Roman Holiday

So, better late than never.  About my trip to visit Lauren in Rome (November 25-27).

The flight -- SAS to Fiumicino -- was pleasant enough, and about two and a half hours long.

While I waited for the train to Termini, I bought a slice of pizza.  Even crappy airport pizza in Rome is about as good as average restaurant-ordered pizza in the U.S., and far better than pizza in Denmark (which is akin to soggy cardboard).

The Italian rail system is of Mussolini-era vintage, and amazingly, still runs on time (the buses are another matter; punctuality, safety, and comfort go right out the window).

Rome is a lot bigger and dirtier than Denmark.  It's a lot more chaotic.  But also a lot warmer.  The average daytime temperature was in the mid-60s, and it never dropped below around 50 at night.

Because Lauren isn't allowed to have guests, and refuses to break Italian laws (which seem to apply to everyone except Italians), I had to pay for one of two nights in this nice (budget) hotel room.

We spent our first evening walking around and looking at churches.  There are a lot of churches in Italy.  And unlike Danes, some Italians actually go to church.

There are also a lot of columns.

Here's the pantheon.

The function of this hole is to allow rain and pigeons to water and fertilize the floor.

Raphael is in that box.

Here's another one.  Lauren is going to have to help me with the names of all these churches.

Here's Saint Matthew, being pestered by an angel.

"Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi" (Fountain of the Four Rivers) at Piazza Navona

A street market

That night, we had aperitivo for dinner at a restaurant called Fluido.  You order a drink and then have access to a buffet.  It's supposed to be appetizers for before you go to dinner, but if you cheat, you can make it your entire meal.  Afterwards: gelato!

The next morning:

There are these fountains on the street that you can just drink out of.

 Make a donation to the church, and you can light a candle!

 When you're collecting mad tribute from your peasants, you can buy a lot of art!

A bridge crossing the Tiber

Another street market.  Lauren bought me some chocolate-covered almonds here.

A Roman road near the Colosseum.  The Romans probably stubbed their feet a lot.

Not pictured: a gladiator talking on his cell phone and smoking a cigarette.

I can't believe I'm feeling it!

"Altare della Patria," also called the "Wedding Cake."

Capitoline Hill

 The Forum, or what's left of it.

 If you throw a coin into the Trevi fountain (it must be done behind your back), you will return to Rome.

 Here's Lauren, hiding behind a rock near the fountain.

 This is on the main shopping street.  I really, really like this.  A lot.

 This obelisk stands in the Popolo.  The Romans stole a lot of obelisks from the Egyptians.  How they got them to Rome is anybody's guess -- they are big!

 The Spanish Steps

 We went to a restaurant called Dar Poeta after visiting the Steps.  This pizza has potatoes on it.  Hands down the best pizza I've ever had.

 It's my last day in Rome, but my plane doesn't leave until late.  So, here we are, walking to the Vatican.

 The Pope says hi from his window.

 St. Peter

 A Swiss guard.  Yes, they are still Swiss.  They also have to be single Catholic men, 19-30 years old, at least 5'8, at least high school graduates, who have undergone Swiss army training (although nearly all Swiss men have, under universal conscription).  And in spite of the uniforms, they also use the same weapons used by the Swiss army (firearms, but I'm sure they have the little folding knives, too).

 Walking back to the train station along a footpath on the Tiber.

 ...And saying goodbye.  I don't get to see her again until December 18. 

Aside from the plane back almost crashing into the Baltic in a windstorm, everything was A-OK.

Ever since coming back from Rome, I've started cooking a lot more pasta.

In fact, I've been eating more food in general.  The daylight cycle here in Copenhagen has been tricking me into thinking it's dinner time all the time.

This is 4:30 in the afternoon.  Really.