CIVITAVECCHIA
We drove south and reached Civitavecchia in about thirty minutes, just as Aggie had indicated, and checked into the Albergo dei Fiori hotel. When we told the desk clerk that we would be staying only two nights, he looked surprised at the size of our vacation luggage. I decided that exchanging a smile would allay any questions rather than have the Italians’ common curiosity kick in, then he gave us the key to our room on the second floor.
“It faces the front,” he said in accented English. “Sorry, but we are mostly full now, and so I can’t give you a room facing the garden in back of the hotel.”
“D’accordo,” I offered, “agreed.”
“We’re with Dr. Diel…, I mean Dr. Richietta’s team,” I added, “so I thought the hotel might be full.”
“Ah,” came the clerk’s knowing reply, and hi
