"I was so excited, I caught on fire!'

After a short flight from Rome to Palermo, we checked into Arco de Lauro, a B&B just off Piazza Piscinula in Trastevere, the oldest settlement in Rome. We had a few hours until my cousin Giovanni picked us up for dinner, and with the Tiber only a few blocks away, we took a short walk across the Isola Tibernia bridge. Although I sensed everyone knew we weren't locals in the smalll village of Sant'Ambrogio, I thought we would blend in better in Rome. As we walked across the Tiber, a seagull thought otherwise - shit happens, laundry follows ...

Did I mention that Rome was hotter than Pompei in 79 AD? Still, it was a clear, beautiful day and we took advantage of the same water fountains used by Romans for centuries - they're everywhere.

We had planned to have dinner with my cousin Giovanni and his family. When he picked us up, he suggested a short walking tour of our ancient neighborhood. We visited several ancient churches, including the Church of Santa Maria del Trastevere, the district's mother church. Although we all expected a brief visit, we ran into Giovanni's friend Giuseppe, who is a volunteer docent for the church. He was so knowledgeable and engaging, that our visit lasted longer then anyone expected, especially Giovanni's wife and family who were waiting dinner for us. At one point, Giuseppe led us into a private chapel. In his enthusiasm to point out a subtle detail in a sculpture, he leaned over some lit candles and literally caught on fire. Once Giovanni beat out the flames consuming his shirt, Giuseppe insisted we continue his tour. (Giuseppe, explaining our delay to Giovanni's wife)

Eventually, we arrived at Giovanni's house and met his wife Lina, their son Antonio and most important to me, my Aunt Enza. After a wonderful dinner, Giovanni showed us more of Rome's sights, including a panoramic view of Rome from the Genicula before driving us back to Arco de Lauro.

Tomorrow, the Vatican, where I fully expect to be struck down by a bolt of lightning ...