Notes From Me

Sunday, May 15, 2005

I (Heard) It Written and I (Saw) It Said

There is a photo of Athens I have to scan to post so I will do so later...

My last night in Rome I was taken by my impeccable host on the fastest motorbike ride I've ever been on. A thankfully quiet yet very powerful bike. I was prepared to just go with my light jacket but Maurizio said, "But no, you will wear this," and handed me a sleek blue synthetic Italian motorbike jacket that looked almost bulletproof.

Both of us helmeted and on the bike, he then said, "You will hold on me, and if you are scared you will knock me like this: bam, bam, bam."

"Okay," I said, "but I will not be scared." I much prefer holding the metal bar behind the seat, or the seat itself if there isn't one, unless I know the driver well. In Vietnam I got a ride across Saigon with a woman I met, and she too said, "You hold on," and when I put my hands on her waist she said, "More. Because I have big belly," and she laughed. How this illogic was supposed to encourage me...anyway with Maurizio I am glad I held on because I would have flown off the back if I hadn't.

The acceleration made me start smiling automatically, motivated by adrenaline. I got to see many places. My favorite thing was this: We drove to the end of a street and stopped. From there you could see a lit cityscape with a really good view of the dome of the Basilica of St. Peter's at the Vatican. Then, Maurizio told me to keep my eye on the dome, which I had to turn around to do as we drove off. Instead of receding, the lit up dome appeared grow and to follow us, more and more until it was looming. Not disappearing.

"An illusion," he said, "because this road narrows." It was like a visual version of gravity hill in Cotati, CA.

posted by lux at 1:58 AM
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4 Comments:

kt commented at 5/16/2005~: my friend took me on a motorcycle tour all over SF when i first got off the train here...through chinatown, north beach, ocean beach, the zoo, the mission...something about the fast pace, and travelling through wind, and the speed, very nice.

sounds like you are having a fabulous time...when do you touchdown in the 'states?
lux commented at 5/17/2005~: yeah motorbiking is great. so, i am having a very great trip. my friend in amsterdam has brought me to see brazilian music for dancing, and to other friends who like to make music and sing.

i will fly to new jersey tomorrow, see relatives, go to new york, then to california around june 1st.
kt commented at 5/18/2005~: welcome back to the 'states...such as they are. talk to you later...
lux commented at 5/22/2005~: ah thank you. so many kinds of those, arigato, grazie, merci, xie xie, kop koon ka...i went to a new jersey grocery store and there were something like five yards of apples.

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