Now we are splitting up

After just on 48 hours in Rome we are ready to split up. Well almost. The flights over were uneventful and we were in our Trastervere lodgings shortly after 9 am. Well, the bags were whilst the aging pilgrims were meant to wander around for a few hours until the room was ready for us. The lodgings were recommended by Sarah and Ben and are proving to be very well located in central Rome and within easy walking distance of old Rome.

So walk we did as we mingled with most of tourism humanity vying to discover the sights. This is a holiday weekend in Italy for National Day (2 June) so the streets are quite full of happy souls out for an early summer celebration. Lots of smiling faces, everyone is pleasant and helpful so we are happy campers at this point.

We are on the 'left' side of the Tiber which appears to be just a little less touristy, in our view. And locally we are finding some great little eating places, well located for good shady people watching and lunching.

But now the artist is leaving the scene exit right to join up with hopefully new found kindred sprits in Perugia, Umbria. Randall's duty was to ensure she gets to the airport okay and met by duty driver for the trip north. Inconsolable, he must then return to lodgings, finish some late training and to rest up for the planned reunion with mates for The Walk.

We will be apart until Wednesday week when we meet up in Lucca somewhere not too far from Florence and other maddening crowds.

And Italy is happy to have a Government again. Populist for sure and somewhat anti European maybe and likely to want to make Italy Great Again. The inwards trend with often manipulative pollies appealing to lower instincts continues.

 Late breaking news: Madame is located in her artist lodgings and now exchanging views with fellow travellers. Your writer is back mixing it with the crowds and looking forwards to getting out of Rome tomorrow.