At the end of a long day, I droop over my bed, doing my one finger typing and wondering how many people can touch type. I never could, and it seems that little iPad keyboards impede any attempt at touch typing.
I am now in Rome, having travelled by bus to Camucia, and from thence to Roma Termini. Being a kind and gentle person, or so I claim to be, it occurred to me that some of my fellow passengers might not know how to work out which platform they should be on. And so it was, and we all caught our trains.
You have to be impressed by the Italian road and train system. Perhaps it was easier for European countries, being smaller and more densely populated than Australia, to build a good network. There are some very impressive engineering feats, over often very difficult terrain. (I keep wondering however people found their way across precipitous snowclad mountains.)
Having walked from the station to the hotel, and settled in, I went out to explore, snd to test my deep conviction that whatever direction I take to a place will turn out to be mistaken. And so it proved to be yet again, but I did at least get there and back, and so, presumably, did most of the milling hordes.
In Rome I like to revisit places, so I found the Triton fountain of Bernini, and the Palazzo Barberini (where you can see lots if Caravaggio paintings, which are fiercely protected from the likes of tourists and art lovers by the ever watchful but grumpy staff).
I like to revisit via Rasella, the site of an Italian resistance group during the German occupation of Italy. They managed to kill about 33 German soldiers, and in retribution the Germans rounded up, at random, ten times the number of those killed by the resistance, took them all to the Ardeatine caves,
shot them all, and filled the entrance with cement. Those massacred are now remembered.
Via Rasella runs off the street where the Palazzo Barberini is, and , as I stood contemplating history, tourists, traffic, gelato, and tired feet, my attention was caught by a large gathering of uniformed police and sundry helpers, who hooked up and then removed first one sleek and large black car, and then an inoffensive and microscopic car, and tow them both away. Don't even think of parking here! I was entranced and took many photos, which I would try and load if I had the strength, the will, and the know how.
However, i managed to have a meal, not very good, and to get the hotel to show me how to work the airconditioner, and to replace a light globe. So I think I will take to my bed, soon, instead of just sitting on it doing this one fingered typing.
Goodnight, goodnight, to who ever my readers might be. Buona Notte. Tomorrow is time enough to work out what to do next.
I am now in Rome, having travelled by bus to Camucia, and from thence to Roma Termini. Being a kind and gentle person, or so I claim to be, it occurred to me that some of my fellow passengers might not know how to work out which platform they should be on. And so it was, and we all caught our trains.
You have to be impressed by the Italian road and train system. Perhaps it was easier for European countries, being smaller and more densely populated than Australia, to build a good network. There are some very impressive engineering feats, over often very difficult terrain. (I keep wondering however people found their way across precipitous snowclad mountains.)
Having walked from the station to the hotel, and settled in, I went out to explore, snd to test my deep conviction that whatever direction I take to a place will turn out to be mistaken. And so it proved to be yet again, but I did at least get there and back, and so, presumably, did most of the milling hordes.
In Rome I like to revisit places, so I found the Triton fountain of Bernini, and the Palazzo Barberini (where you can see lots if Caravaggio paintings, which are fiercely protected from the likes of tourists and art lovers by the ever watchful but grumpy staff).
I like to revisit via Rasella, the site of an Italian resistance group during the German occupation of Italy. They managed to kill about 33 German soldiers, and in retribution the Germans rounded up, at random, ten times the number of those killed by the resistance, took them all to the Ardeatine caves,
shot them all, and filled the entrance with cement. Those massacred are now remembered.
Via Rasella runs off the street where the Palazzo Barberini is, and , as I stood contemplating history, tourists, traffic, gelato, and tired feet, my attention was caught by a large gathering of uniformed police and sundry helpers, who hooked up and then removed first one sleek and large black car, and then an inoffensive and microscopic car, and tow them both away. Don't even think of parking here! I was entranced and took many photos, which I would try and load if I had the strength, the will, and the know how.
However, i managed to have a meal, not very good, and to get the hotel to show me how to work the airconditioner, and to replace a light globe. So I think I will take to my bed, soon, instead of just sitting on it doing this one fingered typing.
Goodnight, goodnight, to who ever my readers might be. Buona Notte. Tomorrow is time enough to work out what to do next.
3 comments:
Oh, I hope you are having a marvellous time!Such a big help to know the language. The same is true in the US. We could learn a lot about public transportation from the Europeans. Here we are overly dependent on cars. Have fun and be safe!
I'm a reader! And I am so enjoying your travelogue - thank you for taking the time to type it on your iPad so I can read it on mine.
On typing: many years ago I taught myself to touch type on a portable typewriter by writing long letters to my friends with my eyes closed. On a keyboard I still use all my fingers, but can no longer do it blind with any reasonable accuracy. But here on the iPad: one finger scooting about the dinky little virtual keys!
You are so brave, doing all that by yourself - though as Molly says, it does help to know the language. It sounds like a wonderful trip. You'll have lots to remember when you get back.
Touch typing is very easy to learn. You just have to NOT look at the keyboard until you can do it. I learnt on a keyboard with blank keys, which helped! - as did my children. It takes about 6 hours to be able to touch type faster than you can write neatly. I think I thought that piano playing might be just a bit harder. Alas...
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