The Month of the Party!!!

Almost a month has transpired since the last blog posting (28 December) …... a month that included a New Year, two birthdays, a wedding anniversary, a deferred office Christmas party for those who don't 'do' Christmas and the normal run of social events. A small amount of work also occurred and the relentless task of settling into Rome continued.

The end of 2009 included an expatriate dinner at Pasquilinos – a nearby ristorante maybe 150 metres from home – the meal was delivered in relaxed style between 8 and 11:30pm. Then we wandered down to the Colosseum for the turn of the clock. A light rain fell so we had to take umbrellas.

There had been a rock concert next to the Colosseum, but also it seems, we weren't the only ones planning to say goodbye to 2009 near the Forum. The scene was packed!!! I had heard of the sport of 'ambulance chasing' but had never previously imbibed but an ambulance pushing through the crowds was too good to resist so we attached ourselves to the wake of the ambulance and inserted ourselves about 200 metres into the seething mass of Italian humanity.

Then midnight must have 'struck' and a cacophony began, fireworks went off everywhere (including near us), flares flared and hitherto inapparent champagne bottles popped. Perhaps because Champagne is French, maybe because of the restraint imposed by the need to always look 'cool' – but it seems that Italians rather pour Champagne on one another than drink it!! So our umbrellas and wet weather gear had a valuable secondary purpose in keeping the sticky bubbles away from us. Being chiefly Aussies and Kiwis – we drank our Champagne next to the Colosseum rather than use it for ablutions!!!!

2010 duly welcomed, we re-grouped at our place for drinks (sans one Finn who got lost) – he was found at home later that night.

Thence to first Cathy's birthday and then Ian's with the usual wedding anniversary found in between. We find that the 'precious metaphor' for 35 years is coral. Who'd have thought that – all that time and perseverance for something that you stub your toe on in north Queensland.

No big celebration for that but a quiet, romantic dinner at the Trattoria adjacent to us (it was a bit cold for old married folks to walk too far). We were shown to a delightful table for two (tavola per dua) ….. next to a group of four Irish seminarians, out for a bit of Sunday night fun and Italian lessons. So amongst the hilarious tales of what Father O'Callaghan had been getting up to lately, we had some precise, if slow, Italian intercessions - “I like the music and singing” (Mi piace la musica e il canto!!!).

So we celebrate 35 years since walking down the isle with a remake of “Father Ted”.

We are in deep winter here now – not as deep as northern Europe but quite cold enough for Queenslanders. But the rain has eased and we have beautiful clear skies and clear (cold) air. Rome always has tourists, but less now. The sales are coming to an end. They have real sales here where they clear out this year's fashions to make space for the next year (not like Australian stores buying in things for the sales). So for a couple of folk not so aware of this year's fashions, the sales are great!!

Not a sale item, but we have invested in a cool new iMac computer. This is the first iMac blog posting prepared on a machine completely free of Microsoft products – at last!

The photos you ask???? Well, restaurant scenes on the 31 December, before a rainy walk 'down-town' and the first Douglas portrait for 2010 – the wet bits are champers not rain. Then a typical lunch out with the girls and a pose near one of the restaurant's many marble works. The famous turtle (tartaruga) fountain near the Ghetto, the Tiber in flood, view from the roof, ice-skating near Castel Sant'Angelo. Also young Roman mimicry and a couple of unique-ish vehicles on the streets of Rome. And finally – election time again it seems and the quintessential Italian bill posting of candidates' materials – soon to be covered over by the next candidate's bill-posting crew.

Arrivederci – here's to 2010!!!

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!!

Greetings from Roma

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.

Getting down to being a Roman 'local'

Allora!!  So you thought that I had given up on this blog.  Truth is that two things inhibited me.  First, every time I looked at the blog with an addition in mind, I saw our new addition’s edition, the beautiful William, and I thought “I just can’t top that”.  Second, and partly because of William, I haven’t had much time this past six weeks.  Busy, busy, busy!!

 

After the birth I made an overnight work trip to Paris.  It was a good work trip but rather rushed.  I did have an excellent dinner and lunch however.  I have to recommend Confit du Canard – I can ‘ardly speak highly enough of the duck, cooked such that its skin was like fine ‘crackling”.

Then, I eventually travelled to Yorkshire to become acquainted with my new grandson and embrace son and daughter-in-law (as well as a spouse who I hadn’t seen for a month).  William and I seemed to hit it off just fine and it was lovely to see the new family, all so very keen on one another.  Yorkshire was Yorkshire and the weather forgettable.  A highlight was attending the 60^th birthday party of the local vicar’s wife.

On return to Rome I was able to carry the bride over the threshold of the new living space as she had never slept there.  Thereafter she was busy building on the survival-only possessions that I survived so well on.  So we now have some plates etc and news that our shipment of possessions has arrived at the Italian port of Milano (well inland you geography-buffs are saying). But Genova has a dock but no parking for miles.  Anyway, if the Customs authorities are in the mood we ‘might’ have it all by next weekend.

