Life & Research Notes

This afternoon I was exploring the Palatine, a beautiful area of ruins in the middle of Rome near the Colosseum. I walked up a hill among old decaying brick and stone formations, and came upon a sizeable recessed grassy area that I think used to be a foundation for some larger building (my guidebook hints that it may have been the Casa dei Grifi).

A few couples and families were lounging around, reading and drinking wine, and it looked inviting. I lay down with my head on my pack, and watched the birds soar over and the clouds float by. I noticed the grass had some fennel mixed in with it, and it smelled wonderful. Next thing I knew I had been asleep for an hour. I guess I needed it.

Yesterday I was out on the Cinque Terra coast with Dave, Hayes, and a couple other nice CHI folks. It was a combination of nerding and hiking, just what I needed to spin me out of somewhat dour conference mode and into intrepid tourism! It rained off and on all day, and the sun never came out, but with crab linguine, muddy hiking, plentiful wine, precarious cliffs, and thick mists, I really can’t think of any way it could have been better. Plus the rain deterred the more pedestrian tourists.

Back in Florence, after a long day hiking and training around, it only took a couple large bottles of Moretti to knock us out, and we slept deeply and late into the morning. Then Dave and I climbed the Duomo, which was spectacular, especially the celing frescos depicting heaven and hell. Heaven is evidently boring, while hell involves having flaming sticks rammed up your ass. Catholicism is lovely.

A couple panini and desserts later, then I was packing up my stuff, saying goodby to Dave (who heads back to MIT tomorrow), then heading to the train station. I hopped a Eurostar to Rome, and it was less than two hours, almost too fast since I didn’t have enough time to read up on the city before I got here.

I seem to be staying in a mediocre guesthouse near the train station, in the area the guidebook authors think is sketchy. But it is just a normal traveller neighborhood, with cheap internet and laundry (which I am using right now), and it is probably for only one night anyway, as I am thinking of heading down to Naples or Sorrento tomorrow evening so I can get out to the Amalfi coast for some hiking.

More when I have time and a connection.

the old saying about life throwing curveballs… well it happened to me this week, and it happened when i was already out of my element here in florence. it totally rearranged my perspective. it is striking how one minute i can be excited and happy, and the next woozy with my heart racing. a little new information can change everything.

but i am here, and trying to make the most of italy. switching into backpacker mode again, which i know so well. here in a sketchy ass internet cafe with the keyboard all backwards. why is the damn ‘@’ so hard to do? the familiarity of the weird. it is good. plus today i was hiking, in my zone, on one of the most beautiful coastlines of the world. got me back in my zone. it’s how i’ve balanced myself out before. again, the familiarity helps.

so, back to florence. tomorrow some cruising around with dave, then after that i think rome, then naples, then pompei and hopefully some hikes on the amalfi coast south of there. then venice, where i hope to wander aimlessly as i’ve been advised by many friends i trust. maybe some other stuff in between. if i move fast enough i’ll be more tired when i get home than when i left, which isn’t exactly the vacation i was planning, but is perhaps exactly what i need right now.