Spent a day last week exploring the city of Tivoli, a region outside center of Rome that takes a 30 minute train ride to a hilltop town. We had a group going with us and decided to meet at a certain hour by the train station. I was already 20 minutes late, had no italian phone and no means to reach anyone. I arrived at the train and saw none of my friends. I was worried they had already left. I walked up and down the entire train to see if they were seated. No luck. I have no wifi and no idea but I was hopeful. Train is blowing and no sign of familiar faces but wait... I hear frantic footsteps and heavy breathing and look down the tunnel and see the group running yelling wait!
Thankfully we all met and headed to Tivoli to explore the Villas of D'Este and Adriana. It quite a beauitful peaceful town. We followed the crowd off the train as we did not know where the villas were located or even which direction to walk to the city center. With my direction skills we got to Villa D'Este in no time. This Villa is known for its beautiful fountains. It was commissioned for a summer palace of... who cares some old Roman rich man/king.
There is a long row of fountains that is called Le Cento Fontane, the hundred fountains, as you can see here as me, Captain obvious points out is a street of a 100 fountains. At the top of the hill is a large water organ fountain, where the water creates music through the pressure of fountains. Quite impressive I must say. 
After a few hours at Villa D'Este, we decided to grab a bite to eat. We looked at several restaurants menus, got hassled by restaurant owners to eat at "the best place" in Tivoli or Italy for that matter, because you know how easy it is to screw up pasta or pizza and finally decided on a place. But first we had to experience a real aggressive Italian who would take no for answer to eat at his overpriced restaurant. He would not stop blabbering in italian to me about eating at his place that I finally said Basta! (stop it) and walked away. He then proceeding to follow us only after telling be vaffancculo (fuck off) and gave us the evil eyes. My French friends decided to tease him and I had an imagine he would get mafiaoso on us at the dinner table outside, true Soprano style.
There was no time to visit the other Villa (Adriana) as the sun was setting so we agreed to a hike up the mountains near the Train station. The group split up a bit up the mountain as I decided to follow the gringo, Frenchies and Belgium up the off beaten path. Bad idea, as we had no hiking shoes, the hill was steep and there was rocks to climb. I climbed almost to the top but as I looked down I couldn't see how I would descend except for tumble and roll. I scooted down with a friend to a familiar path and ran into our Chilean amigos. They continued on the marked path all the way up to the top of the mountain. Damn me for following the gringo on the dangerous path and not the Incas who were smart to follow the red and white paint marked on rocks.
Apparently horses trail up the mountain as I never saw so much horse shit everywhere that likely all of us stepped on because it was nearly impossible not to but we all made it to the top of the mountain where a steel cross was implanted. The sights were unforgettable, we saw a beautiful sunset, took in the fresh air or horse shit and headed back to good ol' Roma.
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