Familiarity breeds relaxation

 Our bus to Bologna Centrale to catch the Rome train never made it. Police redirected traffic and our bewildered driver pulled over and variously outraged passengers abandoned their ride. The bus driver said the station was about half a kilometre to the left. We set out. With a little help we approached the station to see the reason for our surprise walk. A student demonstration appeared - Bologna the Red! The students were demanding more compassionate treatment of refugees. There is a right wing political movement called Fortezza Europa and these guys were definitely against it.

We made the station in plenty of time and caught the fast train to Rome. We had been upgraded to Premium class which meant free stuff and even more comfortable seats. 

In Rome Bus H from Roma Terminal to Trastevere was jam packed enough to make Lyn resolve to book a transfer to the airport next Friday. It isn't just the crowd, it is the knowledge that pickpockets frequent this sort of environment.

As the bus crossed the Tiber we both felt better. We knew where were were. Trastevere's cobbles were murderous on our luggage wheels but we found our way back to Via dei Salumi with a little help from the Samsung 5.

Our landlady Carla met us there and everything is the same! The same 3 keys, the same welcoming cake, the same bed, the same trattoria and this iPad even remembered the internet password. Tension fell away. We walked to the same ATM and then to the same supermarket.

I have no idea what we are doing tomorrow and I don't care. We feel welcome and safe.

Contro la fortezza Europa!