Fern e Mike a Roma Sept 9 2013

September 9, 2013

E Mezzanotte (It’s midnight)

Actually it’s nearly 1 am…

It was a long and complicated day.

Started out after breakfast with taxi to Campo di Fiori market (We have to take taxis everywhere because the Lord Byron Hotel is not in the center and not really close to a Metro station. We are not accustomed to being in hotels out of the center, but Mike’s brother and sister-in-law made the reservations. We could probably walk about a mile to a station, but it’s very very hot and humid… (again, not our usual month to travel.) We all strolled separately through the market arranging to meet up an hour later. I strolled quickly through the market and then on streets throughout the neighborhood… in and out of tiny alleyways.. and checking out some shops (but believe it or not, purchased nothing).

We all met up at the appointed time and then added another hour to our meet-up… and then decided to head to the San Lorenzo neighborhood which I had read about. San Lorenzo is actually adjacent to the Termini train station and is considered to be Rome’s new “Left Bank” — filled with students and artists and is close to La Sapienza University. Calling it the Left Bank is a bit of a stretch.. actually more than “a bit”… It’s pretty seedy and lacks any really “special places” — but you can see that gentrification is happening and the location — so close to the center — is an obvious draw as the center has no way to grow to accommodate new residents. Richard and Mike strolled in one direction and Elizabeth and I went in the opposite direction. As we walked, I was photographing many different things and we stumbled upon a building that had clearly been taken over by squatters — complete with banners, signs, etc. We could translate just enough to get the picture and understand that this was an anti-speculation protest. As I photographed a woman approached us asking if we were journalists. She proceeded to tell us the story of the building and what is happening in San Lorenzo. To make a very long story short (longer story since getting the information in half Italian/half English made it more complicated)… the protest involves the fact that a few years ago the city allowed artists to move into a dilapidated building — with a contractual agreement that they fix up the units and then vacate them in a given number of years following the renovation. Now, as the units have been renovated by the artists, the building has been purchased and the new owner does not want to keep to the contracted agreement and wants the tenants out. Turns out several members of the Rome City Council are developers and friends of developers…

From San Lorenzo we headed to Trastavere and again all walked in our own directions and arranged to meet up a few hours later. Eventually we all met and Richard and Mike decided to head back to the hotel (it was about 5) and Elizabeth and I continued to stroll and chat — eventually winding up at a little café continuing our conversation with white wine. We headed back to the hotel at about 8 pm… just in time to change to go to dinner… We decided to eat at a place about a mile from the hotel. Turned out to be quite good… Mike and I shared a fantastic antipasti of fried baby squid with shredded squash… fantastic.. followed by buccatini all’ amatriciana.. followed by a really wonderful sea bass… Good white wine and then red wine. Skipped dessert and finished eating at about 11 pm. Mike and Richard opted for a taxi back to the hotel and Elizabeth and I decided to walk back — just one mile (I sort of forgot that I was wearing heels and also that it was an uphill walk). But we made it (although we got lost once or twice so I think the mile turned into at least a mile and a half. Needed to use iPhone for directions and also as a flashlight on the dark streets, many without sidewalks and a lot of uneven pavement. Probably not a super idea given my “golfers vasculitis” but I’m fine.. made it here safe and sound — just in time to pack up to leave in the morning.