33 oC in Roma today

I woke later than normal, a slightly more civilised 6am but it put us behind with our plans for another sunrise tour of the city.

Instead we moved to Plan B and wandered down to our favourite barrista on the other side of Berlini's Sant' Angelo bridge. The cafe is run-down from the outside but I suspect it's a disguise to avoid the popularity that would come if he made the perfect coffee and had a stunning large and beautiful place.

Sitting at a small round pavement table, we wrote postcards and sighed over how good the coffee and cornetto were and how lucky we were to have discovered him. Julie asked if she might take his photograph (I couldn't because I've been the tourist ordering caffe lait while she's the impressive expresso-ordering chick) but he was lovely and told me I should take off my straw sunhat as he posed with me however ... not understanding much Italiano, I didn't get it in time. The photo was taken, with the hat firmly in place.

Castel Sant 'Angelo was my big plan for today. I came back to get digital images of a particular statue and there was curve and a doorway in this castel begun back in about AD123 by Hadrian. It's the place I love best in Rome although ... Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona and walking the streets between Vatican city and the Colosseum are surely second equal to the castel.

It was so hot at 8am that I feared the worst. My Belgian weather-soul was posting strong warnings about the heat as my back began to create its own little riverflow.

More than 20 celsius at 8am!!!

Water is the drink of the moment, and there was me planning to be the queen of red wine during my time here. Sparkling water, Italian sparkling water ... is there any water as good or does it simply taste good because I love this place so well?

The jasmine is in flower here, can you imagine the scent of it in the heat?

Somehow the Romans have managed to maintain Nature within in the city; to maintain civility with the constant stream of wide-eyed tourists; to maintain a quality of life that impresses me.

I need a usb stick to move my photographs, although Erin did suggest that I take my laptop to the internet cafe ... a fact not remembered until this very second. It's the heat ...

Tonight we're hoping for a night tour of the city. We walk almost everywhere, using metro where possible, trying to avoid losing my knee to the dark place. A night tour tonight, using bridges and monuments as the heavy tripod I chose not to pack.

In the morning, an early start and a metro to Travestere. My 5am awakenings have been useful here, the light is truly astounding as the sun rises and I suspect the ancient architects added something to their buildings so as to create the pink through to golden glow as the sun moves through the day.

I guess that's more than enough from this woman wandering in Rome. I hope alles goed where ever you are.

Take care,
Di