Week 1 Reportage 1

One by one the party of adventurers shuffle in to the already crowded subway train. Remembering tales of master pickpockets who could swipe a wallet with a weary hand placed firmly around it, we kept our guard up. Back to back, scanning the crowd around us, our eyes resting for much longer on a suspicious face or an itchy palm. Music starts to play from further up the car, quiet at first, then gaining volume as the music took its course. At first I think it's the cars PA system, adding ambience to the dull and quiet metro ride. Standing on my tiptoes, my gaze bounces from head to head until it spots the source of the melody: a young Italian, accordion in hand, serenades the weary travelers with whining tones and up beat tunes. One stop, then two stops the train makes, passengers lurching forward in unison at each one. On the second stop we make our way off the car, staying vigilant against any attempts to abuse us foreigners' naivete. Up the slowly moving elevator and into a chamber filled with sandwich shops and souvenir stands, then out into Rome. Our first sight of Rome slams into us like a Gladiator's flail, the Coliseum stands before us, introducing itself without warning.