La bella Roma

(bare with me as this was all writen in portuguese and i'll be translating as I go)

Arrived to Ciampino arround 11:40, catch the bus right on time (last one at midnight), no seats! I have this very bumpy trip sitting on the stairs in the center on the bus, entertained by the italian driving. The people on the bus even scream on certain curves. Inside I'm laughing out loud, feel like screaming "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!" with an evil smile and laughter, but no one would understand...
At last we arrive to Termini. Train central. I ask all around, nobody knows where Via Vicenza is!! Well...start walking.
Found a cyberdump. 00:30am, Happy 25th of april (liberation day in Portugal)
Chat on Msn, look for hostel. Duh! Via Vicenza is the fucking road right in front of were the bus dropped me. Ho well. Fully enjoy my paid hour, check the blogs, emails, chat with the insomniacs. Till the time that the bearded mule starts to talk italian to me, despite my wide eyes and open mouth staring at him, the creature doesn't realise that I! don't understand a single word he says. I leave.
Alessandro Palace Hotel, cute place. I'm greeted by a Giovanni, nice, brazilian speaking. A "tête a tête" with 2 australian girls and 35 euros later, I have a room!! Hurray!! Repeat with me. Hurray!!
Room 27, 4 beds shared. Here we go, into the room there's only another poor sap there, that at 2:30am puts his head up out of the sheets and mumbles "where you from?" to which I reply "Portugal", and get the following answer "oi cara, sou do brazil" (hey man, I'm from brazil). Is it possible that no one speaks italian in this town?
I take a bath, exhausted, have a pleasent conversation with the brazilian Luis, and go to sleep. Essentials under the pillow, he does the same. Hahaha
Morning slaps me at 7:30am, Fuck!
I get up, breakfast is free till 10, and I'm in cost control!
A quick shower just to tame my eduard scisor hands hair, and out.
Ceral breakfast, which means weat and milk. Booking the hostel at Alessandro, no rooms for tonight, only 27th...ok, i book the 27th, another 35€ but can't risk it. "And for tonight Peter?", "Try yellow hostel" he says. There goes hugo to Yellow. Very well spoken english by 2 cute girls, that for some reason it seemed they took an interest in the animal here, as they do not have a room for me, but quickly got on the phone and got me a bed! Stargate hostel, but I got to run, so I do. Good girls! Stargate hostel, the name says it all. BUT! 25€... Good on yah girls.
There goes the petulant and guarantees a bed for the night, all paid. I'm not sleeping on the street. Feet on the road. Rome, here goes litle Portuguese boy.
With an adorable little map and a pen in hand to scribble down routes, nathing scares me.
Termini, during the day, opened, it's very appealing. Last night it wasnt as friendly, mainly because of the duzens of homeless people, together lined up, to sleep at the door... Pains the soul.
Withdrawl money, and start my journey. From Via Vicenza to Viale Castro Pretorio i arrive at the Piazza Crôce Rossa, and Rome give me her first hit. Bella, or Molto Bella! The colours, the passing of time, the green and the old orange.
With a rejuvenated soul, as if a dive in cold water, i sontinue to Porta Pia. First monumental monument in this moment. I follow my defined paths and sooner than later, that feeling that reminds me of Belfast, returns. The sense of adventure. The wanting to see, know, belong, discover. It's ALIVE, there is soul, I'm not emotionaly dead! Something I've been dreading these past few days, weeks, months, year.
There's life inside this chest, there's courage. After all, I'm alone in Rome. Might not be that much of a deal in my own head, but in truth, there's some coure about that, with a litle to praise to myself. Alone in Rome, expensive gesture, finantialy risky, but extremely simbolic to me. A liberate, liberty, a will reborn. (Um libertar, liberar, um querer a renascer!) A wanting more, a wanting to deserve. In sum, a moment where finaly value myself, where the first soul I want to save, is mine.
Even the breathing brings new air, and as I write these pages in this end of day, in the centre of Rome, Piazza del Teatro Pompeo, with a wonderful Pizza Napoletana, with anchoves, I dring a wonderful nectar, surrounded by beautiful people, fiery and sexy women. A brown man, from the sin, the sun, or dirt, witha moustache and black shirt plays acordeon while this fresh place cools my day. Ans i think to myself, inside my litle head, quoting the fantastic Canela. I'm living the good things in life. What other man celebrates a destructive and destroying love grief? The end of a life taht extended into a future. A connection that wasn't there for a long time now. what other man, celebrates this depressing phase in his life, and puts an end to it, by going to Rome alone, dine with the natives, as it was taken from a movie?
If there's something I apreciate in me, is the taking risks. Risking it now, and containing myself later. For now I need myself, my madness. To save me from my grief, to my attachment to a big love, that only demanded from my part.
What a great day I had...
What a great day, walked alot. My feet wanted ti see and know as much as my heart. So I did, I walked, ran, enjoyed, paused and had a day like I haven't had in a long time. A day with myself, with my music, with the music froma city, with something new.

In peace.



Money comes and goes, bu days like this, they don't repeat themselves, they're fabricated. How? Living. Life isn't more than living. Counting pennies is wasted time. Not spending beyond the means, no! Save, always! Mas also, spend... for our biggest investment, is ourselves.
Let us spoil oursleves. Not all of us, but most of us, we deserve it. I know I do!
I know that for all the good I did, beyond what would be asked of any man. Got evil, mean, and bitterness that no man deserves. If "karmicaly" I don't feel balanced, i make my own well being.
Enough of venting!
I'm in ROME, feeling GREAT! and would like to go back to my day, that followed to the beautiful and cozy Piazza Sallistio.
But the tables are full, jsut asked for the check, i'm leaving soon. I have my hostel in the other side of Rome. Lot of walking to be done. When I get there I'll continue, promisse. For what's on my soul has to go to paper.
For the very least, todays itinerary. WEll, to myself, and to you book, an anxious see you soon.




- Rome 24/04/2008