Back in Roma

God I love Rome. How can you not? I had about four people fall in love with me in the space of three days. I ate pizza, pasta and gelati everyday. It was a sunny 22 degrees everyday. And I could shop, because it was my last stop. Really what more could you want?

The hostel I was sceptical about at first. It was run by four young men. One of them spoke a little English, he say my surname and I was his "bella" from thence forth. Another worked in the British army from December to February each year and then at the hostel for the rest of the year and whenever I said, "Gosh it's hot", he would say, "You're hot"- Italian at heart. The other two were Indian and very lovely and polite - one was a fantastic cook too! Each afternoon when I walked in the hostel doors, I received a very warm welcome, a cup of tea and some biscuits- special treatment for "mio bella".  

Number three faller for me was a Spaniard staying at the hostel. He said to me, "I am in love with you and tomorrow I will follow you"- (I got up super early the following morning!) And the fourth: well I was walking to the station with my ridiculously large heavy crush when a dreamy Italian man (who's name should have been Fabio) stopped me in my tracks and said, " May I help you? Where are you going?... Why are you going now? Do you have time to go out for a coffee? You are beautiful... May I see your eyes?" -OMG, stop! (But don't stop- I was enjoying the attention, it was extremely amusing.) He had this long blonde hair, light blue eyes and tanned skin and carrying a suit in a dry cleaning bag smoothly over his shoulder. It was difficult to say, "Sorry I have to leave" but if not for the tonne of bags I was carrying I no doubt would have had a coffee.

But anyway so Rome. Beautiful, amazing Rome. I walked past the Colloseo and Pantheon and loved the fact that I could watch all the tourists lining up and taking photos and I that I wasn't because I'd been there and done that. I stumbled across a quiet pretty park where I lay across from someone practising acoustics and listened for a while with the sun shining and settling in my bones. It felt so nice.

As I sleepily strolled out of the park I witnessed a very funny site- an old man exercising in his underwear in the middle of the grass. I had to sneak up and take a snap of this.

I have probably written this previously but one thing I love about Rome is everywhere you look there is something great and impressive looming in front of you and right around your next corner. It's just fantastic.

I walked to the trevi and again sat in the sun watching everyone take the same photo- throwing a coin into the fountain. I relaxed thoroughly enjoying a nutella/caramello/profiterole flavoured gelato. More and more and more walking followed this- it's too hard to stop! I went across the bridge to the castle, to the vatican, up a very long hill and stumbled upon another park. It was afternoon now so all the joggers were out. I could picture myself living here- coming out for an afternoon jog in the glorious parks... Then across to a passaggiato way with great views of the city and then down to Travastere- famous for it's food so I had to get a pizza. And then I was wrecked.

That night a group of us went to dinner - a four course meal... num num num my swollen tum tum tum