As always, I am listing things we have learned in Rome. Here we go.
1. Often there are security systems on the doors like our hotel. Many of these buildings used to be villas, and now are multi use buildings, so it’s a button and camera system. On these, it’s best to push the button, not the camera lens. Our hotel camera now has a very good print of Sharon’s thumb.
2. Crossing the street can be hazardous to your health. The Rick Steves Guidebook to Rome says is perfectly. I’m paraphrasing: Walk across the street confidently, and meet the eyes of the oncoming motorist. They do their best not to hit you if they know where they are going.
3. Streets in the historic city are usually brick, with potholes the size of a small car.
4. Buses and subways are absolutely packed, but there is room for one more person. Sort of.
5. People are very polite – they don’t push and shove. We’ve noticed this many times with Europeans. The tourists can be another story.
6. Food is excellent. We’ve only had one just average meal. Everything else was terrific. One night I had a Rosemary crusted sliced steak (called beef steak, as opposed to fillet) that was melt in your mouth wonderful. Everything has great flavor. Pasta dishes are flavored, not drowned, with sauce. And I can’t say enough about the Gelato!
7. Per Sharon – always order the house wine. It’s inexpensive, and excellent. And often the restaurants will make it themselves.
8. Much of the old buildings are cannibalized materials from other old buildings. It’s an archeologist’s nightmare of a town, trying to figure out what went with which period! For instance, parts of the Coliseum (actually called Flavia’s Amphitheater, as we learned today) was used in the building of Saint Peter’s Basilica!
9. Pollution is an ancient city’s greatest enemy. This is why much of what was once white, now looks black.
10. Navigating Rome is essentially impossible. Maps are more suggestions than anything, as street signs are hit or miss. Easiest to navigate by landmarks. There is also a church on every corner. And I thought Venice was bad.
11. The city has been in existence continuously for over 12,000 years, in one form or another.
12. While Paris never has an up escalator that works, and most places in Germany always have a working up escalator, Rome operates on the Italian philosophy, of ‘ah, maybe later. Today? Tomorrow, maybe now it will work.’ Although this may not be particularly funny as the day we left for Rome, our nearest Metro stop, Republica, was closed down due to a serious down escalator accident, when it went out of control. Apparently a group of Russian Soccer fans got on and were singing and jumping up and down on it, causing it to speed up uncontrollably. Unfortunately, there were serious injuries.
13. After it rains, there will always be a giant puddle at a backed up drain next to a curb, and somebody will always be at the curbs edge when a bus goes by.
14. Smart Cars look big in Rome.
15. Sidewalks double as parking spaces for Smart Cars. And anything else people think will fit.
16. Castle Gandolfo is a town, NOT the Pope’s summer palace. The Pope’s summer palace is called the Apostolic Palace, and it is located in Castle Gandolfo. No wonder we could never find the castle.
I’m sure we’ll think of more later, but that will do for now.
Suzanne’s Travels 