A Day of Walking in Rome

Housekeeping woke me up this morning. So obviously I slept in. If you have to sleep in an alien bed, thenit has to be a Heavenly Bed. Pure Joy. While getting dressed, the phone rings and it's my new friend Armel, the Congo Protocol Officer. He wants to know if I've had breakfast. Nope. Armel has a little time before an 11:00 am press conference (the press is making a mess of the hotel) and watned to take me to breakfast. Free food is good food. We struggled through conversation in Spanglish & French over an omelette, strong azz coffee and mimosas.

Now this married African, whose wife is in Brussles on business (uh huh) wants to know if I'm married in the U.S. No, I'm married worldwide, I let him know. In 1/3 English, 1/3 Spanish and 1/3 French I tell him that there will no amore between mi and tu, solemente amigo's (and I prolly got that all wrong) but he got the drift. "Alas", he says, his loss. Damn skippy. A kiss on each check and I'm off on my walk about.

I headed toward the Spanish Steps and sat there for a while watching the crowd. I then headed down the most expensive street in Rome, Via Condotti, the center of Rome's fashion and luxury shopping where I promptly got my feelings hurt. I have found a shoe "salon" where I just have to have these shoes and I know that Erinwould die for, but at that moment I couldn't bring myself to drop $220 on a pair times 2. I marked the shop on my map for a return with Karen who will surley talk me out of it. RIGHT.

As I continue my trek, I stumble upon Gusto's a famous square of eateries written up in Bon Appetite several years ago and a place where my mother and I had THE best sandwich ever (well, next to the one we had on top of the Eiffel Tower). They weren't open at the time or I would have raised a glass to ya ma. I wished I could have called at that moment.

I continued on down Via Corso to the Piazza colonna where there is a huge column of the conquests of Marcus Aurelius with St. Paul on the top. I follwed the crowd to the Piazza de la Rolondo where the Pantheon is located...the oldest (27 BC) structure in Rome to survive in its entirety and contains the tomb of Victor Emmanuel II and Raphael. I stopped to have a beer and watch the afternoon crowd.

I was supposed to go out a photo class/tour at 3pm and we were to meet the guide at the Bronze Statue of Marcus Aurelius in the Piazza del Campidoglio. I make it there by 2:15 and walk through to take pictures and take in the view of the Roman Forum. By 3pm - NO GUIDE - I waited till 3:30 and decided to start my trek back to the hotel to cuss Expedia (who I booked the tour through) out. They tried to call the company, got no answer and refunded my money immediately.

Karen finally arrives and we went to dinner at this lovely restauant here at the hotel. Let the adventure begin.