Uh Oh!

Train Ride to FCO Airport

As our friend Kathy said, each time she sent an update about the situation regarding flights in and out of Italy, Uh Oh.   After a lovely ride through the Tuscany region, we arrived on an almost empty train at the almost empty airport.  Still not thinking that was a bad sign, we walked the short distance to our hotel, checked in and began the process of choosing our seats to Lisbon.  Uh Oh!  The flight is canceled.  This discovery was very surprising to me as I had requested texts and app messaging for any changes from TAP.  I had received nothing, nada.  We walked back to the airport to see what could be done.  Now the vacant airport had a more dire impression.  TAP had one window with one agent available.  Leading to that window was a very crazy, twisting line of about 100 people with their luggage.  We stood there for about an hour with little movement.  Finally another agent came down the line explaining that any and all flights into Portugal were canceled and could not be rescheduled.  Uh Oh!  

I called the US Embassy asking for advice and help.  None was to be offered.  I was told over and over as I asked questions, "there is nothing we can do for you. Call the French and Swiss embassies to see if their borders are open.  Then take a train there and find a flight out."  Uh Oh!  Disgusted by this, we returned to the hotel and took advantage of happy hour to sooth our bruised souls.  Not to make light of this, we did decide to simply find a place in Rome for the duration.  We arranged for a lovely apartment overlooking the Colosseum and Forum with the same managers we had in Trastevere. Tomorrow we will go there and be good Italian tourists.  There are some pictures illustrating the vacant spaces at flickr.