The ticket also included entry to the museums and Sistine chapel so we wound our way through the maze of sculptures and paintings. Most of the time the building itself is more impressive than the exhibits.

After exiting the museum we walked around to St Peter’s square and then into the basilica. Yes, we did “do” the tomb of John Paul II, now upstairs in the main arena flanked by Popes, Pius XI and Pius XII.

To top off a religious day we had dinner with a priest, old school friend of M, who has been here for six years and is currently finishing off his doctorate based somewhere on the Aventine hill.

After that came the main purpose of today, a walk around the area called Trastevere on the other side of the river, south of the Vatican. It’s a nice area with many winding streets, small boutique shops and cafes. At the centre is a very nice church Santa Maria in Trastevere one of the oldest churches in Rome going back to about 220.

After this we headed up the river and wandered around the Castel Sant’Angelo, originally built as a Mausoleum for Hadrian and his family and now better known from Dan Brown books and films.

Tomorrow is a tour of the Vatican gardens, Vatican Museum and St Peters.

Did you know most of the columns here were not made in Rome? Despite their indisputable construction skills the Romans were unable to make columns in anything other than slices joined together with pins so if you see ones made in one piece it came from either Egypt or Greece. Most of those in the Forum area are Greek, the ones out front of the Pantheon came from Egypt. That’s a lot of hard work to roll them to the Nile, ship to the port of Ostia in Italy and then up the Tiber before unloading near the mausoleum of Augustus and rolling to final location. Apparently the current Pantheon was built by Hadrian on the site of the one built by Agrippa, whose name appears on the front. Also vaguely interesting is that the color of the marble used in any particular building indicates how far the Roman Empire had grown by the time of construction.

Today we headed south from the hotel. We picked up Bernini’s elephant “Pulcino Della Minerva” followed by the turtle fountain and then the Jewish ghetto. What city is complete without a Jewish ghetto, eh? I’m worried about the way Jewish ghettos become comparable with Irish pubs as good places for tourists to visit, with the key difference being that most of the time they are actually sites associated with something Jewish (oppression usually) whereas the Irish connections are often tenuous at best.

This ghetto was following the same formula as most others, tall buildings left in poor (but trendy) condition with numerous restaurants and cafes to choose from. We had a nice coffee stop at one in the morning and a not so great meal stop on our way back. Golden rule – if you eat at anywhere within eyesight of an attraction you’re going to get crap food for a high price. My crap food, Kosher of course, consisted of luke-warm chick pea soup followed by anchovies baked in grass. Similar results were had by all and it cost €70. We know from the last two evenings we can get good home-made pasta and stuff for less than €50. That’s it with the well located eateries!

From the Jewish area we crossed the Tiber and back again passing what remains of the Ponte Emilio, the oldest stone bridge in Rome from the 2nd century BC. By then we were upon the Boca della Verita so we had to stick our hand in its mouth. Then off to the Circus Maximus, once a giant chariot racing stadium and general place of entertainment for around 150,000 spectators, now a pretty boring patch of grass between the Aventine and Palatine hills.

On our way to the colosseum we passed the entrance to the Palatine hill and decided to take a look. Having just missed the free guided tour we hijacked another tour which brought to life an otherwise relatively dull hill full of rocks. The original settlement of Rome and the etymological origin of the word palace there have been people living there since 1,000 BC including several emperors of the Roman Empire such as Augustus (adopted son of Julius Caesar and first emperor of Rome), Tiberius & Domitian. You can see why they lived there aside from the historical reasons, the atmosphere was lovely up there. Fresh scented air and orange groves, must be nice in the summer.

From there we dropped down and did the colosseum, still impressive the second time around. After that we’d had our fill for one day and decided to skip the main part of the forum, which we have done before anyway and headed slowly back to camp.

I was going to mention the ridiculous number of law enforcement people in Rome but reading up on it it seems this is well known and so nothing unusual for Italy at least. They are everywhere, in great numbers. Are we expecting an attack by an army of embittered illegitimate Berlusconis?

Law enforcement in Italy is provided by eight separate police forces, six of which are national groups in Italy. During 2005 in Italy, the number of active police officers from all agencies totaled 324,339, the highest number in the European Union both overall and per capita, twice the number of agents in the similarly sized United Kingdom

Tomorrow is another day.

Copyright ICS MMXII

Dress code here is mixed. The Romans, smart ones at least, walk around with jackets and ties, waistcoats, light outer jacket, heavy topcoat, scarves, hats, glasses, pipe or cigar, shiny shoes. The gypsies selling this year’s hit of flying illuminated plastic crap are mostly wearing jeans and sweatshirts that have not been washed for a month or two with an anorak and sneakers. The tourists are wearing all sorts of stuff depending on where they come from, which seems to be predominantly Australia. I asked an Aussie couple who wanted me to snap them why there were so many of their country folk here and was told it might be the exchange rate.

