Ciao Roma!

 

Ciao is meant as a salutation and also as a way to say goodbye, similar to the way the Hawaiians say aloha it's not permanent.  

 It's our last day in Rome, and I'm sorry to see this magical month end.  Between the time with our family in Spello, and the time spent here in Rome with Ryan, it's all been amazing.  I can't imagine a more perfect time away from home--we missed the Arnold Schwarzenegger debacle, and the other uglies happening in the US, just by not turning on the TV and unplugging from the world for a while...it's felt good. I don't miss 24 hour news.  I'm hoping we can continue in this vein when we get home.  

  Yesterday, Ryan was our guide and took us to churches in Rome to see some of his favorite works of art; as I said he's a renaissance man!  This is one Michelangelos' sculptures of Moses. 

I couldn't help but take a photo of this---this wasn't the main attraction in the church but reminded me of the Pirates of the Caribbean!

We got to this church just before it closed; a non-descript church in a square on the Esquiline Hill, this is Bernini's amazing sculpture of St. Teresa of Avila.  No photos really did it justice---it is a masterpiece.

Of course, I will miss the food, and will try to replicate the buccatini amatriciana at home, and give you the recipe when it's perfetto!

And there is good and bad carbonara and I plan to make some that is spectacular when we get home, using organic eggs, of course!!

And these carciofi are already on my "to do list"--crispy, deep fried till golden, and luscious!  Oh, and a lemon aioli will make these even more delicious.  

As we come to the end of this trip, my "aha's" have been many, my advice to you is to travel; go somewhere where you don't speak the language, don't stay in an American hotel chain, and don't ride a 40 passenger bus.  Get out into the countryside and discover what other countries have to offer.  Watch their television and discover what they think of Americans and their culture---you may be very surprised at how the rest of the world views us.  We have seen it all since we've been here; Americans loving the experience, others being "ugly" Americans, and still others complaining about the fact the locals don't speak their language.....sometimes you can't teach an old dog new tricks!  

 So, until next time, I bid you a buona notte from Roma.