cervesa grande y patas bravas

Our last couple days in Rome were as good as the first. We saw all the sights and did all the things you do in Rome but met some cool people at our hostel and hung out with them. Rome has delicioous food and amazing gelato (ice cream) with sights and ancient treasures around every corner. We got a recommendation from someone in our hostel to go see this church that you can go down through the layers of foundations. Apparently this more modern church was build directly on top of old pagan worshipping alters, original christian alters, and some guys room dating back to the first centruy. Kinda wild!
So Fran had a phone interview so we bumped back our original flight out of Rome 2 hours later. We mapped it out and decided that we would have enough time. So the phone interview goes well and we head off about 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Start taking the metro to where it connects. I meet a guy along the way that says there is a faster way. Ok. Ill go with it. We get off with him and twist and turn and sure enough he brings us to the right place in a much easier and faster way than we would have. Things are looking up. We just miss the first train, but no worries there is a second one and we will be just fine. So we sit play some cards and as planned the train comes. This is where it starts to take a turn... We have our first experience with a grifter, and let me tell you he was good and had us fooled for a second. He tried to charge us for our bringing our bags on. But have no fear, were on the train and will be just fine. The devil himself would hate this train. It is about 90 outside and they are pumping in heat! On top of that it moves at about 10 mph!? So what should take 20-30 minutes takes 40+. Things arent loking good. We run into the terminal only to find that unlike American airports, not a damn thing is labeled. We run in circles, stand in the wrong line for a minute, ask someone quick realize we are in the wrong line sprint over to the correct line only to be told we are a minute too late. SHIT! We meet a nice guy named Roberto that worked for the airline who is going to try to get us through quickly but since we have to check our baggage were out of luck despite our despirate pleading. So we find the new line to stand in to find the next flight at 10. It is a short line but with only 1 attendant who is working at a snails pace. A couple of people in line have been waiting for and hour and a half. We patiently wait while the attendant lady (who is quite good looking, but dumb as rocks) putzes around on the computer, shouts back to her colleauge in the other room, and meets and chats it up with friends she knows passing by. We finally get to her and explain the situation and discover why it takes her so long. She finger types with ONE hand! This is your job and you dont know how to type?! She putzes around on the computer and after about 30 minutes she copy and pastes whatever screen into word presses print and low and behold we our on the new flight. Oh, but of course for a heafty penalty. Our original flight has now quadruppeled in price and we still have to add 20€ for checking baggage. We find our way to our new line to get our boarding pass. Roberto finds us and we explain the situation of how and why we missed the flight. He feels for us and pulls some strings to get us the exit row on the plane. So we payed loads extra money for 3+ inches of leg room, not much but its better than nothing. We make our way to the front of the line and like before the attendants are beautiful, but saddly slow. After a bit of time and many questions later we get our boarding passes and only need to check our luggage. Luggage doesnt in fact get checked there but some dude off in the corner. We find the guy, our bags get scanned and he says just to leave them there. Ok? We didnt pay for it and now its just sitting in some random corner. We cross our fingers and venture to our gate. Our gate gets delayed an hour and the only way to our hostel other than cab is by bus, which closes at 1. The flight takes off at 11 and like before all the attendants are beautiful. I tell you, whoever does the hiring for this company has one of the best jobs in the world. So the flight lands at 12:20 we make our way to luggage claim and BINGO! our bags make it and we get one over on our airline. Its 12:45 we find the bus and yes! are on our way to and thin mattress and a deflated pillow. Once we pull in to the hostel it is about 2 and any bed and pillow will do. Success! We have survived Rome's airport!
The hostel here is pretty barebones. But somehow Fran and I have the room to ourselves AND more importantly each have a fan to blow directly on us as we sleep! So far we hit the beach and just came back to shower before heading out again to find cervesa grande and patatas bravas!
Adios!