Weather is a mix of sunshine and cloud. No rain as yet, unlike Paris last year. When the sun is out it’s pretty warm and when not it can be quite chilly so you end up dressing in layers so you can adjust as the day goes by.

Post about today’s adventures coming soon.

We were last here in 2001 when we were located very close to the Vatican, which is increasingly unclose to everything else. We walked ourselves to death and I made a note that next time we would be more centrally based. So, this time we’re sleeping right next door to the Pantheon (picture taken from hotel front door). We’ve also decided to take it easy, so no running around like lunatics trying to see everything. It is Zosia’s first time here so we’ll do the big ones – colosseum, forum, Vatican, steps, fountains – and the rest will be incidental to cafes, restaurants and watching the Romans go by.

The only organised event is a tour of the Vatican gardens booked for Thursday and after that we can go on and do the museum, basilica, JPII tomb and so forth.

Weather is a considerable improvement on Warsaw, as you’d expect.

More later.

Sent from my iPad

What to do?

I’ve decided to streamline the amount of stuff’ we will have on display along the ‘media wall’. In the past we had TV gizmos on one wall and Hi-Fi gizmos on the other. In the new place, whilst we have plenty of space for it all we’re going to (try) and combine it all leaving space for a nice armchair and reading lamp where the Hi-Fi would be – to the left of what’s shown in the picture.

I’m convinced this is a good idea and possible to execute but I’m struggling to decide the exact configuration and exactly what it is we need to buy. The ingredients are as follows and the idea is to try and work around the good stuff I’ve got rather than reinvent the wheel:

1. Sony Bravia TV – a few years old but still very good so remains in place
2. Sony Blue Ray DVD – ditto
3. Sat decoder #1 – Cyfra+
4. Sat decoder #2 (not in picture) – hopefully Sky when we can get a connection installed
5. Amplifier (not in picture) – two options, either my Copland or a new one
6. Speakers – my Vienna Acoustic (shown) + others?
7. iPod (not in picture)
8. Radio (not in picture) – either my Denon or incorporated in new amp

Too many questions. My head hurts.

Beware this logo!

In November last year, knowing we would be moving into our new place in late December we visited the TPSA sklep in Arkadia to make a request for connection to both telephone and internet in our new place. We did what we could in the shop but could not complete the process because their computer system was down. The guy said he would call Marta and let her know when the contract was ready to sign. The process of creating a contract took more than a month, largely thanks to a problem with our address or something, meaning that our application in their computer system had developed a bug and nobody knew how to fix it. Eventually we signed a contract, sometime before we moved in.

Firstly, a Livebox arrived by courier, that was fast. We then waited for an engineer to come round and check that our sockets had a connection and were able to do whatever was needed. This part only took a week or two and they confirmed, after some adjustments, that everything was in good order.

We then slipped through the looking glass and into the strange world that is TPSA customer service. A nice guy called me and asked if I needed some help with setting things up. I said that would be great because there were a number of issues I’d like to discuss about the best way to organise the connections. He said someone would call me, nobody did. I called the 801 505 505 helpline and asked where the person was who was supposed to be coming to help. The lady told me quite bluntly that nobody would have told me that because you have to set it up yourself and it’s easy. After much back and forth she would not accept that anyone should, could or would come and help. We parted company not on the best terms. A day later another nice person called wanting to make an appointment to come to our place and help with the installation. We agreed the following day at 11:00. Nobody arrived. No phone call to explain. This pattern repeated itself twice more and then I gave up.

I connected the Livebox myself ignoring the fact that the software is only available for Windoze, in fact ignoring the software completely. Various lights flashed red and green. I visited the registration page on the internet. It told me to enter some details I would have got from a registration process but I could not because I could get to the registration page because the ADSL was not synchronised. From here on it all gets a bit confusing because I think we have two, or possibly three parts of TPSA acting completely separately and as all their numbers are blocked and as nobody ever bothers to explain exactly who they are or why they are calling you never quite know to what they are responding.

I know one of the “blocked number” crowd called, saying he was going to come round on 28th December and help get it all working. He also didn’t turn up nor call to say he wasn’t coming.

