Rome: Arrival and St Peters

Well, after arriving in Rome after a mixed bag of flights (including another two hours on the tarmac at Dubai), I arrived pleasantly in Rome.

The transfer from the airport to the hotel is worth mentioning. It confirmed what everyone has said about Roman drivers, and I was lucky enough to have the front seat in the minibus to experience all that white-knuckle action right within meters of my face. The memorable thing is that the driver, who was fantastically helpful and efficient, obviously liked his eighties new-wave music and had his radio tuned to an appropriate channel. Most of the way, all that eye-popping action was accompanied by Spandau Ballet ballads and Phil Collins. It reminded me of the chase scene from “The Other Guys”.

Anyway, I arrived in town just in time for a late afternoon walk. I just grabbed the LX and headed out the door.

Just like Tokyo, the hotel is wonderful but more importantly, wonderfully located (thank you Karen of Travel Counsellors!). A short walk and turned the corner to be confronted by the R. Tiber… er, sorry… the Tevere. It was another one of those moments when reality slaps you in the face; there it was… the same river that… yep, well, a lot of things happened within a shout of.

Following the river without looking at a map I had a general historical idea of where everything should be. I turned a corner, and there was St Peters. I couldn’t see the Pantheon, so somehow I expected I should be able to, just ten minutes’ walk away across the river. I decided to head for what I could see, and paid a visit to St Peters, instead.

Two hours later, I was back at the hotel for a beer on the roof, a pizza and an early night. I fell asleep with the lights on.

First glimpse of the Tevere... formerly known as the Tiber. It was a sobering moment. Apologies to the purists for the HDR effects... and the lens flare. Sometimes I like lens flare, when its real.

St Peter's just turned up. I've been warned that Rome is like that.

The front porch at St Peter's

Back lit fountain in the square. The light was gorgeous to see. 

St Peter's. It looks like they hold open air events here. I wonder who's playing? <chortle>

Y'know... I really should have a better idea of all the stuff I'm looking at. I'm beginning to realize very quickly that I'm missing a couple of millenia of this city's history.

Gotta love those columns.

I talked someone into taking a gratuitous selfie of me. While I was posing, someone walked past carrying a Pentax 67. The usual Pentax banter followed, and my photographer grabbed the moment. I actually really like this one.

St Peter's again.

I have no idea why anyone would eat on this street. Seriously, a casual glance at the plates and across check of prices... three streets away there is a world of difference and the same ambiance. You're simply not just around the corner from St Peter's I suppose.