The Rome Less Traveled...

Okay, so I didn’t really travel in a part of Rome less traveled but I was trying to come up with something clever. 

New hotel room...comfy bed.

I successfully moved my luggage from my first hotel to the new hotel where I joined up with my group. Woohoo!  Since I walked it over, we will not discuss whether or not I over-packed and had to make more than one trip or not.  Nope, not gonna do it.   The first time over to the new hotel…I mean…when I arrived at the hotel, my room was not ready which was not surprising since I was super-duper early (to beat the heat and humidity).  I joked with the reception person to just get the person out of my room and he picked up the phone like he was going to call them.  I give him two thumbs up for his sense of humor!!!!  

(My) terrace at original hotel

In case you were wondering, there were no “wait-offs” on the terrace this morning so I was able to enjoy the last few hours before moving to the new hotel in peace and harmony with the great outdoors…er…okay, I realize that a terrace doesn’t quite count in that category but it is my type of outdoors.   I’ve included a photo proving that I was reading stuff for class while on my terrace.  So see, it was a great learning environment.  Yeah, learning environment…a learning environment in the great outdoors…sounds good.

Performance art at dinner

And now, time for a quick plug for the program I’m in: For those of you who don’t know, I have been studying writing for children and young adults.  I was trying to find a program where I could study writing that would fit my schedule and Spalding’s MFA was a perfect match. (Check it out!) Since I’ve only been doing the summer semester, I join the program in different countries each summer for classes, which is totally cool.  I really love how so many of the same people come each summer so it feels like getting back together with friends that you haven’t see for a while but with whom we have really unique connections.  (Shout out to those of you we miss this summer!  Wish you were here!)  Okay, enough of that.   We all had dinner tonight together and at one point there were some people performing out of a window looking onto the patio where we were seated.  I'm not quite sure exactly what was going on because of all of us having so much fun catching up with each other, but it was still entertaining to see them tossing stuff out the window.

Random observations:

--I have taken so many showers since I’ve been here (and it’s just been a few days.) The temperature and humidity are fine in the early morning and night time but during the day it is hot and humid. How do some people still look cool and sophisticated here?  They must have a gene I lack because just walking around a little makes me feel all sticky and sweaty.

--I found a place where I can get a slice of Margherita pizza to go (although I made a mistake and called it a “cheese” pizza and had to be corrected. Oops!

--I still tried to turn up the volume when I wasn’t understanding the Italian dubbed “Doc Martin” and “White Collar” earlier today.  I know it’s not logical to think it would help my understanding since I don’t speak Italian, but I still tried it anyway.  It didn't work.

When in Rome...

So, I love my hotel room.  It's a good thing that I have to change hotels tomorrow or else I wouldn't see much of the city.

The breakfast buffet was included for me.  Around the buffet were photos taken from some of Fellini's films.  Considering I had just watched a couple of his films, I thought it was interesting...and a little spooky...like Fellini was following me...

Anyway, if you've read previous posts from my other travels, you'll be happy to learn that the bacon here was very tasty too.  Although the assortment of cheeses had me wishing for my computer to figure out how I was supposed to eat some of them.  I ended up trying to spread some sort of cheese on my fresh baguette thinking it was cream cheese--it wasn't.  I ate it anyway in case anyone was watching so they'd think I meant to put that particular cheese on my bread.

On my way back to my room, I followed signs to the rooftop pool...but I didn't see a pool. Did someone steal the pool?!? Not that I was going to go swimming, I just wanted to check it out. Instead I found a cool reception area that had a great overlook of the Piazza della Repubblica with
Santa Maria degil Angeli e del Martiri across the street.  If I understood the concierge correctly, the ruins beneath the hotel used to connect to that church.  I found a video someone else had made and they had seen the same area I had visited but they also found the pool too.  I'm sure it is around here somewhere...


 

After breakfast, I decided to read for a bit on my large terrace.  It was perfect with the shade in the morning.  (If you don't know me, too much sun does not work for my skin.  I'm kind of like a vampire—not that I drink blood—in that I need to avoid too much contact with sun.)  My terrace was split from the neighboring terrace by a row of tall potted plants--so not super private--but we were the only two on that side of the building with a terrace.  

The neighbors must have enjoyed the evening out there because there were two "Moet" Champaign buckets with empty bottles still in them.  I assumed that meant they’d be sleeping in from the previous night’s revelries. Fine—they get the terrace in the evening; I get it in the morning.  Works for me.

I was enjoying reading on the terrace when the happy couple came out in their hotel robes and decided to eat breakfast out there.  I'm assuming they noticed me at some point because they kept their voices down when they talked to each other between bites.

Wait—I just made a deal with them in my head on when we’d get access to the terrace and they were breaking my plan!

