Rome at night

Happy to say I am enjoying activities that lead well into the night, yes the Italian night which has had me out and up until midnight.  Not so late by Italian standards but for me bedtime has been 9-10pm for years and I didn't like to leave the house after 5pm most nights.  This being said I no longer get up at 6am either.  So far Ive eaten dinner 4 times at 9pm, one night out of pure exhaustion and a huge late lunch I decided that a dinner of amaretti, Nutella and tea (cookies, chocolate spread) would be sufficient. :)

Tonight a walking tour that took me around the area of the Pantheon.  I visited during the day but to see the city at night and the Basilica at night was another experience all together.  Our tour guide arranged by the school was Sylvia a beautiful Italian lady with an understated classy and fashionable style I admired. She was a wealth of information about the days of the Roman Spas and the changes that occurred as the times changed. She shared many historical and architectural facts that Im sure were fascinating, but as my Italian is only 3 days old I didn't understand much as the tour was given only in Italian as is everything we do with the school so as to be immersed.  Once I let my brain go, I was amazed at how much I understood.  I will post pictures of the night time scenery.  I had a beautiful walk home tonight did I mention my school is 3 miles from my apartment... So, I took photos and negotiated the better lit streets and arrived burning off at least one bite of the Tiramisu I had tonight.  I actually held off 5 days before I had it and it was fantastic! A simple steak and caprese tonight.  Last night I joined the school for a student's outing at a nearby restaurant.  About 14 students and 2 teachers went to a local place.  We spoke mostly Italian.  I'm pretty sure I've developed a new sign language complete with sound effects.  We dined on Pasta Amatricana (tomatoes and ham), Pasta with a roman cheese and black pepper, pizza margarita, veal saltimbocca which means jump in the mouth salti is a form of jump and bocca is mouth, I can attest it did jump in the mouth and would have continued to had it not been for the next offering of a sliced beef in a sauce of its own braising liquid.  Then off to a bar where we were offered bread with various toppings as well as potato chips and nuts.  I enjoyed a taxi ride home to my neighborhood which is not on the Rome map.   So my driver went thru frustration with my terrible Italian, encouragement when we found the address on GPS and great humor at my expense assisting me with my comments and questions during the ride.  I assured him that next time I would "have" more Italian.  I thanked him a million for the fact that he got me home and I didn't have to walk 3 miles -up hill by the way- after filling myself full of food and after logging at least 11 miles a day for the past 4 days.  A lot for a former couch potato and desk worker.  He bid me a good evening and a happy journey with a smile and was still smiling as I looked back for one more thankful glance.  Home , and interesting concept for me these days.

Airriva

We made it, nearly missing the connection in Chicago -a very fast run thru Ohare allowed us to jump on as doors closed.  Ate a meal then snoozed until we arrived.

As I begin on this journey and learn the language, I'll admit that for now I'll fake it.  Arriva! I am here.  A first beautiful day in Rome.  Plenty of walking and a little eating... a meat plate of cured and smoked meats and a plate of assorted cheeses.  A fine place, I get the feeling everyone here is laughing at me. I noticed that when I was here before.  Im trying to get into the swing and not stand out awkwardly but joyfully and enthusiastically.  I hit the jack pot when wondering in to one of the many random places I will visit.  A gelato palace, I had a triple flavored cone topped with....wait for it... real whipped heavy cream.  better than my version I make at home, and mine is good, I think the cows here are happier.  I envision them roaming their happy green hillsides lazily nibbling away at the greenest of pure grasses smiling as they go.
I am sitting in my large apartment. I am blessed in many ways.. The sounds of my neighbors doing whatever Italians do in the evening here in this quiet neighborhood.  I am sure that over the days, I will learn just what they do and how I can do it too. I can hear window grates opening, it seems all of the apartments have these shades that come down like a storefront protection, it allows air thru and privacy when closed.  It seems a tradition to arrive home in the evening and open them up.  Motor scooters zip down my narrow road and various voices carry up to my open window.  It is getting cooler.  I barely needed a sweater today.  I glimpsed the very top of the Vatican today...Rome... Also walked through a huge market where fish mongers were filleting tiny and huge fish alike, flower sellers arranged colorful bouquets and fruit stands perfumed the air.  It was a good day.

The Aerolatte !

I found one an Aerolatte. this is one of the milk frothers.  NOt as sleek as the one in the apartment but this cow colored one is pretty cute!