Everyone in the room left this morning. Early as well. 5am early. No matter, will have to meet the new people later.
Got the metro today. There are two lines. A and B. Easy enough right? Wrong. You don't so much pay per journey, but instead pay for as many trips as you can cram into 100 minutes. Lovely idea I suppose, but it does mean people rush from one station to another. It's €1.50 for 100 minutes or €6 for the day. Don't buy the 'Tourist option' and get the 7 day €24 ticket, you won't use it. The lines basically skirt around the main attractions because of the underground roman archeology. So to get anywhere you have to walk. It's usually just quicker to walk anyway, trains are every 5 minutes or so and go until 1.40am at weekends. Line B is the older, slower less used line. Trains are graffitied and hot. Line A trains are air conditioned and have lovely platforms. They're also big. And fast. Very fast.
Caught line B (eurgh) down to Ostiense or Pyramide as it seems to be called by the locals. Come out of the station and you're confronted by, yes, you've guessed it. A pyramid. Not one of those old massive huge things from Egypt, but this was built in the 1st Century (BC) by a Roman magistrate called Gaius Cestius as a tomb for once he'd died. It's set about 20ft down into the street. Another example of how the city has literally 'grown up' on top of the old ruins and roads. The pyramid is made of white marble and flanked by two Greek pillars dating from 246 BC. That's old by the way.
The neighbourhood of Testaccio (where the pyramid is) begins here and the oldest remaining city wall gate stands next to the pyramid. The gate is called Porta San Paolo and was part of the Aurelian Walls in the 3rd century AD.
I'm getting historically boring now. But not much more, I promise.
From here you walk down to Monte Testaccio. It's a mound, 100ft high, made out of broken pots and rubble. Around the base of the hill, the Romans built walls to keep the mound from falling into the street, and nowadays, nestled into the alcoves and doorways, are the cities bars and clubs. There's about 100 all together. Strip clubs. American bars. Irish pubs. Gay discos. Flamenco ball rooms. And a good old fashion Italian pizzeria for those 4am pit stops on the way home. In the day, it's dead, but at night, all of Rome's (annoying and very pushy) teenagers head down here.
Carried on along the main road to what was supposed to be 'a lively covered market' which in fact turned out to be closed. And had been for 6 months. It was going to be turned into flats. Good one, guide book.
Back to touristy Rome and past the 'mouth of the gods' or something like that. It's a church I think. The queue was massive so didn't bother going in. Might go back later. Probably not.
Made a friend with a pigeon today. Not the one that did a poo on me, but his friend, called Marco. He sat and had lunch with me (mozzarella panini from the people next to me) and then flew off, presumably to tell his friends about how he'd met me.
I think I'm losing it.
I've become very good at knowing when I'm hungry or not. And I can distinguish between hunger pains and wind. Which is nice. It's only taken me 22 years.
Had lunch opposite the Pantheon. Pizza. Again. And a lovely bottle of chardonnay. It's scary to think about actually how many people there are on the planet. I sat there for 3 hours and watched hundreds of people walk past. I don't think anyone can grasp the concept of what 7 billion people look like. Imagine what they smell like!
Applied suncream just before my pizza came. The waiter laughed and simply said 'that won't work'. What does he know? Needless to say, it didn't. I'm burnt. But in a nice, oh lord it's tanning, burnt.
Had a mid afternoon snooze and then headed to the nearest restaurant for pizza. Again. Eurgh. Going to find some fruit tomorrow...
Two new guys arrived today from Toronto. I mean, they arrived from Florence, but they're from Toronto. One's called Sheldon. No idea what the other one is called as I was too occupied with the first one being named Sheldon. If he'd only say bazingha once, oh my god. I wanted to say my name was Leonard, but didn't dare.
They seem pretty cool, but one of them keeps saying 'hello' really loudly. I mean, really loudly. Weird.
Anyway, another say done. Might get up REALLY early tomorrow. Doubt it, but I might.
Loves and kisses
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