Roma.

Matthew of the Shrine of the Holy Whapping is in Rome and is posting regularly. Whenever I read of Rome or see pictures of its churches, ruins, parks, shops, etc. I get a little bit sad, because I am not in Rome (even if I happen to be in San Francisco, which is the only other city that has that effect on me). I have family in Rome, even though we are not Romans (I have to admit that the Romanacci accent sounds a little silly to me, why can't they speak the language of Dante like the rest of us? OK, Pisano is not exactly Florentine, but it is closer than Romanacci). I don't even have a particular fondness for Roman food, finding it vastly inferior to our great Tuscan cuisine or that of the Umbrians.

But there is just something about Rome. It is an amazing city, one that, like Mexicali, sprawls all over the landscape, completely without a focal point. Just sprawling around and over the seven hills like a benevolent fog. Of course a fog is just what one wants in July or August when Rome is intolerable: hot, crowded, grimy, noisy. Hmm. Sounds good when I put it like that.

Rome is not a culinary city. Not only is their cuisine a second-tier Italian cuisine, you have to have either a friend or a very good eye for a good restaurant to find the ones that are worth going to. Its markets are not as good as others (I certainly don't know all of them, though), although one can find great gelato and bakeries in Rome.

I do not think that Rome is an easy city to like (it shares this trait with Mexicali. I bet you are all getting intrigued about Mexicali now. Another neat city but not really in the same league as Rome), but when it clicks, it is great.

Anyway, it will be fun enjoying the Eternal City vicariously through Matthew's posts!