The Sunny Side of Roma

It rained today in Rome, big fat drops that sent minuscule chills down my spine because they contrasted so much with the heat and the sunshine beating down upon our hats at noon on a Wednesday.

That was the second time it had rained, the first being on our first proper outing (the major downside of having an early flight from England, especially as we lost an hour in travel, was that we were too physically tired to actually get anything done on the first day). But it strikes me how different the rain is here compared to England. In England, the rain is depression, gloomy, unending, always hovering in the corner of one’s awareness that it could rain again at any time and pressure-change. In Italy, the rain is a change of mind, a I’ll-do-it-tomorrow. It rains, but the rain is soft and warm.

Funnily enough, the rain does not last long. It’s certainly a contrast from the onslaught that England gives. Like winter has come again too soon and with all the notice of a late-running train. Typical England!

It has been so sunny, too, in Rome. Each day brought with it a sunshine warm and soothing on my shoulder or my legs and my arms. This is the kind of weather I thrive in. If the weather might hurt, it also lights up the world, gears me up for adventure, and maybe even relaxes the soul.

Do you know? Rome has more obelisks than Egypt. Crazy Romans!

So, am I having a good time? Yes, I guess I am. Sometimes I have felt/feel as if in a constant state of fatigue, no matter what I am doing. The heat, I suppose. And not doing much specifically; it draws out thoughts of lounging under the covers and snoozing. And I wouldn’t mind that, to be honest, if it weren’t for the part of me that argues I should be out and about exploring.

To that vein, though, we had quite a nice wander this afternoon. Our hotel is near the Spanish Steps and so a good hour’s trundle away from places on the other side of the river, like the Vatican and the castle. Even so, the river itself is a picturesque – and shady, for my ginger hubby – area. Bikes and some cars are allowed to drive on the path alongside it, as they are with most of the roads in Rome (it seems the pedestrian crossing laws are a lot more…flexible than those in good ol’ London), but that is more of a rare occurrence when they have the major roads across the bridges anyway. So, the riverside walk itself was nice. There is currently a festival of food or culture or some-like going on by some areas of the river. We passed numerous outdoor restaurants and bars, though we got the impression that the festival (which is a 11am-2am event) really comes alive at night; and at 2pm-ish, most of the restauranteers and vendors were still setting up or rolling in. So to speak.

Of course, our walk took us to a café where we finished with some shakeratos (coffee shaken with ice then strained into a martini glass), then back to the hotel. I’m currently relaxing, but he’s managed to nap of course. The air-con is almost as cold as the rain. It is vexing.

Ooh la la! Did I go to the wrong city?