Ms. Packratty giro in Roma

After a long overnight flight sitting next to a charming Italian machinist returning from working in Mexico (without much English OR a large deodorant budget) and across the aisle a rather portly priest who is a chaplain in the US Army but clearly hadn't had HIS clericals cleaned too recently, Ms. Packratty landed in Rome. Baggage all arrived and she successfully purchased a ticket for the Leonardo Express. However, the first snag was encountered when the Banco di Roma ATMs refused both the Wells Fargo and the American Express. Arriving at Termini (and the Leonardo Express is a treat - almost silent, comfortable seats, smoothest ride - amazing) she shortly discovered that Well Fargo's card was working in ATMs, but not American Express. So Ms. Packratty booked in with Allesandro - who was every bit as nice as he seemed in correspondence - into the little apartment - which is just as small as advertised, but sufficient for my needs and very clean and tidy and then took off for the American Express office in Piazza di Spagna.
Purchased a 7 day train and bus pass and found my way, only to discover that American Express's office in Rome is really only American in name. Their notion of helping me was to call the 800 number when I spent more than an hour on the phone with "Tessa" in India who kept asking me for the state that Rome was in. She did not even have the phone number for the Piazza di Spagna office which has to be like only the most famous American Express office in the world. Then finally, I was informed that I had been lied to and that I could only withdraw via ATM $200 US once a week. I had been told I could make more than 1 withdrawal, but I would have to pay an extra fee. WRONG.
Eventually they wired me $500 to the little Western Union office 5 doors down from the apartment in Via Urbana where I was also, for 2€, able to call the Packratty parents and inform them of my arrival since - guess what - the Mobal phone we purchased seems to be functional only as an alarm clock. Ms. Packratty has been informed that she should try to purchase a prepaid sim to put in it and use that. She is contemplating this.
Passing through Piazza di Spagna en route to the Metro (also very nice, but Roman are ruder than New Yorkers in their transit manners) there were chestnut roasters out on the sidewalk so Ms. Packratty bought a cone and was able to relive a very pleasant taste memory from her childhood.

Things got better then. Went to the little grocery and bought milk and eggs and yogurt and fizzy water and next door, some pizza con funghi and a little round pastry filled with lovely lemony custard, not too sweet. Then hiked up to Upim and looked for an inexpensive blanket (unsuccessful), but the blankets in the apartment proved warm enough. Nipped into the supermercato Despar underneath Upim and got butter and toilet paper and a bottle of Valpollicello and went back to Via Urbana 123.
After visiting Upim and Despar, Ms. Packratty unpacked and sat by the window and made a small dinner with wine and pizza and that lovely pastry and then took an Aleve and went to bed about 8, having been up for more than 36 hours effectively.
The alarm went off at 7, but we woke up just before, which was nice.
Made a small breakfast - this is what eggs look like in Italy!




Then we hiked up to Termini and glancing at the clock and considering our feet, caught a taxi (clean and comfortable although tiny) and zoomed (although with no traffic drama) over the Tiber to Vatican City and the scaavi tour under the basilica where the bones believed to be those of St. Peter were found and are enshrined. It was quite an expedition into what was once an open air cemetery with aboveground crypts and tombs, buried by Constantine to make a foundation for the first church on the site.

It was an awesome experience and walking through the grottoes on the way out, Ms. Packratty was quite amazed at the effigies of various popes and the frescoes and mosaic.

Next? The tour of the Vatican above ground after a lunch at a "hot table" restaurant where Ms. Packratty had a plate of veal slices cooked with mushrooms and a caffe lungo and a lot of aqua gassata.