When in Rome.....

January 22-27

Bright and early Monday, January 22, 2018 we left the MTC for the SLC International Airport through Atlanta to Rome, Italy.  It was an exhausting day but one without incident.  Smooth connections, short layovers and an early arrival on Tuesday morning in Rome, what is not to like about that?  

The excitement started when we started our drive from the Rome Fiumicino Airport. Our driver from the mission office was Anziano Knies from Houston, Texas.  He became so enthralled in telling us about his family and living in Rome that he missed the exit to the Rome Temple.  In an effort to take the next exit and make a U-turn to return to the appropriate exit an impulsive left turn set the whole day into a tailspin.  As he pulled out on the busy street to make a left turn, I saw the oncoming van in the left lane headed straight to broadside our van, at the exact same time a speeding car on the right side hit us scraping all down the right side of the vehicle throwing us directly into a head on crash with the van headed for our left broadside.  This didn’t end well; we were in the middle of the street with both sides of the van smashed, hubcaps flying and all of us shaken.  The traffic began to back up on both lanes for miles honking frustrated drivers came to a stand still on this busy street in Rome, Italy.  Eventually three police cars arrived to direct the stalled traffic and began the slow arduous process of measuring and interrogation of all parties.  We were at a huge disadvantage since we did not speak Italian and did not have our residence permits; they took our passports!  We spent the remainder of the day waiting for the process to take its course, thankful that we were able to just wait on the roadside and not in the hospital.

Wednesday morning found us at the mission home taking our International Driving test,(interestingly enough Anziano Knies was the trainer) financial training, and more paperwork! We went to dinner with the senior couples at a hamburger place called Cidos! No Italian food yet!

Thursday, back to the scene of the crime to get that infamous photo in front of the construction site of the Rome, Italy Temple.  We took the metro to downtown Rome for a quick drive-by of the sites in Rome. Best Italian pizza ever on the way to the Trevi Fountain. 

 

Rome Italy Temple

 President and Sorella Pickerd

 Apostles at San Giovanni in Laterano

 Ascending the stairs of Scala Santa  on the knees.

 The Colosseo

 Moses by Leonardo Di Vinci

 Graffiti on Rome Metro

 Trevi Foutain

 Pantheon

Friday and Saturday we took our 2018 Toyota Yaris hybrid, our international driver’s license and all six pieces of luggage on the road. Rome to Sigonella, Sicily; with an overnight in Cosenza!

 Cars in line for the ferry

 Ferry across Messina

Sicily from the ferry