August 3, 2018

Our main concern today was to move all our stuff and boxed bikes 500 metres up the road to the Best Western.

At about 10:30 I walked up to the Best Western and asked if we could put the bikes and luggage in their storage area while we waited to check-in at 2:00 p.m. Just a moment the kind man at the desk said, I will check to see if your room is ready. Yes Madam, your room is ready, you can register.

I went back to the hostel and we started hauling everything to the hotel, it took us about 45 minutes. The bikes wouldn’t fit easily in the Best Western\’s “left luggage” room so they took them downstairs to their storage area. Everything else went in our lovely air-conditioned room that we have for three nights.

We decided to take it easy for the rest of the day. We took a short walk to a shopping mall, to see how the real Italians shop. O.k. it was a fancy shopping mall with prices to match, not where the average Italian shops.

Ralf and I had the same thought about the amount of grafitti we have seen in Italy.  We both noticed these garbage trucks, how quickly things get tagged.

My other concern was how we were going to get from the airport to home and the cost. I did the calculation and to cycle home (3 nights hotel, food etc.) would cost almost as much as getting a taxi. The weather forecast is for thunderstorms and very hot humid weather for Tuesday and hot temperatures Wednesday and Thursday (29 C feeling like 35-39C). We quickly contacted two taxi companies in Brockville and we are taking a taxi home. It is expensive, but at least we will be home on Monday night, exhausted but home.

Everything is arranged to get home, the taxi to the airport, the flights (although I still have to pre-book the seats) the bikes are boxed and we have a taxi to take us home.

Ralf asked if I wanted to go to the Vatican Museums. He was willing to get up early and stand in line. I had no desire to see the artifacts that the Church has \”collected\” over the years. I think I would probably be arrested by the Swiss Guard because I would have to rant about the excesses. Ralf has decided to go to the Vatican Museums tomorrow and I will update the blog.