First order of business–a toothbrush! Then, the local polizia. I got out of the hotel early with instructions on how to find the police station. The Casa S. Giuseppe di Cluny was in the Monti neighborhood, convenient to the train station, the historic center and the Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore.

The majestic basilica fortified me for the coming day. The police report duly filed, I headed to the Trenitalia office to tackle the paperwork there. The reimbursement should happen in one to three months. As one of the kindly Cluny Sisters remarked “Always quick to take the money. Very slow to give the money”. Along the way, I picked up some socks, underwear, toiletries and a down jacket. Rome was chilly!

Although rattled, I had already booked a tour of the Forum, Colosseum and Palatine Hill for mid-afternoon and was determined to concentrate on the Roman story.

Temple of Antoninus Pius

Temple of Vesta

Colosseum

Dinner was at a local joint, Pescetto Fish Ristorante, which served up imaginative fish balls and fish lasagna at a reasonable price.