Roma!

Roma!

It's 7:45am and I'm so grateful to be here! Tough ride here, but now I'm off to a beautiful hotel in an amazing city!  I'm using my points for a two day stay because I think Bank of America is finally going to come through and send my card here! (I'm a dreamer!) they have a room for me but it's not ready. I would hardly expect it to be, it's so early. He has one now, but the room they originally reserved has a big balcony. Do I want to wait? Yes! I drop my bag as he outlines a nice hour long walk for me. I can't wait to see how long it takes me;) (about 2:45) I love Rome! Obviously this is where I should live....shopping, piazzas, wine, pasta....what's not to love! And there are nearly 500 churches! It's perfect! I decide that in addition to the American Embassy (which is right across the street from my hotel-convenient should I need it!) my other landmark will be Vinny Barbarino. That's totally not the name of the piazza  (Barberini! Its close!) but it's easier to remember (looking back on this, it's odd that Epstein just died and I'm in Piazza Barbarino ) . Now to Triton Fountain and ooh! Street shopping! It's like little Italy, in Italy! And a couple of beautiful churches (498 to go!) I decided to "light" my candles near Mary-there weren't any lit there! Now I know why, this electronic candle  lighting thing can be more difficult than it needs to be. But I find good spots for my boys;). Ok, totally moving here, right here, in this room with this balcony and this shower! First of all, my room has shades of pink-shades, but also shades! The lamps have two shades, the larger outer white one and inside is a pale pink one. What a great idea! It casts a nice soft light. My big marble bathroom echoes! Mary and Linda, you'll be happy to know that there's a bidet. I've never used a bidet. Don't know if I will now. Definitely won't be blogging about it! But the shower is amazing! I can't wait to jump in!  Have soooo many choices of gels and shampoos and lotions! I can only imagine how yummy I'll smell! I'm going to be in here for an hour! In addition to having the wand thing that was so funny in Zurich, there's a huge waterfall overhead. So ironic, in Zurich I was thinking they should have a shower head and the wand-let's be honest, I was not great with the wand. The bathroom was a little damp, well wet! Anyway, now I have it all! Spoiled, happy girl. After the shower, in my robe and slippers (really more like thongs,  soft cushy thongs!) I decide to order a little glass of prosecco....wouldn't you? It comes with little snacks...ooh! Good idea! I haven't eaten since that taste of prosciutto yesterday! Actually my favorite ones are like little cheesy shortbreads in little circle shapes...they remind me of the girls' puffs snacks;) yikes a bird! I am willing to share lots of things, but I'm not great at sharing with birds. I saw The Birds with Kim at the Gramlichs a hundred years ago....eeew! This one is just happily hanging out on my balcony. It makes me think of traveling to Hawaii for work...I always had birds on my balcony or in my room because I always  had a room up high and I never closed the balcony door-would you if you were from Kansas? I loved hearing the waves. Once I came home to a pair of love birds in my room! They were not happy! Neither was I. 
 Did I mention there's a spa here? I'm sure it's amazing! Instead I give myself a little mani/pedi on the balcony while drinking my prosecco. It's a springy color, but I don't care, it's a happy color, perfect! Yep, definitely moving to Rome;) I put on a cute dress and I'm ready to head out! My favorite piazza (from forever ago-the only other time I've ever been in Rome) is Piazza Navona. And there's a yummy spot there called Tre Scalini. Julie and I liked it so much we went back one night just to convince them to give us tartufo to go;) I sent Scott here years ago, too. I can't wait! I'm so organized that I google map it and write down directions. It will take 38 minutes to get there by foot! Perfect! The directions are in meters...173 meters then go right, etc...I am so organized that I look that up too! One meter is about three feet so every three steps I take is a meter...well, maybe a little more steps/meter for me.  I think about my St. Christopher medal from Sean and Wiese..patron saint of travelers, not lost travelers...oh well;) I love it and show it to everyone! I ask for directions at a Best Western (btw, that would be a great hotel to earn points! They are everywhere and usually in good locations!) at the hotel  I see the Blandos (I know its almost been a year, but I still love saying it!) the only odd thing is that you have forgotten to take the stitch out of the flap on the back of your very cute coat, Katie and Phil is speaking Italian? Anyway, I'm not close. But here's the thing, by the time I get to dinner I've been through a cool tunnel (twice) to the Trevi  Fountain, pantheon, Horses (a couple times, but they end up being a landmark)! I mean, honestly, what did you pass in the way to dinner tonight? Not a bad night! Unfortunately, Tre Scalini is closed when I get there:( its only 8:35! Oh well, there are two other places still open. I pick one. Navona Ristorante...like Nona! It's weird, the piazza seems smaller, but Rome seems bigger. I think we stayed closer to it last time I was here? Usually it's filled with bands and artists, but not on this cold January night. I'm snuggled in by a heat lamp with a glass of red wine and pasta on the way. What a rough life! There is one artist showing his wares and the maitre d is talking with him. The maitre d reminds me of George from Tasso's! Except that he's bugging everyone who walks by to come eat. To be fair, he's very nice when someone asks for directions to another place (and gives them...I try not to ask directions of a restaurant when I'm looking for a restaurant hotel/hotel...I just feel too guilty) and  he's not doing too badly getting people to come in. He's about 1 for 5-it's a numbers game, like everything else. It makes me think what it would be like when this is your livelihood. You'd have to work really hard to get as many people in the seats as possible. Eventually I'm helping George. I should be on commission.  Just to make my evening complete, a man start playing guitar and singing. I'm loving his renditions! He starts off with a version of "Your Song"  now "sorry seems to be the honest word"? instead of what do i have to do...why can't you? Hey love! Or Layla as we've known it in the past. Think how good he must be.  He either doesn't have the sheet music, or can't read English, or both but he's rocking it out! George is singing too! Happy group! As I get ready to leave another large Asian tour group comes through the square with one of those long  poles with a doll hanging from it to keep them together. I could be the american version just walk and talk all day! But I don't want the pole.  I'm  headed back to the hotel thinking I should get some gelato. Also thinking I should keep walking this off. I end up taking a cab and no gelato;( good decision because when I get home there's a truffle by my bed....yum!



