Third day in Rome

The Flickr set for Saturday. I took less pictures that day. It was an absorptive day, and I relaxed the burden of recording. I mostly took pictures when something struck me that I wanted to share.

An editor should have noticed this, yeah?

I like the idea of the new "PC commercials". But I don't like the "and I have one ring" line at 0:29 by Eva Longoria. It makes her a female stereotype, contrasting the ad's message quite directly.

Location, location, location

I am really happy that my iPhone has GPS. It is awesome. Sometimes it tags the photos I take with coordinates; sometimes it doesn't. I haven't figured out how to control this – a major shortcoming of the included Camera application I think.

Disappointingly, none of my Rome pictures were tagged. So I geotagged them all manually using Flickr's nice interface, and ended up with a map of my Flickr photos in Rome. It's a bit zoomed out to (hopefully) include the photos I'll be adding.

I'll post similar links to the maps for L'aquila, Florence, and Lucca when I prepare those photos.

First two days in Rome

Check out my Flicker set. You can do a slideshow via the button in the upper right. Be sure to turn on the info: I added facts and detailed my two days in the photo descriptions.

Back in one piece

I landed in my bed 24 hours after waking up yesterday. I didn't sleep two winks while traveling. <mom-invisible-ink>I slept one wink on K-10 from home – it was a terrifying wink. Don't tell my mom.</mom-invisible-ink> It's good to be back.

I'm uploading some of the first photos – I took a lot. I'll post about them and share my travel log incrementally.

Unexpected spandex

I am trying to decide which town in Tuscany to visit by bus tomorrow. Lucca is an option. I've turned to Flickr to just see where is pretty. But if you check-out photos in Lucca from Flickr, you find some unexpected photos. That's an odd place to hold a comic con.

I'm developing worldliness

OK, that Rome hostel actually sucked. Of course, the other hostellers were fantastic and varied. France + Quebec + Singapore + Kansas + dinner + gelato + an Irish pub in Rome = great night. Charles from France (yes I called him Chuck) and I pursued a nice discussion of existentialism and literature over a Strongbow (oh yes) and a Guinness (natch†) while an Italian who could not speak English did a surprisingly awesome job of covering Elvis and his contemporaries. I also got a hug from a guy from Ohio by finding his specs when they fell on the floor. The entire bar applauded my efforts. I am famous.

(Rome was sweet. L'aquila, too.)

I will surely post about the individuals I met; they've been the most exciting. Roma Inn brought a few, the doctoral symposium brought a few, and hopefully so does Albergo Paolo here in Florence. We shall see. Stay tuned for my dossiers.

But – back on topic – that hostel sucked. It was alright, but I've now learned, having just arrived in my Florence hostel, that hostels get much, much better. Wireless in my room, no plaster falling from the walls not featured in the online photos, no lame techno, door locks (nice), lockers (nicer), home-made breakfast as opposed to old cereal (nicest?), and location. This place is a welcome sight.

(Conference went well.)

† - I've been dying to use that word. Also, the Wiktionary usage example is hilarious.

And, oh yeah, I'm a hostel snob

$120 for 3 nights... but check this place out.

Jackpot!

White Night 2008 is happening while I'm there!