When in Rome...

Happy mom at 70!

OK. I have to admit I was not quite sure if this short visit to Rome, the first I have done in 16 years in this fall season, would warrant even a brief blog entry or two. However things got pretty exciting, in all, and I think I want to keep these memories alive, if for nothing else knowing they will still accompany the few pics I have taken, but also to look back at what we have done with my mom for her 70th.
Let's begin from the beginning...

Whisky, the little guy!

I arrive on Friday last week (on my way back this coming Saturday), and the excitement of that day was to find the Internet connection. Nothing major to talk about there. However, on Sunday we had a splendid time together, beautiful October sunny sky, walked to and from the restaurant (l'Insalata Ricca - I highly recommend it when in Rome!). Mom looked really happy, received lot's of presents, from Rome and from Canada (she was very grateful of a special present from one of my students at the college)...and not only my mom. her new little family member, Whisky, a Chihuahua of just five months, received a few gifts of his own, from the grandchildren back home.

The happy family of two!

Whisky is truly a new great addition to her household. She looks great, sounds more alive, talks about the little friend a lot and certainly this new puppy is quite well adapted into the new environment. he already owns two coats, three beds, a few toys, and eats and sleeps well. Just does not seem to like people getting out of the shower with a big towel wrapped around their head (that would be me: the dog starts to bark until I get it off my head. Must be the height....)

Anyhow, the little pest is quite alright, until his friend, the Jack Russell my brother owns, Ulisse, comes to visit. Then they turn into these little friendly beasts who run around like two little crazy ones, all over the house. Even though the size is not on him, Whisky wins the battle each time - running faster, barking louder and even biting for play! A spectacle not to be missed.

Sara and my mom

I did a lot of public transportation moving around (this time I did not rent a car) so walking and hopping on and off buses has been a pleasure, to truly enjoy my home town in the middle of a busy fall. My mom gets out practically only in the morning, and we did get out a couple of times with the dog with us. Overall, he does not seem to enjoy the outside as much as his own home as he relentlessly heads for the elevator door, but the occasional walk with my mom seems to still be of benefit to his tiny little paws.

Eva and me.

His main purpose in life is to be my mom's shadow - and I should consider myself lucky for having been included in this powerful new circle of love. I am happy my mom has a new company for her days, I think the dog will keep her company for a long time.

The British Cemetery by the
Pyramid, in Piazza san Paolo.

I managed to spend a few hours with a friend who is taking the same Master's program with me at UofA. She is on a long stretch for her honeymoon, taking about 7 weeks off traveling in Europe, and Rome was her first stop. We walked quite a bit yesterday. I included in the tour the visit to the british cemetery where Keats's tomb is to be found (the British famous poet). The Cemetery is quite different from what we are used to back home. Statues and special inscriptions can be found on almost every grave... together with lovely and well fed cats. Rome is famous for its cats.

A tomb at the cemetery

I also showed them monuments as well as smaller roads with lovely stores with special finds... And most importantly, they were able to find (after a few critical showing points) the best eating spot in Rome - da Tonino...a restaurant with no more than 30 eating seats with no special title or doors which resides in Via del Governo Vecchio, 18. Another fantastic place I highly recommend to anyone traveling to my city. She told me she truly had a great dinner there (I had visited the restaurant the day before for lunch meeting up with an old friend) and followed the meal with a delicious ice-cream... must have been hard to fall asleep after that!

Cats

Talking about friends, my dear friend told me that he has a peculiar connection with the last famous book by Elisabeth Gilbert: Eat, Pray, Love, which is now plastering the walls of every movie theatre in Rome as the latest movie production. My friend's friend, Giovanni, is apparently one of the first people Elisabeth met when she begun her journey towards finding herself the year she wrote her diary which became and instant success. A neat story to keep in mind!

Another truly amazing coincidence is the fact that "da Tonino" the restaurant was also mentioned in the book I am finishing to read. The book is entitled: Super Sad True Love Story, by Gary Shteyngart, a novelist who lives in New York and is originally from Russia.
In the first chapter of his book, he speaks about delicious meals he had at this very restaurant, explaining in detail his main dishes...I thought this was truly a sign from destiny! (BTW - love the book! you should read it!)

