10 April 2015 0830 hrs
leaving in less than 10 hours,
12 April: 0448 (Sunday morning)
Sorry no pictures yet, no site-seeing yet, only from a distance in passing. Spent most of yesterday in a tired haze, we did (accidentally) find a very nice tiny restaurant for dinner. One thing that did stand out during my two taxi rides and one bus ride was Mausoleum of Hadrian, also known as the Castel Sant’Angelo (Castle of the Holy Angel). I have 2 days for site-seeing and this is not one of my three chosen destinations - maybe someday,
it is huge, massive, and very cool (from a distance).
So far the Romans seem a decent folk; funny quote from my taxi driver, we were talking about travel (he’d been to NYC and Scotland) I told him it was my first time to Roma but I have been to Paris many times; he said “Paris is a beautiful city, except for the french!” Go figure …
Today we head to the Colosseum, and hopefully Piazza San Pietro in Vincoli to see Michelangelo’s Moses. Today I get some pictures, but for now I will wait for the sun to come up, then sit on my balcony and write some post cards.
okay, first picture - view from the balcony of my hotel room, 5th floor. Heading into town soon, more later
We took a taxi to the center of town, started at the ruins of the Forum and the old palace, then on to the Colosseum
As we were getting out tickets an english speaking tour was being guided by a guy from California, but he knew this stuff inside out …
we tagged along listening. He talked about the progression of emperors from Julius Ceasar to Nero with lots of trivia.
Mr President, with Ms Tzortzaki
… and Obelix in Roma
Below the floor of the Colosseum where the animals and ‘props’ were stored
Today is the Orthodox Easter, so we headed over to the “Jewish Ghetto” for lunch. Chad the tour-guide said it wasn’t touristy and was a good place to have a good meal, and he was right. Lamb done two ways, roasted artichokes, rosted potatoes with herbs, and what looked like polenta, but is was coarse semolina apparently.
After lunch we continued walking south west …
And below a closer view of Castel Sant Angelo (but up close it is hard to appreciate how massive it is)
It was getting dark by the time we got to St Peter’s Basilica - no matter we are going to the vatican on Friday. Gotta crash, tomorrow is another day.
Monday: 13 April 2015 - a work day - nothing of interest
Wednesday: 15 April 2015 - still working (no site-seeing, no pictures) just one comment, I was totally prepared to not be into the food, hey it’s Roma, not Paris, right. But I have had a couple of good dinners; only once was the pasta drowned in tomato sauce. And the locals are pretty cool (but I often find that to be true most everywhere - if you react decent to people they usually react decent to you).
Work finished up early (4:30) and Terry and I headed to the center of town to meet with Chrysoula. She was at a cafe along the river (the wall is crowded with book sellers very much like in Paris. We stopped at a Magnun ice cream store (I had dark chocolate, with hot red pepper flakes and salted caramel - interesting mix). We headed towards the Spanish Steps. I didn’t bring my camara but snapped a couple of pictures on my phone.
I think they are called the Spanish Steps because they are located across from the Spanich Embassy, but there may be more to it than that.
Then on to a restaurant called Ginger for a selection of cured hams (the first pork I had since arriving in Roma) - that was good, but just a tease for what came next. While walking to Ginger we past Tartufi & Friends - a truffle lounge. Everything on the menu has truffles as an ingredient and the aroma was pervasive out to the street; simply amazing. We decided to give it a try. Hands down the best meal of the trip.
We started with carpaccio (with truffle), then tagglioni (with truffle), risotto (with truffle), even the hamburger was covered in truffles. We reserved a table to come back Friday night, our last night in Roma together.
Thursday: 16 April 2015 - The conference ended mid day, Terry and I had some of our company work to attend to, and we had to change hotels. A EuroStar in the center of Roma, a much prettier hotel than the Crowne Plaza even though a bit worn around the edges (and much better WIFI). After checking in we went for a late lunch in the museum cafeteria, and back to the rooms to rest. About 7 we took to the streets again, a lite dinner of ham and melon and a glass of red wine. T & C had walked these streets last week before I arrived so I got the tour. But after too many late nights, and too much vino, (and skipping some of my meds) and the hills of Roma were wearing me down. We went to Gregory’s Jazz Bar for some late night live music and I was running on empty. My breathing was forced, my fingers swelling - I was shot and glad to find my bed.
Friday: 17 April 2015 - the plan today was for Terry, Chrysoula, and me to take a tour of the Vatican, sistine chapel, and hopefully finally get to see Michelangelo’s Moses (we didn’t get to see Moses last Sunday because on weekends that is off limits to sight seers, maybe because of Masses, I don’t know). Anyway, T & C went without me, I am totally shot. Did a little programming in the morning, took all my medications, and took a nap (yeah I know, showing my age). Now I am finally updating this log, drinking Pellegrino, and listening to Edith Piaf. Hopefully I will be rested up enough to go back to the truffle lounge tonight. Tomorrow T & C will head off to Crete, and back to NY for me; back to Joan, and my cats, and all my computers. Like Dorothy said, “there’s no place like home”.
Saturday: 18 April 2015 - spent 8 or 9 hours coding yesterday, re-medicating, resting, and ignoring the commotion outside my window (there was a strike of public transportation, and several helicopters circling overhead, turns out they were filming a new movie). At 8 o’clock (or a little past) we walked back to the truffle lounge for another truly memorable meal. We started with steak tartar, smoked salmon, and a selection of meats and cheeses (sharing all 3 between us). Chrysoula had the risotto again, Terry had filet mignon, topped with foie gras, and I had homemade ravioli with oil and topped with crispy artichoke - every dish covered in truffles of course. After dinner chocolate truffles with a real white truffle filling accompanied with an herb liquore (similar to Benedictine) with a slice of truffle floating in it. For dessert vanilla ice-cream with figs, almond ice cream, and apple pie (actually more like a very moist muffin) again we shared, and a sweet italian dessert wine. Tartufi & Friends are in Roma, Milan, Harads of London, and openning in Dubai. He is looking for a location in NY - I hope he finds one. So now I am showered and coming home (to recuperate and get back to normal - whatever normal is … ).
