Concert in Rome

I made it to Rome alright, and luckily had booked a hostel for two nights because most places were full. I guess otherwise I would have slept in the train station. Looked like it would have been nicer than that bench in Tokyo... The first picture is my hostel. I'm in a room with 12 beds on one wall and 12 lockers on the other wall. It's pretty much a hallway with not room to pass anther person. But it works.

So what do I find on my first day in Rome, but a free Bryan Adams and Billy Joel concert. It was at the Colosseum and I was all excited to sit where the Romans did and listen to Summer of '69. But because it's so small, the Colosseum was only the backdrop, and the stage faced down a long street with hundreds of thousands of people watching. It was a pretty dramatic backdrop for a 'rock concert.'

And what would it be without pick-pockets? I actually caught a guy with his hand trying to un-velcro my pocket. He let go all innocently and completely ignored me. I was with two friends from the hostel (A Mexican and American) and so I warned them immediatly. But otherwise what do you do? Shout 'Polizia'? I was tempted to give him the map in my pocket he was trying to pick, but I kinda wanted it to get home.

It was a pretty good concert overall, with a Billy rounding out the second encore by playing Piano Man. I wonder if Billy or Bryan are Christians, because it would have made an even better show to have some lions come running out...