Rome, strikes, getting back in the middle of the night

So, went to Rome yesterday. Everything went fine workwise, did have the rare opportunity to ride from the airport to Rome with a taxi driver talking on two mobile phones and writing (aside from driving, of course). Rome is congested in the most unbelievable way and public transportation is not very efficient.

I got to the Fiumicino airport in the evening - around eight thirty. There, after checking in I sat reading at the gate. Shortly before the boarding time a group of angry passengers descended on the gate where I was waiting for my flight back to Milan. The passengers were from a previous flight which didn't go. So, they got to take "our" plane or something (they had the police there to make sure that none of the passengers would try anything funny with the attendants) and we were told to wait for another flight which will depart at 23:45 but to Malpensa not to Linate (which is a smaller but closer airport in Milan). The flight left at 00:20 and arrived at 01:20. From Malpensa a bus took us to Linate (an hour's ride). There, the airport was closed (probably the reason they sent us to Malpensa which was still open) and no taxis. I called one of the companies - they said that they can't come but a few minutes later when they realized there were about 40 of us waiting for taxis they appeared quickly and drove us to where we wanted to go. I got back to the hotel at 03:00 a.m. in the morning! instead of at 23:00. Welcome to Italy and its strikes - my first trip to Rome and this is what happens. 4 years of travelling from Hungary to the Czech Rep. never had something quite as grand as this... not even close.

So, now I'm exhausted. But on the happy side of things - I'm moving tomorrow to my apartment. I'll have to haul two heavy suitcases, one small one and one shopping cart from the hotel to the apartment but otherwise, I hope it will be OK. The first night will be an adventure because the container is only coming on Thu. Why? the city of Milan needs to approve the standing of the truck on the road for a few hours and this permit takes time to acqire (luckily only two days, not three weeks). So, I will borrow some linen and towels from my friends (who will be my neighbors) and hope for the best.

I hope after that to connect myself to the internet, telephone, and also buy a car. In the meantime, I will walk with my bright red shopping cart from the supermarket to the apartment....

ve ba le'zion go'el.

and one other comment - I went to the Brera Pinacoteca - only so so. A lot of Madonnas with Bambinis, a few interesting "Last Suppers" (not the Leonardo one, others tried out this subject as well - I liked the one done by Rubens). Again, a museum where the order was not clear to me - in one room there were mosaics from the middle ages on one side, archealogical relics from the the first century B.C. and pictures of Picasso and Modigliani on the other. Go figure. I haven't yet....

This will be a short entry. Got to go and rest before the big upheaval tomorrow.