Roma with Paul

---

December 4th-- I took an overnight train and got a total of 3 hours of sleep sitting straight up and holding onto my bags on the 8 hour long ride.

December 5th-- Woke up in Roma around 6. Roma and I got off to a rocky start. Of course the tourist office doesn't open until 8:00, so I eat my packed breakfast with eyes half-closed. And read a Cosmo from 2007 that Carolyn gave me. Now I am all up to date on the summer trends of 2007! Did I mention it was pouring down rain? Well it was, at 8, I ran to the office in the station, which in real time opened at 8:30 which is on time for Italians. Next, I assaulted the umbrella sellers with my own crappy one, probably bought from one of their cousins in Torino.

I found my hostel with little trouble and it was shady and disgusting. Run by an Indian dude with no lights on and breakfast on the table, consisting of Fanta and cereal for 13€ a night. I went back to the train station to the last minute hotel reservation desk. Stefano, who I would later become friends with, talked with me for a bit. He put me up in Roman Residence, a B&B nearby. I got in and this sweet Filipino woman let me in. I immediately took a 2 hour nap and woke up around 11 ready to seize the day. Unfortunately, Rome wasn't ready for seizing.

I walked in the rain to the ancient ruins, colosseum, capitoline museum and many churches. I got some spaghetti for lunch/dinner and headed back to the hotel around 8. I also bought someone their xmas present! Passed out until midnight. It was peaceful, clean and absolutely quiet. I stayed awake until 3am with a stuffy nose. Watched music videos that I did slightly understand some of it, and wrote down some favorites. They also are obsessed with 90s bands like Oasis.

December 6th--Woke up around 9 am, took a nice standup shower. WEnt to the front desk to checkout and see where the nearest bancomat was. Guess who was at the front desk? Stefano! He works part time at the hotel. Crazy. He locked my bags up and sent me the best breakfast place ever: Caffè Orologio. I guess they never get people with a free breakfast slip so I got to order whatever I wanted, including sandwiches to take for alter. The owner took some pictures of me there.

I caught the metro to the vatican stop and found the hotel. I thought the hotel would be straight. The front desk guy was a jerk, and wouldn't let me leave my bags unless he was positive I was staying there. Stephanie (paul's roomate in Germany) didn't tell her parents I was coming! Then they wouldn't give me the room number of her parents to call them. Finally Steph got a hold of her parents and straightened everything out. Except I had to have my own room. I put my stuff upstairs, and ran out to the Vatican. The line wasn't too bad, bought an audio guide and started the elaborate walk-through. I saw every room! I ate my clementines that they catholics didn't confiscate. I left the museum hours later and went to a caffè across the street for a caffèlatte. I asked them where a good enoteca(wine shop) was to get gifts for steph's parents. Waitress said it wasn't too far away, and I started my hour long trek. When I finally found it, it was 3 stories high, and had delicately crafted wood carved walls. Everything was divided into regions, so I picked out a dessert wine from Torino and some chocolates.

I finally get back to my room, and the room phone rings! It's paul in the lobby! We went downstairs with Steph's dad and straightened out the room situation. Got dinner in the hotel and got in pajamas and went to bed. Set alarms for 8 to eat free continental breakfast! You don't have to tell broke college kids twice about free food. Ate our heads off. Her dad and brother missed it, and her mom and grandma came in with 10 minutes to spare. Very un-kaufmanlike.

We headed to the Spanish steps and wandered and wondered. They split at 3. Paul, Steph, and I went to this huge park in the middle. We found a lake, a dog park, and Greek ruins. Carino cani (cute dogs) everywhere. We also went to the Trevi fountain and it was a huge tourist crowd crawling with pickpockets. We took pictures, but there was no room for a coin toss. Ran into a grocery store actually open on Sundays to get train snacks for Monday. Got back to the hotel, and found Steph's drunk dad at the hotel bar guzzling Moretti's like water. He also emptied out all 3 mini-bars in the rooms. What a winner. Foreshadowing of the night to come! We caught 2 cabs to Piazza Navona looking for a restaurant for dinner and more bars for him and the son.

The next square we found a restaurant with heat lamps outside. Got lasagna bolognese. Yum. Then, walked to 3 more bars before finding the one they went to the night before called Dada Umpa. Very hip and modern, but awkward to have the dad oogling victoria's secret models prancing on the tv screens. This is when Paul and I decided to leave, around 2 am. We asked the bartender to call us a cab, and he said there would be a surcharge tacked on unless I called. So we stumbled around looking for empty taxis. We went back to Piazza Navona, after finding an accidental jazz concert.

Stole someone else's cab, Italiano style, and headed back to our hotel. I had to catch a train at 9 the next day to go back to Torino! Finally got back, and went to bed. After gossiping about the night of course. Woke up the next day to another big breakfast and said some sappy goodbyes. Paul is such a great friend.

---

Comments

[jojo]

Glorious Roma
JUst a great blog, Anna. You are a very interesting traveler.Your alcoholic friends sohn d fearsome. Good experience for you, tho. I talked to your dad and he sauys we will get togther on MLK burthday holiday. Hope your trip to Paris went well. Lots of love, dear.J jopjo