Ali mortacci tua. Only in Rome can imprecating another's antecedents convey familiarity and good natured joviality. Not that I didn't collect a bevy of slaps as a child for this crude Roman expression. They didn't do any good. Uffa, the exasperated "get outta my face" sigh, is another Romanism that attracts an instant sberla, often across the face, from equally exasperated parents, a priest or nun.

As an American growing up in Rome, dealing with clergy held its own risks. Roman custom holds that nuns crossing your path bring bad luck. To ward off the peril, a male must reach down and jostle himself. The maneuver goes undetected when performed by a native; this foreigner was not so lucky. More slaps. I was the healthiest-looking child in Rome; my cheeks were perpetually red.

Rome struck me, and except for the sberle, it still does. The confident and care-free attitude that thrives in Rome sets it apart. It's not the monuments, it is in spite of them. Rome ruled. What else is there? Romans have seen it all. From the hotel or bus window you never will. The concierge, however friendly, cannot see you as an equal unless you're both stalking the same artichoke at the open-air market. Whether you win the prize or not, or have any idea what to do with it, does not matter. It's the irrepressible joy that comes from living and playing a part, as if in a Fellini film and that twinkle in the eye that defines true character.

If all roads lead to Rome, then the reverse is also true. Beyond the gates of the Eternal City there is a wealth of history, art, nature and culture waiting to be discovered. Lazio borders on Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo and Campania. It deliciously combines gorgeously rolling landscapes, ancient hill towns, beaches and cities of art with an excellent road system, lower prices, good amenities and friendly, knowledgeable inhabitants. Lazio's time has come and now it's time for you to do the same. Need more convincing? Just look at the map. Lazio is in central Italy, and the ideal base from which to explore the surrounding regions.