Monday, June 30, 2008

A Three Hour Tour (a Three Hour Tour)

The title of this post, in case that phrase doesn't immediately conjure it, is a reference to the theme song of Gilligan's Island, which has been stuck in my head all day. More on this later.

I woke up bright and early this morning, and headed out to the far northern outskirts of the city to pick up my unsuspecting victims. I mean, tourists. They were a family of Americans who live in Britain, because the father is in the Air Force. Today was their last day in Rome, and I was thrilled that they chose to spend it with me. They wanted to see the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, and I have been salivating at the chance to tell someone about these very things for ages. After paying our entrance fee with euros and one of my kidneys, we entered the Forum, and I launched into my description of the Basilica Fulvia Aemilia. Despite this being my first tour, I wasn't nervous at all. I was served well by all those Centro field trips, and derived great satisfaction from being able to produce that 'oooo' sound at various structures, from the Curia to the Temple of Venus and Roma. However, as it does on most days in Rome, the sun was beating down upon our little group, and the three small children began to suffer from it. Therefore, the central theme of the second half of my tour of the Forum was 'shade', or more specifically, 'see that pile of rubble over there? I will tell you about it from this shade here.' I also gave a 7 minute off the cuff talk on acqueducts, as we all stopped to drink out of (and spray each other from) one of the drinking fountains in the Forum.

After leaving the Forum, the Gilligan's Island theme song began to run in my head, and all I could think as we entered the Colosseum was 'so this is the tale of the castaways, they're here for a long long time, they'll have to make the best of things, its an uphill climb'. At this point, I wisely chose to take the elevator. The Colosseum went well, as it never really fails to impress (I have to do very little, in the face of such a magnificent building), but by the end of the whole thing, I looked at my watch and thought 'a three hour tour, a three hour tour...' We finished the tour significantly ruddier than we had begun it, and unanimously decided that I should be tipped not with money, but with gelato. Strangely enough, I had no qualms with this.

It was wonderful to feel like a real tour guide, and I get to repeat the experience again tomorrow, except in the Vatican. That means that this evening, I have to go over my notes so that I will be able to differentiate between which Pope excommunicated miniskirts, and which one is actually a Danish Lutheran broom cupboard. Should be an exciting evening.

More exciting is the fact that Roisin is here, and somehow, I managed to find us an apartment. More on this later, for now, I have to study.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Lazy Sunday

Sunday in a convent is not at all lazy, to immediately contradict the title of this post. I woke this morning to the sound of bells (surprise surprise) at quarter to 8, and managed to roll out of bed and make myself presentable for mass within 15 minutes. All guests of the convent are required to go to mass on Sundays, which is held in a small chapel adjacent to the building. It is officiated by the tiniest priest I have ever seen. He is no more than 5'2, and although he has a paunchy belly, he also wears gargantuan glasses, behind which his whole head appears small. His voice, however, doesn't match his frame; it is loud and low. From what I could gather, using my slowly improving Italian, his homily was about Saints Peter and Paul, patron saints of Rome (as both were martyred here) whose feast it is today, and something about courage and forgiveness. That may all sound a little crude, but the priest spoke very quickly, and I really only understand the words that sound like Latin.

After mass, however, my Sunday became very lazy, as I feel it should. No attempting to talk to tourists today! I sat in the garden and listened to someone's piano lesson, occurring in one of the apartments that border the garden. I also finished my book, which returns my mental capacity once more to 'fully aware', and capaple of doing other things. Dara has seen fit to tell me about the private tour I am giving tomorrow morning, which includes the Roman Forum, the Imperial Fora, and the Colosseum. Taking my notes and my oversized Italian sunglasses, I set off for the Forum, to study in the great place itself, and planned to pick up lunch on the way.

I live off the Via Cavour, which is a main road in Rome, with two way traffic and four or five lanes, depending on who is driving. Though it is a straight shot down Via Cavour to the Via Fori Imperiali, sometimes I like to take side streets, especially when I don't have any time constraints. Today, as I was walking along one of these smaller streets, I found a hole in the wall place with some of the best looking tomatoes I have seen all summer. Seduced by their shiny skins, I went in and bought one. Since no Italian store, whether it sells shoes, books, or food, is ever devoid of mozzarella bufala, I bought some of that as well. Arriving at the Forum, I found a place in the shade, and sat down to enjoy my little feast. Having washed my pomodoro in one of the fountains, I realized I didn't have any silverware. No problem: I ate it like an apple, taking big crunchy, juicy bites, and alternating with bites of the mozzarella. I made a mess, but it was delicious.

In the shade, the breeze keeps the temperature comfortable, and I sat for a long time, reading my notes and watching the people walk by. It is impossible not to people-watch in Rome, because there are so many and such diverse people. I am getting the knack of identifying nationalities just by looking at people, although strangely, the Italians are easiest to recognise. Equally easy are the Asians, but that almost doesn't count, it is so easy. The Americans come not far behind, because they are usually wearing fanny packs and staring at maps. American girls are particularly easy, perhaps because as one of them, I hold an unfair advantage in recognising my peers, but they seem to have a summer uniform: a mid-length cotton J Crew dress, which I admittedly tried on back home. The British are paler than the Americans, and usually wear hats, whereas the Americans are all trying to get tan. They also stare intently at maps. After that it gets harder, but the Germans are fairly easy to spot, because they look.... German. That may sound like an insufficient description, but it is hard to put into words.

For now, I am off to put my feet in the fountain again, and practice more for tomorrow.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Side Effects of Being a Tour Guide (Even one who doesn't give tours)

All this week, I have been unable to entice anyone to come on a tour of the Forum, Vatican, or Pantheon. Still, I now have a full week's experience of approaching random strangers and asking them to spend some time and money with me. I am getting very good at handling rejection, which is something I could have probably predicted, but I have discovered another, completely unpredictable, side effect of my job. I find myself completely unable to pass by lost American tourists. Today, for instance, I found some Americans standing behind the Pantheon, all wearing matching scarves. One of them said, "So, where is the Pantheon?" and another said "Well, we just went into THAT building (indicating the Pantheon), and I don't think that was it." At this point, I felt obligated, as a pseudo-guide and a fellow countrywoman, to walk over and inform them that it was, in fact, the Pantheon. It was at this point that I learned they were on some sort of scavenger hunt, so I also translated the inscription on the facade for them. Then I got to tell them how to get to "Piazza Novogona," which I just assumed meant Piazza Navona. This wonderful experience was followed soon after by a similar encounter on the 64 bus, where I found some very clueless tourists looking for "the Fountain of Trivoli." Once I had clarified that they were looking for the Trevi Fountain, I sent them merrily on their way.

