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Published: October 15th 2006
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Tiber River, Rome
A view from the On Off Bus Pronto!
Arrived in Rome on Thursday morning after travelling overnight with a coach from Victoria Coach Station to Stansted and then waiting around for my 6.10am flight. Might be a cheap flight but means being sleep deprived.
I found my way around the maze of buses to catch the 90 bus to meet my host Guiliana who lives some 20 minutes away from the centre of Rome. She met me in the Piazza Sempione and took me to her very nice apartment where I had booked a room on a bed and breakfast basis. I did however meet her through my 5W (Women Welcome Women Worldwide) membership. She treated me to lunch which was very rich cheesey quiche style with green salad.
I spent the rest of the day back in Rome seeing as much as I could before taking a bus back to the suburbs.
I enjoyed magnificent Roman ruins, the Colesium, and happened upon the Trevi Fountain by following a crowd of tourists being led by a guide brandishing a flag on the top of a stick. I had always visualised this spot as romantic and somewhere to contemplate one's navel with the background of
The Coliseum, Rome
A sight to be seen water splashing, peace and harmony. In reality, it was tourist bound and I joined in with the masses viewing the famous 'three coins in a fountain'. A great photo opportunity if not good for the soul.
Once back in Guiliana territory, she had recommended a pizzeria to enjoy an evening meal but blowed if I could find somewhere that you could actually sit down and watch the world go by with say. some cianti and gourmet offerings. Plenty of takeaways, pizzas, and more pizzas. I traipsed up and down, very, very tired by this time and eventually went down about a mile again to area surrounding the Piazza Sempione. A sign directed me across the road to a bar and pizzeria. Once across the very busy street I asked outside the bar for a food menu. The woman shook her head. No food. No!
So I continued on my search for the holy pizza. Anything at this stage. Just to rest my weary touristy feet! Down a side street I found a pizzeria where you could actually sit down. Yes they were serving real food. I really fancied a salad though. I mentioned rocket and tomatoes and my
pizza was delivered with rocket and tomato as a salad on top. Was different!
Next day there was a bus strike so Guiliana drove me into Rome. I was disappointed that she didn't spend the previous evening with me as that's what 5W is about but she had a meeting to go to. With 5W it is an exchange of hospitality worldwide or if they cannot accommodate you then showing you around is usually on the cards if they are free when you are in town. I was grateful for the lift into Rome or it would have been a long walk!
Perugia next stop (3 hours north by train) to meet up with Ella, who stayed with me for three months in London in 2005 while she was an intern with a political think tank organisation near Kings Cross. She previously worked in DC, USA for a couple of senators and with the then governor of New York. Originally from Boston, USA, she met Roberto in Perugia while taking an Italian course to catch up with her Italian heritage. This was a life-changing event as she now lives permanently in Italy and she and Roberto intend to
tie the knot one of these days.
Her fluent Italian meant she was the ideal guide and I am very grateful for such great hospitality in both taking me to some delightful mediaeval villages in the surrounding hills, including Assissi, of St Francis of Assissi fame, as well as both of them making sure I sampled the best of Umbrian food and wine. I am much more cluey on different styles of pizzas, and found proper Italian risotto is much more "al dente" than I have ever cooked, and fresh pasta is not to be missed!
I quite enjoyed afternoon siestas which are still a way of live in the towns but Ella tells me that in cities like Rome and Florence it is just not practical. In Perugia everything closes from 1pm to 3pm every day and then re-opens until 7 or 8 pm. Dinner is 9 or 10pm so it is very different from our British way of life. Ella drove me to the station to catch the 6.30am train, so I arrived in Florence at 8.15am.
My Florentine hotel is not far from the Santa Maria Novello railway station. I explored the winding streets
today and admired many historic piazzas, monuments and churches. Tomorrow I will visit Michaelangelo's David and in the afternoon make my way back to Rome to catch an evening flight back to London. So its just a flying visit.
So I am on my way. Already have been out of my comfort zone quite a bit and have to get used to it (different languages, food, customs, drink). That's what traveling is all about - stretching yourself - so I'll have another Italian aperitif tonight called prosecco (bit like Cava) and drink a toast "Chin Chin" - to being stretched and enlightened on my journey. Ciao!
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jade
non-member comment
all the best
i forgot to sign my previous comment, have a wonderful time, hope you find the perfect pizza, I am travelling with you in my imagination... hug.. jade