« Garbage Pail Kids Italian-Style | Home | She’s Baaaaack… »
R.I.P. Really Rome
March 27, 2009
I know, I’ve said it before. But now that I’ve come back for a visit I feel like there just isn’t anything more to say!
It’s been quite the trip and we’re going back to the States on Monday. Vincenzo never adjusted to the 8-hour time difference, and he even got sick with a high fever and we had to take him to the Children’s Hospital Bambin Gesù. He’s all better now, but we’re going to need a vacation to recover from our vacation! To start with the 15 hours in flight I spent with him all by myself to bring him over, since Alessandro had already arrived a couple weeks early.
We’re bringing back a ton of stuff in our luggage, not the least of which is a nearly 11 pound slab of shrink-wrapped prosciutto.
The arrotino passed by this morning, the one that has the recording trying to lure the “donne! donne!” out of their houses and down to sharpen their prosciutto knives. Remember when I caught my neighborhood arrotino in the act below my window?
Turns out his name is Michele Muzio and here’s a really fantastic little film about him. It’s a fascinating story of a dying trade and beautifully done. Take a look:
I went back to Trastevere last night for the first time in eight months and ate dinner with a dear friend at Enzo’s. Heavenly. I had missed the olive ascolane.
Did some shopping and saw that Amarena Chic moved over to Via del Corso.
See what I mean? It feels like all I can do anymore is just link back to what I’ve already said.
It’s strange when you live in the country for nearly a year and come back to the city. Everything seems totally different and I feel completely out of place! City living is something else and once I stepped out of it, I feel like I don’t really belong anymore.
It’s been great seeing family and friends that had become photos and blurbs on Facebook. It’s been crazy trying to get everything in.
Who knows if we’ll actually come back here to live? The tide seems to be turning more towards staying in the States, but of course Rome is our home as well so we’ll always be back.
I brought my camera but forgot the battery charger! Just as well I guess. Although I would have really liked to have shown you the sheep crossing the Via Appia Antica the other morning. Shepherds! In the center of Rome! Who would’ve thought?
I’ll go have my Italian breakfast now, caffè latte and fette biscottate. And try to figure out how to wedge in the remaining suitcases the two bottles of amaro and jars of Brioschi among the bags of caffè and chunk of speck. !! And that’s just the start of it, trust me.
If I ever move back I promise I’ll revive the blog! Wish us luck for the long trip back home.
Topics: Uncategorized |
March 27th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
From one who encountered you online years ago and have been keeping track since then - thank you and thank you again for the vividness of your writing. Experiencing Rome vicariously through you has been a delight and a necessary fix for Romophiles. Warmest wishes to you and your family; it’s clear that life will always be an adventure for you. Brava.
March 27th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
In some ways it’s sad. I’d really love to follow with the facebook thing though. I know how it is, feeling a little different, but still missing the great things your area of Europe has to offer. I enjoy your writing and your blogs and the funny stuff about Washington state which is so close to here in Victoria.
March 27th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
It has been great to see you back blogging on here! I definitely miss all of your Rome adventures and would love to hear more about your country life in WA! The blogging world without you isn’t as fun! Good luck on the flight back, I know how it is going from here to Seattle…After 15+ hours on a plane I always think how unlucky I am that my family lives ALL the way on the West Coast. Anyway, I hope to see you around!
Best wishes as always
March 27th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Tears.
I can’t believe you’re leaving already. The last few days flew by.
Good luck with the long flight back.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Your blog was a great comfort to those of us (still)in Rome who often felt the same things about Rome, Italians, etc.. but weren’t as eloquent in putting the words to the feelings. Thanks and good luck!
March 27th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Going back so soon? I remember that flight soooooo well. Except my flight did not end at Seattle but a mad dash to Vancouver and then to Van Island.
I wish you all the best in your journey back to
March 27th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
the States!
March 27th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Safe travels back home!