Given this penchant for helpful guiding, and a knowledge of the city (which I have gained by walking everywhere), I am somewhat surprised that no one trusts me enough to come on my tours. Perhaps I will make myself a sign that reads: I am American, and I know where you need to go. My other plan is inspired by my gladiator friends. Hanging out all day at major tourist attractions, I end up in a large number of people's photographs or videos as a bystander. I think I will start charging them for the use of my image, say, 5 euro for a picture of my face, and 3 euro for one with me from behind. This, of course, is all fantasy, but I am being very creative until I get to next week...

Friday, June 27, 2008

A Difficult Decision

There has been a bit of a lag (I think one whole day!) since my last post, and I must explain it. Yesterday, I was down to my last euro coin, and found myself faced with a very difficult decision: should I spend it on an hour of internet use, or on a gelato? Clearly, I chose the gelato. As much as I enjoy writing this, that was one tasty gelato. I like to experiment with flavors, but when I walked into Miami (the best gelato place in all of Roma), I knew immediately what I wanted: pesca. I have always had a soft spot for peaches in any form, but peach gelato seemed like the pinnacle of peachy goodness. For some reason, I always get a fruit gelato and a cream gelato, so I paired it with straciatella, Italian chocolate chip. It was beyond delicious. The pesca had bits of actual peach in it, but not such large pieces that they froze my teeth or anything.

Having been inspired with this great peach success, I went to the market outside my current residence this morning, and paid attention to it for the first time. It is there every morning, and they start setting up (right outside my window) at about 5 am. Usually, I just hurry through it on my way to the Colosseum every morning, but today I was running early, so I ventured out to explore. They sell everything in this market, from cheese and meat to clothing and shoes, even though the whole thing takes up less than one block. I found the fruit stand and began admiring the peaches in a tactile fashion. The tiny old woman who owned the stand tottered over and thrust a brown paper bag into my hands and gestured majestically at the peaches. I was worried, because they were a bit hard, but when I expressed this to the old woman, she gave me a conspiratorial wink and pulled three gorgeous peaches out from another box. I bought them immediately, and had one on my way to the Forum. It was ripe and soft, and I feel very fortunate that Rome is a city of fountains, because I got peach juice all over my hands.

I met Gladiator Luca's girlfriend today. Her name is Gabriela, and she is the last person I would have ever expected to be dating big, blond, gladiator Luca. She is almost completely round, and dresses like an American tourist. In fact, I thought she WAS an American tourist, until I heard her speak, and then watched her plant one on Luca. She is very sweet, however, and brought Luca and Alessio giant bottles of water. I was a happy spectator for most of this, since there are still no tourists interested in the public tours. Still, I have heard rumors from Dara that there will be a change in the wind come July...

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Taking the Veil

This has to be a short post, since I am now required to pay for my internet. I found a place where I could use the internet for free, but in return, I would have to put up with the overly amorous owner of the cafe, so I have decided that I can afford the price of peace and quiet. I have moved into a convent not far from Santa Maria Maggiore, which is what the internet advertisers would probably refer to as a "colorful" neighborhood. I would probably be more likely to use a word such as "sketchy," but hey, I feel pretty safe with all the nuns. They run a very neat ship, although I hear disparaging things about the coffee they make at breakfast. However, all this information comes from my roommate, a thirtysomething Australian woman whose parents were from Sicily. She is a bit of a character, and chose to introduce herself to me by telling a very detailed story about how the Sicilian men were all over her, rather than telling me her name. I have since learned that her name is Celeste, but she seems to regard me as her psychiatrist, as I find myself obligated to smile and nod through her stories about her extravagant Italian boyfriend. It is not that I mind listening, or being friendly to my roommate, but I am in the middle of an Umberto Eco book, and those of you who know me well know how hard it is for me to do anything but read when I am mid- good book. At least I have a semipermanent place to stay now, until I find an apartment with Roisin, which should restore some semblance of regularity to my life. I would say normalcy, but that is the last word I would use to describe this trip! When I prayed for adventure, someone upstairs was listening...

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Musical Beds

Tonight I find myself obligated to mention that I am moving, once again. Changing abodes seems to be a central theme of my summer, from the move out of Summit, to the Home move, to the flight to Rome, to the Centro, to Dara's apartment, to Dara's apartment illegally, to the Centro, and then tomorrow to a convent. Yesterday, my three bags were in three different locations throughout the Eternal City, and I feel a bit like the boatman in that riddle with the wolf, the sheep, and the bag of sheep food. The wolf can't be left with the sheep, nor the sheep with the food, but the boat only holds two passengers... Still, I sincerely hope that this will be the last time that I move until I move into my July apartment.

Finding an apartment has been no easy task, as the people offering the apartments seem apt to grossly misrepresent their properties. For instance, I found the following ad:

Wanted In Rome: GOOD APARTMENT, CENTRE LOCATION
centre Rome metro Cavour, double room, kitchen, private bathroom, internet, quiet, € 50-70/day,€ 680-780/month+exp.

