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Rome has been home to two great empires of the western world: the Roman Empire (now the Roman Ruins) and the Christian Church (The Vatican).

Rome

Domz
2004-04-06 18:04:49

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At the Stazione Termini in Rome, we are immediately swarmed upon by hordes of seemingly helpful "tourist guides," who turn out to be hawking tourists to stay in their hotels in Rome. (The Rome streets contain large hordes of restaurant barkers as well-urging you to sample their delicacies.) One especially articulate and aggressive "guide" directs us to the Daphne B&B, which sounds okay given its modest price and central location.

The B&B starts out as a stunning "small world" experience. Alyssa, the proprietor at the B&B, asks us where we are from. "Florida." She tells us she used to live there in a city we have probably never heard of. "Gainesville." Turns out that she graduated from Buchholz High School in Gainesville the same year one of my two travel companions graduated from that school. And her father, who visits the next day while we are there, is an anthropology professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville, knows my friend and I by name, and played an important role in hiring one of my heroes at UF-Marvin Harris, the anthropologist, who is now dead.

In a scene from "Sparatcus," one of the classic movies of all time, slave-leader Spartacus (played by Kirk Douglas) issues one of the most stirring lines in cinematic history by shouting to the assembled mass of slaves that "we march on Rome TONIGHT!!!!"

So we begin our own version of "marching on Rome" to track down our B&B. I highly recommend the Daphne B&B (named after the famous Apollo and Daphne sculpture at the Borghese). Click here for their web site.

Their price is quite moderate. Their hospitality is quite helpful-particularly for those guests who speak English (and are from Gainesville FL...). And their location puts you within walking distance of most of the important Roman treasures.

My first stop in Rome is, of course, Vatican City. Toured the immense St. Peter's Basilica, which ...