Roma

It is amazing how fast I am becoming comfortable with Sandro and his sons and Matteo. While it is definitely part of the culture, already I feel comfortable giving and receiving hugs and kisses before bed and in the morning and Massimo and Lino are constantly subjected to a shower of kisses from me (which they shyly return). Lino loves to give me flowers which I wear in my hair and Massimo loves to give me hugs.
Now finally what you have all been waiting for-Rome. Rome was much like any city I have been to any yet very different at the same time. THe streets were filled with people walking along cobbletoned sidewalks and dodging in and out of speeding cars and scooters. Every third person had a map, so as expected there were plenty of fellow tourists in the city. I was dropped at the Vatican-St. Peter's Basillica, where I witnessed the jawdropping beauty of the enormous buildings and flowing fountains. From there I walked down side streets where stone buildings of yellow, white and brown rose high above the street with viny plants and flowers hanging from square windows. Old women hung out windows throwing laundry on the lines and watching passerby down below. I mainly stuck to bust streets where I wouldnt run into trouble and the first street I chose was a large one with many shops and cafes. I mosty window shopped and watched the people moving and shouting in every direction. There are many places to sit and relax in Rome so I alternated between stone benches in the piazzas, green wire benches along the streets and under trees near the ancient ruins. I never strayed far from Via Della Conciliazone, a main street that runs through the center of Rome, but I did make sure to hit every major spot in Rome. In the morning I walked to Piazza Navona-a beatiful square surrounded by resturaunts and cafes and encasing a gorgeous stone fountain where I washed the sweat from the back of my neck. I sat on a shady bench sheilding my skin from the near 100 heat and ate chocolate gelato while watching the people mill though the art vendors. Gelato is truly something else. It is so creamy and rich and it was piled high upon my cone. I watched the people in the square as I attempted to eat my gelato faster than it could drip into my hands. The art being sold in the square was absolutely beautiful! There were so many paintings and I regret not buying a larger picture. Next time I am in Rome I will have to buy one, or two, or three :) I then ventured to an open market where big tents as white as the clouds above housed fresh fruit and vegetables, jewelry and clothes. I bought a fresh box of rasberries which I ate while walking through the market and talking to the young vendor who told me of his love for "One Tree Hill" and even showed me the tattoo of one of the characters on his ribs. He also told me that he works the market 6 days a week, 10 hours a day-maybe Ill have to go visit him with fresh figs next time. I stopped in a grocery store just to look at the different foods they sell and I ended up buying a bottle of wine and a delicious lemon drink. I then walked to various ancient ruins, it seems as if there is an ancient building around every corner! The most notable site was the Pantheon which was surrounded by another beautiful square containing yet another large fountain. Tourists milled around the piazza taking pictures and staring in awe. Next to the piazza was an enormous church which was open to the public. The frescoes and stained glass windows shone with light, illuminating the figures of saints and Jesus Christ. There was a service being held so I went and stood in a pew and pretended to understand the words the preist was saying. It was not until I saw a woman crying that I realized I had encroached upon a funeral mass. I felt awful for intruding on something so private. I walked to the Colloseum under the beating sun and marveled at the size and the knowledge that hundreds of years before the gladiators (like Maximus Aurelius) had walked this same street. For the rest of the day I walked along the streets, occassionaly going into stores and buying drinks. At the end of the day I stopped for a late lunch at a streetside resturaunt. I felt a little weird eating by myself but my discomfort soon evaporated when I was served my food. I orderered red wine and for antipasto-proscuitto e ovaline. Then for my main course I feasted on fettucine goronzola, unbelievably delicious! The cream sauce was as bad for me as it was tasty. As I couldnt finish my pasta, I sadly declined dessert, reminiscent of the cookies the night before. Around 7pm Sandro picked me up at the same spot he dropped me and I was joined by his sons Massimo and Lino who were once again lulled to sleep by the bumpy road home.