Today it was raining. We hopped a bus and went to Torre Argentina where my adopted cat, Raptus lives in the Roman cat shelter. She is still quite feral, but knows her name. She looked at me each time I said it.
Then we went to the Ghetto and met my American friend, Liz. She has lived in Rome off and on for 7 years. I read about her in the Dallas paper a couple of years ago and contacted her and we met and have corresponded for a couple of years, meeting when I’m in Rome. She went to SMU, majored in Italian, lived here, went back, got her law degree and returned to Rome. Really wonderful lady!
Had a terrific lunch at a restaurant she recommended…Nonna Betta in the Ghetto.
Andy had meatballs, Liz had salmon, and i had 3 appetizers. We each started with the famous fried artichokes! Then I followed with liver pate on toast and fried squash flower stuffed with mozzarella cheese and anchovies. Be still my heart. I will go back. Delicious! We enjoyed our visit and then Liz had to return for work.
Andy and I went to the Great Synagogue and had a tour and then toured the museum. (Surely you didn’t think we would miss a museum, did you?)
It can be called a living museum, because during the holy days the synagogue uses the artifacts in the museum in the services. Many are very ancient and beautifully made. I especially liked the Torah Crowns made of silver. They are very ornate with bells that jingle when the Torah is carried to the podium where the rabbi reads from it.
We saw more stumbling stones in the Ghetto. I was expecting more, but the guide told us at the time of the Nazi occupation the Jews were free to live anywhere they wanted. That came after the unification of Italy – I think in 1870. Pope John Paul II was the first pope to ever visit the Synagogue and meet with the head Rabbi. Pope Benedict also visited, and they are waiting for Pope Francis.
We saw the famous Turtle Fountain. Had a cappuccino at a little bar facing it and they had a row of turtles made from champagne tops crawling along a ledge…cute.
Then, I went to the famous Jewish bakery -‘where they burn everything! I laugh every time I go there. I keep expecting an unburned batch of rolls, cakes, torts…but they are always burned black. I always buy some biscotti..burned , of course. Someone once asked me why I go back and all I could say was, ‘Tradition!’
Security in the Ghetto was very strong and very evident.
Caught the bus home and I started a pot of split pea soup for the weekend. While the peas were boiling, I chopped garlic, onions and carrots. These were fried in olive oil with pancetta…their bacon. When that was done it was added to the peas and they are still cooking slowly. Should be delicious, especially on these chilly, damp days.
Oh, a funny thing today. Went into a tiny chili pepper shop. They combine the different chili peppers with olive oil for different strengths of hotness. They have chili concentrate, chili everything in this store. The owner asked me if I spoke Italian and I replied, ‘un po’. A little….and off he went…speaking Italian as if I were a native. I could pretty well follow the jist, but as my eyes glazed over, he asked if he were talking too fast…I wanted to say, Yes and I don’t have a clue what you are talking about…except chili peppers. I did thank him graciously for the lesson on chili peppers.
Good night all.