But when I contacted the owner, I discovered that she was only renting out a room in this "good apartment". I have, however, gotten to meet all sorts of exciting people, including a married couple, Dario and Daria S------. I just find it amusing that they have basically the same name. They sign all their emails "D & D". It seems people either willfully underestimate the difference from their apartments to the "centro" of Rome, or just have a very poor understanding of geography, but I have everlasting hope that I will find a good place soon.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Fa Caldo

I was warned that Rome gets hot in the summertime, but today really proved it to me. Normally, the mornings are somewhat cooler than the rest of the day, but this morning I woke up at 7.30, and it was already sweltering. By the time I got to the Forum at quarter to ten, the sun was beating down with an intensity that I had never experienced before. Even the gladiators and centurions who hang out by the Colosseum hitting on female tourists couldn't take the heat. From the distance of hindsight, it must have been pretty amusing (for any observer impervious to the heat) to see the motley crew all huddled together in the shadow of the Arch of Constantine, all vying for a bit of shade while trying not to get too close to anyone else's body heat. With no hyperbole at all, I can say it is actually about 15-20 degrees cooler in the shade than it is in the direct sunlight. Waiting in this historically-granted shade, I found myself chatting away to the two gladiators who stand near my tour group meeting point. They make a very amusing pair, when they are in action. One of them, Luca, is tall and tan an in very good shape, and he tops off this physique with shoulder-length hair that is streaked with blond in a way that I never would have imagined. Although he holds his strange hair back with a headband, he still manages to look much more convincingly like a gladiator than his buddy, Alessio. Alessio is somewhat shorter and very round, as if his mamma makes some really excellent pasta. He is also going bald, though right now it is just a little bit on the top of his head.

"Ciao, bella," Luca says, "fa caldo! Dobbiamo...." at which point he began to speak too fast for me to understand, but I caught something that sounded like "umbra" (which of course is Latin for "shade") so I put on a serious face and said "Si, si, si" with as much grave agreement as I could muster. Alessio and I then traded "fa caldo"s, and once we were in agreement about the heat, the modern gladiators and I managed to introduce ourselves and explain why we would want to stand in this corner of the Piazza del Colosseo. Actually, I did most of the explaining (in my combination basic Italian/sign language/Latin polyglot), since it was pretty apparent why they were there... We see each other every morning, so now that we have been introduced I think we are proper Italian amici. I would take a picture to post on the blog, but I am pretty sure I would then owe my new friends 10 euro.

The caldo continued as I made my way away from the Forum, planning to catch the 64 bus to San Pietro. With another dearth of tourists, however, I found myself with some extra time on my hands, and chose to spend it in the fountain on the left side of the monument to Vittorio Emanuelle II, or, the Wedding Cake. In all truth, I didn't really go swimming in the fountain (though I do hope that I will get to swim in at least one fountain before the summer is over), I merely removed my shoes and stuck my feet into the blissfully frigid water. People walking by seemed to think this looked like a good idea, and soon a fair number of feet were submerged. I could have stayed there a lot longer, but I had to at least consider the possibility that there might be tourists waiting for me to lead them in the Vatican.

Alas, when I got to Piazza San Pietro, I found myself one of maybe 25 people total who were in the square, and 20 of them were on a group tour already. Resolutely, however, I went and stood at the meeting point, grateful at last to the ubiquitous tour guide umbrella that I carry, which at least provided a bit of shade. No one was interested in the tour, so I returned to my pressing issue of the day: where will I sleep tonight? After spending one final night in the apartment last night, I faced today without a bed destination. After calling every convent in the city, I found that the only way to get a bed in one of them tonight was to join the order. Having decided that I was not quite ready to take the veil, I threw myself on the mercy of Franco, who kindly let me back into my old school. I will try the nuns again tomorrow (after all, I am getting very good at saying, "sono una ragazza povera, ho bisogno una camera da letto"), and hope for clouds and tourists.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Isola Tiberina

The last post, "The Missing Day" was meant to go up yesterday morning, but I lost my internet connection and thus could only just post it now. Ok, so yesterday, on my "day off," I tried once more to take the boat tour of the Tiber, and managed to succeed. The tour was somewhat sub-par, but it was a ton of fun to be floating along the Tiber. It was an audio tour, so I had to plug my headphones into the side of the boat, and listen to a woman with a strong Italian accent tell me about the bridges, over a soundtrack of Spanish music, with an interlude of "Stairway to Heaven." When that song came on, I hoped it would at least have something to do with part of the tour, but it didn't. I learned a bit about the bridges, but learned more from the boat attendant, who was very chatty and eager to tell me about the things we saw. The tour began at the Castel Sant'Angelo, and ended at Tiber Island (Isola Tiberina), one of the more beautiful parts of Rome. I hadn't been back to the Isola since the last time I was in Rome, but in the summertime, it is set up with a restaurant, overlooking the ancient part of the bridge, and the banks of the Tiber are lined with stalls that sell everything from candy to antiques to Balinese clothing. There are a number of bars and clubs, as well.

Having seen this setup, I decided to return there for dinner and to check out the area. The pasta at the restaurant was surprisingly both delicious and inexpensive, and sitting there looking at the lit bridge was one of the coolest things I have done in Rome. Exploring the stalls on the banks of the Tiber was similarly cool (because there is no better adjective to describe it). It was mainly full of Italians, and had the atmosphere of a carnival or a state fair, but with a distinctly Italian flavor. At one end of Isola Tiberina, one bar had set up a bunch of blankets, and people were lying on them, drinking bottles of wine and looking at the stars. Not that the stars are all that easy to see, even in Rome... but that is not the point. It was a perfect night, warm and slightly breezy, and walking along the river seemed almost too perfect. I laughed as I walked by the dance clubs, because they made me think of the movie Roman Holiday. Audrey Hepburn is invited to a dance on a boat on the Tiber, which I had always regarded as a figment of cinematic whimsy. Apparently, however, it was as true then as it is now, and as I was leaving the area, I could hear the strains of dance music pounding out from some of the docked boats.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

The Missing Day

I didn't post anything yesterday, because I've been sick, and by the time I got back from all the daily activities, I was too tired to do anything but sleep. Aside from that, however, yesterday was another lovely gorgeous day, though once again sadly devoid of tourists. Arianna left the tour company as well yesterday, so I am the last remaining guide, until another girl comes from Ireland in July. Instead of shutting the entire thing down, as he had originally intended, Dara is shutting down only the public tours part, which means after next week, I won't be standing forlornly with my umbrella at meeting points waiting for tourists to show up. There have been a few inquiries sent for private tours in July, so I will work out the rest of June, and then be on call for private tours. I am sort of pleased with this arrangement, because being private allows me to offer tours of just about anything, so if you are interested in seeing something in Rome, I would love love love to show it to you....

