Back in Rome

In spite of the mostly rainy weather this past weekend, Hillary and I enjoyed our trip to Sorrento (and while we were at it--Pompeii, Amalfi, and Capri). We passed a lot of time on one form of transportation or another--metro, bus, ferry, funicular (ATTN: Pittsburghers--that last word means "incline"), and I was mildly to more-than-mildly nauseated for most of the bus rides. I had not anticipated the amount of twists and turns that one must endure in order to get from one coastal town to another. In spite of the motion sickness, the trip was (of course) completely worth it. Please see evidence for this claim above.

Blogging to be continued . . .

This weekend (which is starting on Thursday, thanks to a short week of classes), Hillary and I are making our way south, to Sorrento. We're hoping to also do Pompeii and maybe Capri while we're there. This is the kind of trip that means no Internet access for a few days (which is fine with me), so I won't be blogging until Sunday (June 8th) at the earliest. I'm off to the land of lemons for now--back online soon. Arrivederci!

Some Photos

There are only so many things a traveling blogger can attend to, so here are a few images of Rome and beyond that I'd like to share with you (yes, you) and brief descriptions.

From top left: cappuccino freddo (mmm); Jerry Lewis DVD set at a newsstand (awesome); Immanuele Monument; marching Polizia (view from the Pincio); Jessica attempts to buy stamps at the Vatican (and fails); I am studious when I travel (on the train to Siena); Piramide di Caio Cestio (in Testaccio)

Two-Wheeled Observations

I have been a serious slacker in terms of my scooter/motorcycle posts, and one of the reasons is that it's difficult to get photos of the darn things in action. I will thus do my best to illustrate that Romans can accomplish tasks while driving these vehicles that put the cell phone conversation while driving your Ford Focus to shame.

The first feat of scooter multitasking that I witnessed on the streets of Rome occurred during our morning bus ride to the Sede di Roma. While we were stopped at a traffic light, a woman on a scooter next to the bus received a call on her mobile phone, answered it, placed the phone snugly between her helmet and her ear, and drove away engaged in a hands-free conversation. No Blue Tooth necessary here. Also, it was rather amazing to think that she could hear the person on the other end of the call above the noise of morning traffic.

The second observation worth noting is that scooter & motorcycle riders travel with animals on board. "Sure," you're thinking, "there's probably a basket or sidecar thingy that one can purchase for driving with the pets." Perhaps there is such an item for purchase, but that seems unnecessary when you can ride along with your parrot on your shoulder (Jessica actually saw this one) or your dog on the footrest (I saw this in Trastevere). Because the city traffic doesn't allow vehicles to travel too fast, I suppose this animal transport system works somewhat safely. Please do not try this at home, however.

Festa della Repubblica

Today is the Festa della Repubblica. It is the anniversary of June 2nd, 1946--the day that Italy became a republic (just thought I'd spell it out for you). Streaming into the open windows of our apartment last night, we could hear the sounds of the extended celebrations--including fireworks and late night/early morning conversations--that were taking place on Via Ginori and beyond.

This morning, the streets of Testaccio were eerily bare by contrast. Only the dog-owners were out and about for their morning walks, and the shutters were pulled on nearly every business. We were happy to find that the buses were running on normal schedules, and the 95 was forced only slightly off course in order to accommodate a parade route. Although Rome looked a bit like a ghost town in some spots, the presence of Carabinieri and Polizia was almost overwhelming. Check out Allison Columbus' blog for more information on the different types of police in Rome.

Cremolatta di Frutta

I've been eating more than a fair amount of gelato lately. While I have been thoroughly enjoying trying a different flavor every time (my favorite is the cannella--cinnamon--at Giolitti), it's nice to break up the dessert pattern every once in a while. After our long walk on Via Appia Antica on Saturday, Hillary and I tried a gelato substitute at the Cafe du Parc, near the bus stop at Ostiense. Cremolatta di frutta is basically an enhanced fruit experience (and when I say "enhanced," I mean there's a ton of sugar in it). It's thicker than Italian ices that we usually get in the U.S., full of fruit chunks, and has a goopy consistency--I think goopy captures it. I had fragola--strawberry--and it tasted quite a bit like strawberry shortcake. Man, I'm going to miss Italy.

Appia Antica

Since I was too whooped to participate in sightseeing activities on Friday (there was extended napping--I'll say no more), I was happy to get back into the swing of things on Saturday morning (see the smiling evidence above). The weather was just about perfect for walking along Appia Antica, on the outskirts of Rome. There, we had lots of beautiful scenic moments, saw a ton of random ruins, and ended the day with a tour of the catacombs of San Sebastiano. This trip was a welcome respite from the indoor sights and large touring groups within the city proper.

We walked just a small portion of the ancient street--one can only make it so far on cobblestones (unless you're the Roman woman who was doing the whole thing in wedge sandals). Renting a bike from one of the nearby vendors is probably the best way to see more on Appian Way, especially for outdoorsy folks who want to make a longer day of it. There are plenty of water fountains along the path, which we shared with cars, horses, runners, dogs, and bikers. Touring the catacombs after a few hours in the sun was a nice choice (it probably sounds weird to say it was "nice" in the catacombs)--it is substantially cooler several meters below ground. The church of San Sebastiano above-ground is small but it houses two sculptures, by Bernini and one of his pupils, that are worth passing a little time inside.