Roma

Oct. 3, 2008

I've come across some interesting characters on this trip around Europe. In Rome in particular, I hung out with several cool but kind of weirdo guys. On my first night in town, I joined three Americans, Ian, Justin and Rome (of all names), and an Australian named Luke, on a stroll/bar crawl around the city. I stopped to take a photo of the building nicknamed the Birthday Cake when all four guys started dancing and harmonizing to the Backstreet Boys. It was both fabulous and frightening. I had befriended a boy band.

Rome (short for Jerome) told me he is polyamorous, whatever the hell that means. "Maybe you're not secure enough for that type of relationship," he said.

I said, ewww, that's gross, dude. The other guys agreed.

I spent the next day with Luke, Ian and Justin at Vatican City. I had no idea how big art hawkers the popes all were. As I said before, all of the Renaissance paintings feature mostly naked, muscly figures. You'd think they'd make the pope blush.

Ian and Justin, who are traveling together, convinced Luke and myself to stay up all night, see the sights of Rome and then catch an early train to Switzerland. It seemed like a brilliant idea. Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Coliseum all by night were amazing. Getting on three different trains starting at 6:30 a.m. after staying up all night was not so much.