Or, the sweetness of doing nothing, according to the Italians. After a series of long, tedious connections (which resulted in my leaving behind newly purchased (but cheap) sunglasses on one of the airplanes), safe arrival into Termini and Roma's fine Alessandro hostel at the expected hour. A nice afternoon of rest followed by a calm evening of pasta, wine, and the first Guinness of the road at one of this city's ubiquitous Irish pubs, "Druid Rock". How nice, when asked by various randoms how you are doing, to be able to respond: "Quite excellent, actually, as today is Day 1 of a six month trip."
Breakfast, and then off to the Vatican and a ramble round Trastevere. Colliseo and Forum tomorrow. I'll close for now with this thought from Cicero, as read on the opening flight:
"If the man lives who would belittle the study of philosophy, I quite fail to see what in the world he would see fit to praise."
Heh. More to come, of course. This city, for all its graffiti and tourists and craziness and S.P.Q.R. modern reference points (can't decide whether or not to term them ironic or not), holds such wonder. Yes it is too big, too much. But that was always, even in antiquity, kind of the point.
Four days and counting until old friendships are reforged and new ones made, indeed!
ReplyDeleteArrival on early Friday afternoon may result in slightly more time to explore Naples.
Suggested restaurants to come. Restaurant at a fishing village on the coast could be a possibility.
BNS