Mobile phones scrambling. Delegations with all their buro-paraphernalia filling the lobbies at Via Veneto’s hotels. Dante’s Inferno crowds at Fiumicino airport. First ladies planning sightseeing in Rome.

The coming week seems even messier. Rome could be hit by the tsunami wave of sherpas, delegations and bureaucrats escaping from l’Aquila if nerve-racking (and security apparatus stressing) earthquakes shake the G8 show a bit more.

Also, we’re out of Schengen, for a couple of weeks we’ll be needing to show patte blanche and brandish our passports for any tiny transfer within compact Euroland.

Don’t G8 me, please…

And let the poor tortoises alone, they seem trapped into the logo’s fishing nets. Like L’Aquila citizens, unwilling extras in this tragi-comedy.