GETTING LOST IN ROME--
(Literally)
After visiting the Pantheon, our group was walking along a busy, narrow sidewalk in Rome on our way to another site. Other tourists were filling in where there were gaps in our group's long line. Doug was visiting with Tom and I was with his wife Cheralyn, a couple in our group. All of us thought we were just following everyone else in the group, but I looked up after a short while and said, "I don't recognized anyone around us."
Well, we looked in both directions and all around us hoping someone was waiting or watching for us at a turn, or wherever they had headed. Since we couldn't find anyone, we decided to take a taxi to the Spanish Steps because we had heard our group would be visiting that site at some time. The taxi cab driver dropped off at the steps, and we waited for about one hour constantly searching the faces in the crowd for someone we recognized. However, that didn't happen.
All the time we were separated from our group, we were trying to figure out how we would travel back to the ship (since the port at Civitavecchia was about a 1-1/2 hour drive) if we didn't locate our group. We were seriously considering taking a taxi back, which would have cost about $180.
We then decided to take another taxi to St. Peter's Basilica since we knew for sure our group was visiting there some time that day. When we were dropped off, Cheralyn and I walked directly across the huge St. Peter's Square and headed for the waiting line to enter the basilica. Getting closer we spotted George almost immediately and then the rest of our group, and the four of us got in line with them. Whew!!! We were so relieved, and our group was happy to see us. If we would have arrived 15 minutes later, we would not have found them because they would have entered the basilica, and there was a very long line for people not on a tour.
Laura captured this "reunion shot" of Cheralyn and me with big smiles on our faces when we spotted the group. You can barely see Doug (carrying the orange bag with my Trevi Fountain picture) and Tom in the far background on the very left of the picture.
After talking to George and Laura, trying to figure out where we lost the group, I guess they all made a turn, we didn't see them and just kept on walking straight ahead!
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ONE BRIGHT SPOT--
We did get to see the SPANISH STEPS, which our group didn't!! Here's a little information about the steps:
The elegant staircase, consisting of 137 steps over 12 different flights, are usually very crowded. The steps (built between 1723-1726) attract tourists, as well as locals, who use them as a gathering place. (You can see why--they have someplace to sit down and have a view!)
Today was an extremely busy day because of the holiday, All Saints Day (a common feast day honoring martyrs)!
At the top of the steps is a small, beautiful French church, Trinita dei Monti, that is connected to the square by the stairs.
Across the Piazza di Spagna Square from the steps is a classic, high concentration of high-rent shopping, such as Prada, Valentino, Gucci, etc.
We were so busy searching the crowd trying to locate our group that I almost forgot to take pictures. However, I did remember to take a couple of the Spanish Steps. We didn't climb the stairs to see the church or anything, but just concentrated on looking for familiar faces.
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After visiting the Pantheon, our group was walking along a busy, narrow sidewalk in Rome on our way to another site. Other tourists were filling in where there were gaps in our group's long line. Doug was visiting with Tom and I was with his wife Cheralyn, a couple in our group. All of us thought we were just following everyone else in the group, but I looked up after a short while and said, "I don't recognized anyone around us."
Well, we looked in both directions and all around us hoping someone was waiting or watching for us at a turn, or wherever they had headed. Since we couldn't find anyone, we decided to take a taxi to the Spanish Steps because we had heard our group would be visiting that site at some time. The taxi cab driver dropped off at the steps, and we waited for about one hour constantly searching the faces in the crowd for someone we recognized. However, that didn't happen.
All the time we were separated from our group, we were trying to figure out how we would travel back to the ship (since the port at Civitavecchia was about a 1-1/2 hour drive) if we didn't locate our group. We were seriously considering taking a taxi back, which would have cost about $180.
We then decided to take another taxi to St. Peter's Basilica since we knew for sure our group was visiting there some time that day. When we were dropped off, Cheralyn and I walked directly across the huge St. Peter's Square and headed for the waiting line to enter the basilica. Getting closer we spotted George almost immediately and then the rest of our group, and the four of us got in line with them. Whew!!! We were so relieved, and our group was happy to see us. If we would have arrived 15 minutes later, we would not have found them because they would have entered the basilica, and there was a very long line for people not on a tour.
Laura captured this "reunion shot" of Cheralyn and me with big smiles on our faces when we spotted the group. You can barely see Doug (carrying the orange bag with my Trevi Fountain picture) and Tom in the far background on the very left of the picture.
After talking to George and Laura, trying to figure out where we lost the group, I guess they all made a turn, we didn't see them and just kept on walking straight ahead!
------------------------------
ONE BRIGHT SPOT--
We did get to see the SPANISH STEPS, which our group didn't!! Here's a little information about the steps:
The elegant staircase, consisting of 137 steps over 12 different flights, are usually very crowded. The steps (built between 1723-1726) attract tourists, as well as locals, who use them as a gathering place. (You can see why--they have someplace to sit down and have a view!)
Today was an extremely busy day because of the holiday, All Saints Day (a common feast day honoring martyrs)!
At the top of the steps is a small, beautiful French church, Trinita dei Monti, that is connected to the square by the stairs.
Across the Piazza di Spagna Square from the steps is a classic, high concentration of high-rent shopping, such as Prada, Valentino, Gucci, etc.
We were so busy searching the crowd trying to locate our group that I almost forgot to take pictures. However, I did remember to take a couple of the Spanish Steps. We didn't climb the stairs to see the church or anything, but just concentrated on looking for familiar faces.
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After happily reuniting with our group, we visited ST. PETERS SQUARE AND BASILICA.
4 comments:
Mom, you'll never forget that story will you! I can't believe you got lost, I would've cried! So glad you reunited with them, love that pic.
oh my gosh, i can't believe you got lost! Good thing you found your way back. I'm assuming you stopped at the Gucci store for me and my souvenir is waiting?
Soooo stressful! I'm impressed you were able to remember all the different locations your group was going to be so you were able to locate them. Look what your adventures brought you.....a few twist and turns, but you saw the Spanish steps (: What a great picture upon your reuniting with the group!!
What an exciting story but pretty stressful to experience I'm sure!! Very grateful you were able to see the Spanish Steps which is where our trip had a few memorable experiences. It is good that you did some quick thinking and fast moving and that everyone was o.k. This incident could be made into a movie!!
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