Rome (Italy)
25 April 2024


 		 
Woke up at 1:30 worrying about my lost cell. It has a lot of banking information on it. When I went to bed last night, all I could think of was to get in touch with the bank, cancel all cards etc., perhaps move money into a hidden account. Funny how the mind works when you're tired. In my opinion, I'm one of the most brilliant people that has walked the bowels of this earth, and yet last night I couldn't figure out the simplest thing. "Change passwords IDIOT". So I did, at 1:30, after a few hours of sleep. Then I couldn't fall asleep worrying about my feeble mind, and whether I was just an ordinary mortal.
Finally fell asleep resigned to mortality around 5:00.

The alarm went on at 9:00 and we were out of the hotel, as usual with Rita, at 12:00.

The plan was to have an easy day. We thought we would just schedule the Trevi Fountain for the whole day.

Started to walk to the nearest HOHO stop, which is on the other side of the Ponte Saint'Angelo. Decided to have Breakfast/Lunch in one of the many restaurants on Borgo Pio. Had open faced sandwiches and Caffe Americanos.


Then we were off.  Crossed the Ponte Sant'Angelo bridge and hopped on to a HOHO. Got of at what we considered the closest stop to the fountain, and decided to walk down the hill towards it. When we arrived the place was packed, it is an Italian holiday today. Couldn't get near the front to  take a good picture. Took out my self designed 6ft. long selfie stick and was able to cut the people in front of us out of the picture.  After a while Rita managed to ease her way to the front, I don't know which tactic she used, her sharp elbows or the sweet lovely lady routine.




Took a few pictures, took pictures of an Asian family on their cellphone, and then we headed back to the HOHO stop up the hill. As we left the rain started pouring down, and when I say pouring that is an understatement. Buckets. Quickly put on our garbage bag raincoats.


What brilliant mind thought of buying garbage bag raincoats on the internet. All the wet folks were giving us a jealous stare. Walked up the hill in the pouring rain with people stranded in doorways waiting out the downpour. Got back on the HOHO and headed back to Borgo Pio. We stopped for lunch/dinner at around 4:30 a block away from our hotel.
 

Rita had, as usual, the most expensive item on the menu, in this case Sea Bass, I had Spaghetti Carbonara with Prosciuto. Also had a small bottle of Merlot. Afterwards we headed back to our hotel room to relax and recuperate. Later in the evening, I went out and found a small convenience store just around the corner, bought a bottle of Merlot and a large bottle of water. Since I'm allergic to water, left the water in the bottle, drank half the wine, and went to bed..