Italy: Day One

Day One: After what seemed to be an interminable flight on Swiss Air, I arrived at Fiumicino. The guide book refers to Aeorporto Leonardo da Vinci, but I saw little reference to that name. I had arranged for a airport shuttle, which was a little late. There was evidently a mix up on my arrival times. However, I was glad to have had a driver who could find my hotel amid the complex rabbit warren of narrow side streets that characterize the older sections of the Eternal City. The Hotel Navona lived up to its unprepossessing appearance: surly, diffident desk staff, astonishingly cramped single room, and a great location. I wandered the area north of the Piazza Navona, very hip and teaming with night life. Finally, I settled into a undistinguished sidewalk restaurant and had a pleasant dinner of prosciutto wrapped melon and a spaghetti with an intense crab flavor. The waiter suggested a pleasant white from the Piedmont area, Gavi de Gavi. I headed back to my monk's cell, anticipating the day ahead.