I haven’t fallen in a wine vat or been abducted by a handsome Italiano but have been super busy and super tired.
Will write more as time permits. Im going to try to link a picture of one of yesterday’s adventures, but if it doesnt come thru just Google: Civita di Bagnoregio and look at that bridge!
L’ho fatto! That means – I made it!
I took an early train to Florence – took 1.5 hours. Met Linda, the other single lady. We had a quick breakfast at her hotel then went out. Crossed over the Ponte Vecchio and went to the Santo Spirito church to see the Michelangelo crucifix. It was stolen during the Napoleonic Wars, found in the 1960’s and returned to the church. Had lunch at CasaLingua – a place I had eaten at a few years ago.
Took a taxi to the airport and met our group and went to a lovely hotel north of Pistoia. More tomorrow as I try to catch up!
After lunch with Liz, I went back to the convent and rested before dinner with Alex again. When I got there, saw the Brazilian couple from Canada and we dined together. Back home to bed for early train to Florence in the morning.
Ciao!
After seeing the Pope, i wandered around a bit before meeting Liz Knight. I had read a big article in the Dallas News a few months ago. She was from Dallas, majored in Italian at SMU and lived in Rome for 4 years. Returned to the US and got a law degree and moved back to Rome a year ago. She has a lovely blog about living in Italy and I emailed her asking questions about the move I want to make. Meeting her after all of our emails was really nice. She os tall, blond, pretty, smart and very kind and nice. We had fun having a pizza. Nice new friend in Rome!
More to come…..
I wrote a huge blog on the train to
Florence – then somehow lost it so I’m starting over.
I got up and had breakfast. Met a nice Brazilian couple who now live in Canada. Caught a bus to the Vatican to see the Pope. By 8:30 St. Peter’s Square was already packed. I didn’t get a chair but was standing behind a barricade where the PopeMobile would drive right by. After mote than an hour in the scorching hot sun along with 25,000 of his closest friends, the Pope started his drive. And I started
getting sick. Thought I was going to faint or throw up – or both. I pushed my way out of the crush and got to an area with air and not so many people. Now I was feeling better but so upset I had to leave my wonderful vantage point. Then i looked to my left and there was the PopeMobile turning the corner. He passed 5 feet in front of me and looked me right in the eye! We were
both smiling from ear to ear! I have seen every Pope since 1968 except the one who lasted 6 weeks in 1978.
Got up early and had breakfast and cappuccino. I walked to Torre Argentina where Caesar was assassinated (remember, Et Tu , Brute?). This ruin is the home of a famous cat shelter in Rome. I have an ‘adopted’ kitty here at Torre Argentina that I send ‘cat support’ for every month. They do great work here caring for the unwanted cats. I dropped off a heavy bag of cat items I had collected all year from garage sales, etc. One was a big cat shaped dish… I bought for $2 and they sold it that day for 20 Euros – that’s about $28 of US money!!
After dropping off the goodies, I headed over to the Jewish Ghetto for my tradition of buying what have to be the worst baked goods in all of Europe – if not the world…It is a world famous Kosher bakery. Everything looks burned and I usually buy about 6 biscotti – that are harder and dryer than bricks. And one stands in line to buy this mess! Why do I do this year after year? One simple word – Tradition! (Remember Fiddler on the Roof? ).
On the way over to Torre Argentina , near my convent, I noticed 20 brass plates in the cobbles of the street. A sweet man sweeping in front of the shop explained that they were memorials to 20 Jews who were arrested from that building and were shipped to Auschwitz – never to return.
Later, after a wonderful lunch of Jewish fried artichoke and Roman style artichoke and some fish stuffed into fried zucchini flower – I returned to visit with Giacinto, my cat. He slept thru the entire visit.
Never did sleep on the plane. We arrived a bit late due to headwinds, but got my bag upon arrival and got the bus to Termini for €5 – quite the bargain. At Termini caught the Metro to the Cavour station and faced about a jillion stairs going up. A nice young woman took my bag to the top and I crossed the street and went down another jillion stairs and walked the two blocks to the Convent of Santa Sofia where I will stay. My favorite Sister is back in her native Brazil. Asked if Father Peter was in residence. Father Peter is a character Marci and I met two years ago. Old bearded guy from New Hampshire who comes here for 2-3 months each year and is a priest ‘wannabe’. Wears the same red T-shirt and huge (can’t miss it!) wooden cross around his neck. We got the idea he never really left the convent except to buy something cheap to eat at a grocery.
I rested and slept most of the afternoon waiting on Evan’s old girlfriend to come see me and bring her 4 month old baby girl. Simona always makes the long drive into town to see me and it is always appreciated. Her baby, Maja (pronounced Maya) is chunky and adorable! A good baby! We had gelato in the piazza before she, Vladamir and Maja went back home. I always cry when she leaves! I brought Maja a summer blanket, two stuffed bears and a monkey hat I will try to post a picture.
After they left I walked the two blocks to Al Cardello Ristorante where Alex is the chef. It is at Via Del Cardello #1. Two blocks from the convent and the Colosseo. Marci and I met Alex the last 5 days of our trip and ate with him for 5 days. He fixes the best Italian food I have ever eaten. I dont order from the menu – just let him fix what he wants and I have never been disappointed! Last night he prepared fresh homemade pasta with Porcini mushrooms and Italian parsley. Simple and delicious. Alex is quite the character! His English is perfect as he had an English teacher from New Joisey! Alex called his wife Daniella to come see a surprise – me! She knows about two words in English, but a sweet and pretty lady. They now have a dog named Atlas.
Returned to Convent, hot shower and bed. Slept about 4 hours , so got up and wrote this. Going to try to get back to sleep b
Tomorrow afternoon I leave for Rome for 3 days before joining my tour to Tuscany and Umbria.