Review of My Themes

The first theme that I chose for my blog was the theme of police in Rome. I chose this theme because this was one of the first things I noticed in Rome. I noticed that there were more police in this city then I had ever seen in any city in America. It gave me a feeling of security and also enticed me to learn more about the police force.

My second theme was the method of transportation of choice for many Romans: mopeds. I chose this theme because this was also something that I noticed immediately after arriving in Rome. Mopeds are everywhere and seem to be one of the most (if not THE most) efficient ways of getting around the city.

My third theme was one that was very simple for me to travel to every day: my apartment! Living in Santa Maria in Cappella turned out to be, at times, a trying experience. However, the rich history and interesting characters of the place really made it worth it.

Renting Mopeds

As soon as I first arrived in Rome, I noticed the overwhelming number of mopeds cruising around the cobblestone streets of the city. They were always flying by, sometimes jamming out to the radio or on a cell phone, with hair blowing in the wind (from under a helmet of course.) The people driving around on mopeds always made it look like such a fun way to get around the city. I wanted to rent a moped and drive around and explore Rome, but I never got around to it. In our Eyewitness Guide, there is information about renting a moped from various businesses. All you have to do is leave a credit card number or cash as a deposit when you pick up the moped. I guess this is something I'll have to save for my next visit to Rome!

Mopeds.. in Gimmelwald?

This past weekend, three of my classmates and I went to Switzerland. On our second day in the country, we decided to go to a tiny town tucked away in the Alps called Gimmelwald. To get to this town, you had to take three difference trains, a bus, then a gondola (a huge cable car) to the top of the mountain. All of this traveling time is totally worth is because during it all, you're going through the heart of the Alps! Once you reach Gimmelwald, you realize that this is a "town" of only 130 people. There aren't televisions, newspapers... there isn't even a food store. Another thing that Gimmelwald doesn't have? CARS! No mopeds, cars, trucks.. nothing! Automobiles are not allowed in the town. The only people who have any kind of vehicles are farmers who get special permits to have tractors and stuff! I couldn't believe this until I saw a "road sign" that measure everything in how long it would take you to walk there. Thank God I brought my sneakers! I've included a picture of the hostel I stayed at and some of the view along with another picture of the street signs. Enjoy : )

Mopeds in Barcelona

I saw a lot of great things while I was in Barcelona this past weekend. I noticed that the drivers there are a lot more considerate than the ones that are in Rome. They actually yield to pedestrians, which reminds me of good old State College where you can walk out into traffic and 9 times out of 10, the driver is going to stop. (They won't be happy, but they'll stop!) In Barcelona, I noticed that there were MUCH fewer mopeds than in Rome. I'm not sure if it is because Barcelona had a bigger and more efficient metro system than Rome or what, but there definitely weren't mopeds whizzing passed you constantly or driving up on to the sidewalks just to get around traffic. I was, however, able to get a picture of a large row of parked mopeds that reminded me of the way they park mopeds by the capitol in Rome. Enjoy : )

Strange Sounds

There are a lot of new noises that I had to get used to when I first came to Rome. All of the sirens for ambulances, police and firetrucks are completely different here. Being from a tiny town in western Pennsylvania, I had to get used to the noise of constant traffic at all hours of the night. I also had to get used to the fact that 99% of the conversations going on around me were in a language that I did not understand in the least bit. One of the strangest noises I've had to get used to, however, is a shrill alarm that goes off every time the wind blows extra hard or if the rain really starts to pound down during a storm. The foreign shrill noise? Moped alarms. Believe it or not, these hyper-sensitive alarm systems are on nearly every moped. There apparently is a big demand for security systems on mopeds which makes sense because they would be really easy to hot wire! I've included a picture of a nice seafoam green moped I saw on the way to class this morning. Enjoy : )

Stretch Hummers.. in Roma?

Normally, I'm used to seeing mopeds and Smart cars all throughout Rome. There just really isn't room for cars bigger than that size. For example, when I see a minivan here, it's weird. At home, it would be equally as weird to see some one driving a Smart car down the highway. However, I saw the biggest car I have ever seen in Rome since I've been here (besides the double-decker tour buses.) Last weekend, after Rome won the World Cup, I saw a stretch Hummer drive by on the road in front of my apartment! There were people hanging out of the sunroof and the windows jamming out to music that I think was rap. They were videotaping everything going on around them, and seemed to be pretty intoxicated. I really couldn't tell if they were Italian, or some other nationality. Regardless, to be driving a stretch Hummer down a crowded highway full of cars that are about 1/10 the size of your own is pretty intense!

