Arrival in Rome

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I arrived in Rome around noon after an overnight transatlantic flight. Flight was around 9 hours. Great part of the journey: enjoyed conversating with a couple in my row from Tenessee who work in farming. Never knew one could make such a great living at farming as they spoke about their extensive world travels...maybe it is time to cut those farming subsidies and put them toward education ; ) The meals served on the plane were a nice surprise as I have learned not to expect meals when flying: tender roast beef dinner and the hot, soft croissant for breakfast were pretty good. Bad part: the full plane did not leave room to stretch out so sleeping was more of a wishful thought than a reality.

After landing, I took a train to the Hostel Yellow. Great deal at $14/night US dollars, near the train station so not such a lively area but easy to get to on the metro to visit sites. The hostel is very clean, the front desk reps speak English : ), and they gave me nice, clean crispy sheets and big fluffy towel upon check in. The shower was hot and there was a locker under the bed for all my goods. It is not the real busy season which is summer so lots of empty beds in my room. Not a bad place at all and feels safe and comfortable. They even have an original Italian Lift (elevator) which is tiny, holding only two people. It looks scary, but is fun to ride.

After settling in, I was wiped out from the travel so I grabbed some lunch and crashed the rest of the day. When I awoke, I enjoyed a couple delicious pizza slices. The Italian food does seem different than Italian food I have experienced in the USA, but tastes great. My love of Italian food: pizza, pasta, breads, olives, cheeses was the reason for my interest in visiting Italy so I am enjoying having access to it everywhere I go.

Tomorrow is my site seeing day in Rome so if I am not too sleepy when I return, I will be posting more info and pics tomorrow night...that is if I am able to make it through the day with my camera and iphone intact...the pickpocketers are notorious for seeking out American tourists for their electronics, money, etc. I will be on the lookout since the camera is a must and I'm bringing the iphone to listen to Rick Steves' free ipodcasts during my visits of the Sistene, Forum, Coloseum, etc. Going to bed now since it is 1:30am and I'm heading to the Vatican early, hoping to get a head start on the lines. Tomorrow will be a long, tiring day from what I hear with lots of walking, especially since I am planning to hit all the sights in one day. It will be an adventure....

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