walking rome

Okay, have you heard that Rome is built on 7 hills? Yes, me too, but i forgot when planning my 4 hour walk. So... 15 km up and down hills, 3 of the 7. 

On Capitoline Hill, i overheard 3 different Italiano families talking about my (their) favorite tennis player. I thought it was astonishing until I saw thebPope had him over for a chat. The last pope liked him. I like him. 2 holy men and a holy terror. Good track record, Jannik.

I had Chat GPT do a free Roman ruin itinerary for me. People were paying 35€ to get into places I saw free from the hilltop. Or. Paying 170€ for a guided tour. I have Wikipedia, thanks. Free + free.

Overheard an American family. Boy: mommm, my legs hurt! Mom: (chipper as heck, in a 1970 Junior League kind of way: That just means we're having more fun!  I sided with the kid. Also, more fun than what? Breaking a leg skiing, I guess. 

I ate lunch at a place called Ce stamo a pensà. Roman dialect, not just Italian, "we'll think about it." Despite the name, good service. I'm losing weight weirdly fast, so WTH, no keto needed. I got a fried buffalo mozzarella pizza. Frying was crust, very lightly, in olive oil. Good, though I was walking, short of food for 4 days, and I might not be an impartial judge. €11.50, with a drink. For Rome? Very. Economical.

Church of santa maria maggiore. Loads of huge paintings and stained glass in every church in Italy. This is one

Roman ruins nearbthat church. It is a bit like random construction trash lying about the city. 

Well, don't lose your head over it. Chill. 

Pizza, fried, roman

Damned tourists.

Statues atop temple of Venus. 

Julius Caesar forum, i think. Realtor: charming fixer upper.

Triumphal arch if Septemius Severus, the black African emperor 

Some other Rome ruins. I lost track.

a guy on a horse at top of Capitoline hill. Zoom in for latin description 

Teatro di Marcello. Saw some kids snorting cocaine here. 

Portico d’Ottavia

same, but ruins you can touch. I did, but got less thrill than I had predicted.

sumpin else there, with carving

A new friend . I was lying on a marble bench. He was wondering if i was lunch. We chatted. 

I was legit exhausted. Staring into the sky.