{"id":4405,"date":"2021-03-10T02:01:18","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T00:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.danamladin.com\/?p=4405"},"modified":"2025-08-14T19:36:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T17:36:45","slug":"the-magical-effect-of-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.danamladin.com\/en\/2021\/03\/the-magical-effect-of-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"Rome and the magical effect of covid!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Maybe\nyou forgot, Italy<\/strong> has been one of\nthe most affected countries since this COVID craziness started. The country whose\npeople we saw closed in the houses, the country where people used to sing from\nthe balconies every night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nrecent years, I have never skipped any chance to go to Italy as a tourist. You\nwill easily understand that 2020 has really frustrated me and my longing for\nItaly has increased with every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, as\nsoon as I found a legal way, I got on the plane and\u2026 all the roads led to Rome J.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roma airport\u2026<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

ROME DURING THE PANDEMIC<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\nplane was not a bargain and the reason, in my opinion, is that there are very\nfew flights. I found only two companies, with only two flights a week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I paid\n208 euros for the ticket, but, considering that I took it from one day to the\nnext, I’d say it’s a good price!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nmissed so much the famous places, the picturesque streets, the delicious food,\nthe long walks, I missed\u2026 everything, in fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\naddition, I really wanted to see what Rome looked like in times of pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RULES TO BE OBSERVED<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I kept\nreading before I left, I also found out from friends who live in Italy about\nhow things are in the city, what you can do and what not\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: At the end of February Rome is a \u201cyellow\nzone\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourist\nattractions, museums<\/strong> are open from Monday to Friday. This is\nperfect for me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nrestaurants<\/strong> are open, but only until 6 p.m. After this time, they\nremain open only for delivery or pick-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nstores<\/strong>\nare open during the usual hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nmask is mandatory<\/strong> in all spaces. I didn’t find out how much\nthe fine was for not wearing it, but I didn’t intend to play the brave\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 10\np.m.<\/strong>\nyou are not allowed to be out in the street. Until 6 in the morning. If they catch\nyou, you have to pay for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that’s\nabout all, more or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can\nyou start a visit to Rome, in the middle of winter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an\nice cream J))<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay,\nthis winter isn’t in full swing either. Today there are 17 degrees outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I go to\nGiolitti<\/strong>, one of the famous ice-cream parlors in the city, always a\nplace of pilgrimage for the connoisseurs and I am shocked that I am ALONE here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\nqueue I was used to, no crowd around the shop windows, that prevented you to\nsee what ice-cream you wanted to buy, no people on the sidewalk, enjoying the\nvarious flavors of ice-cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the\npast years, you had to decide quickly what you wanted, because you had a lot of\npeople waiting behind you. Now\u2026 I tried for a long time to decide, I also\ntasted some flavors that I had not tasted before, I talked to the gentleman\nbehind the window\u2026 God, what a luxury!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I know,\nit’s nicer to take your ice-cream in a cone, especially when the cone itself is\nso good, but, believe me, licking your fingers, that used to be fun, is not\nreally the sport I would practice in these risky times\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I take\nit easy on the street, enjoying the ice-cream with an immense pleasure. Only me\nand two young people who are kissing are without a mask. I’m sure I’m allowed\nto. I don’t know about them J.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am in\nRome for the 14th time and, during the last years, I saw it more and more\ncrowded, with a lot of people in all the touristic places. So, what I am\ndiscovering now is equally SHOCKING and WONDERFUL!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rome is\nempty!!! Empty of tourists, of the multilingual noise, of the sound of the\nsuitcase wheels on the cubic stone of the pavement, of the terraces full in the\nevening and, most shockingly, of the queues in the touristic places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Believe\nme, there are more police officers on the streets than tourists! In cars, on motorbikes,\nin vans, on horses. Man, they are a lot! I was convinced of this every day I\npassed there (and you will this see in my pictures too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n