fond of apple….before they moved onto other things. With various halls of shapes/ busts to see, some lacking vital parts, it was impressive, warm and crowded. But 2 hours and too much morning history sealed my fatigue, and it was time to head back to Termini station for a train to Viareggio. Sitting back, picking at olives, with a Rome audio guide and scenery rolling by, I began to decompress.



But danger lurked on the horizon…….



Hotel Katy was my home for 3 nights, 50m from the beach and central. A beach here equals miles of tacky waterfront areas (100+) fenced off and people charged to access the water. In summer, this place heaves, but now I was the one heaving….with anxiety coming upon some very large colourful (white body, blue purplish ring on the edges) jellyfish on my first morning swim. Oh it was so beautiful – sun dancing on calm water, no wind and Jaws- like, the calm lead me to danger ….I punched one accidentally stroking freestyle, 3^rd one, got stung at least 3 times and after 6 jellyfish I got the heck out of there. Now you’d think I’d learn my lesson…but I was told it was just a blip and not a trend… and the 2^nd day in I ventured tentatively, saw the same, had a wee panic attack and got the hell out of there. No more swimming!



So I recovered from my first (and subsequent) encounter with the grande medusa, and headed out to see Florence and Siena in one day. It was going so well – great weather, great photos, great people met (Canadians, Aussies), and once in the highland village of Fiesole I met 2 Sydney-siders that retired there, affirming that stingers were rare in the Mediterranean! Then the quality of the day slid…..



I’ll try not post mortem this too much…I’m in therapy now …....but it’s good story material, if not a warning to other travelers!



Basically I couldn’t get a ticket before boarding the bus from Fiesole. No worries I thought, you can buy them on the bus I assumed. I got on, intending to pay, and these 2 Italian men approached me. I asked for a ticket in my nicest Italian. They got really angry, yelling, fuming, and demanded 50 euros as a fine. I declared my intentions and innocence in my unique blend of ‘Spanish-Italian’ Italian, and as things worsened I resorted to some choice but not too colourful English. I’d heard of these scams before. They began ‘procedures’ to call the police, I insisted I pay…you get the idea. I was completely alone, surrounded with bystander apathy and very frightened.



I managed to get off, a long way from Florence while they stalked me down the street for a good 5 mins. Heck, I just wanted to get back there no matter what the cost. I tried hailing a taxi….no success…I accosted a young lad with a phone…he did not know a taxi number…I went to a nearby taxi rank…taxis but no drivers and asking a café to call one found a delay of 30 mins. Then an angel appeared, she said “get the bus over there, number one”. At her advice, I bought a ticket there, hoofed it to the bus stop, and who would be sat there….the 2 ‘inspectors’! They said nothing, looked me up and down, whilst I was worrying it would escalate again. They got on, and I had trouble validating my ticket….as they got off before me they said ‘I had the wrong ticket’. I was so relieved and it tainted my impression of Florence…I search for meaning in this…but in my travel plan I did not imagine being hassled by 2 Italian men in these circumstances! If only I’d had the Bulgari toiletries as bribery…..



Until I got on the train for Siena….Francesco the conductor did the rounds. He looked at my Eurail pass (validated in Rome) and demanded 50 euros as I had not ‘validated’ it for today. No chance of rationalizing with young Francesco, and the best advice I took, as maybe I could have before, was from the girls sat next to me, watching me in all this…pay him!! He too began ‘procedures’ to call police. So I paid…then he went and demanded 40 euros from the 2 girls next to me for not validating their tickets! I search for meaning in this…and it was that I met 2 great girls from Germany. They were both lovely, and of course one was a……physiotherapist! We commiserated, tried to make light of it and ended up joining up for evening in quaint Siena before my mammoth ride back to Viareggio.



Could I face another train or bus? Well yes. Somewhat distressed but recovering well, I planned a day pottering around Pisa and looking at Lucca. I liked both, and strangely I got good service at the train station – oops, that was a blip though, as the next chick was a real lemon! Italians have no patience, wave their arms about lots, and conversely expect the rest of Europe to validate their tickets at train stations when they are the only country in the EU to do so. This is when saying “Vengo dalle Nuevo Zealand “makes no difference. I digress….



Oh for a peaceful trip….



As part of my therapy, I had to buy something. It is known as retail therapy and surprisingly effective. In a fit of Italian-ism, I bought…wait for it… a hand bag, arrgh! I know… hell is freezing over. It is teal and gorgeous, practical of course being me. Then I bought an essential oil, essential to my wellbeing and I believe excellent repellent to enraged bus conductors. It rained all day but I had the best time, and the sun showed itself in time for sunset. Sipping my green tea, picking at Tuscan grapes, watching the waves lap and jellyfish canoodle..…I guess that is what they do at sunset………was bliss and that is why I came here – to learn stuff and move on.



To the Cinque Terra!



Golly this spot is beautiful. I checked out of Viareggio bidding cheek kisses to them all. The lady that gave me lots of help was quirky - seriously asked 'do we have wine in NZ", oh yes, cab sav, pinot noir, shiraz, chardonnay...really? I learned a new word - vino rosso (red wine) and that for vineyard as this area is fantastic for wine, they say. How many people there in NZ? Do we have running water, power, and sanitary system? Oh yes. Who knows, they may turn up in my inbox one day for some advice!

The train ride was lovely, and met my first 2 sets of kiwis - a couple from Levin, and a couple from Christchurch one who grew up at Narrowneck beach and worked at a motorbike shop at Hauraki corner. Small world!Meeting loads of travelers and my Italian is developing nicely.

So I've a few days here, then on to Lake Garda and pray there be no altercations with officialdom, fake or otherwise!

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Photos

Apollo, of the health persuasion
Fine looking specimen he was

Italian coffee 1 - Carton capuccino at Florence Refredi
wrong stop, and rated 6/10

Patch up and move on
My physio tattoo

You've come a long way baby
Same sun visor too, spotted in Pisa