I knew I wouldn't want to be out on the terrace once the shade went away (thanks to my vampire skin) so I decided to wait them out to have the terrace again to myself.  

That's right...a wait off!!!  

Mwah hah hah.

After all, they had the terrace last night, now it was my turn!  (Yes, I can be that petty.)  

And so it began.  I kept reading while they kept eating.

I read.

They ate.

I read.

They ate.

  

Finally they went inside.

Woohoo!  My terrace again.  Triumph!

I breathed in the fresh air of victory on the still cool and shady terrace.

Various church bells rang across the city as if to celebrate my conquest.  Sea gulls gobbled up the remnants of my neighbors’ breakfast as if to signal an end to the couple’s reign.

As the edge of the shade drew nigh, I knew I’d have to go inside soon. 

But then…the couple returned.  Nooooo!

The man was dressed in a suit and the leggy woman only had on a dress shirt--so felt like a stereotype in a movie.  

I had to regain my claim on the morning use of the terrace (especially after sea gulls had been eating their food...yuk!)

I kept reading while they kept making googly-eyes at each other.

I read.

They made googly eyes.

I read.

They made googly eyes.

Finally, they went inside.  Victory!!!  Or in the words of Juliet Cesar – Veni Vedi Vici  - I came, I saw, I conquered.

   I'm currently planning my goals for using the terrace again tomorrow...

In order to ensure that the room service here was up to par, I decided--for the sake of those of you reading this blog, of course--to try it out.  The food was tasty but even more impressive was the room service menu.  In addition to listing the foods available, the recipe was included for each item on its own page.  How cool is that!

Rome--If she wants to….Rome, around the world.

Okay, perhaps not quite the right “Rome” for that B-52 song but it still is going through my head…a lot.  Perhaps I’ll change some of the other lyrics to make it fit.

Got here early this morning and decided to take a taxi instead of figuring out how to get my big (albeit pretty…very pretty (because that was an important factor in me selecting it (and yes, this is an aside within an aside within an aside…got a problem with that?))) new luggage from the more affordable train station to my hotel.    I was thinking that things looked pretty similar on the ride to Rome to the US except for the gas/diesel stations took up a lot less room than back home.  In fact, we passed a couple of them that were on the side of the road in what looked like a short mini lane for a bus stop.  One guy was sitting in between a few pumps located against the edge of the sidewalk.  It was like a sidewalk salesperson except for gas instead of fruit or flowers. 

Once we drove through the arches of the old city wall, Rome definitely looked more like the photos and videos that we see of the place.  Lots of cool old stuff and ruins here and there.  I can’t wait to explore more of this part of the area. 

My hotel is beautiful…wow!   They were very sweet to upgrade me but since I was there so early I had to wait around a while.  The concierge suggested a walk (that I partly followed) around the local area but to go to “-1” floor first and see some of the ruins that are below the hotel.   I expected to see a section roped off in the basement for people to view the ruins but was surprised when large chunks of the floor in the hallways were glass so that you could see the ruins of the old baths below.  Although logically I know I could walk on the floor, I still walked around the edges of the glass which caused a couple of the hotel workers down there to watch me a little too closely as I made my way back to the elevator.

I was concerned that I’d fall asleep in the lobby after awhile so I told them I would take another room and forgo the upgrade.  Even though I’m sure the upgraded room was lovely, I was more concerned about getting some rest.  The person had pity on me and found me a different upgrade one with a terrace instead.  I can’t image a better option.  (Thanks, Boscolo Exedra!) Of course, the thought of someone falling asleep in their lobby dressed in a Smithsonian museum t-shirt might have also inspired them to get my out of their fashionable lobby but I'm going to just assume it was their general awesomeness and not my lack of sophistication when traveling that got me this room.  My room is incredible and I plan to hang around it tomorrow for most of the day to get all my work done for my classes…I mean, double-checking what I did for my classes.  I’m sure working on my terrace will provide great inspiration.

Random observations –

-McDonalds has a McShrimp sandwich here.  Really tasty.  Don’t judge…I figure I’ll be having more authentic Roman food when I join the rest of the group.  They also have a unique combo recycling bin.  The main part opens automatically when you put your tray near it.  I’m sure the McDonald’s people thought I was crazy when I took a picture of it.   The golden arches are on a green background here. I’m assuming because the Metro “M”s are on red. 

-Found an opera theater.  Their upcoming opera season shows a lot of Italian operas…hmm, go figure.  Although seems to me that they’re cheating since they already know how to pronounce the words correctly and what they mean.  American opera singers have to spend time getting those things right before they can perform.  ;)  However, I will give them points for finding opera posters around this local area as part of their advertising.  I don’t remember seeing opera posters hanging around places except for right by where the opera was being performed.