Leaving Rome

Sunday 18th October

Leaving Rome

We woke up, for the last time, to the bells of St Peter’s. We had an hour or two before the taxi arrived and decided to go for a walk around the Vatican walls. It’s a decent walk, with 20 metre high very imposing walls all around. A few days prior, I had seen a lovely little Nativity scene in the Vatican book shop and had decided to purchase it and, after the walk, forced my way through the thronging crowds in the Square to the shop in the colonnade. The “Boulangerie Theory” proven yet again. The “Boulangerie Theory” is: if you want to buy a baguette in France, don’t wait until later, the boulangerie will be closed. This theory has proven to be true, not just for boulangeries, but for petrol, supermercatos, general shops AND the Vatican book shop on a Sunday morning. Thwarted again. Well, that just means I will go back and buy it next time I am in Rome.

We got to the airport, and queued at several locations (still in Rome) and eventually boarded the plane for Dubai.
Dubai airport is enormous and everything looks newer than new. Settled in and went to bed. Off to the souks tomorrow!