If everything with the private tours works out, I may not even have to find another job, although I might look for something as a safety net. Right now, I am looking for a new abode, as I have to move out of this apartment tomorrow. I'm sad about that, because this is a really cute place in a really great neighborhood, and I love hearing all the Vatican bells all the time. However, I may have found a place in Trastevere for July, which would be fantastic, and the Irish girl, Roisin (say: RO-sheen) might live with me. Who can say, but for the rest of June, I will probably stay in a convent, because they have great reputations, and I think it could be a great experience.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The No Good, Very Bad Day (which was not actually all that bad)

Today, Dara made the final decision to shut down the main operation of the tour guide company, after a week of no tours and Enrica quitting this morning. I am not surprised, since it is basically a money drain to operate the company without giving any tours, but I am disappointed. Our advertising doesn't run out until next week, and we have had some indications of interest for tours in July, so I am fully employed for the next week, at least. After that, I can give tours when the website gets attention, but in the meanwhile, I need to find another job! I hope that I can still be a tour guide (since I am now fully trained...), and I am pursuing leads with other companies. Unfortunately, I also have a vicious head cold, which sort of puts a damper on the whole thing.

OK, having gotten the bad stuff out of the way... Today, for all that doom and gloom, was pretty great, because when no one showed up for the tours, we went off and did things in Rome on company money. There is a boat tour on the Tiber, but of course, we got there just as they were closing for the afternoon. Finding ourselves in the shadow of the Castel Sant'Angelo, we decided to venture in there instead. After some tasty gelato, I found the museum part of the Castel, and we were looking around sort of aimlessly, until I spotted this:

It may not look like much to you, but this is a bona fide bronze ram from the prow of a Roman warship, sent to the bottom of the Mediterranean during the Battle of the Aegates Islands in 241 BC, in the midst of the Second Punic War. In addition to being an important turning point in Roman naval history, the Battle of the Aegates Islands also represents approximately 7 pages of my Classics thesis... I tried to avoid showing that I was in total nerd mode, and took this picture after surreptitiously touching the ancient bronze. Touching artifacts is not taboo in Italian museums, which I find simultaneously appalling and exhilarating, so I took advantage of that a bit here. As I ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the perfect tridentine shape, the cast rosettes, and the nail holes where the ram was attached to the strakes, I wondered why I had never discovered that this ram existed during the last time I was in Rome. It is a perfectly preserved ram, and seeing it bascially made my afternoon...

However, the miracle of the Roman ram was followed up by some excellent acts, including the discovery of a hotel named after Sol Invictus, a Roman deity especially favored by Hadrian. I find it ironic that the hotel only received three stars; I think Mr. Invictus would be pretty bummed to hear how far he's fallen in Roman eyes.

This place very close to the Colosseum, on the Via Cavour, right next to my new favorite coffee shop. The cafe is owned by an Italian man and his Chinese wife, both of whom are unbelievably nice. They have a goofy-looking boy who works for them, as well. I think they are beginning to recognize me now, since today with my cappuccino, I received two pieces of candy. This represents the latest in a string of 100% improvements on my candy consumption; the first time I went there, I had no candy, the second time, I got one piece, and this time, I got two pieces! I will happily continue to frequent the cafe for research purposes, to see how long the candy delivery will continue to boom.

After more attempting to invite tourists to accompany us into the Forum, we walked up to the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo. Both are beautiful, and served to remind me once again what an amazing city this is. More amazing, however, was what we found in the Piazza del Popolo, which I can only describe as this:Yes, if you were wondering, that IS a man in a crew shell, rowing in mid air. Something big is always going on in Piazza del Popolo (earlier this week they were filming Angels and Demons with Tom Hanks there), but I am at a loss to explain what this was all about. There were a number of other boats in the Piazza, so perhaps it is some sort of nautical festival, in which case, I hope I am invited.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Forza Roma!

Last night Italy played France in what appeared to my low level of soccer/football-awareness to be an important match. In the spirit of the evening, I went out to an Irish pub (with people who are really Irish!) to watch it. Game night is game night, the world around, and I had a great time gesticulating and yelling at the television with all the Italians in the pub. Luckily, Italia triumphed over her Gaullic opponents, saving the job of the head coach and one of the Italian players. Outside, people were honking their horns and waving Italian flags, shouting "Forza Italia!" at the top of their lungs. It was a wild night.

This morning began sunny and hot, more so than any day I have experienced in the week I have been here. We attempted more recruiting for the tours today, but again got no bites, not even for the free Pantheon tour. After my resounding success at the Pantheon yesterday, I was disappointed to be again thwarted in my attempts to explain the Forum. I hope that soon we will get some interested tourists, who can see how good we are firsthand, and then pass us on to their friends. I am preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. Either way, being in Italy is such a treat that I can't complain too much; standing in the shadow of the Colosseum or in St. Peter's Square sure beats standing around anywhere else. I am finding a bit more time to see the rest of the Roma Homa I love, and took Dara to Il Gesu to show him Gaulli's unbelievable ceiling. It is my favorite ceiling in all of Rome, which is a considerable honor, given that the Sistine Chapel and Santa Maria Maggiore are both contenders. Still, the angels and demons escaping the bounds of the ceiling of the Gesu are an artistic feat beyond even Michelangelo's imagination. I wanted to go into the apartments of St. Ignatius, which are next door, but they were closed. As if in return for being denied entrance into the apartments, however, who did I find on the next bus I rode but Father Ignatius, the Ugandan priest I met last Sunday on the way to St. Peter's! It was beyond serendipitous, and Father Ignatius laughed his deep belly laugh when I told him where I had just been.

I never cease to be amazed by Roma and all her citizens and sites.

