Heading To Chivitechhia was going to be by train until we got into the taxi outside if Marinas place. The cab was organised by Marina and turned up within the 8 mins that it is allotted that a taxi "must" turn up. Many words were spoken and hand gestures given and with a smile on both faces we new we were in good hands, we did hear "bambino" in the conversation and I think Marina threatened to send the marfia to his home if he tried to ripe off her little Aussie babies. So off we head, the taxi was as handsome and well groomed as was the young mid 20's trendy driver Bruno. We start to chat as one does to a taxi driver and turns out that he lives near by the Fontana Del Papa where we are heading for the next few day for our cooking classes some 90km from Roma and he drives in every day and that it normally would cost 120 euro. I start to ask more questions and I know that Sandy knows where my questions are going, so I say could you take us to Chivitechhia now per favore? Bruno looks and says now ? yes now per farvore, really replies a beaming Bruno, yes really. It is then agreeded that 100 euro would be our fee. Great he said he will be able to have lunch at is mother place today and she is making Melinsany paragarma. It only takes about 15mins to start to leave the high rise apartments of Roma with all there dirty laundry airing in the air out the windows for all to see, now I know where that saying comes from, behind us and into the country, and for the first time we start to see houses with land and gardens.
Bruno was the perfect tour guide so what would have been a slow trip back into the city of Roma and a fight with our cases at a train station and a slow trip back through the city again by train has turned into a very pleasant tour with Bruno. He was a funny guy and with his little English and our even littler Italian we had lots of fun conversation. He told us that for an Italian men like him their are only 2 things that are important, food and women!!!!
He likes his women short and with meat!!!! Something to hold on and "how do'a you say" with biga de bresta. I look at Sandy and smile that explains the "lack of eye contact" she was has been experiencing in Roma!!!!
Our journey north of Roma takes us on the highways so I'm paying attention to the driving so that I,m ready in a couple of weeks after the cruise when we will pick up a car in Venice.
I do notice that the white line are more of a guide for the centre of the car than for the driving side as we tend in Oz and I think this was also why in some area of Roma there were "no" lines at all, a free for all, and he who has the biggest horn! uses it.
We arrive into Chivitechhia and it is then a further 20km up the hill Tofla and then to our final destination of Fontana Del Papa. Our host are to pick us up from the station in Chivitechhia in about 1 hour so we ask Bruno what would it cost to take us up the hill and we agree on 10 euro. We ask Bruno to ring our hosts and let them know that he will bring us to them, after what was a very verbal heated conversation Bruno say "he not lika that woman" as she thinks he is try to take advantage of us as he has bought us by taxi from Roma. We chat to our lady Assuntina and let her know we are happy.
We arrive at Fontana Del Papa a grand looking 600 yr old building on the side of a hill. It looks like a shot from the movie Under The Tuscan Sun.
While Luka the gardener takes our cases, Sandy is chatting to our host and try to keep her away from Bruno and I as we discuss secret men's business paying him the 100 euro + 50 euro ( that was what the host were going to charge to get us up the hill). With a big hand shake and a double-double cheeker we both agree who was trying to rip us off and it was not him. On the meter it was a fare of 180 euro so we are all happy and we have meet a great italian guy and had an awesome couple of hours and an experience getting here.
Ciac Bello Bruno
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