Moped Parking

Parking in Rome is somewhat an art form. If you can't fit in the space longways, and your car is short enough, you just back into the spot. However, mopeds fall under a different category. Because they are so tiny they are able to pack in right next to one another. It honestly looks like they're on top of one another. I don't know how they actually get OFF the moped after they park. I noticed on my walk to class this morning a long line of mopeds. Believe it or not, this picture of them actually shows a shorter than normal row of mopeds. By the Capitol there are rows that look nearly 50 or 60 mopeds long! Sometimes I wonder if someone accidentally hits one on the end and the whole row goes down like dominoes...

Mopeds in the Rain

Because it's been raining for the past three days in Roma, I've been noticing that the attire changes drastically for moped riders. I saw a man wearing a full on tarp/blanket made out of some sort of water resistant material while I was walking past the gas station near our apartment (Santa Maria in Cappella). I also noticed that many people who are on mopeds in the rain have what looks like a water resistant jumpsuit. It almost resembles a snowsuit that I would wear in the winter, but less bulky. This attire is necessary so that these people don't get soaked while they're riding to work. I'm sure that they have a change of clothes in their bags or in the storage unit that are on some of the mopeds.

Dangerous Sidewalks

I know that mopeds are a little intense in Roma. They are always trying to get where they need to go as fast as they can, which is understandable. However, some moped drivers take it to new levels. Today I was walking on a few back alleys on my way home. There are always mopeds zipping up and down these which is fine because they are roads. However, when I was walking on what was CLEARLY a sidewalk running alongside of V. Arenula, I just happened to turn around and look behind me. Just as a turned around, a moped was zooming up behind me, STRAIGHT FOR ME! He was using the sidewalk as a makeshift on-ramp to the main road! I understand that driving is a little different here, but really.. isn't that pedestrian endangerment or something?

Reading up on Mopeds

I wanted to learn a little more about mopeds in relation to Rome so I decided to check out what our Eyewitness Guide to Rome said. One of the most common types of mopeds is a Piaggio Vespa, which means 'wasp' and is named for the sound mopeds make. The book said that these mopeds are great for getting through traffic, which I have witnessed firsthand! At a red-light, the mopeds often times will weave their ways through cars just so they can get to the front of the line. Sometimes they don't even wait for the light to change to green before they take off... they just make sure no one is in there way! The book also said that it is required by law to wear a helmet here while on a moped. I can honestly say that I have not noticed one person NOT wearing a helmet. It's probably because driving them here is so dangerous!! The picture that I posted is of a Roman on a moped whizzing by on the street that is below my window. You can tell he's wearing a helmet!!

Covered moped

Although there are probably thousands of mopeds through Rome, there are a certain kind that I have noticed. These unique mopeds actually have a cover over them to protect from rain or bugs (I'm assuming). Unfortunately all of the mopeds like this that I have seen have been whizzing past me at a million kilometers an hour. Luckily, today I was able to see one parked on an alley near our home, Santa Maria in Cappella. It's interesting to see a brand of automobiles here in Rome like we would see in the US. This moped is a BMW. I've also seen Fords and Mercedes. As you can see, this moped also has a large storage bin on the back so the owner is able to carry groceries, luggage or anything they need to transport. As you can see, it looks like this moped can probably only fit one person. However, most mopeds in Rome are able to carry two people. It's funny to me to see two guys on a moped in really nice Italian suits driving to work in the morning on a moped.

My Second Theme

I decided on my other theme. I want to do mopeds. There are insane amounts constantly driving around the city. I think that it's interesting to see the difference in the modes of transportation compared to at home. Here, mopeds are definitely the mode of choice. I've actually seen a lot of different kinds of mopeds and some even have roof coverings! It seems like you can find a variety of people driving mopeds. I feel like the stereotype for a moped driver is a young male. Actually, many young females drive mopeds here too. Also, middle-aged men and women (most times in business attire) are driving mopeds too. I'm sure they all love the gas mileage!