Rome at My Fingertips...

The next morning, while chatting about our potential days, Jed invites me to go tour Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto with him (parts of Rome), but I’m not sure what my plan of attack is going to be yet, so I thank him, indicate as much to him, and offer to have lunch instead. Since he doesn’t know where he’ll be for lunch, he suggests dinner instead. Okay – fine with me. We agree to meet back at the hostel at 7:30.

After that I go in search of a suitable place for my morning ritual, but it’s MUCH harder here. It’s so dang big! Where do I go? Which direction should I head? There is no “main” downtown like in Siena or Florence. It’s just all over the place and spread out. So I wander for what feels like forever, but I don’t recognize much and I can feel the crankiness from hunger sneaking upon me, so I just pick a place that looks decent. I end up with a really good cappuccino, but a crème filled doughnut with shockingly little crème (aww).

I consult with Rick about what I should do, as I now have all of Rome at my fingertips, but as I’m flipping through the sights of Rome, I become so absorbed in reading about them, that I’m practically tuckered out already. Eventually I pull my nose out of the book and rationalize, I'm actually here, in this place; I should go see something. Unfortunately, I’ve been biding my time all day and now I’m in “the dead zone” and the two (free) things I want to do today, aren’t open for another couple hours. (Bugger.)

So I leave the café I’m currently sitting in to go in search of lunch (when in doubt, eat!). Rick recommends a good lunch place near St.Peter in Chains church (where I can see the actual chains that fell off Peter and Michelangelo’s Moses). I find the eatery and show the cashier my RS book and he breaks into a huge smile, shakes my hand, and escorts me personally to a table (what service!). Then I’m given the option of a special RS menu – Hokie Dinah! They sure love Rick at this joint.

After lunch I go looking for the church, but take off in the complete wrong direction (whoops). So I decide to settle for the Roman Forum instead (can’t miss it – right next to the Colesseum), but discover it is no longer free (gar). Now, normally I would just pay to get in, but Rome has this cool tourist pass where for 20 EU you get into the first two sights for free (and every sight after that is half price) plus you get free transportation for three days. And since there is no transportation to be had for free today, I don’t want to waste a valuable day. Thus, I will not be paying to see the Forum today when I can see it for free tomorrow.

It appears I can’t quite get my I’s dotted and my T’s crossed today. (Oh bother...) So I settle for taking care of a few practical details and head back to the hostel a bit early. All this nothing has made me rather tired.

Shortly after 7:30 Jed returns and we head out for dinner in Trastevere. With no transportation, it’s a loooong walk, but we’re up for it and head out. We talk a lot about travel and I pick his brain about living in another country as an American. Turns out Jed is a prolific traveler, having been to over 70 countries. That’s right: 70. Needless to say, that alone is fodder for all kinds of conversation. After what feels like the longest walk in history, we finally find the restaurant, enjoy a good meal, and I have my first taste of pig skin (Jed ordered pig skin and bean soup and was kind enough to let me try – it was actually really good!).

We finish our meal with panna cotta (with caramel this time; which we decide had a distinctly “burnt” flavor to it), as well as with some shrewd observations for one another about where we are in life (more him for me, as I’m in such a period of transition), and then opt for a cab on the way home – it’s been a long evening.

It was the teensiest bit weird to head home with your dinner date…only to have “home” be the same room. But fortunately he peeled off to use the restroom and all was normal. Ahhhh.