Arrivederci Roma

Last day today.  First thing was spent packing and deciding what we might do on our last outing.  We were back to the Metro and bus routing - this time reasonably successful in finding the right bus and stop.  Our first destination was one of the sets of ancient catacombs which were outside the Roman city.  The one we visited was the biggest, named after St Callixtus, with 5 levels and over 500,000 burials there.  The tour took us through the narrow passageways where Christian burials took place in secret prior to the acceptance of Christianity in Rome.  We saw a chamber where 3rd century popes were buried, 'family' plots and cubicles where larger family groups could be laid to rest.

The whole system is carved out of the volcanic rock and goes well below the surface. We went to the second level which was some 52 steps below ground level.  The passageways are very narrow and, even with electric lights, quite claustrophobic - what it was like with only small oil lamps for light is difficult to imagine.

After this, it was bus and metro back into the city and a walk to a restaurant a little off the main tourist trail for lunch.  We went there as the write ups indicated that it was the sort of place that the Roman businessmen popped into for their pasta lunch.  The write up was correct - we were in a room with said businessmen and some ladies meeting up for lunch.  As it was our last meal in Rome, we opted for pasta followed by meat.  We overbid and both of us were struggling to deal with the meat course.  The pasta was great, as the plaudits written in the wall by previous customers attest.

No option then but to try to walk off some of the calories consumed.  We set out on a fairly circuitous route back to our hotel passing by the Victor Emmanuel exhibition centre, the four fountains crossroads and more churches that one could hope to record let alone visit.

Reunited with our luggage, a walk to the station and a train ride to the airport.

We have certainly given the shoe leather a battering over the last 4 days.  The weather was very kind - sunny and warm for the most and only clouding over and cooling a bit this afternoon.  All in all an excellent break.