Roma… day 1

… First let me apologize. I had hoped to have cell phone use with my smart phone, which is stupido phone for the duration of my trip. I can not twitter and post photos like I had planned. I can; however, blog sporadically. So when I say “Rome, Day 1” it is in actuality day 2 here.

As I stepped off the plane at Fiumicino my exhaustion was replaced with adrenaline. The airport is a chaotic nightmare, by the way. Still I managed to navigate my way unmolested by gypsies to Trastevere where I met H., who was so gracious to provide accomadations. Quite nice and comfortable accomadations at that.

Within five minutes of our meeting I was fed. Roma. From there we took the train to S. Marinella where H. lives. The train ride was a marvel in itself. To my left were rolling Etruscan hills dotted with poppies and sheep. To my right was the glittering blue Mediterranean, like a wet rippling jewel. We passed a 13th century castle, whose name fails me at the moment, and houses with stucco roofs that had flowering plants and laundry spilling over the balconies. Then we arrived in the seaside town of S. Marinella, my home for the next week.

My first night in Roma I ate my dinner on the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and watched a naked toddler and his mom swim in the frigid waters. Not in a creepy way, of course. In a “oh, that’s so Italiano” way. I soaked my feet in the icey water and buried my toes in the sand. Then I decided to take out my camera and record some of the scenery… Stucco houses looking out to the sea with pristine gardens fragrant with lemon trees and palm trees. Rose bushes spilling over garden walls and a sweet flowering bushes that smelled like honey suckle. All these sweet smells mixed on the salty breeze of the sea.

By night fall everyone had come out on the street to enjoy the cool air and the streets where filled with beeping cars, the smallest cars I’ve ever seen by the way, and whizzing Vespas. People’s salutations of “ciao” where everyone. S. Marinella is a very friendly town. I’ll get to Rome’s manners tomorrow.

The first thing I learned was what the proper function of the sidewalk is; to let your dog take a dump on and where to park your car. I find the street to be the much safer place to walk.

Oh, I only had my butt grabbed once and honestly, I think it was just a pick pocket. I was thoroughly disappointed.