ROMA IN BICI
My bike emerged from storage today for one last ride on Italian soil. I was initially hesitant to face Roman traffic on two wheels but everything went well and I didn’t provoke a single honk. My only mishap was getting tangled in caution tape at an intersection–but I suppose this was a source of amusement for the drivers rather than a cause for irritation.
I fashioned a sporadic route that led from Tiberina Island through the southern districts of Rome. Passing Circo Massimo and the Terme di Caracalla, I followed the Via Appia Antica through Porta San Sebastiano to the park of the Catacombs. My road bike didn’t fare too well on the cobble stones of the Appian Way, so I turned toward the housing developments of Laurentina where asphalt stretches to the horizon.
Even in the midst of high-rise buildings and four lane highways, I saw dozens of active farms. This is one of the strange aspects of Rome’s outskirts, where massive housing blocks sit awkwardly in a strikingly rural landscape.
At some point, I arrived in the EUR and quickly recognized the square colosseum (above) and other monuments. These provided a good sense of orientation and allowed me to maneuver toward Via Ostiense–an ancient road that stretches between Rome and the ancient port town of Ostia. Approaching the historic center of Rome, I saw all the familiar sites. Pictured below: the pyramid tomb on the Aurelian wall and Libera’s famous post office.
And now, Thanksgiving dinner in Rome awaits.