The First Tour

After a day of resounding rejection yesterday, I hoped that the second day of tour-guiding would yield some better results. I also prepared for the weather, putting on lots of sunscreen and a dress. Unfortunately, I found myself thwarted on both fronts: still recruiting tourists who were uninterested in taking my tour of the Forum (or any of our tours, since I recruited for all of them), and the day was marked by intermittent rain. However, at the Pantheon later in the evening, I finally got my first bite! Previously, I hadn't been able to give away the free tour, but this time I found a nice couple from Kansas City who dared to accept the too-good-to-be-true offer of a free tour. I was surprisingly nervous, at the beginning, but once I started going it went very well, and I had a great time. I can only hope that someone will show up for the Forum/Colosseum tour soon. People don't like being recruited off the street, which I understand, because they have the same reaction I would most likely have: instantaneous "NO". I guess there is something slightly sketchy about getting a tour off the street; you can't be guaranteed that it will be good, and most tourists are interested in appearing like they know what they are doing and are aware of the culture. Unfortunately, I think, most of them don't know what they are missing...

Monday, June 16, 2008

Day One (or, The False Start)

Today was meant to be my first day of giving tours, beginning with the Forum and Colosseum at 2pm. However, as Dara expected (though I hadn't really believed) no one showed up, for any of the tours. I managed to recruit two people for Enrica's tour in the morning, but people seem innately wary of being recruited, and the rest of the day was a wash. I went back and forth from the Forum to the Vatican twice, to help with recruiting on those tours, but still no luck. No one even showed up for the Pantheon tour, which is free! Still, there were some problems with the website over the weekend, so it is likely that no one saw it to know they could get such a great tour. Today when we finally returned to the apartment, however, there were some email inquiries, so hopefully tomorrow will bring at least a few more people. We should be up to full capacity by Wednesday (I hope!), although we will continue to do recruiting for the rest of the week.

I don't mind recruiting; it is good practice, and I get to meet tons of people. Given my experience, I can support the stereotype that Americans are really friendly, as most of them would chat with me a bit before refusing to come on the tour... I did meet some very nice Brits, as well. Now I am back in the apartment, searching for a place to live for the rest of the summer, and thinking about the far future as well. Soon I think I will take a break to sit on the tiny terrace and read my Umberto Eco book, because it is a beautiful night, and it doesn't get dark here until after 9pm.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Bells bells bells

Last night I set my alarm to go off fairly early this morning, because I wanted to take a shower and the hot water in the new place lasts for approximately 2.5 minutes before deciding to go on a cigarette break. Kindly wishing for my roommate Dara to have some hot water, I resolved to awaken at 8.00. Now let me indicate how much I hate the sound of my alarm clock. The sound it makes is probably one of the worst ways to wake up, somewhere between a fire alarm and a microwave from the 80's. Imagine my pleasant surprise, then, when this morning I heard no evil beeping, but rather ringing bells, tolling harmonically and very pleasantly. When I had achieved full consciousness a few moments later, I remembered that I am basically living in the Vatican, and bells should not surprise me at all. Rolling over, I saw it was 7.30, so I lay in bed and listened to the bells before getting up to shower.
The morning light is beautiful, although the day is almost chilly right now. I took a picture from off the 'terrace' of the apartment (it is approximately the size of a closet), to illustrate how close I really am to the Leonine wall. You can see it there, between the peach colored apartment building and the grey apartment building, though it is a bit hidden by some shrubbery. I love living in this area, and there is a chance I might be able to stay here for most of the rest of the summer, which would make me very happy. If I can't live on the Gianicolo, or the city center (which I most certainly cannot), then I think living in the shadow of Vatican City is the place I would like to be.

I'm off to do some tour recruiting now, and then hang out downtown until it is time to give my first tour at 2pm. However, I want to anachronistically tell a story about Saturday, when I did the double training, because I don't seem to have put it in that post.

Saturday afternoon, after touring the Forum, we returned to the Vatican to run through that tour. I am not on the schedule to give those tours yet, but it is good to be trained, in case I have to fill in or something, and seriously, when am I ever going to turn down the chance to walk through the Vatican? As we arrived outside St. Peter's, I saw another huge group of Carabinieri, but this time, their purpose was clear, as President Bush got into a car behind them and drove off, flanked by Carabinieri on motorbikes. It was an exciting little brush with power and fame, but on we marched. Anyway, about half way through the Museums, I realized that I was wearing a tank top that bared my shoulders, definitely a no-no in both the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica. I managed to make it through the Sistine without more than a stern word from one of the guards, but I knew I wasn't going to make it into St. Peter's. Letting Dara and Enrica go on ahead, I sat in the portico, waiting for them to come out. I didn't mind sitting, as my foot had started bleeding somewhere between the Forum and the Vatican, and there was blood in my shoe. It didn't hurt, but I didn't want to ruin my shoes. After about 2 minutes of sitting, however, one of the guards asked me if I had a jacket, and when I said no, went off and returned with what ended up being a very stylish blue and white shirt. He handed it to me and told me to return it when I was finished, so off I scampered into the basilica. In the end I was glad I did, because I was greeted with this:

Pretty spectacular.

The New Place

So my fears about lacking wireless at my new apartment proved to be unfounded. I think the wireless network belongs to the hotel located in the building, but no one seems to mind if I use their internet... Anyway, the new apartment is really cute, and in a wonderful spot on the Viale Vaticani. It is too bad I only have a week to get to know this neighborhood, as it is beautiful and new. I have my own room, which has an excellent view (an improvement over the apartment building into whose windows I looked from my last abode...), and here is what it looks like:


It is difficult to properly convey the charm of the neighborhood through this one image, but I hope I've advanced the understanding with this rough equivalent of 1,000 words...

Today was a day of more walking, and I had a late lunch with Dara in the Campo dei Fiori, which I had strangely never seen by daylight. Living in the Vatican is a treat, as I can hear the sung mass from St. Peter's through my window, and because my easiest point of access to the rest of the city is across the Ponte Sant'Angelo, a bridge that holds a special place in my heart, due to an art history presentation I had to give there in the pouring rain. Tomorrow is a big day (my first as a tour guide), though I don't even know if anyone will show up to take the tour. For my sake, and (if I may be so bold) for theirs, I really hope they do.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Last night at the Centro

Tonight is my last night here at the Centro, and tomorrow I am moving into an apartment in the Vatican. It is a very cute place, literally in the shadow of the Leonine wall, and I will be there for the next week. I have a sneaking suspicion that I will not have internet access there, however, so I probably won't be able to post as often. I will do what I can to find an internet cafe in the vicinity, however, because I really enjoy writing this, and because I find myself strangely addicted to the internet in general. Also, I need to find somewhere to stay beginning a week from tomorrow, which unfortunately requires a computer. So far, I have had no luck at all, which is very disheartening, but I have faith that I will figure something out. So for now, I will head off to bed, with the sounds of "tanti auguri" ("happy birthday") streaming in through my window from the party on the terrace across the street...

