HOSTEL LIFE

Take a building. Make it an old one. It if has a one of a kind elevator that 
looks like it has not had any maintanence for the last 30 years and only fits 
2.5 people and one shopping bag, all the better.  Then open it up for really 
cheap dorm room style accomodations with common areas and about one bathroom for 
every 45 people.

Essentially, you could wind up sharing the room (full of bunk beds) with people 
from Germany one night and Iceland the next. It is the international cross roads 
of all those who believe that travel is a worthy goal unto itself. 

Someone is always up in the common room. Talking, making friends, tapping out a 
communication to some distant land on the computer that has seen soo much in the 
way of wear and tear. 

One night at this most auspicious hostel in Rome has seen a friendly game of 
Texas Hold'em where the money is really torn up pieces of a scrap paper (only 
two sizes, please) and the winner has to take his earnings to the trash can. 
(Players of Oregon - two girls. Players from Connecticut - one weird guy. 
Players who weren't sure where they were from - 2 guys. Players from CA - 2 
guys.) 

The next night saw people discussing the discussions of the ancient forums and a 
lively conversation with a rather gregarious Icelander dude who, by turns, 
engaged everyone in the room in a conversation about something. Mostly about 
law, phsycology (his major), immigration in CA, Dr. Phill, Iceland, lawsuits in 
America, the friendliness of Rome, the snobbish arrogance and useless nature of 
the French, etc. 

All this taking place in the sort of dim light beside a semi operational vending 
machine that dispenses peanuts, water, fruit juice squeeze boxes, and 7 kinds of 
a beer. The front is broken, of course, with the glass taped together with 
packaging tape, and naturally it gives no change.

Actually, if you get it to give you anything at all, you are doing very well. 

Now, I am going to toddle off before I get involved in a conversation with 
someone from a country I have not yet heard of. . . .and God bless the man who 
founded hostelling.

SNO