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I woke late and enjoyed a long slow breakfast at my window posse, and watched Venice go about it's daily business. I caught a midday train to Rome, it's a 4 hour journey that went quickly thanks to my new book about the stig and top gear compliments my motor enthusiast English friends.
Rome is a massive contrast to Venice and lake como. First of all they are crazy drivers - there are no lanes, there are no sides of the road, you do what you can get away with and swear profusively at the other drivers! There are lots of cyclists and vespa riders who smoke and talk on mobile phones as they go and are just a big a danger! Everything is on a grand scale, you are stumbling across one famous antiquity after another! The vibe of the Romans is they are in one big hurry but look absolutely amazing going about their business. I am staying near piazza narvona, a very hip old area full of cafes, wine bars and interesting shops. My pensionne is an old cardinals residence, and has been turned into a hip boutique hotel. I have the dreaded single bed again, but a really well equipped room (tv, minibar, kettle) and the best bathroom so far for Italy. To get to my room I climb an elegant spiral staircase.
I explored the immediate area - first up the piazza navona, home to 3 fountains, many artists and lots of cafes that charge like wounded bulls - all the good food and prices are around me. I then visited 2 ancient sites, the temple of Hadrian and the Pantheon. The photo is of the inside of the pantheon, the dome is open at the top to light the inside of the temple built to honour the roman gods circa 27BC. I also visited 3 churches to admire the incredible baroque ceilings and artworks - the churches are museums and art galleries in their own right.
I have a local dinner - veal saltimbocca, a very roman dish, and some gelato and retire to finish my book.
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