Morning in Rome
I'm at a different InternetPoint - quite surprised that they are not 'internet cafes' anymore, but are either phone stores, computer equipment stores, or gaming stores. Eventually, I expect the major cities will be wi-fi, and we'll have to bring our own equipment. More stuff to lug!
It's an overcast morning, quite cool. It has rained every evening - including lighting and thunder - and yesterday we got caught in a rainstorm at the Spanish Steps (which BTW is a streaming flood of scary EuroYouth). So not too warm, and at times a bit cool - which makes this a good time of year to come to Italy. Wisteria blooms in the forum, or on balconies; orange trees line some streets, and are baring right now too. Artichokes are just in season and delicious.
Our apartment is a couple streets north of the Vatican (up the street from Spring House, for those of you familiar with that hotel ). It's a good neighborhood, not too upscale, close to a couple of Metro Linea A stops and several bus lines. The apartment is clean, three bedrooms, two baths, a workable kitchen, and a washing machine (for 750euros a week, for 5 people). There is a fine daily market close by, and several panedarias, so we have been cooking really good meals. Rome, however, is expensive to eat out in.
One of our party, C, has not been here before - so of course we took her to the Forum the first day, and to St Peter's the second. Yesterday we went to the Villa Borghese -each room of the villa is filled with either Roman or Renaissance statuary, and many many paintings including several Carravaggio's. And marble floors. Nothing seems to cushion feet that walk on marble floors! Frankly, if I didn't have my cane, I would not be able to get around at all - there are always stairs going up or going down, uneven pavement, miles of walking to get anywhere.
A week ago, we started out in Bologna - which is a lovely small city, full of prosperous, educated people, who have time to talk to curious visitors. I could actually walk across the city. Bologna is actually older than Rome, altho there is no indication of that on the surface, and has one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is also the home of marvelous sausages - mortadella is what 'baloney' only dreams of becoming. We had one lunch in a small salumeria that provides trays of thinly sliced meats, characteristic of either a type of salami or typical of an area - all different, exquisite, cured meats.
Euros are deceptive - it is easy to equate them with dollars, but they are really about 1.32 - so you are spending more than you think you are spending, for everything.
Caffe calls me - more later. Arrivaderci!
It's an overcast morning, quite cool. It has rained every evening - including lighting and thunder - and yesterday we got caught in a rainstorm at the Spanish Steps (which BTW is a streaming flood of scary EuroYouth). So not too warm, and at times a bit cool - which makes this a good time of year to come to Italy. Wisteria blooms in the forum, or on balconies; orange trees line some streets, and are baring right now too. Artichokes are just in season and delicious.
Our apartment is a couple streets north of the Vatican (up the street from Spring House, for those of you familiar with that hotel ). It's a good neighborhood, not too upscale, close to a couple of Metro Linea A stops and several bus lines. The apartment is clean, three bedrooms, two baths, a workable kitchen, and a washing machine (for 750euros a week, for 5 people). There is a fine daily market close by, and several panedarias, so we have been cooking really good meals. Rome, however, is expensive to eat out in.
One of our party, C, has not been here before - so of course we took her to the Forum the first day, and to St Peter's the second. Yesterday we went to the Villa Borghese -each room of the villa is filled with either Roman or Renaissance statuary, and many many paintings including several Carravaggio's. And marble floors. Nothing seems to cushion feet that walk on marble floors! Frankly, if I didn't have my cane, I would not be able to get around at all - there are always stairs going up or going down, uneven pavement, miles of walking to get anywhere.
A week ago, we started out in Bologna - which is a lovely small city, full of prosperous, educated people, who have time to talk to curious visitors. I could actually walk across the city. Bologna is actually older than Rome, altho there is no indication of that on the surface, and has one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is also the home of marvelous sausages - mortadella is what 'baloney' only dreams of becoming. We had one lunch in a small salumeria that provides trays of thinly sliced meats, characteristic of either a type of salami or typical of an area - all different, exquisite, cured meats.
Euros are deceptive - it is easy to equate them with dollars, but they are really about 1.32 - so you are spending more than you think you are spending, for everything.
Caffe calls me - more later. Arrivaderci!