Guidare (Driving)

I thought I'd add a few pictures that show my driving route to school each day and the little Smart Car that I use. (You know those smart little Swiss guys that make and design Swatch watches? Well, they designed my little Smart Car as well).

We live in the south of Rome and I take the GRA (Grande Recordo Anulare= City Loop) north for about 20 minutes, and then exit south on the Via Cassia. The Via Cassia is an ancient (around 187 B.C.) high-road that begins in Rome and ends in Florentia (Florence). As I drive each day in the insane traffic, I often wonder what it would have been like being on this road before Christ was even here... then on my right I pass the Tombe de Nerone (Nero's Tomb) and realize what a contrast of thoughts that is. (The Emperor Nero burnt the whole of Rome to the ground and then blamed the Early Christians for it.)

This "Cassia" part of my commute is like a video game. I need to watch for about 20 different things all at the same time:

1) motorcycles coming from all directions

2) huge city busses that don't care if you were there first, because they are bigger than you

3) work trucks the size of an elephant pulling out into the street without looking

4) other cars that have already decided that they deserve to be infront of you, no matter the cost

5) unmarked police cars with a single flashing blue light that we have to let through, when most likely, there is no emergency at all, they just need to get to their morning cupiccno and cornetto

and last but not least

5) live people that practicaly throw themselves (and sometimes small children and pets) in front of the car, assuming that you have no where else to go, and no other dangers you are watching for on the street.

Life is an adventure :)

ps- I've also posted a full class photo of my kids on the terrace at school.