Tikets have been booked and plans to travel to Rome for the weekend have been
made! Bag packed, funky hat included and off we go!
It’s
so easy and economical to travel to Rome from Cortona by train from our local
train station in Terontola-Cortona,
with fast intercity trains travelling every two hours and also the
‘FrecciaRossa’ being an option and also having a large car park that for now is
free!
Friday: As we wait in the sunshine, having a
cappuccino, for the train, we see the first England supporters with their
hats and we have a few words about their thoughts for the game and also what
their plans are to see while in Rome….many suggestions were made with the usual
highlights being mentioned, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps and Trevi
fountain, but also less visited places like the Orange Garden…..the train
arrived early and off we went!
Within
2 hours, we were in central Rome,
the weather was unseasonably warm and we realised that the thermal clothing may
have been a mistake! A quick hop on the metro, 1.50€ for 100 minutes,
accommodation reached and then it was out for a walk around Testaccio and
Travestere in the glorious late afternoon sun.
Travestere is a picturesque neighbourhood of Rome
with its name originating from the Latin, tiberium, which means ‘beyond the Tiber’ with narrow alleyways and medieval
houses, it offers something for everyone, from culture to historic buildings
(one having been built by Julius Caesar), churches (Basilica of Santa Cecilia,
to beautiful squares, Piazzi Santa Mariato the many cafes, bars and restaurant.
It really gives one a sense of authenticity in what can be a bustling and
touristic city.
Friends were met and a few aperitivo’s were
enjoyed followed by a fantastic dinner in one of the many restaurants and as we
were in Rome, a pasta was had with a ‘cacio e pepe’ sauce. Thoughts drift to the game tomorrow
with plans being made to meet at a metro station and then walk the final metres
to the Stadio Olimpico.
Saturday/Game Day
Kick off
is at 15.15 so that gave us the morning to enjoy the city of Rome and take in a
few sights and of course shops… we had into the
heart of the city making a beeline to the Trevi
fountain, Spanish Steps and some trendy shops!
Rome is always slightly chaotic and with the
rugby game bringing in many tourists, it was definitely bustling and the
atmosphere was electric. As we came close to game time, the Italian fans were
in full voice and were not outdone by the English, enjoying pre-match banter
with a few beers under the warm winter sun!
So, we started to flock to the stadium,
unfortunately the metro does not take you all the way, but buses and trams can
be used to get you closer but due to the lovely weather, a stroll did not seem
like a hardship.
We reached the ground and immediately felt the
electricity in the air, queues to enter and security checks were very quick and
then we were in!
With the popularity of ‘Gli Azzurri’ increasing
ever year, pre match entertainment has improved vastly, with games, bars and
food stalls. It certainly gets people in the mood for the game! Seats were
located and we waited for the game!
It was glorious conditions and the anthems were
sung at full voice….then it was the rugby!
Italy
were firing after the whistle and with England making some early mistakes, gave
the incentive to Gli Azzurri….First points ITALY!! 3-0 then came a stunning try
through a gap in the English defence for the scrum half, Garbisi… 10-0. The
stadium knew we were in for a good game!
England came back with a try…10-7 but that was
answered quickly by the Italians and the score was 17-7.
Half time was looming and penalties were
converted making the score before the break 17-14 to the Italians!
Italian supporters were apprehensive about the
second half as prior history shows a lack of discipline and fatigue….but this
was not the case! Even though England had control of the game with scores being
made, Italy kept making good decisions and kept their heads! Penalties were
missed by Italy, made by England and in the closing minutes of the game, Italy
finished on a high, creating another superb try and closing the score.
Final
score…..England 27 Italy 24 with many proud Italians!
Sunday: Again we awoke to glorious sunshine and
we took the tip from the people we had met at the station, to go to the Orange
Garden before heading back to Termini and catching the train home!
The
Orange Garden (“Il Giardino degli Aranci”) is one of the beautiful and probably
the most romantic parks in Rome. Located on the Aventine Hill, this public
garden with of course it’s orange trees offers a beautiful view over Rome and
St. Peter’s
Then it
was with sadness we said our goodbyes to friends, took one last look at the
‘eternal city’ and then it was back to Termini, Terontola and home!
