Day 2: Rome Tests my Patience

So, Day 2 will be known on our trip as our 'bad day in Rome'. Because the day before and after were awesome. Here is the lowdown...

It was Sunday and I had planned to see the Borghese Gallery and the National Museum. That was it really and then maybe shopping, seeing anything we missed the day before etc. Our reservation is at 10:30 at the Borghese, so we get up early, catch the early shuttle in to town with PLENTY of time to get there, and head that way. So, first mistake, not actually finding out where the gallery was but assuming it was in the Piazza Borghese. Well there is really only one mistake actually.

So we get to the Piazza and there is no gallery. So we walk around assuming it MUST be close by. I ask for and receive directions (ALL in Italian thank you very much), and we head that way. Then we get lost (ok maybe my Italian isn't so good). So we ask for directions again and I am pretty sure this guy had no idea. So we find a taxi stand and ask again. She gives good directions so we head off. We walk, and walk, and walk and finally assume we have passed it so we ask a polizia. They tell us we are headed the right way, it is only about TWENTY MINUTES MORE in the park up the hill! WHAT? We are already late, but we keep going. By the time we get there we are tired and sweaty and of course they have already canceled our reservation and we are out of luck. We sit and pout for a bit before trekking all the way back across the park to the Metro and decide to go ahead to the National Museum.

So this park is big by the way. Like the Central Park of Rome. Really pretty and hilly with lots of Romans lazing around. So we stop to look at the map and realize we are right by the Piazza we were at the day before and we decide to get some pizza cause we are starving. So we sit, have pizza and are just hanging out when I decide I need a picture of this. Well I ask Jason for the camera. He thought I had the camera. But I don't. So we both get that panicked look on our faces and he takes off back in to the park and is gone for about 30 minutes. You know that sick feeling in your stomach when something like this happens? That went on with me until Jason walks back shaking his head at me. Nope, no luck. We must have set it down when we looked at the map and now it is gone forever. And no, there is no happy ending to this story. There was no park lost and found, we hadn't dropped it under the table (I looked about ten times) and yes, those pictures we took inside the Colosseum and Forum etc were gone. Period.

So we are not happy people at this point. Obviously. I am very sad about the pics we will never recover. They can have the darn camera, I want those pictures! =( Very sad time in Rome for me. So my day has gone from bad to worse and we wander aimlessly down the Via Del Corso until I sneak in to a public WC, have a good cry, then realize there is nothing I can do about it and we just need a new camera. So after that things got better. We ditched our plan for museums, went ALL over Rome looking for a digital camera (you would think they don't take pictures) and finally ended up with a new camera that I was very excited about. It is cute and little and blue. =) We also met this really nice Italian guy who was excited to learn we were from Dallas because he LOVES Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs in general.

So we go by the Parthenon and get some pics and decide that the next day we will just go back to the Colosseum and Forum etc and get more pics. The main part of Rome is not really huge and we have walked it ten times already anyway, why not a couple more?

So we go to a market, get some wine, cheese, crackers and this fantastically delicious olive spread and take it back to the hotel to gorge on. After some good food and a long bath I felt much better and we were asleep before 9 o clock.

So basically Day 1, I fell in love with Rome. Day 2, Rome and I had our first fight. But you know when you have a fight with your mate and you want so bad to blame them, but then you realize it is your own fault for a)not planning and b)setting your camera down and leaving it? Oh, you haven't done that before? Well you get my point right? Point is, I can't be mad at Rome for my own carelessness and I still love it at the end of the day.

Now today is Day 3 and I am happy to say Rome and I are going strong. I am going to try to write the rest later tonight, but now I need a break and more cheese. =)