Spencer, from Rome

(Posted by request.)

Finishing my teaching at the Loyola Rome Center in Monte Mario, the large hill up from the Vatican across the river from downtown Rome.  Its a quiet hilly neighborhood.  Haven't been here for 9 years which was the last time I taught in the program.  Best improvement?  The running and biking path next to my hotel which parallels the commuter train.  It runs about 2 plus miles up the hill and a little less down the hill ending at the Valle Aurelia train and metro station.  It cuts through the back of several pleasant upper middle class neighborhoods and saves me from having to take my life in my hands running on or across streets and Roman traffic and drivers.  There are some playgrounds, a couple of porta-potties and some water spigots.  My favorite sight so far is the little shack down the hill just past the end of the path and the beginning of a park where a little old lady tends her chickens, geese and goats in the back yard of her shack.  Beginning to branch out into some of the areas on the sides and beyond the path itself.  Tough work on the hills so I tend to run up hill first.  An hour doing hills in the heat has been plenty so far.

Two more days of teaching and running and then we head for the weekend to Cinqua Terra and then a few days in nice cool flat Dublin.  Hoping to recreate a good chunk of the marathon route there in between touring and drinking. 

Now back to the exciting conclusion of my 1 credit 2 weeks intro to the World Trade Organization.