October in Roma

I’d expanded beyond my small carry on case but my burden remained plenty light. My return without the goods that I’m toting to leave with M should offer plenty of space for four or five bottles of Italian wine and a pound or two of coffee beans. Packing some empty space is always good practice when traveling.

I awoke to discover an e-mail from M. She’s anxiously awaiting my arrival in Rome and had explained everything in detail. I now have instructions to assist me through Customs, navigating the airport, exchanging currency, ticketing and boarding the train to Roma Termini, ticketing and boarding the Metro to Colosseo Station, and all the landmarks which identify my turns as I walk the distance between the Colosseum and the Hotel Navona a block away from her studio. Excellent! She reminds me so much of me. I stuffed the information in my bag and an hour later I was hugging Denise and K as they dropped me off at the airport. I’m so excited but the trip seems oddly unreal, perhaps because I am travelling alone.

The flight was brutal, or more accurately my intolerance to the flight was brutal. I was just too impatient I guess. I followed the directions as described by M without difficulty and my first step out into Roman life was exiting the Metro Station at the Colosseum. It was about 10:00 a.m. and the morning was a gorgeous 75-degrees F and slightly overcast. I had been in Rome with Denise for three days nearly twenty-five years ago and had retained fragments of memories but, as I was about to find, with little accurately. And here I was again. Wow…no, WOW! I snapped a picture of my bewildered self in honor of the occasion.

The 55,000 seat Colosseum opened in Rome in 80 AD, eight years after its commissioning by Emperor Vespasian. The 80 arched entrances and internal system of vomitoria and corridors allowed the capacity, and often unruly crowd, to arrive and be seated in ten minutes. Its Valerium was a huge overhead awning that shaded spectators. It was supported by poles above the upper story and was hoisted and anchored in position by a ring of bollards at the ground outside. The colosseum was used for shows with animals performing circus tricks, gladiator fights to the death and mock sea battles.

I traversed the distance to M on foot and with luggage on wheels on cobblestone in about fifteen minutes. I met M in her Studio and following a grand embrace, a brief tour and introductions, I then walked about a block to my Hotel. I sat down on the bed and then awoke an hour later.

We ate La Focaccia at Piazza Santa Maria della Pace. We convinced the staff to serve us at one of their tables outdoors. We were the only ones there and enjoyed the coming and going of a wedding party through the Piazza and into Santa Maria della Pace.

Morning began, as every morning would, with Espresso. On this first morning M introduced me to Sant’ Eustachio il Caffe’ and their Grancaffe’. M preferred the Grancappuccino. Although it is rare to find a “bad” or even “average” espresso in Rome, the espresso prepared in this caffe' is arguably the best liquid fuel in the City. Sant’ Eustachio il Caffe’ has been legendary in Rome since it opened in the 30’s. The water is from an aqueduct built in 19 BC. The barista works behind a screen to maintain the secrecy of their process that produces an espresso with crema, a reddish-brown foam that floats on the surface, so rich and abundant that you must finish it with a spoon! Following a few days of other excellent caffe’, I gravitated back to Sant’ Eustachio il Caffe’ for the rest of my mornings.

Espresso and cappuccino within, M would be off to studio and I was alone with the City. And fortunately I was not without the desire and opportunity to explore every bit of its awesome history and culture. Rome's classical beauty is everywhere but I found it most enjoyable in her details. Each day I would explore in a different part of the City. Each day I’d either return to Studio or we would meet at some predetermined location. We would walk to some place I had just seen or that M had wanted to take me. Each evening we enjoyed wine with dinner and a moonlight walk through part of the City.

No words can adequately describe this but I remember feeling that she seemed so mature and at ease in this urban Italian environment. She would help me navigate and recall long forgotten elements of my architectural history courses in college. She identified and explained many of the places and things that she had enjoyed. For the first time, I felt like the parent of an adult. I guess I have been for some time now but never noticed it before. It felt great.

I've purposly omitted the usual sightseeing summary here. That sort of business is perhaps best absorbed through experience rather than description. But I've assembled a few of my favorate Roman travel images and amazing details for your viewing pleasure if you are so inclined as to click the appropriate links above.

Our last dinner was spent at the Caffe' Ciampini, a wonderful little outdoor ristoranti that I spotted while walking from the top of the Spanish Steps toward the Pincio, the lookout over the Piazza del Popolo, its ancient egyptian obelisk, its twin churches of Santa Maria di Montesanto and Santa Maria dei Miracoli and the Porta del Popolo. The night was cool, the food and wine were excellent, the service was impecable, the nighttime view from the vantagepoint of this overlook and the lighted churches and piazzas and St. Peter's Basilica, and M's bubbling smile was, well, breathtaking. Another "forever moment" logged for eternity.