Arriving in Roma was about as exciting as watching Visual Basic code being converted into COBOL. Okay, so some may find that exciting, but then I guess I'm showing my non-propellor side.
In a twist of irony, our flight brought rain to Roma. It hasn't rained here for four to five months and we made it happen! They should reimburse our flights...
The traffic chaos is just amazing. The taxi ride was an exercise in getting ripped off in an adrenaline rush so you don't care when you arrive. In stepping out of the cab and looking at the facade of where the luxurious room awaited, I quizzically looked at the cab driver and put on my stern tourist face. However, a quick look at the doorway saw a small note made out to me and yep, the picture on the Internet looked nothing like the entrance.
Thankfully on the inside all was well as Emmanuel gave a rather good English greeting and the base for the next few days was settled. It could have done with an iron, plates, kettle, etc but who's complaining when the caffe across the road serves fantastic coffee and croissants?
My hesitant Italian later and a look of tourist level concern meant that conversations and questions were met with a look of sad empathy.
The irony of the first couple of days in Roma is meeting Germans and having dinner with them last night. Truly a multicultural and wonderful experience.
With the main aim for accommodation being to be away from the main tourist areas completed, the locals have been truly fantastic.
Saw lots and lots of old stuff of which there are over 400 photos so far. The line up for the Vatican reached Ethiopian food parcel proportions so there was not way this little black duck was going in for a peek at the Basilica. An outside view with numerous photos of St Peters Square (or whatever it's called, after all I'm not that much up on the sites).
Once again, the walk up a tourist-starved side street proved golden as the cafe served up wonderful sandwiches, coffee and excellent company.
So now it's on to photographing more old stuff, doing the washing and hopefully deciphering how the Spanish got to set up a set of stairs in the heart of Catholic land.
