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.
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