jake70118

ix

jake70118 — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 01:03:00 GMT

Naturally with having had so much sleep this urban peasant was full of energy, raring and ready to go bright and early Thursday am.So, I set off down the Via Cavour, a huge boulevard, to go see the monument to Vittorio Emmauelle I. I crested a hill and as I was coming down there on my left peeping out from a smallish street is the collossal Colosseo. COOL! After prowling round abit, decided the roman sun was about to give me sunstoke.Srolled back to No.39 past some ruins called the Domus Aurea and the Colle Oppio, but unfortunately my personal tour guide in my brain can,t remember that part of Western Civilization part 1. Had a bite of some lunch, the workingItalians style as well, i.e. standing because it,s less expensive: pizza rosso and peretti.Nod bad for my fvery first roman repas.

Obviously I,m on holiday, as I,ve called this whole thing with such originality roman holiday. Let it be known that every day from here on out the afternoon siesta is being religiously obseved and devoutly enjoyed from aprroxamately 14:00 until 17:00.My thursday siesta was much enjoyed in my new room, four floors off the street, wiht huge windowsa on two sides. Oh yes, my lodgings aren,t airconditioned. Lovely room! Around the cocktail hour I ventured into the supermercado on stumbled upon a very lonely bottle of a sparkling Sicilian Rosato. We made fast friends and I brought her back her to my place. She is truly lovely, and it is with regret that I am sipping the last glass of her now. I say with regret only because I wish she could have stayed longer. After a fabulous soak in the tub, yes tub, I decided to venture out to the Campo de Fiori, a huge open air nite spot. Interesting .

Next I meandered up the Corso Vittorio Emannuelle (Is it just me or is this guy all over the map or what?) in search of the next Whiskey BAr as J.M. sings it. The PIazza Navona is absolutely stunnig at night, all dramatically back lite with statues in water fountains etc.etc.etc.I grow weary and decide it,s high time to get back to my part of VITTORIO emmanuelle,s land.My taxi driver was quite the conversationalist, telling me of the late, late, underground scene. Well, so off we went. Just near the piazza Vitorrio Giardini was the cool spot called Sphinx. Whilst there encountered Andrea and Marcio and have a date with Andrea to see the Eur VIllage Friday @ midnite. So y,all, .....later.

viii

jake70118 — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:50:00 GMT

The taxi ride from the station was very short, given that my address, via Buonarroti 39 and the Termini station are only five blocks apart. Standing in the entry way of this enormous building\ house was the talented, and attractive CLaudia. She took me in, intoduced me to the concierge, very nice, and showed me to my room. Very long and very narrow, perhaps about three and a half feet wide. But very clear with a nice picture of St. francis of Assisi. I made myself know to the wc and the shower and then proceeded to set out and equipe myself with some essentials: deodorant, toothpaste, sunscreen. The via Buonarroti is at the Piazza Victorrio Emmanuelle, and is surrounded by somewhat plebian shops. The redeeming feature are their fantastic supportales, these long covered sidewalks with these quite impressive arches. I wonder what Mussolini thought .... Any way back to No, 39 I came and settled in for a nice siesta and pow...I awoke to the clock on the wall telling me that it was 02:00. So much for my first day in Roma... The sleep was excellent!

Getting here

jake70118 — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:45:00 GMT

SO,What a relief to be out and about in the great big wide world.Coming here I did manage to get squeezed into business class, and I do mean squeezed. The man to my right was as corpulent as ever I,ve seen, and the woman to my left, although shorter, well let,s just say she was no skinny minnie. Sleep was totally impossible, because the corpulent one snored quite loud I could here it through my headphones..Thank you Lord that I wasn,t in coach.Customs was a breeze, abeautiful brunette took a brief nod a my passport, said "ciao" and I was in.

The Leonardo Express is the most fantastic railway ever. Fantastic countryside straight into the centre on roma, and all in 35 minutes. Jumped out, helped some old incognito clerics get their luggage, heavy as hell, and I suppose it must be really trying traveling with all those woolen vestements etc. well I,m totally going off on tangent, but walked straight to the taxi sstand, no line no wait and in a flash I,m here @ no 39 via Buonarroti.

ciao