I know I took a deep breath and called 801 505 505 again on 30th December. This time I got a nice guy who explained they needed to synchronise my ADSL and gave me a “job number”. Someone called and said they would be round the next day, Sat. Dec 31st @ 15:00 to help. I asked if he was REALLY going to come round or if he was just another joker like the last four guys who called? He said he would definitely be there. He didn’t turn up at our apartment either but then maybe he was only supposed to visit the box in the street? But if he was only visiting the box, why agree a time with me? Who knows what the hell they are doing.

Anyway, nothing happened, the Livebox is not living and still has red flashing lights for internet so I called again this morning. They were grateful that I am so patient but the bad news is that the max speed we can have is 2 Mb and the contract is for 6 Mb therefore there will have to be a new contract and start that whole process one more time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently someone will call regarding the new contract, but not today.

EDIT Jan 6 – no call yet but did get a helpful SMS saying we only have four days left to register our equipment.

This is doubly annoying because there have been plenty of discussions about the speed over the past couple of months. Shortly after we applied and before the contract arrived someone called to say max speed at that address was 1 Mb because the line is made from old shoelaces. I told them that this was strange because we are already living on the street and we have 2 Mb. They were confused and went away. The engineers who checked the line said 2 Mb was easy-peasy and we might even get 6 Mb. Eventually they agree that 2 Mb is possible but this requires a whole new contract and another couple of months waiting no doubt.

So here we are. Living in the capital city of one of Europe’s largest countries and yet in the end I expect it will take TPSA four months, yes, one third of a year, to connect a family to internet at a speed most people in the remotest parts of third world countries would laugh at.

As for a working telephone, we’re not really sure what is happening on that front. When we made the application we applied for two things 1/ a phone connection and 2/ an internet connection. The guy even gave us a list of phone numbers we could choose from. We have heard absolutely nothing about the phone line. All we have is a contract for neostrada internet that has the tag ‘DUO’ at the end and gives us a number for our ‘neofon’. Apparently, this might be a telephone line using VOIP (voice over internet protocol) meaning we can use the internet connection for phone calls in and out. I’ll believe it when I see it. Right now it just seems like another opportunity for TPSA to screw something up.

God, I wish there was an alternative to this bullshit!

Thank goodness that we knew this will be painful and purchased a SIM card mobile router gadget from T-Mobile, which is the only reason we are able to connect to anything today.

I’ll write more next year – I promise! The “annual report” I just got from WordPress says I posted only 58 times in 2011 – pathetic! For one thing I’ll have more time on my hands now that we’ve moved into the new place, a process that has occupied a great deal of spare time for one reason or another since August. We moved in on 20 December as planned. Then 600kg of Indian granite kitchen worktop turned up the following day and messy work continued for a couple more days getting stuff hooked up and working before everyone disappeared and we had a little Christmas peace. Still a few significant things to be sorted out, like showers that flood the bathroom and toilets with no seat but one bathroom is functional and I’m sure the other things will be fixed soon so all’s well.

My wishes for 2012 – to be able to enjoy a raindrop shower in my new apartment & for the bills to finally stop arriving for the renovation works!

The slideshow is a mixed bag; evolution of a kitchen, church on Christmas Day, Zosia as a Transformer, how to fix a massive 50kg mirror on the wall (completed today using my own special powers of kombinować engineering!), getting used to 2 new hobs (one flex-induction and one regular hot electric), view from new terrace towards the old place, Nelson wondering whether to jump (he did once but is now more cautious and we are teaching him to go out the door and down the stairs like everyone else), the wall of mystery (how to organise the “media wall” with TV & music devices – more complicated than you think).

Enjoy this evening and as usual, let’s all spare a thought at this time of hyper-jollity for those less fortunate or for whatever reason unable to enjoy this time of year.

"One more thing Mr. Barroso, we also plan to lay mines in the English Channel."

And so, with Britain’s veto of the proposed new EU treaty aimed at solving the euro-zone’s financial troubles, Mr Cameron can proudly write his name in the history books as the Prime Minister who finally moved his country off the fence and decisively away from any idea of being European nation.

Of course we all knew that the UK was never going to join Europe in anything other than a self-serving way but now we have the proof. When push came to shove all Britain could do was heckle from the sidelines and then be the only nation to veto crucial changes to the treaty. Changes that, subject to a few national votes or referendums, is most likely to be approved by every other nation in the EU whether they use the Euro or not.

The Wall Street Journal suggest this could leave the UK isolated. Nick Clegg, the UK’s deputy Prime Minister is also very concerned. I think they are exactly right.

Is this just a case of Britain displaying its European paranoia, is it a concern that the nation and primarily its politicians will have to play third fiddle to Germany and France or is it afraid that it will fall foul of the main provisions of the new treaty leading to gross national embarrassment?

