Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Cobble Stone Sidewalks

(A cobble stone street in Trastevere)
As I walk down the many cobble stone streets and sidewalks all over Rome, I cannot imagine how many other people have walked there before me. The same, dark gray stones are used for every path, and they are smooth and worn down. On the first day we arrived, we got out of the taxi beside our apartment with our luggage. As I dragged my heavy, rolling suitcase across the stones I thought how impractical they are for sidewalks and streets. It took a little while to get used to walking on them. Italians seem to have no problem walking on the cobble stones, even in high heels. They even expertly handle bicycles, though riding a bike over a bumpy path does not look that comfortable. I was so impressed with myself that I had not fallen once on these uneven streets, even with all the rain we had. I have slipped and slid around plenty of times, but never took a major spill.
On Monday, my luck changed. I was walking downhill on the cobble stone sidewalk around the Forum, on the way to the Colosseum, where the path wraps around to the right. As I walked along chatting, my flip flop caught on a stone, sending me flying forward. I landed on the sidewalk hard, especially since the fall was downhill. Needless to say, I was mortified. I quickly got up and tried to brush it off, though my hands and my knee really, really hurt. The tourists around me stared and a policeman across the street yelled, “are you O.K.??”, causing me to be even more embarrassed.
Now I completely understand why Italians do not wear flip flops. I guess after walking these cobble stone streets for years, they know the appropriate footwear, though I am sure they take a spill every once in a while.

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