Those people at Google and Co have got a lot to answer for. Ever since I reached the Eternal City (or as I call it, the Infernal City), they've changed all the headings to ITALIAN!!! So they ask me to Scrivi uno Titolo del Post which they want me to Pubblica. Draft becomes Anteprima, et cetera (now I'm doing it!)
Night and Day, where I am staying in Roma, is an absolute gem. This is no advert, but an absolutely genuine recommendation.
I arrived (in the late shuttle from the airport) to find a large green double door firmly locked and with no-one around. The owner, Monica, (see pic above) rushed up. She had been in the supermarket at the end of the street. She had not known whether I was definitely arriving as I hadn't received her email (I was flying over someone's house at the time). We ascended three flights of stairs, along the hall and into the kitchen.
Night and Day runs to its own rules. It isn't a five star hotel, but neither is it a backpackers' hostel. It is a home from home run by Monica, who is kindness itself. There are only three bedrooms and you can buy your own breakfasts from the shops around. Monica doesn't stay on the premises, she just provides a house in the centre of Rome for the discerning.
Monica had been buying some Mortadella (made from freshly killed Mortadellans) and some brown breadsticks (a bit like grissini, but not quite) which we ate with an espresso and water while she helped me with the best cafes for tiramisu, the best churches (I know you would like this one, John!) She also told me about the number 85 route which goes to all the most important places (and it does for only 1 euro 50). She is a guitarist, blues singer with her husband and seems to like maps. She had prepared a map for me with apples, pears and hearts post=it notes plastered all over it. (You will LOVE this little restaurant in Trastevere!).
Three maps later, she happened to mention that she loved cats. She has one of her own, but this is a picture of TeeTee, a male of some regard who lives downstairs.
TeeTee in the Entrance Hall (ll e uno gatto bravo e grande, o qua?)
Then I was given the keys to my room - actually FOUR keys in order to get out. One was for my room, one for the apartment, one for the security gate and one for the front door. It took me half an hour (probably not an exaggeration) to reach the street. There are many ways in theory to operate a key and the accumulated odds of getting it right must be close to winning Lotto!
The frontage of Night and Day
That's my room over the front door!
Tomorrow I move on to Florence, or Flower ence. In Italian, a flower is fior, so Florence is Fiorenze or, Firenze. The town of the flowers.
So it will be Arrivederci Roma. I shall miss the changes for the good which have happened in the last five years. I saw no more migrants, perhaps fewer than five years ago. And all was safe in the hands of the Roma Police (together with their semi-automatics).
Mustn't bore you anymore tonight, so I shall salva this before I pubblica it. After all, I am the Autore del post. It says so. Dreading Prague if this keeps on. Will Google have a czechlist and a spellczecher lurking in the undergrowth?
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