Hey Photos!

I managed to get the Week 6 Album up on facebook. Here's the link.
And the other one.

Temple Has Influence over the Italian Government

Rome has a law about soccer games. Only Roman residents can purchase tickets. This way hideous riots can be avoided. In order to allow students to attend the game, Temple petitioned to have the law changed. Now only Roman residents and foreigners can go to soccer games and buy their 4 Euro hot dogs, as the Roma fans constantly wave their big obnoxious flags and sing their long obnoxious Roma Roma song all game long.
Those Cantania fans sure missed out.

(Side Note: Facebook is being stupid and making it impossible for me to upload new photos. At some point int the future I will have weeks 6-7 up.)

Mass at the Pantheon and Tourists

This Sunday, I attended 10:30 Mass at St. Mary and all the Martyrs (aka the Pantheon). It was interesting to see the ushers shooing all the tourists away so Mass could start, which followed with the placing of the barricades in front of the entrance, enforcing the one hour the Pantheon is closed for Mass. Mass went as usual, except for the rather confused pigeon that was flying from one fake window to the next in the large circular building. On the way out, there was a moderate crowd of people waiting to go in, inspiring the following list of "how to not act like a tourist".

1. Travel light. Nothing says "tourist" like a person with 50 different bags, a map and a camera around their neck- maybe even holding a water bottle.

2. Dress in dark colors. For whatever reason, the city of Rome doesn't like dressing vibrantly. Black, shiny, down coats are all the rage.

3. Do more than, show up, take a picture, then leave. Try getting different angles of whatever you're looking at. I try to keep a rule of never putting myself in the picture because I know I was there, hence the picture's existence.

4. Don't go to restaurants near any place that might even be remotely a tourist attraction. Unless you speak Italian fluently, and look Italian, you'll be shoved in a the corner tourist section. This is the section of crappy food and high prices.

5. Don't buy crappy souvenirs. Honestly- do you really need that pope bottle opener for twenty Euros? Again, for me the souvenirs are the pictures I take. The ones without me.

6. Don't speak. Ever.

7. And lastly, don't feed the birds, pay the gypsies, and don't look like you enjoy being there. You'll find that you'll start blending in with the rest of the Romans.

Bonus: Don't try to not act like a tourist. You are what you are. But do try to avoid the traps.

Here's the latest from my collection of souvenirs.