Monday 28 December 2009

Alien Forces at Play!!!!




Just when you think that you have survived Christmas festivities (again!) one’s composure is sorely tested by “alien invasions” – as a couple of our photos depict this time.

First, my bride looks wistfully out her rear window to gaze upon the intimate domestic scene, when a white cloud appears on her horizon.  Is this some form of rare meteorological phenomenon or is this something more sinister?  Well, turns out to be ‘normal’ but an extension of the fore-mentioned ‘intimate domestic scene’.  Our upstairs neighbour was washing her curtains and hung them out on her back landing, and, being long curtains, they drooped onto our balcony.  Communal curtain cleaning!

Then, in a scene reminiscent of that great and moving Hollywood movie ‘Independence Day’, strange lights appear over Rome and weird life forces seem to emerge.  The ancient Roman pyramid (Pyramide) is lasered to advertise some mob who clearly need advertising, and dozens of huge spot lights make the Colosseum look light a sparkly porcupine or to be ‘under alien attack’.

And then again, on Christmas Day, a whole bunch of ‘aliens’ descended on Casa Douglasio for a lunch that ran into the eighth hour – two other Australians, four Kiwis and four Finns.  We ate some alien food (exotic hot and cold smoked salmon for example), drank alien drinks (Glögg – or mulled red wine, raisins, almonds and spices), and wore silly Christmas hats, normal for us but alien at least to the Finns.


Thank goodness that some people remain down to earth and stick with ‘natural’ things – such as the skins of dead animals.  Indeed, as the weather gets cooler, no varmint seems safe around here.   The days of animal liberationists throwing paint on fur wearing fashionistas must have long passed.  Included are a couple of examples for your viewing pleasure, including a heart-warming shot of a father taking his two young daughters for a stroll on a Sunday afternoon.  He probably even paid for the coat!!


Anyway, as you can see, we have set up a palm tree in the lounge and perform strange rituals before it whenever we can (to ward off the aliens).  Cathy seemed to enjoy the experience even if our two friends seemed to be badly affected.






And the bonus photos ....No not our future car but if you thought that the Smart car was smart then this one is smarter; the illuminations from our rooftop terrace; and a cute and slightly bizarre place called 'The Library' behind Piazza Navona - just right for an aperitivo.

This weekend – a brand new year.  Here’s to what 2010 will bring!!

Arrivederci 2009 and to you all!!

Monday 21 December 2009

Sunday 13 December 2009

The Great Step Forward … Climate Change … Ancient Traditions Reignited




OK – Va bene! – inspiring title this time but an interesting two weeks since the last post.

Climate change – well Copenhagen is going on as I write, but the real climate change here is that we have the central heating on permanently now with the winter now with us in strength.  Some of the days have been glorious with Brisbane Blue clear skies but that makes the evenings much colder.  Today was plain ‘bleak’ with overcast and even light rain. 


We both went on a walking Italian class – almost three hours and wonderful but cold (Cold) with a capital C.  We walked around Monti and discovered that in imperial times it was the suburb just outside the city where the scruffy people lived.  It is now kind of ‘hip’ and has some delightful streets with cool shops.  Our favourite was the chocolate shop that did a great hot chocolate today (after the walk) at 3,50 Euro a cup - $5 Oz.  Visa – priceless            !!!  No hot chocolate – priceless!!!!!!!

The great step forward – yesterday we went home-making – by bus and train to the ‘sticks’ where one of the really big shopping centres is (dwarfing any Brisbane centre) and where homemaker stores like Ikea reside.  But restricted by not having a car, we had to bring our purchases home the hard way (could not even find a taxi there).  We bought curtains for the lounge and dining rooms, a cool standard lamp, a stand for the TV, some Ikea bric-a-brac (boxes, candles, plant pots etc), and an Ikea stainless steel ‘wagony thingo’ that lets us sort out the kitchen.  But all of this took not one but two round trips to the centre …. and real stamina to carry the items that became very heavy the further we carried them.

Another promising step is that our sea shipment is supposed to be delivered to us tomorrow, Monday, provided Italian customs clears it.  Given that I have an import duty exemption, unless they are looking for illicit items, or want to be ‘slow’, we should be right.


And finally … ancient traditions reignited?  Well, after the great fire, Rome instituted the fore-runner of today’s fire services with the Vigili del Fuoco – the ‘alerters’ of fires.  They still exist under that name but these days there aren’t many fires.  The odd apartment explodes due to a gas leak, but the buildings are all made of largely non-combustible materials.

So where is the current demand for the Vigili?  It seems that Romans lock themselves out of their apartments with a regularity.  The Vigili have hugely-powerful magnets that they use to turn the locks (usually a lot of them) without the key.  We didn’t lose our keys.  But ‘we’ did close the door with the key in the door – but on the inside of the door.  Ian has spare keys and came home to fix things, but of course with a key in the lock, you can’t put a key in the lock from the other side. 


As it was no deadlock at this stage, Ian thinks he can slide some plastic sheeting through the crack in the door and push the tongue of the lock back.  Good idea but a failure.  But the bride came to the rescue and called the Vigili on her mobile, who arrived in a big red truck after Ian had returned to work – four of them – 50 minutes later (she had been told that they would come in 10 or 50 minutes – not a mistaken ‘15’ – No!! either they had to come straight away or after lunch.  The stomachs (four of them) won out. 

So these chaps used the Douglas technique but with stiffer plastic, a used xray film – and with three of them jiggling the door at the same time – voila!!  A delighted bride, a few moments convincing them that she actually lived there – no charge and a photo opportunity to boot (at least of three of them).

Ah!!  Roma!!! 

Arrivederci for now.

The photos?  Centurians ordering pizza at the Colosseo Metro entrance (as you do!); Copenhagen comes to Roma; Christmas preparations overwhelm Piazza Navona with stalls and likenesses of La Befana - the Christmas witch - noice!!; JWs Romano-style - attack at the bus stop;  and the lads - vigilis one and all.