Double Trouble

Today I opted to participate in the double training session (that is, running through both the Forum/Colosseum and Vatican tours) mainly for the purpose of meeting Brian, the other owner of the tour company, and Enrico, another Italian guide. Imagine my ironic surprise, then, when Enrico turned out to be Enrica, another girl. First Dara, now Enrica... It seems especially ironic that I, who myself possess a name frequently given to boys, should have such trouble in predicting the gender of people whose names I already know...

I set off for the Forum this morning, assured by the omniscient Franco that despite the threatening clouds, it would be a sunny day. Well, shame on me for doubting, because it was absolutely gorgeous: sunny and pleasantly warm, by the time I got off the bus. Being Saturday, it was a bit more crowded in the centro, but it took me a moment to realize that one of the large masses was actually a congregation of tourists watching a protest. It is not unusual to see protests in the Eternal City; hell, the entire country schedules its frequent strikes. Still, this one struck me as strange, because as far as I could tell, they appeared to be protesting archaeology. I am very unclear as to what exactly is objectionable about the practice of digging and dusting ancient artifacts, but this group seemed to feel strongly that it should stop. Altogether, this is doubly strange when one considers the extent to which archaeology defines the city of Rome, and because the group was standing on the Via dei Fori Imperiali. I can only imagine that they are big fans of the new metro stations being built in the middle of the Piazza Venezia and just underneath the Colosseum.

Leaving that expression of craziness behind, I marched off towards the Colosseum. Arriving, I found one of my favorite Roman traditions taking place in an unexpectedly pugilistic way. It seems customary for Roman couples (after placing flowers on the funeral pyre of Julius Caesar, which they do in all seriousness) to have their picture taken in front of the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum. While I think it is bit strange to commemorate something like marriage with structures built for bloodsport, slavery, and morbid entertainment, I have to confess that I find it more than a little adorable to see happy couples in their full wedding regalia kissing and smiling in front of some of the world's most spectacular architecture. Today, however, there were two wedding parties who seemed to have drawn on the past use of the Colosseum for a bit of inspiration.

Both of the parties were clearly trying to take pictures in the same location, and neither seemed particularly inclined to go second. One of the brides, attired in a wedding dress clearly modeled off of Barbie's, was viciously puffing away on a cigarette while her husband exchanged strong words with the other couple's photographer. Some of the groomsmen shed their coats, and for a few tense minutes, it looked as if they could really come to blows. The non-smoking bride, however, eventually caved, and she and her party went over to the hill for some "nature" shots. The triumphant Barbie bride proceeded to take a number of photographs, and most of them were very sweet, with the exception of a very questionable series which involved crowd-surfing the happy couple. When the other bride got her turn, she countered with a series of pictures in which ragazzi (and some uninvited Japanese tourists with cameras) chased her and her husband from the arch. Regrettably, I had to leave just as a third bride arrived upon the scene...

Friday, June 13, 2008

Fun with 'Fones

Having fully charged my sleek new telefonino, I am now faced with the challenge of programming it, entirely based on my conversation-level Italian and my sub-par technological skills. So far, I have managed to turn it on, and figured out what my number is (though in all fairness, I got that off the SIM card). Now, I am changing my ringtone, which is very amusing, because right now it is set at something called "Sunshine," which sounds suspiciously like the theme from Sesame Street sped up threefold. My choices run the gamut from "Bits n Bytes" (clearly an American hold over) to "Velvet" (a tone that is making Barry White roll in his grave), to something called "Cio e techno" (which eludes all description). Once I figure out where the language change menu is located, I predict this will become simpler (if I find it at all...) Until then, my phone rings with the dulcet tones of "treno commovente," which if nothing else, will ensure I answer the thing before too many people hear it...

A Carabinieri Holiday

Today was my day off, but it also seems to be the national "Gather to Stand Around in Rome" Day for the Carabinieri. When I arrived in Piazza Venezia around lunchtime, I found myself obligated to walk through a veritable gauntlet of Carabinieri, lined up in a strange sort of human aisle in front of the Palazzo Venezia, and of course, staring. They didn't seem to be doing anything, although I am never exactly clear what the Carabinieri are ever doing. In all fairness, they could have been nonchalantly guarding something inside the building. Just when I thought that upwards of 50 Carabinieri were sufficient to stand on the sidewalk, a tour bus, painted a color that can only be described as "stealth black," arrived on the scene. It was at this moment I began to wonder if this wasn't any kind of guarding, but actually a Carabinieri field trip, perhaps for those Carabinieri who recently joined the force, to show them how it would feel to work in the big leagues (as opposed, for instance, to assisting clumsy students in Tarquinia). Later, riding the 44, I saw one Carabinieri car leading a cadre of 15 (count 'em, 15) Carabinieri on motorbikes, who were arrayed neatly into rows of 3, lights flashing. At first, I thought they might be a security detail/honor guard, since I hear Bush is in town and meeting with that eminent leader Berlusconi. However, I quickly determined that unless Bush rides in a smart car, or in disguise as a ragazzo on a Vespa, this group of Carabinieri was just having a practice run, or something.

Once I left the Carabinieri behind, I set off down the Via del Corso, ready for a day of errands and window shopping. My first item of business was to obtain a mobile phone (a telefonino), which I discovered was significantly more difficult than I had anticipated, requiring not only my money, two forms of ID, and passport, but three documents signed by twelve different Carabinieri, the bones of St. Peter, and a lock of Berlusconi's hair. It took me quite a long time, but I eventually succeeded, and the snazzy looking thing is charging its batteries as we speak.