Yesterday we bought (or at least ordered) our car.  Gave up on the mid(?)-life crisis fantasy of an Alfa and opted for a Peugeot 308, mostly because it offered more and I hired one in the UK and was very impressed.  Anyway, we won’t see the car for at least six weeks due to the way things need to be done here – but we do have its compliance plate number.

And we have had our first visitors.  They largely behaved themselves and were safely dispatched with the sorts of memories that only the Eternal City can provide.  We took the opportunity to dine out, with local friends, while they were here and enjoyed some of the ‘dolce vita’ that you have heard about.

Anyway, conscious that some of you count the words, and hoping that you will start offering some encouraging comments so I go on with this onerous chore ;-)  I will stop here.  Save but to tell you what the photos have been this time.

So…. Langcliffe, Settle, North Yorkshire – former home of my grandson;  what Romans do on a Sunday afternoon when they close off the road beside the Colosseum (and William would have enjoyed) – cart rides; what Savoyards do on a Saturday night when they present a wonderful version of the Taming of the Shrew complete with mixed accents (being mostly expatriates); what the local parish church folk of the Basilica of San Clemente do once a year on the good saint’s feast day – processing around the streets to the opposition churches accompanied by a full band (this shot from our bedroom window); ‘the office’ decked out with flags of every member nation for the world food security summit and its annual ‘share holders meeting’; an Australian visitor starting off on the wrong foot by trying to dress like a Roman but being typically a couple of thousand years behind the fashions (and causing considerable distress to my wife who was bent double just prior to this shot); and of course, a more recent photo of the star of 2009 – William.  Oh! And my mate and me!!!!

Arrivederci

Special Edition Post for Sunday, 18 October 2009

This “special edition” celebrates the joyous fact that a new Douglas is breathing the Lancashire air this morning.

We welcome William Lachlan DOUGLAS to the family. By all reports, after a very lengthy gestation, he was born without incident in the early hours of today at Lancaster, weighing around eight pounds. Mother and child are well.

The last Douglas to be born in Lancashire was my great, grandfather - James Douglas - born at Bury, 30 March 1852 - a long time between drinks!!!

Who knows what the future has in store for William - be it a long life or short, complex or simple, he will go through many of the highs and lows of life that we have all shared and that, at the end of the day, make life worth living.

But one thing is certain, he is already much-loved by his parents, uncles, relatives, supporters and by his new grandparents, including Cathy and me.

Bravo, William – I can’t wait to meet you in person.

Love

Grandad

This is livin’

Well at least we now have some of the usual accompaniments to living.

Finally, we moved into a proper apartment, or at least Ian did – last Saturday. Not such an ordeal though as the move was only about 150 metres. A series of strolls along Via Capo D’Africa, trailing suitcases on wheels – four round trips did it.

We had purchased some furniture – two lounges, a dining table, a cute coffee table that converts to a dining table, and a credenza/sideboard that contains a dining table that rolls out of it and unfolds. We are clearly planning to “dine”.

The furniture was ordered to be delivered after 4:00pm on the day of the move and arrived spot on time (actually a little early). The chaps struggled it all up four flights of stairs - we are on the (….. ground, first, second) second storey (or piano) – without a complaint. Even if the streets had to be blocked off for a while with the two vans required!!!

Similarly on Friday morning, four cartons of (chiefly) clothes arrived exactly on time at 7:00am, having been air freighted to us. The rest, is spending some time “before the mast” – eight days into a 45 day voyage to Italy. That shipment contains our cutlery and crockery so we will have to make do for a couple of months maybe.

It wasn’t easy, or pretty, but Ian was persistent and within a week (actually it took a week) he has also purchased, in Italian, a digital TV set, bench-top oven and a toaster. And also, a modem-router, enabling this posting to be conducted with comfort, on the dining room table while watching TV over the red, leather lounge, next to a Vegemite sandwich. So what more could life deliver?

Perhaps the answer is my darling bride, who is awaiting a delivery in England with some increasingly anxious young-uns.

Soon Ian will travel to Paris (for one night and business), to England to rendezvous with Cathy, and maybe to Washington for a few days.

The summer has been a long one here – delightful weather just now when it should be colder.

And Italy in general – well there have been demonstrations here for a range of things, everyone is back from holidays it seems, the grass is getting greener and the leaves on some trees just seem to be browning off. They painted the zebra crossings outside my bedroom window sometime on Thursday night – what a waste – everyone ignores them anyway and they could only paint those parts that no-one was parking on anyway.

And our little neighbourhood ticks on as it has for decades. As a nice example of this, when I found I needed a TV antenna cable this morning, two trips of about twenty metres across the road from home got me the necessary from the local (I’ve got it all in this tiny space) hardware store.

Ah!!! This is livin’!!!