For my last day in Rome, I decide to walk the tour suggested in the book. Turns out, once again, I've seen most of it through my wandering. I continue to wander because I'm not going to get in at church:( the line has not moved at all, same as yesterday. I pick out another nativity for you, Bridget and decide to say prayers in the square! I love to shop and just look up! It's so beautiful here. Now,  I'm in a cafe in piazza del popolo. My view is amazing! Of the buildings and people....well...Men should not wear low waist jeans....I don't mean the ones slung so low they're falling off-they shouldn't wear those either...I mean like we wear. It's yucky seeing someone's thong, it's yuckier seeing a guy's nasty black underwear peeking out :(
There's a beautiful band playing in the piazza. Kind of random happy Italian music-exactly what you'd want to hear in the square....meantime,  there's a little girl two tables over playing a little wooden flute, not well, but hilarious all the same;) when the band ends a song, she stops. They start and she does too! 
Cutest little bus flies by. Its like a mini tour bus. Its for shopping! Hello! Here I am! (as it turns out, this bus is totally following me-it wants me to shop!)
Remember the woman in the fountain in Under the Tuscan Sun? She's here! Not in a fountain, just chatting on her phone. I think it's a sign, of what I don't know. I'm always wondering if things are signs. I used to pray for big flashing neon signs to knock me over because I was sure I was missing whatever signs God was sending, but now I just try to pay more attention. I'll figure it out eventually;) I think!
Now that's a garage door! It looks like one of the nice large front doors that are throughout Italy, but this one pulls open and a car drives through! Very cute!
Dogs are everywhere! I love it! One dog comes running right up to me and then sits. He has on a Swiss collar-he obviously smells Monte on me;)
A fire truck comes swerving by, lights flashing. Of course it makes me think of my good fortune in meeting Tommy, but also about the fact that they seem to be driving rather leisurely here and no one gets out of their way. Don't you always send up a prayer for whomever is on the receiving end of an ambulance? I think we need to send it with more gusto in Italy! 
This is the  best people watching ever! Plaid socks on an 80 year old, furs on every woman, faux or real and everyone has a map!
What a wonderful world;) true, and  it's playing in the piazza! 
I love watching how the women fit their hair in these helmets. It somehow works, but by some odd miracle! 
I've finished my pasta and red wine and the band is on break-that's is a sign! Time to start walking! I only have an hour and a half until I jump on a train to Venice! 
Of course i must fold my napkin back into shape. Fortunately its linen, unfortunately, since I sat down they have new fold going! Its a fanned  out kind of thing....here goes....ahhh success! One more thing I might be good at;)

As is typical in my last hours in a town, I immediately find my way back to Barbarino. I think I haven't taken a picture of the actual square/fountain so as I pause to do it, I see a man fishing coins out of the fountain...he has a specific device he uses to do it. I may be naive but I had no idea there was such a device!  He seems fairly successful and I'm torn...once the coin hits the fountain, your wish is made (not necessarily granted, but made) but the fountains need constant care....I'm just going to hope for the best for both.

Oh, I am sad to leave Rome! So much history, so much fun!