ex Italia

Restaurants in Rome seat you in one of two areas:

1. Smoking (outside)
2. Vaping (inside)

Known chronology of a small patch of dirt in present-day Vatican:

• ~100 BCE – Dirt on a hill outside of the city wall.
• ~65 AD – Peter is crucified and buried.
• ~160 AD – Shrine is built on top of Peter’s grave.
• ~320 AD – Necropolis filled with earth and leveled. Constantine orders construction of first St. Peter’s Basilica. The high altar is placed directly on top of the site of the shrine.
• ~1506 - 1626 AD – Current St. Peter’s Basilica is built at the site of the old, now-degrading Basilica. Maintains same orientation and altar position over original grave.
• ~1990 AD – Coffee shop constructed on the roof of the Basilica. Espresso machine is placed vertically over the altar.

After walking through St Peter’s Basilica we went out into the square and found a spot for a rest. Beside us was a group of Roman high school children who had just been on a class trip to the Vatican. Some were eating their lunch. Others were sharing a cigarette with a couple of Carabinieri.

North to Verona, where one can see Juliet’s balcony. Italy’s most famous inter-war balcony, constructed 1936.

Further north to Bolzano, into the Alps. One hundred and six years ago these lands were Austrian, now they’re Italian. It probably still looks the same, but there’s no one around who knows. Photographs from Seiser Alm.

Up the hill from Bolzano is Ritten. Seiser Alm is the snowy plateau in the background.

Last stop Switzerland, where even the sushi trains run on time. Photographs from the mountains around Engelberg and Titlis.