After that, everything else went very smoothly. I located the English-language bookstore, the Lion Bookshop, on the Via dei Greci, and found that it is oxymoronically staffed by two Italian women. It is a very cute little shop, though, and I strongly feel that I will be visiting it many times this summer, not only because I love books and bookshops, but because the atmosphere there is so inviting. There is an alley (or what in Rome is known as a two-way street) behind the shop, and through the windows that open out to that side I could hear someone in an apartment building practicing the violin. I can't imagine any better accompaniment to book browsing, and stayed for quite a while. Eventually, however, I returned to the Corso for window shopping.

Unfortunately, until I start giving tours on Monday, I have no money at all, so I can really only look longingly at Italian clothing, jewelery, and shoes. However, I did try on some things, just to scope everything out. Italian fashion is sometimes a little avant-garde for me, but Dara's accusation of looking like a tourist hit a bit close to home, so I will make an effort. The "in" fabric for the season seems to be this very lightweight knit, which comes in everything from very sheer to completely opaque, and which is actually gorgeous. I found some stuff I really liked, especially shirts, but again, that has to wait until at least next week. Still, it was fun to look around, and I went in to Murphy and Nye, where I found molto desirable things.

It seems only fitting that my lovely day, having started with the strange horde of Carabinieri, should end with an equally strange sight. This was accomplished in the form of a man dressed very seriously like Superman, standing on the other side of the Palazzo Venezia. I mean it when I say very seriously; he had a full blue unitard (with tights and long sleeves), the red speedo, and a cape, and if all that wasn't enough to clue you in to his identity, he had the big "S" on his chest, and even had his hair slicked back a la Superman 1959. I have no idea why or what he was doing whatever he was doing, but I can only hope that it was somehow related to the earlier Carabinieri incedent. With such fantastic bookends to my shopping, I could do nothing but return to the Gianicolo for dinner and a walk in the park.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Training, Part II

If yesterday's training session was a recap of the Ancient City Forum Fieldtrips, today was the Art History version. I met Dara and Arianna, another of the guides, at St. Peter's, and proceeded to practice the Vatican tour. Actually, Dara gave us the tour, which he completed in a trim 2.5 hours, having rushed through everything. Dara speaks very quickly, which he says is a side effect of being Irish, so I can only imagine how long I could make this tour last... Still, I will mainly be giving the Colosseum/Forum tour (six days a week) and the Pantheon tour (five days a week), so few people will have to suffer through my Tegmeyer-trained tours.

Being back in the Vatican Museums was breathtaking. I remember spending relatively large amounts of time there last year, but even though the impression of all the grandeur never really fades, seeing it again brought back all the wonder and awe. It made me smile to think how much I remembered from Tegmeyer's lectures and tour, and how much I had forgotten... I found myself unable to forget things like the tomb of Pope Alexander VII Chigi, sculpted by Bernini and in the left transept of the basilica.

I walked down to St. Peter's again today, because it is such a beautiful walk, and really one of my favorite places to go. Though it was overcast when I left, it was sunny by the time I arrived in the Piazza. It seems good weather is unavoidable here. Luckily, today I remembered sunscreen, and wore a collared shirt. Dara says I look like an American tourist, which I think is very astute of him. I did pop in to Zara yesterday, and they have some really beautiful clothes, but that will have to wait until I actually start making money... Perhaps it is my iPod which gives me away most, however (that is, if you aren't tipped off by the red hair), since those devices don't seem to be as popular in Italy as they are in the States. I like walking music, however, and I am particularly enamored of the new Coldplay song, Viva La Vida, which references both Roman cavalry and St. Peter. It seems particularly apt for walking to the Vatican.

Tomorrow is my day off, so I will probably go downtown, to the other centro, and get a phone, and find the English-speaking bookstore and bulletin board near the Piazza di Spagna. It feels so normal to be back here, like Rome is a family member I haven't seen in a while. I love the city, both the good and the bad parts of it (like the graffiti and the strange beaurocratic rules), and the city seems to love me back, staying thankfully unchanged since the last time I was here.

The Pitfalls of a Beautiful Day

Yesterday, as I think I've mentioned, was a gorgeous day, which I spent wandering the Forum. While I can't think of a better use for my time than that, I went to bed last night sporting a vicious sunburn, leaving a pale outline of my tank top. It is slightly better this morning, thanks in no little part, I think, to my liberal consumption of aqueduct water. Today, in contrast, is overcast, and very nearly cool, temperature-wise. I woke up late this morning (probably still a bit jet lagged) to find the students here taking their final right outside my room. My bleary eyed stumble out of my room must have surprised them, because I don't think any of them realized I was sleeping there. Though I would have liked to take a shower, I went on a walk to pick up an early lunch instead. This is not altogether bad, since today is very humid, and my hair dryer and I had a minor disagreement that ended with a small scale explosion. Needless to say, the hair dryer will not be coming home with me. The dastardly machine may have had the last laugh, however, as my hair now frequently looks like I have been licking batteries, or letting small rodents nest in it.

I finally returned to Carini Pizza for lunch, where Mario still runs the show, and had an old favorite, proscuitto cotto e patate. While munching on it, I walked down Via Carini, to check if the Kebab place was still there. Thankfully, it remains, and I have visions of it appearing in my near future, say, around dinner time. The Carabinieri were out in force on Carini, and I almost hoped that another car had exploded. Too amazing to happen twice, however, so it is my deduction that three of the Carabinieri needed a lunch break, and twelve Carabinieri had to accompany them, just in case. They make an art of standing around, and it is a well documented fact that Carabinieri have to do everything in groups of at least 6, including smoke cigarettes, guard a door, and help me up from the ground in Tarquinia. I can't complain, though, because they look so dapper in their Valentino-designed uniforms.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Return to the Forum

Today was my first day of training as a (semi)official tour guide in Rome. I met Dara at the Arch of Constantine, and we spent 4 hours reliving every Centro field trip to the Forum ever. I had to try not to smile too much, which I tend to do on account of my overpowering love and fondness for all the parts of the Forum. I was already familiar with most of the things he was telling me, which also made me smile, but it was a great refresher, and a really lovely walk. The weather this morning was a bit overcast, but after feeling a grand total of two rain drops, the skies cleared, and it was another glorious day.

