Overs vs Veterani

Guest blogger Jessica continues her adventures in Rome…
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Time for Football! We walked to the hotel where the other GPS Over 30 players were staying and saw yet more amazing sights along the way.  Tom, another GPS player who happened to be staying in our hotel and whom Dima had nearly scared to death when calling his name in his deep Russian accented voice in the empty stairwell of our hotel late the previous evening, walked along with us and provided some insightful commentary that one might, or might not, expect from an AP history teacher.  The thing that stuck with me the most was his retort to others’ unsolicited comments about how dirty Rome is, “well, essentially, this is a city with thousands of years of spit on it – so yeah, it’s dirty”.   And now you will be picturing spit on all of these lovely sights but I didn’t let it bother me and neither should you…

This was right around the corner from our hotel - Teatro Marcello

Dima in his game face and attire

 Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II

 

After our 40 minute walk to the other players' hotel, we took about a 40 minute ride to Trigoria where the AS Roma training grounds are located.  GPS would be playing Roma Veterani and we had no idea who would be on the roster.  For the ten readers still following this, if you don’t care about sports or soccer – feel free to skip ahead…

 GPS Over 30 on left  and Roma Veterani on right - Meet, Greet and then...Defeat!

 Roma has their own water and it's official

 Dima in goal - he's a keeper! ;)

And GPS wins 4:2!  Yay!  I don’t think the Roma Veterani knew what hit them and it was pretty awesome!  It was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience to be at professional soccer club facility like this one; the athletes who would be playing for us in an 80,000 seat stadium that same evening, were just walking among us like we were no big deal.

 This is one of those media walls where they usually interview players and coaches.

Another official team media room.

Time for more walking and sightseeing before the Roma v. Inter Milan game at Stadio Olimpico that evening. 

Teatro Marcello again

Santa Maria in Cosmedin - we are sitting in a little park right outside our hotel and this is why I would highly recommend it - Hotel 47

 I love how these ruins are everywhere you look in this city.

I also love the doors!

 And this building!

I have mixed feelings about Pinocchio.

Random food picture mostly for Fletch.

 Trevi Fountain

We were very proud of ourselves for making our way to the game like true Romans – we took a tram, then followed all the other people with yellow and red scarves, got a sandwich and beer from a truck on the bridge, and made our way through the various rounds of gates and security for the match.  Our seats were fantastic and were located near the fenced in, military surrounded Inter Milan fans, which was quite entertaining.

Fantastic experience - the singing, the swearing, the hand gestures, the smoke flares from the Inter Milan fans, the quality football.  While we would have preferred a Roma win, the game ended in an acceptable draw, 1:1.  What was not acceptable was the fact that trams stop running soon after the end of the game and everyone wants on them.  So we walked a bit and then found a delicious little restaurant for a late night second supper and some delicious wine.  Then our server called a cab for us and by that time - the game traffic and lack of taxis was no longer a problem.  Another great day in Rome - check.