Rome

Rome is a lovely place for a business trip, if you can succeed in ignoring the business side of the experience. As i have noted in several previous posting, getting business done in italy can be execeptionally stressful, the bureaucracy makes Russia look efficient and the decision making process is absurdly convoluted. However, despite a national phobia of taking decisions, the people are extremely pleasant. Whilst in Milan, people constantly apologise for the their grimy and cold city, in Rome they are very proud of the city and its traditions and anxious to put on a good show. After a day of meetings, clients frequently insist on taking us for tours all over Rome, which invariably involve plenty of good wine and food.

One of my last trips for the company i have been working for this past year takes me for three days to Rome, where i have to do a handover to the person who will be replacing me. i stay one last time at my regular Rome hotel, La Griffe on Via Nazionale, in my usual room 201. I eat dinner one last time at my favourite La Taverna Trastevere on Via del Politearna with a favourite client. I dont know yet what i will be doing and where i will be going in my new job, but i will certainly miss these trips to Rome.