The only thing that marred my afternoon was the disheartening discovery that the Italian government is now charging admittance to the Forum. The ticket gets you in to the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, as well, but it is not exactly cheap. Further frustrating is the student discount that applies only to students who are also citizens of the EU, and even my well-practiced British accent and my international student ID card do not suffice to attain it. In true Italian fashion, I need to present a legal document proving my EU citizenship. I am actually a bit surprised that there are not more restrictions, since the Italians love beaurocracy and paperwork. Still, the money from the tours pays for the tickets, so I should be ok in the end.

I am covering the Colosseum/Forum tours, 6 days a week, and the Pantheon tour once or twice a week. Tomorrow, I will be trained to give the Vatican tour, though right now I am not scheduled to give that one. Alas! I really love the Vatican, so I hope I might be able to give more tours there, either under the company aegis or on my own. I am able to work freelance, giving private tours, when I am not working for Dara, so I hope I will be able to pick up some more tours that way. Though I am somewhat motivated by money, I am more interested in sharing those parts of Rome's history and architecture that I love so much, in the hopes that they have the same mesmerizing effect on someone else that they do on me.

Morning Revelations

Buongiorno! After sleeping off the jet lag for nearly 12 hours, I woke up this morning to a slightly overcast (and thus slightly cooler!) day. Last night I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open, but I stayed up to the very late hour of 10 pm waiting to hear the results of my interview. I called this post "Morning Revelations" not because all the revelations came this morning, but because I was too tired to post them last night. They are as follows:

1. Dara, the person who runs the tour guide company, and who has been communicating with me since March, is not, as I had assumed, a woman. He is in fact a young Irish man.

2. Despite my misconception of Dara (which I prudently kept to myself), he chose to hire me as a tour guide (yay!). I suspect this has something to do with the fact that I not only blatantly overachieved on my interview speech, but that I made a reference to Fight Club in favorable comparison to his company.

3. The strange students I have seen wandering around the Centro are actually the first ever study abroad program from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Talk about a small world.

4. Ideal Bar, our old Centro haunt on the Viale Quattro Venti, still makes the best cappucino in the neighborhood, and Donatello still rings you up at the counter.

And finally:
5. Aqueduct water, as it flows out of the various fountains in the city, really does have magical powers. I have always held this to be true. Once, I was homesick, and I drank aqueduct water, and I felt better. Once, I had a sunburn, but when I drank aqueduct water, that felt better. I surreptitiously filled up my nalgene with it this morning, and it is incomparably delicious. I know, I know, how can water taste different? Must be magic.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The First Day/Night

Tonight I had to meet someone in Piazza San Pietro for an interview, and since it was a nice night (and I had missed the bus) I decided to walk from my place on the Gianicolo down to the Vatican. Today has been a long day (in fact, it has been two days), and coming back to the Centro triggers an emotional slideshow without any effort at all. So, sleep deprived and nostalgic, as well as stressed by the 2 hours it took me to get from the airport to the Centro (through no fault of my own), I unpacked a bit and felt somewhat down. This was a shocking feeling, given that I am in one of my favorite cities about to have a great summer. I went to the GS to get mozzarella buffala and prosciutto for dinner, and put a lot into preparing my little speech for my interview, and left around 7. The minute I hit the hill near the Villa Aurelia, all the bad feelings were gone. I couldn't dream a nicer evening: warm but not hot, sun almost setting, so the whole world was blue and gold. In truth, I had to pay more attention to the cars that were dangerously close to me than to the beautiful sky, but if there was one thing I needed to remind me how happy I am to be here, it was the view of the city and the Vatican from the Garibaldi monument on top of the Gianicolo. Rome really is an incomparable city, and looking out at it reminded me how lucky I am. The walk to St Peter's was gorgeous, just the perfect night for it, and there was almost no one in the piazza. Altogether, it makes me a bit sappy, thus the Byron stuck in my head....

Anyway, I am falling asleep as I type, so off to bed...

Solving other people's crossword puzzles...

Standing in line waiting to get on to the plane at Heathrow, I noted there were two British business men behind me. Not the CEO type, but the type that have little mustaches and are my height. They were talking about the crossword (which strangely in Britain is not the block of empty boxes interspersed with a few black squares familiar to us Yanks), and trying to solve a clue. Neither of the men could get it, and one said the clue "assumptive" and the other said "I have a_d_c_o__". Unable to help myself, I turned and said "Sorry, but its 'audacious.'" "But of course it is!" said the first man. "Jolly good one-upmanship!" said the other. I boarded the plane.

Unexpected Heathrow Layover

So, here I am in Heathrow, where it is about 8.30 am (or 2.30 am, Chicago time...) with some time to spare between flights. Things have been going my way all day, since I was bumped off a delayed flight to Newark and onto an earlier flight to London. I am fairly confident that Heathrow, with its British accents, is a significant improvement in layover destination over New Jersey, with God knows what kind of accents... My luck continued as I found myself seated next to a cute Austrian guy who plays tennis at the University of Texas. Despite having such a good seat buddy (he was also an interesting conversationalist), the flight was rather uneventful, and I touched down in Heathrow to discover an unexpected cache in my British bank account (must be the 'mad interest' the account makes...)

I'm now sitting down to the very traditional English breakfast of fried eggs on toast and edamame. Probably not the strangest two dishes I've ever had in one meal, but definitely up there. I got a big kick out of the water as well, as it comes from Llanllyr, Wales, not too far from my old hometown of Tongwynlais. I think I'll use the various British coins I have in my purse to stock up on polo mints and cadbury flake bars. Definitely glad to be making this stop.

It seems weird that when I woke up this morning, it was my birthday, and now I'm having breakfast in London, and in a few short hours, I'll be interviewing with Dara in Rome! What a day...

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

The Inaugural Post

Well Hello!

This is the first post on my blog, intended to chronicle my "aestas mirabilis" as a tour guide in the Eternal City. My flight leaves for Rome in 5 days, on my birthday, so I am spending them eating mexican food and sushi, and trying to decide what shoes to bring to the shoe capital of Italy...

Ciao,

Alex