Siamo arrivati a Roma! A protest is being staged outside my window, or a crowd of drunken people are singing on our street. Anyhow, local color.

We finally made it, if three hours late. Our plane spent over an hour taxi-ing around the Madrid runway, and then we were held up at baggage claim. It's just hard for fourteen musicians to get all their instruments and things, especially when there is a crowd of families waiting at the luggage belt like they're moshing - lots of elbows and shoulders to get through.

The Rome airport is nothing fancy, but did the job. A very effective barista made me an espresso in about eight seconds, and it was yum (is that not foodie language enough? i mean, it had a light head, and a fruitiness that didn't overwhelm the base). He made the guys at Oslo around the corner from me, whom i love, look like American amateurs.

Oh, it's my turn to shower! Allora, um momento.