Rick Steve’s Pocket Rome

A last minute purchase at my local Whole Earth Provisions Co., this guide is invaluable.  Mostly because it fits so discreetly into my small over the shoulder bag that I can whip it out to read and check out locations.  The small area maps depicting areas of interest or “tours” or “walks” is also handy except all of the streets are not listed.  The local map that Fabio at my hostel offers me fills in the blanks although I would probably need something much stronger than my eyeglass readers to actually be able to read the fine print.

My first half day in Rome includes getting on the shuttle bus to Rome’s Termini Train station and then onto Metro A toward Anagina and off at the third stop San Giovanni.  All is well until it becomes not so clear as to which exit is Magna Grecia.  I guess... and it isn’t until I have walked over four blocks that I realize it was not the correct guess.  Backtracking, I ask a local cabbie, who looks it up on an ancient dog-eared map book.

Right-Left-Right behind where I have been, and he points me toward my destination. Onward I trek.   It is now almost 5:00 as I come upon the front door of the building.  Inside a small car filled with Costco-like products is Domenico, one of the owners of "The Dreaming Rome Hostel". He lets me in and tells me to go to the 2^nd floor where brother, Fabio, greets me with a welcome drink and shows me around.

After setting up my bunk, I venture out on a backwards Rick Steve’s “Heart of Rome Walk”… starting at The Spanish Steps and ending at Piazza Navona.  After that, I walk the busy Corso Vittorio Emanuelle toward the Coliseum at dusk and come upon ancient, medieval and modern Rome., stacked on top of itself. I love this part of Rome as the melding of 2000 years comes together.  There is even a giant big screen playing the World Cup.