Che cosa fai nel tempo libero?

Window detail
Originally uploaded by nerissa_atkinson.

Well, in my spare time, Io viaggio a Roma. This was my reward for diligently attending all my Italian classes, and I also thought that this would be a great way of practicing what I had learnt. This was put to early use when my flight was delayed almost 2 hours on Friday night, arriving too late to catch the train into town, and I managed to tell the taxi driver where I wanted to go, why I was visiting, and agree that it was a shame Fabiano hadn't been able to come too.

Setting out jauntily the next morning I was all ready to immerse myself in la vita bella - but didn't count on being immersed in water as it proceeded to pour with rain the entire day. Taking refuge for a while in St Peters (how apt), I am sure I am dammed to hell for proceeding to send text messages while inside. Finally, at around 3 I was in tears after 6 hours squelching in the rain and hating Rome very very much.

After returning to the hostel and recharging my batteries, I mustered the energy to venture out for dinner - ending up at a restaurant that was apparently one of Fellini's favourites. And after a fantastic meal of melanzana parmigiana (basically aubergine covered in cheese and then more cheese), pollo alla romana and a tirimasu, I had begun to find the good life again.

This continued the next day - the clear blue sky formed the perfect backdrop to the Colusseum and a wander through the markets of the piazza del fiori, so that I was sad to leave that evening although that may be because I never did find the cafe that sold the perfect slice of pizza I remember from my last trip - guess I'll have to go back. Or maybe I don't hate Rome that much after all.