Those main provisions being:

• a cap of 0.5% of GDP on countries’ annual structural deficits
• “automatic consequences” for countries whose public deficit exceeds 3% of GDP
• the tighter rules to be enshrined in countries’ constitutions
• the EU’s permanent bailout facility, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), to be accelerated and brought into force in July 2012
• the adequacy of 500bn-euro (£427bn; $666bn) limit for the ESM to be reassessed
• eurozone and other EU countries to provide up to 200bn euros to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help debt-stricken eurozone members

In any event, as someone who considers himself a European before and above anything else I’m proud to be living in a nation that despite being one of the 9 outside the eurozone has already voted in favour of the new treaty rather than in the nation that is moving faster than ever before in the direction of the US as opposed to what seems like the more sensible direction across the channel.

With a bit of luck when the new ‘budget’ Modlin airport opens in June 2012 (ha ha) we will see a far better choice of low cost flights out of an airport close-ish to Warsaw…like to East Midlands for example. Will they call it “Warsaw Modlin” or just not bother with the Modlin part, I wonder? Anyway, at least it is on the right side of town as far as we’re concerned.

I should comment that, as usual as far as my experience is concerned, Wizz did a good job. On time, more space than a standard expensive LOT flight, no fuss flights. I’m not a fan of all the optional extras like priority boarding but everyone does it so they are no worse than the norm. I just smiled to myself when by using the rear stairs I was sat in my seat quite a bit earlier than most of those who decided to pay extra to have the right to occupy whichever seat I might have wanted for myself. Surprising actually how many had paid for priority boarding, or who decided to use that queue at any rate.

Anyway, that’s not the point. I wanted to comment on two examples of the great British hospitality that many Poles living in the UK are so fond of praising by way of dissing their home country. First was the guy in charge of queue for passport control when entering the UK. A man whose family at some time were welcomed to Britain by dint of being from a former colony now in charge of the queue of people wishing to enter Great Britain and, for the most part, wondering what is so special about the UK that they can’t just join the Schengen club and save us all the trouble. I was struck by his rather annoying queue-side manner which consisted of a string of thinly veiled insults and patronising remarks. His exasperated tone was that of a man trying to explain quantum theory to the inmates of a lunatic asylum. I could understand his problem if there were hundreds of people all wandering off in the wrong direction or holding things up but it was nothing like that. The line was short, orderly and pointing in the right direction and yet he insisted in coming out with lines like “Well, if you got off the phone that might help move things along!” (not aimed at me). The worst kind of Jobsworth and not the kind of welcome to Britain anyone would consider appropriate.

Second example was on the return journey. I’d been sent an unhelpful SMS from Wizz saying that “due to congestion” (what kind, where?) I should arrive three hours before the flight time and that check-in would be open accordingly. I arrived exactly 3 hrs before take-off to find no check-in desks open. I wandered over to the Wizz ticket desk, the only place they had to talk to someone but it was unmanned. Some time later someone turned up and my polite question as to when the Warsaw check-in desk was going to open was met with a rude response to the effect that she’d only just turned up, hand’t got a clue and I should bugger off and bother someone else. Clearly no connection then between whoever sends out SMS messages about non-existant congestion and the staff who will have to deal with 150 passengers an hour earlier than they expected. The desk eventually opened 30 minutes later.

Last unusual point was the security procedures. At the check-in desk there was a flashing sign saying “enhanced security measures, please ask at check-in”. I asked and there were no enhanced measures, just the normal ones. Went through to security and something new for me. When the trays got the far side of the x-ray machine they split into two lines, one for people to collect their things and move along and another for ones that needed checking. Mine was in the latter, which was longer than the former and therefore required another longish wait. When they eventually got to my tray I was told they wanted to “do a test” on my iPhone. I asked if there was now a problem with iPhones and was told there is no problem it’s just a random test. Looking at the number of random tests being carried out they seemed to be using a definition of the word “random” that I’ve not yet come across that’s much closer to “compulsory”. We can only hope that iPhones or smart phones generally do not join Zippo lighters on my list of things I have to leave behind when travelling.

I wouldn’t pretend that Britain is in the grip of mass rudeness, most people are still genuinely helpful and polite, which is why perhaps these exceptions stand out so sharply but I would encourage those who like to compare and contrast Britain to Poland in terms of “niceness” to remove the rose-tinted specs. The gap is not as large as some would have you believe and at least in Poland most of the reactions you get are genuine. Not much room for American style painted-on politeness over here, something that is, sadly, more and more apparent in the UK. I suppose it comes as a package deal with the explosion of “We’ll sue anyone for anything” legal services.