Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Day in the Life
Rome's Mr Average, Signor Rossi, lives with his wife in a small, two-bedroom apartment
in the suburbs and works in a government ministry in the city centre. His working day is
typical of the many who crowd
i mezzi
(the means, ie public transport) in the morning rush
hour.
His morning routine is the same as city dwellers the world over: a quick breakfast - usu-
ally nothing more than a sweet, black espresso - followed by a short bus ride to the nearest
metro station. On the way he'll stop at an
edicola
(kiosk) to pick up his daily newspaper (
Il
Messaggero
) and share a joke with the kiosk owner, a manic Roma supporter. A quick
scan of the headlines reveals few surprises - the main political parties in turmoil as they try
to form a workable coalition; Berlusconi in court again; a full-page match report on the
previous evening's Roma-Lazio derby.
Rome's metro is not a particularly pleasant place to be in
l'ora di punta
(the rush hour),
especially in summer when it gets unbearably hot, but the regulars are resigned to the dis-
comfort and bear it cheerfully. On arriving at work Signor Rossi has time for another coffee
and a
cornetto
at the bar underneath his office.
Rome is the fifth-most congested city in Europe according to a report by traffic navigator company
TomTom. Topping the traffic blacklist are Istanbul, Warsaw, Marseille and Palermo.
His work, like many in the swollen state bureaucracy, is not the most interesting in the
world, nor the best paid, but it's secure and with a much sought-after
contratto a tempo in-
determinato
(permanent contract) he doesn't have to worry about losing it. In contrast,
many of his younger colleagues work in constant fear that their temporary contracts will
not be renewed when they expire.
Lunch, which is typically taken around 1.30pm, is usually pizza
al taglio
(by the slice)
from a nearby takeaway. It's eaten standing up and followed by a leisurely wander around
the surrounding neighbourhood. Before heading back to the office for the afternoon ses-
sion, another espresso is customary.
Clocking-off time in most ministries is typically from 5pm onwards and by about 7pm
the evening rush hour is in full swing. Once home, our Signor Rossi changes out of his suit
and at about 8.30pm sits down to a pasta supper and a discussion of plans for the weekend.
There's an excellent art exhibition on at the Chiostro del Bramante and he's heard great
