Stayed at La Conchigglia in Fiumicino. I guess that means Little River, Italy. A very fine hotel with great just off season rates. Had what must be the best cold Continental breakfast ever. It even had made to order cappuccino or any other kind of espresso or regular coffee or tea you could conceive. This is the hotel where Fellini, Sophia Lauren and the makers and stars what the locals call the “Black & White” movies of the 50’s & 60’s stayed and played. During the season it is a snob loaded mob scene. Just after the season it is quiet but the air still smells of money and style.
Ask me about it if you want when I get back. Took a shuttle to the train station in Maccarese to go to Civitavecchia. 30 minutes waiting on the platform. Machines were all out of tickets so the driver explained that meant the trip was free. Welcome to Italy where no one or anything has worked for centuries. But they do know how to live. No one checks on the platform nor on the train so if you can't buy a ticket it's not your fault, you didn't do anything wrong, after all.
Civitavecchia is the ancient port for Rome that everyone uses but no one can pronounce. Great place to schlepp your bags over musical cobblestones on the way from the train to the port shuttles, “only 750 meters away”. Do you have any idea of just how far 750 meters is? I do.
Major surprise on the dock was a 40 or 50 foot high full color realistic statue of WWII’s most famous smooch; the Sailor and the girl in Times Square on VE Day. Why is it there? I guess the Italians didn’t want to forget the amorous Yanks who helped throw out Il Duce and Hitler’s guys between smooches.
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