The river Tiber is very much the lifeblood of Roma. It flows with a steady, unyielding current as it makes its way through the city. Its wide, mud-brown waters reflect the grandeur of the surrounding buildings, casting ripples of sunlight that dance upon the stone embankments lined with cypress and pine trees. These embankments form a natural barrier against the river, fortified further by stone walls built for the safety of all those who pass by the slippery banks above. Beyond the city, however, the river continues to wind through Roma from north to south, feeding the fields through man-made estuaries and livening the landscape. Yet, as much as it gives life, the river is a dangerous beast — fast and deep, its currents have claimed the lives of many a reckless individual. Only the foolish would attempt to go any further than its banks, and, on the occasions that rain graces Roma, even they cannot be trusted as they grow slick and slippery with mud.