In Rome for the day last week, Chris and I thought about taking a buggy ride, but when we discovered that the fare was steep, we nixxed it.

Then we considered riding a scooter down the broad avenues with their marine pines near the Colosseum, but none were for hire so we scuttled that plan too. Instead we headed for the Metro.

When the train barreled through and stopped at our platform, we attempted to elbow our way into a car. “This is crazy,” said Chris. “Let’s wait for the next train.”

“It will be just as bad,” I said, forging ahead. “And it’s just a few stops.”

Not long after, we got off rumpled, along with everyone else, at the Spanish steps. We window-shopped, along with everyone else, down the packed streets. Inside the empty shops, we watched the salespeople chat with each other, file their nails or preen in mirrors.

This Christmas season the crush was in full force but in the streets, not in the stores. There didn’t seem to be much buying going on.