Last day in Roma

Day 3 Rome What to do today.....spanish steps and Trevi fountain I think...not too much rushing around. I will walk into town after a delicious big breakfast. Had breakfast with the director of drama in Victorian schools and his lovely wife and son. He was amazed that the waiter automatically bought me two cappuchino, one when I walked in, and another about 15 minutes later...no need to ask. No drinking american style coffee for this black duck. I guess appreciation for people works wonders in this town. I thanked on my first day for such a lovely coffee....from then on he brings one on a smile. He said in broken English....australians are genuine, when they smile, they smile from the heart and I guess that is so true. The europeans seem to smile, but you dont really know what they are thinking....in that we are so different. The cab driver yesterday gave me his number, and to call whenever I need a cab. His charges are a little less than most of them...his cost 10 euro from the station, the others 13 or 14 euro... NOt sure how far I will walk today, huge blisters on my feet from yesterday...any way, on with the day. I saw the pantheon and Trevi fountain today....then the heat was just so oppressive that I decided enough!! Had a siesta, a swim and then went to get lunch where the locals seem to go ....yum, Pizza bought by the 100g and so cheap it was ridiculous...3Euro got me 2 slices of pizza of different kinds and a coke....and the taste of it was just awesome!! Bludged around most of the afternoon in the pool bar sipping vino and chatting to different people..met a lovely couple from Belgium who I have promised to visit and to keep in touch...really lovely people. So now....its 5.40pm, still so hot outside, so will go for another swim and then into the Spanish Steps for a meal at a restaurant that has been recommended...its the only site that I have really missed and wanted to see, so I will make the effort! Off to Capri in the morning....Train to Naples then ferry to Capri

Day 2 Rome

Day 2 Rome I woke very early, and had breakfast on my own upstairs and then hit the pavement....walked through the park and down to the river and grabbed a coffee in a local street cafe. Met this amazing girl from Lithuania who lives in Rome. Bonnie-you may have met her...she is advocating for open access of research particularly medical research in libraries. Unfortunately I forget her name and so can't add her on facebook, but somehow I am sure we will meet again. We had a very long conversation about how difficult it is for developing countries to get the research material and how expensive it is. She applauds Australia in our open access of publicly funded research and mentioned your university in particular. I explained about my kids and how I have and still do research into different things about autism and treatment programs. And that there are mothers out there that do read the papers and understand them and pass information on to other families.....she said I would make a great advocate for Open access. I decided to walk to see the sights.....oMG, I walked and walked and walked. Oh and a little shopping. I went into one dress shop, and they looked after me like a princess. If I didnt try on 30 pieces of clothing...found some beautiful clothes, so I lashed out on 5 nice ones....a couple of dresses, a pair of comfortable sandles, a skirt and two tops. Its so unlike me. (I was told not to shop for clothes on the coast as they are so much more expensive, and here is the end of summer sales) I bought another couple of dresses in another shop. Im set now for a new wardrobe for summer.. I walked and walked and walked some more, and then took a touro bus just for a rest. It was 36 oC and I was starting to feel it. Oh there was an explosion in the square near the place where italy was declared a nation while I was there.......silly tourists ran towards it, me, I walked the other way...apparently there is a very quiet war against tourists happening and it is kept very quiet so that people dont stop coming here. protests around information booths and things. Stupido italians who dont realise that their country needs tourists in order to survive the economic crisis they are facing. Look at me for example, I come to their country, I stay in the hotel, I eat at local restaurants, and choose locally grown food. I shop for clothes, choosing only those made in Italy...I buy shoes made in italy, and then I catch taxi.....without tourists, unemployment would be through the roof. Small businesses would not survive. Once again I got lost...my orientation here is pathetic....and ended up way on the other side of the old city....taxi again.....I just couldnt contemplate how to get a bus from there to the hotel. I would have walked 10-15km plus some for the day. Sat in the pool bar for a while, and chatted online to MJ..naughty girl...2am on a school night.....and messaged the Melbourne couple I met at cooking class. We ended up going out for dinner (very cheap..$20 each) and it was lovely. We then walked the city, seeing some of the sights by night..the coloseum, pyramid etc.. Had to be a little street wise as there were lots of hawkers and suspicious looking people around...everytime one approached I would say no not interested before they even got close....I am not nice to these people. You just dont know who is going to rip you off or pull a knife...so you just never let them get close. I left Ivy and wayne and caught a cab back to the hotel.....sore and tired feet with blisters, and bed beckoned. It was a lovely evening with great company..I am sure we will catch up when we get home.

