Two days to report, all about settling into Roma and trying to get the most out of a city that holds extraordinary wealth.
So back to yesterday. Always my morning coffee with cornetto (or without)… cornetto = croissant. Then I set off to do the ‘mosaic walk’. I have to thank Sally and Frances for sending me these walks. The first was in my own street and truly hidden…you have to be bold to work out how to get into the church. You will forgive me being boring but I want to record the names of the churches here for my own sake. This was Chiesa di Santa Pudenziano and it was just lovely. Then I went to one nearby, Chiesa di Santa Prassede which was probably the days highlight really with extraordinary mosaics of C12. I got really excited here!! Then onward to Basilica di San Clemente and onward again to Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano and its Baptistry. This was amazing too. It is the second most important church in Rome and the Pope’s parish church (not St Peter’s). Lastly I went to Basilica di Quattro Coronati which has amazing C13 frescoes…but it was closed so I had to go away and contemplate when to return. At this point I was fatiguing so I headed back around the Colosseo to get myself home. But not before I’d stocked up on my wine and had another coffee. I was tired I have to say.
Then my landlord was supposed to come with the second set of sheets I was supposed to have so I had to be tidy and neat but she didn’t show and didn’t show so being tidy and neat was starting to pale i.e. I had to make a mess to eat etc. She eventually came after 10and left them on the doormat so why did I bother??!!
Today I decided I had to complete yesterdays mission and go back to B di QC. So I set off. I had also worked out that the Number 3 tram took me to Villa Giulia, the Etruscan Museum that I had been wanting to go to ever since I (and Rose and I) went to the City of Bologna Museum which told us all about the influence of the Etruscans. The number 3 tram went from near the Basilica…easy!! So I went and saw these amazing frescoes that I really loved. It was truly amazing. It is an order of sisters and you have to ring a bell and a nun appears behind an iron grid. She asks for a donation and then buzzes you into this little chapel which is SO beautiful. It also has a wonderful cloister, so I really enjoyed that.
Then off and found the tram which took me god knows where but did end up at Villa Giulia and I enjoyed the Etruscan heritage which is amazing. For some reason I was very tired today so by the time I’d spent a few hours there and got myself back to the tram stop I was ready to collapse at home.
Not to collapse for too long I decided to do some washing and then got into making my first soup. I got it all ready for mushing with my new fantastic magic kitchen wiz stick. Hooked up the adapter and guess what…fucking nothin!! How disappointing was this??Now I have all this soup ready to go and no wizen. I’m sure the problem is Chris’ adapter so I think I’ll find a place to buy a new one tomorrow and try again. It’s too much not to be able to complete the task about which I had got very excited.
So I am now cooking some tea (spaghetti) for tonight…how impressive am I???? It takes a shitload of vino to get through these challenges!!
My final word is to announce that Roses birthday present is a course in Mosaic creation and it will be my mission to inspire her when she is here!!! Sorry darling!