Of course, now that you’re coming back here, I get a flight alert that RT flights from SF-Rome are $400. Figures.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
OMG!!! I never realized you could bring back prosciutto!!! I thought ALL meat was forbidden, but next time I’m going to bring some prosciutto too! Best of luck on the trip back - ours was a 24 hour journey!
March 28th, 2009 at 6:00 am
That must have been scary to have to take your little boy to the hospital. Glad he is better. I have really enjoyed reading about your adventures in Rome and thoughts on Rome. I also want to wish you a safe trip back to Washington. I hope Vincenzo does better on the trip back home getting adjusted back to Washington time.
March 28th, 2009 at 10:06 am
You really love your food! Hahaha! But as expatraveller said, this is kind of sad that you are leaving so soon and that you dont feel like you fit in? Why so? Because of the changes in Rome?
I’m glad that Vincenzo is getting better. I know that its rather odd coming from someone who’s never met you before, but I’ll definitely miss you.
Have a safe trip on Monday
In bocca al lupo
March 30th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Poor Vincenzo. I’m glad he’s getting better though. Enjoy your vacation from your vacation
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 am
Awwww its already over! This post feels so sad! RIP Roma
You’ll be back! 
April 3rd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Thanks everyone for the kind words! We made it back ok and the flight was a lot easier with help from Ale and one of our friends who came with us for a visit. Vincenzo is doing much better. The time change coming back this way is easier.
Customs did not let us bring in the prosciutto! We declared it. They said if we hadn’t declared it there would have been a $300 charge. Maybe they wouldn’t have found it but you just never know.
However we did manage to get the Nduja in!! Thanks Mrs. Red!
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Safe travels. Are you home?
April 4th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Is the blog really over?? Che Peccato!
Can we find you on Facebook?
April 5th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Fantastic piece of filming for posterity,I wish more people did this all round the world because once these old trades are lost….
April 7th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Hello Shelley!
When I heard about the earthquake near Rome this morning I immediately thought of you. Came to your blog to see if you were OK. Now I see you are back in the states. I’m glad you were spared the earthquake and I hope that your family and friends there are OK as well.
And congratulations on the birth of your son. Best wishes to you.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Good luck!
I’ve enjoyed your writing, and your pictures.
Don’t think of yourself as either States or Rome, think of yourself as both States and Rome.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:54 am
i’ll miss your thoughts and photos! good luck with life back in the states and your beautiful little boy.
April 14th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I just discovered your site and now I’m reading you are already leaving, what a pity!
I’d like to tell you my opinion on graffiti, considering your old, funny topic about graffitism in Rome.
Since I was young I’ve hated what I call “Rome Deterioration”.
In other words: streets full of litter, dumpsters and bins overfilled, neglected gardens.
And, most of all:
the ugly and intrusive GRAFFITI and TAGS that covers every angle of my city.
The phenomenon is not properly recent, being Rome always disfigured with writings about soccer and political/ideological extremism.
However, this situation deteriorated from the mid-90’s when hip hop-like writings first appeared on the walls and now the result is clearly visible.
Rome, my homecity, has turned into a third world slum and the majority of my fellow citizens display total indifference about it.
So do the italian politicians and intellectuals of every tendencies.
The only ones that seem to notice the Rome deterioration are tourists from all over the world that express their disappointment about the Eternal City on the internet.
But in spite of appearances, there are many romans that commit theirselves to keep beautiful and clean at least their quarter and I’m one of them.
We are an heterogeneous group of people with different political views but the same love for our city, Rome.
We usually meet each other on several blogs like Degrado di Roma or Degrado Roma and talk about everything that goes wrong in the Capital.
Now we are trying to involve local and national journalists in our campaign for a cleaner, more beautiful and livable Rome.
In conclusion, we’re gonna do our best to make people and politicians aware of this problem in order to solve it.
Take care
April 18th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
You’re leaving just when Rome is about to turn 2762 years old…
Good luck
January 14th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
just wanted to tell you about my blog so when you get nostalgic you might like to visit!
ciao 2friendscooking
May 30th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Hey, thank you for the knife-sharpener’s film. Had to blog it forward, so delicious.