Hello Rome! Wed. Oct. 21, 2009

Well, we arrived more than an hour early, however we waited for over half an hour for our bags to show up at baggage claim.  My duffle was one of the first ones to show up and I grabbed it and made my way to the train that goes to Rome's central train station.  The fabulous blackberry, which I downloaded Google maps onto, shows me as a blinking blue dot and my hotel as a star.  I followed the map, blackberry in hand, and it led me straight to the Hotel Tirreno on Via di San Martino ai Monti 17 (http://www.tirreno-hotel.it/).  I stashed my bags in their storage room and went out to lunch.  I had a lovely salad with arugula, romaine, chicken, olives, corn and tomatoes with vinegar and oil.  The only weird thing at lunch was that I was charged 1 Euro for bread!  I don't really eat a lot of bread, not that I a low carb person or anything, I am just not a huge bread eater, unless it is about putting something on it.  Since no one asks you if you want bread, I made a mental note to remember to not let them serve me bread at my next meal.  Afterwards, I walked back to the hotel and used the free wi-fi in the bar/lounge/lobby until 2pm and checked in.  My room is small, but not too small and has a normal sized bathroom with a shower, toilet and bidet.  The best part of the room is the private courtyard.  It is almost as large as the room and has french doors that open onto it.  There is also a window to the courtyard from the shower.  There is a minibar, which I have emptied to make room for cheese and anything else I buy tomorrow at the Campo di Fiore market, and a TV and phone.  There is also remote controlled heating and cooling in the room, which is very effective. 

After unpacking, showering and a nap, I got up and went out to dinner at a restaurant near my hotel called La Forchetta.  The service was friendly and the food was excellent, if simple.  I had a light meal of salad and beef carpaccio with arugula and parmesan, a beer and water con gaz (sparkiling) and no bread.  Before dinner I walked around and found a busy, tiny Irish pub and a packed Chinese restaurant full of young locals and an awesome looking Swarma take-out place.  There are many pizzerias and gelaterias all centered around the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.  Most of them spill out onto the sidewalk with little tables and umbrellas.  It is a nice neighborhood full of Italians and tourists.  The area near the Central train station is packed with hotels, so the area caters to both.  No one is offended by my lack if Italian, but I was able to order dinner in Italian and am learning bits and pieces as I go. 

Well, it's half past midnight and I better get my beauty rest if I am to be bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.  After the Campo di Fiore market I am walking to the Piazza di Spagna.  It's a good historical walk and I want to see Rome on foot.  More tomorrow.......