A bus downtown.

I made sure to take a few shots of the lovely public transportation system in Rome, for my students back at the college. And mainly noticing what different crowds take public transit in Rome in comparison to our smaller Edmonton. Still there never seem to be enough rides, or enough LRT trains... I do have to admit it is quite efficient as a system and everything runs pretty smoothly (although a friend of mine did have an accident with a bus three weeks ago... fortunately nothing major got broken, other than the car!). It is like everyone runs and takes shortcuts whenever they can - I was amazed at how the drivers were so at ease with the chaos and the panic of all that surrounds them in the city! The buses are quite spacious, and the tram, the equivalent of our surface LRT trains, are very comfy and easy to get on and off from.

Inside of a tram.

Again, the major difference I noticed was in the crowd - everyone from dress suites to casual pants to beggar-like clothing. It is also easy to find wondering young folks, who bring a long an instrument and begin to play a few songs for everyone on board, hoping to get some change to arrive to the end of the day. The other amazing factor is the advertising that covers the vehicle - quite colorful compared to ours. And no talking to the driver!

I did manage to see a few friends, even if only for a few hours. A coffee here, a lunch break there - not everyone, of course, but this was not the intent of the trip.

The Coliseum

As I was saying, days have gone by in pretty smooth and easy fashion, and certainly as fast as any day outside of the usual routine can go. It seems that almost everyone I know had a birthday to celebrate on my mom's day or around it. Even president Putin from Russia (I know this because Berlusconi's visit was quite a big deal on TV!). So I was ready to let this short break go by without even trying to set up a short blog like this one, when today happened.  Here is the most interesting story of all. Read on!

My brother and the
two friendly dogs!

I had ordered a special watch for my hubby - a model that is only sold in a few jewelry stores in Rome. Since my favourite spots in Rome are all downtown, I went to the one I thought could be trusted the best - one store in Via Veneto, one of the most famous streets in Rome. As the lady told me the item had arrived, I walked into the store this morning at around noon. As I enter the place, I noticed the door was wide open. These types of stores usually have strong doors that are used to keep people out and expensive items in - at least until they are paid for. I made noting major of the situation, but I do notice as I enter, that one desk at the very end of the store is hosting a gentleman in a suit, speaking in English with one of the owners, an older lady. She is explaining to him all the features of this ring she is holding in her hand, which she states is worth over 195,000 euros. She goes on over the details of the item, takes out the authenticity certificate, as all the different parts of the right match the colours of the stones. There is only one other lady in front of me, so I wait close to the door. As the other owner addresses me, I explain I am there to pick up an order, which she seems to know about. I get closer to the other desk in the store and as I see the lady entering the vault and I am now looking at the different items in the store with my back facing the door, I hear a scream. She guy who was inquiring and ordering the ring for his wife, took off with the expensive item.

Entering Trastevere

In a moment of panic, everyone in the store tries to get out and chase after him. Of course the fellow has an accomplice with a green car and they both escape. I survived a jewelry robbery! I don't know too many people who can say that and still live to tell the tale... Quite an adventure no?

Anyhow, things got pretty crazy for a few minutes, but I still waited patiently until I could leave the store with my processed item - a beautiful watch, may I say! I think this watch will bring my hubby great luck! and it certainly ha a great story to accompany it!

A tram

Well, tonight we had dinner at home with my brother and niece and the other big dog, Ulisse. It was very exciting and nice at the same time. It will be long before I am back, so I cherished the moments. I did manage these days to work on draft home assignments for our online course, and work on the 5 presentations I am about to give in the next month or so all over the place, so traveling adventures may still be in the making in my near future. However I doubt any of them will exceed the level of excitement I had today. Which is totally fine by me.

Just another week in crazy Rome...

I am not sure I will have time or energy to get back to this blog, but I thought this could be a good simple account of my time here for mom's birthday. It is time to get back to my other life, the one I built back home. I miss the kids and my hubby. A things are never the same when I experience traveling alone.

Hope you enjoyed this short story...

Bye for now!