Day 1 Rome

Day 1 Rome Woke up at 7am, went for breakfast and then thought, I must find out where the cooking classes are. 9.30am, I was still mucking around working out where I was and where I needed to be for my class at 10am. I was starting to panic that I didnt really know how far it was...how long the blocks were....walking out the gate, happened upon a cab. Terrific!! 10 euro well spent to get there on time. Got to the class just on time, I think I was the second last there. The class was awesome! Very hands on, and my children and Stevo are in for a treat of home made gnocci so much better than before. The starters we made were figs with gorgonzolla and marscipan cheese mix and walnut, and the other was some other sort of cheese...will check what sort when I get my email from Andrea.....and honey.....So yummy. They were baked in the oven. I have never really eaten figs before, but they are definitely on my menu now. They were sweet and creamy with the cheese melted through them. Next we made home made gnocci with 4 cheese sauce. My kids are in for such a treat....the gnocci was so much better than I have ever made, and the kids will love it!! Going to buy my potatoes in bulk now so can get the nice old wrinkly ones.....or maybe ask lou to keep the throw out ones for me. We used very little flour because the potato was so gluey being old and so they were much nicer. Very light and the sauce just clung to them so well..definitely will be making them this way at home. Oh and the raw gnocci freezes well......so a quick meal if I make a load properly and freeze them. Andrea was so helpful. The next thing we cooked was saltin bucca......translation, beef that skips to your mouth...so simple and yummy. it was thin slices of beef around an inch wide, layered with a slice of cheese (will have to get it from the email, then a slice of prosueto and then folded, and skewered with a sage leaf. You cook it first with the sage side down and then turn and cook it on the other.....the cheese melts making a nice sauce in the bottom of the pan...so yummy and so simple. We then made an eggplant lasagne with a fresh tomato sauce..yummy too. Next we made the best lemon custard......very smooth and velvety...my arm was so sore the next day from stirring so much, but oh my it was worth it. We teamed this with peaches which we caramelised in brown sugar and then brandy. yumm The other people at the class were so lovely, I met new friends....and heard some amazing stories of life. I think thats what it is when you meet people, its important to hear their stories to gather what and who they are. I hope to remain friends with 4 or 5 of them for a very long time to come. One couple lived in South Melbourne, a lovely young couple..very career driven..one day they will change, like we have where career although is satisfying, other things in life become more important...I guess its what happens when you watch friends pass on, you reassess what truly makes you happy. Its nice to hear how excited they are about their jobs and career progression, but for me, i have made other choices in life, and I found satisfaction in that. My kids especially. Another lady was in her late 50s.......they lived as expats in thailand for many years, and when she traveled home to switzerland to be with her dying mother, he found someone new, after 35 years of marriage, she found herself alone and having to start again. It was interesting to hear of her struggle to rebuild herself and what life is like for her now. Another girl was my age, american, and 7 years ago, she was running her own business in Chicago, but the stress was huge and one day, she said enough, and changed her life, now she lives in rome and has done for 7 years. Amazing change of life. She works at a school...not sure what sort. There was also a brit living in rome for the last 15 years....her story was interesting too. She said that rome was very racist expecially towards expats like herself and she was saying how difficult it was to get police to listen when things go wrong. Andrea and his lovely wife were just beautiful....and helped with so much practical advice, not only in the kitchen, but also where to go for great food at good prices. I will definitely recommend this to anyone travelling overseas on their own.....grab a cooking class!! We sat down and ate our beautiful meal as a group.....so yummy and such great company, along with 4 glasses of wine, well, I was a bit light headed and very full when we left. I decided to walk back to my hotel.....got lost so many times. It was extremely hot so I drank water by the gallon....and the hill was very steep..and roads would suddenly end up in steps..but eventually I hit the top after walking for 2 hours, and the view was breathtaking....oh and I saw a lovely italian wedding. By the time I got to the hotel, all I could think of was drinking heaps and cooling down in the pool, and sleep.......so a very early night, 8.30pm and I was asleep!

I'm on my way

Gee 14 hour flights can drag on! The last 2 hours seemed to go forever! 6 hour stopover in Doah now! At least I can have a smoke....might even give up with the flight coming home..a 24 hour head start will help. It was a pretty good flight...attendants were great. Lots of offers for water and food if you were awake. I managed to get a seat in the middle, 3 seats all to myself, so I stretched out and had a good 6 or 7 hours sleep. Watched a couple of movies-The Hotel one about the oldies going to India and Hunger games. I enjoyed both of them, but hunger games a little more so. Then I watched a globetrotter episode about London. It bought back some great memories of my travels last year and what an awesome time I had. The food was very very tasty....Qantas could learn some lessons from these guys I reckon. Hit Doah at 6am local time, and its already 36oC!! Terminal is cool, but the bus was stuffy and getting off the plane on the tarmac it was like walking into a fan forced oven. Right now, I miss Stevo, and miss my kids. The travel part is a bit daunting on my own, but once I am sight seeing and cooking I won't feel it as much. It just hits like a ton of bricks that I am on my own and I am just so not used to ever being that.