Getting Away

A lovely weekend spent mostly outside the walls of Rome. Friday I had to stick around the city because I had a make-up class which was awful and boring. But on Saturday Esther and I went to Ostia Antica which is just a mere 30 minutes away. But it's a different place. It's the sire of Rome's old port town and it has some of the best preserved ruins of an ancient city. It's also normal, everyday life ruins so you get an idea of what aregular town was like back then. And the best part is...you can touch everything. They just let you loose on the ruins and you can climb and touch and chip away as you please. I did not steal any rocks though. I was very pleased that I could touch everything because I always like touching old stuff and I even got to climb around on walls and stuff. I did feel a little bad because my actions are clearly not contributing to the preservation of the site but still. I had to. You can't touch anything in Rome. So Ostia is awesome. I'll be going back there a number of times for one of my classes. I'll act more scholarly then. Today (Sunday) I decided to strike out on my own. My first real solo adventure outside of Rome and I went to Assisi. Well before that I wandered around Termini train station and found Santa Maria Maggiore which I've been learning about in my art history class. A lucky coincidence. I walked in and Mass was going on so that was equally lucky. I think there were some important clergy there, lots of red hats and those security-type fellows. Oh and a priest choir! Absolutely lovely. So I was quite pleased with that as I rode to train to Santa Maria degli Angeli/Assisi. The station is actually in Santa Maria which is about 3 miles from Assisi which is in turn on a big hill. I wandered around Santa Maria for a bit then decided to walk/hike up to Assisi. A brilliant idea. Truly. It was nice and cool and a little bit blustery. A long trek but it was kind of like my only little pilgrimage. The Basilica di San Francesco is beautiful, obviously a very popular site. And all of Assisis is built from this pretty pinkish stone. So I got to see St. Francis's tomb and all that. It started getting stormy while I was there which I was pleased about. I love a good storm so my walk back was fantastic. It was really nice to be alone and out in the country. I love my solitude and the opportunity to be completely away. I was the only person walking too so my hike was uninterrupted. Delightful. Then a train/bus ride home. Strangely enough, I read Kafka's Metamorphosis. I would. Very smooth for my first time outside the city alone. Clearly I can do anything now. Maybe next time I'll try an actual city. But let's not set our expectations too high.

Also, I have been hit on/propositioned by far too many men this weekend. When Esther and I were out, two old men got all creepy on us when we were sitting by a fountain. And then when we were walking in a crowded piazza in the middle of the day, this was said to us, no joke: "Want to have sex? Yes?" NO! And there is always the usual "ciao, bella" nonsense and whatever noises they make. When I was waiting for my various means of transportation, I got a lot of that kind of stuff. Probably because I was alone. Even with my most surly and mean look, they still approach. That's the worst part of being here, I think. They can tell I'm not Italian, or even European for that matter, and that makes it worse. I am good at ignoring them and walking away but it's just annoying. I might be getting meaner while I'm here. I have to be. These Italians just don't smile and laugh in public as much as Americans do. And not so much greeting each other on the street unless they know the other person. I'm already pretty mean when walking around even Iowa City so I have practice. But watch out. When I get back I will appear Italian-unhappy in public. That doesn't mean that they are unhappy; they just don't feel the need to smile and say hello. Va bene. A little cultural difference.