The rest of our long-awaited Italy 2021 trip doesn't offer a lot to report. Margaret was unwell, and we didn't do much beyond look at family history in the house. We went out for two meals with long-time local friends, but didn't meet expat friends whom we'd long looked forward to meeting. Our extra time finished up, and there are just our final two days in Rome and the return to report.
On the designated day, we took the rental car back to Orvieto by the correct route, still a bit slower than expected, but in time for the nice man there to get us to the train station. We had a train ride to Roma Termini and with a cheating taxi driver that I'd rather not relive, to where we were staying, the B&B at Gonfalone 6. Having a regular room, and with Margaret not being up to going out much, it felt more cramped than when we were at the apartment on their property two years prior, but it is still a nice location. They told us that, like all other places, they were unable to serve breakfast.
The first thing we needed to do was get the COVID test required for returning to the U.S., which could be done at the pharmacy nearby on via dei Banchi Vecchi. We and several others were accommodated as walk-ins, filling out a form, getting tested at a tent slightly down the street, and waiting for an email of the results document (finally all good for us).
Margaret stayed in the hotel room and I went to join, from our SlowTrav past, Shannon (her past helpful times including our time last year in Croatia), Brad, and Palma at the Albergo del Senato by the Pantheon, at their rooftop terrace.
That was done, and the next day, while staying in the room for a rainy morning, I checked in for the next day's flight, including using Delta's process to upload our test results, and the U.S. attestation form.
In the afternoon, with Margaret still not up to going out, I went on a walk getting these pictures through Trastevere:
A translation not being accurate but working. The main sight where I went indoors on this trip was the church of S. Maria in Trastevere, noting that the traditional pews had been replaced with distanced small chairs.
Then crossed the Isola Tiberina.
Then wound up in the historic Jewish Ghetto, finding much more activity there than when I’d been there before.
Checking in with Margaret and bringing her some food for sustenance, I had a final meal at E' Passata la Moretta, with Pasta alla Gricia and a Saltimbocca.
The next morning we got up before 6 to get the ride we booked with Rome Shuttle Limousine at 6.30. We got to Rome Fiumicino Airport around 7, starting to get light on that overcast day. We went to the area where U.S. carriers check in, one check that we were passengers and had our vaccination cards, but we missed that there was another desk where they reviewed our test results, and were sent back from the check-in counter. We checked in, just beating the crowds, and had a long walk back to the left (from the perspective of the front of the terminal) to clear security, then right past the many shops to have exit passport control and the train to the satellite terminal with our gate. There was a line to pick up coffee and munchies, and we weren't finished with them when it was time to board our 10 a.m. flight.
It was nice to have a non-stop Rome-Boston flight. There was normal service, but the diabetic version of pizza they served for the late snack wasn't edible. There isn't much more to recall; we arrived and had the shuttle back to our area where our friend took us home.
We had waited for this trip for a long time, and it was disappointing that Margaret's health didn't allow us to do much. It was interesting to think about the times that Italy had been shut down and now seeing the scene mostly back to normal, with masks being worn most of the time indoors and in crowded outdoor places, although often not properly. We didn't do much restaurant dining and didn't much enforcement of the Green Pass rule; I saw it once when I was inside to carry out a pizza, just noting people being asked as they were being seated, with the actual check to be done later. We will hope for a better future trip.
