Rome

I'm just back from 2 days and am determined to return to spend some proper downtime there. It might of been the perfect weather, great food, or laid back vibe of the place, but I think there's a ton to discover and do which can't be achieved through snatched hours between meetings.

Style.

If there is one word to describe Romans its style.

Italians put themselves together well. Really well.

There were very few fashion victims, but it does seem extreme to see someone dressed like this at 8:30 on a Saturday morning:

Maybe she hadn't been home yet. As you can see, boots are the thing this season. Ninety percent of the women on parade were wearing boots more expensive than my suit and I don't wear cheap suits!

Even the cops look slick

I spent my three evenings there, sitting at outside tables sipping wine and watching an astonishing fashion parade of sweet young things and even more stylish middle aged things. Sitting as we were in work suits, and weighed down with computers and brief cases, we cut a rather odd picture surrounded by all of that Prada, Gucci and tanned skin. The vibe was very tolerant and everyone seemed quick to smile and flirt regardless of the language barrier.
Italians have flirting down to a science....WOW!
It was all very good fun.
If you find yourself with an hour or two to kill from 10:30 on, try any of the bars and cafes off the Piazza Navone. Get an outside table at Bar Della Pace (Via Della Pace) and watch the beautiful parade go by.
Pricey but friendly!

For a tourist, Rome is all about past glories. Walking around the city you're surrounded by antiquities and monuments to a time when the city was the centre of the civilized world. I won't go into any detail around the pictures below but suffice to say, everywhere you look there were wonders to be seen.

Pantheon
What a Dome.

Imagine living in a city where scenes like the one above blend into everyday life. I found myself sitting on two thousand year old benches which would have had " pride of roped off place" in museums anywhere else. It's surreal to sip espresso and eat gelatto whilst looking across a piazza at 2000 year old buildings.

Trevi Fountain.
Toss a coin in over your back and ensure your return to Rome. Remember the movie?



Thats it for now.

I have to get my day going and clean up my place and do what looks like a month's worth of laundry!

Next trip is Asia with a brief stop enroute in NYC.
Hope all of you are healthy and Happy
T