To put it simply, we fell head over heals with Rome. It was unexpected; one big city already has our hearts, and we call that one home. But Rome….Rome was something special. Our first hours in the Eternal City were not great- in fact they weren’t even good. A passport was lost somewhere between customs and baggage claim and we didn’t realize it until after having arrived at the hotel. Panic set in on top of a healthy dose of jet lag, and the day, not even 12 hours old, felt like it dragged on forever. The hotel’s driver, Floriano Bibici, drove us back to the airport in a hopeless attempt to recover the lost document.
Floriano doesn’t work for the hotel but rather is a professional driver and perhaps one of the kindest, most patient people we’ve ever met. For 2 hours he swept the airport with us, speaking with a dozen or so police officers and translating our worried explanations until BAM we found it. It felt like a miracle and we were grateful that the huge headache of spending hours at the US Embassy was avoided. Meeting Floriano was serendipitous; not only did he help us find the missing passport, he showed us a side of Rome we’d have never seen. While he isn’t a certified tour operator, he moved to Rome some 15 years ago from Romania and was fascinated with the history. He learned everything about his new home and has a passion for sharing the stories this great city. The next day, Floriano took us on a city tour, pointing out the famous historic ruins as well as secret, off the beaten path spots. He helped us fall in love with Rome, and this is our love-letter photo journey through the Eternal City:
To contact Floriano Babici : +39 393 1254542 | onepremiumcar@gmail.com
