ROME - FALL 2014
Our semiannual trip to Rome started off with three unusual events.
1. When landing in I got up out of my seat and opened the compartment above and did not see my backpack. This had our passports, money, computer, medicine and other important things that I do not check. All the passengers in front of us were exiting and I could see nothing but empty luggage compartments in front of us. When this happens you begin to doubt that you actually placed the item directly above you and I looked backwards but did not see my bag. Hynda immediately ran off the plane to try to see if anyone had taken the bag. I started to look under the seats. A young lady on the other side of the plane asked what I was looking for and said that she had taken the bag by mistake - she also had a blue backpack. She said if felt heavy to her. At some point she had to cross over the seats and retrieve the bag from our side of the plane. When I caught up with Hynda who was looking at every passenger suspiciously she insisted that they women took it on purpose. I did not think so and was just glad to get the bag back. In my excitement at getting the bag I never checked to see if everything was in it. Nothing was taken.
2. We normally take the Leonardo Express train into Rome. For the past ten years we have been doing this we have never had a problem with any delay. When we got to the station there was an announcement that the train was delayed for 49 minutes. Every five minutes for 40 minutes the same announcement was made - the train would be 49 minutes late. The train platform was getting more and more crowded. Then a train was pushed into the station by a Leonardo Express train. It arrived on Track 1. The announcement was saying that the Express train would arrive on Track 2. We were at the end of the track where all people who know how these trains operate were standing - the tourists were at the other end of the track. At first the train people said this train would not be going back to Rome. Then they said it would although the announcements still said Track 2. We got on and got seats. Then word went out to the others and there was a mad rush to the train. This was the most packed I have ever seen it.
3. While on the train to Rome we got a call from Nicolo who toghether with his brother are the owners of the apartment that we rent. He said there was a mistake and they had double booked our apartment. He wanted us to take a bigger apartment for two days and then he would help us move into our apartment. We said fine. The larger apartment is much nicer and our bicycles even had their own bedroom.
The door on the left goes into the entrance hallway of the apartment and the one on the right goes into the kitchen.
This is the living room of the apartment.
This is the terrace which goes the entire length of the apartment.
This is one of the two bedrooms. The bikes were in the other bedroom.
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