Can you please pass the...Boy Scout

What a crazy week. Yesterday I tried to recover from Rome and today I was busy preparing for this weekend. This morning at 9 Anna came over for our weekly lesson and we took the tram downtown. We went to the Egyptian Museum. Wow, I loved it. It is the third largest collection outside of Ciaro and the Louvre in Paris. There was a whole room of mummies and one of Kha the architect and his wife. Both their bodies plus, food (yeah actual food like meat, fruit and bread) and animals where mummified in the tomb. The museum had a huge collection of papyrus writings. The thing that impressed me the most was the rooms of statues. There were two rooms full of actual statues, some over 20' tall, from tombs, and most of them were entirely intact. The museum is also in the building that was orginally the King of Torino's palace growing up as a boy and later turned into a Jesuit School. I loved the building too. After the museum we window shopped and then went to a store that was so expensive I stopped looking at the tags because I was becoming depressed. But upstairs there were a few shops so we looked around. When I got home at a little after 12 I fixed a simple lunch of pasta and grissini and an apple. At 4 I took Ruggie to the park to play and I met another Au Pair from Chec (I know the spelling is wrong) Republic. She is a year older than me and really nice. She was an au pair in CA last year so she speaks very good English plus her family she lives with is very international and the girls are fluent in English, French, Italian and they are only 7 and 9!!! Unfortunately she is leaving for Madrid tomorrow for family vacation and wont be back until the 13 of July. But I hope to meet up with her then. In fact her "mom" is living with is an architect and I have a possible phone interview with her tomorrow!!--Don't worry I'll keep you updated.

We stayed at the park for 2 hours and then went home to get ready for our dinner guests. Filippo is in Boy Scouts and they invited his troop leader and two girl leaders over for dinner. The guy was 25 and the girls were 24 and 18 . They were very nice and could speak a little English which was nice. I found out that our scouts and Italian scouts are a little different...for example the girls don's sell cookies and both boys and girls hold meetings together. The meal was delish as always. A quick run down on Italian meals for you
You start with bread, meat and/or cheese, then the primi which is usually rice or a pasta dish (tonight it was pasta) secondi which is meat or fish and veggies (we had meat roll with potatoes) dessert (icecream and fresh fruit tonight) and then coffee. Most meals take 2-3 hours.

Tomorrow we are going to the Alps---on the Italian side not Swiss--to the tallest mt in Europe, Mt. Bianco. We will spend 4 days there and then on Monday Pat, the boys and I will go to the sea for one week. I will try to keep updating my blog but not sure what the computer situation will be like. I am looking forward to both places but one of my dreams since I was little was to visit the Alps so tomorrow should be awsome
Have a wonderful weekend and I will blog soon--Buona Notte

My Roman Holiday

My Roman Holiday started very early in the morning on Saturday. My friend from Spain, Cesar, came to Torino on Thursday night and after hanging out with him on Friday afternoon, we took the "Midnight Train to Rome". I felt like a character in "North by Northwest" riding in our private sleeper car. We slept the whole way to Rome and arrived at 8 in the morning. When we went to our hostel no one answered the door so we took our luggage on a small tour of Rome. We headed to the Trevi Fountain to meet my friend from Tech, Jessica and her new husband, Jeff.(they were on their honeymoon). It was so great to see them and to speak English at a normal speed. The fountain was absolutely breathtaking. It was a good place to start this great trip. We decided to go back to the hostel and clean up a little before meeting up with them again for lunch. At 1 we met with them at the Spanish Steps and had lunch at a local restaurant. They had a few more places they wanted to see before they left on Sunday, so we decided to say goodbye and part ways. Cesar and I took out the map and just started walking because we knew we would run into some great places. Before seeing the most famous sites in the city, we walked down Via del Corso (one of the main streets) and saw P. Colonna and the amazing pilar in the center. The pilar is carved with battle scenes and is the tallest point in the palazzo. We then decided to go to the Pantheon before it closed. WOW. For all you ID and Architecture students the dome was amazing. A perfect half sphere and still to this day they have no idea how it was constructed cause it is not supported with any trusses. There is a hole in the top and allows beautiful streams of light in on the walls. Because it is a church I was expecting grand altars inside but the walls are stripped and gray concrete. The only decoration are the tombs of Victorio Emanuele II and his Son Umberto and wife. We bought gelato across the street and then ate it on the Pantheon wall. From there we walked to S. Ignazio di Loyola church. But when we entered there was a wedding in progress. We stayed a few minutes but didn't want to be wedding crashers so we left early. We ran into the Largo di Torre Argentina, which are ancient ruins that now serve as the largest cat shelter in the world...one word...gross. We walked past the monument for Victorio Emanuel II that is referred to as Musolini's Typwriter....on Capital Hill. Being with a Spaniard, we went back to the hostel and took a siesta. For dinner we walked around looking for a good pizzeria (Cesar is in love with the pizza) and finally asked a women who happens to be an English Professor at the Univeristy. She gave us a couple of locations and headed in that direction. We finally found a place close to the Colosseum. After dinner we went there to see it at night and walked back to our hostel where we slept like babies.

When in Rome....
We started the day a little more relaxed than Sat. but not as relaxed as Cesar is use to. Since being in Italy I have slowed down to Italy pace but being on vacation in Rome I was definately an American tourist on American time. We walked to the Colosseum and the ancient ruins. Jess and Jeff told us about a place we could get tickets without waiting in line so we headed up the hill and bought tickets for both sites. The Roman Forum, used early as a marketplace and then became the main place for civic buildings. It is located in the middle of Capital Hill and Palatine hill. The spot also use to be a burial ground for Rome during Romulus' rule. Next to the ruins is Palatine hill, during the Republic was most fashionable residence quarter, with house of Marc Antony. Eventually it became the place for just the Cesar and the palace took up almost the entire hill. From the top you can see the Circus Maximus(chariot racetrack where they filmed Ben Hur)-even though most of the track and stadium are gone. After a big lunch Cesar decided to take a siesta and I continued touring the city. I went to the place where Peter was imprisioned before being crucified in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. Then I was on my way to see Piazza Bocca Della Verita (the fountain in Roman Holiday that Gregory Peck pretends to lose his hand) but on my way a met an Italian who told me that its not really that great and only Japanese tourists go....but i was going to go anyways but could not find it and finally gave up and went to the church Santa Maria Maggiore and S. Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) named after Peter's chains that are under the altar, also in the church the Moses by Michelangelo. Santa Maria Maggiore holds the great architect, Bernini's tomb. I finally met up with Cesar and we went to the Spanish Steps to eat gelato (like Audrey does in Roman Holiday) and then to Piazza Navona to see Bernini's Fontane dei Quattro Flumi ((Fountain of four rivers) Even though the middle fountain was under construction it was still amazing. The piazza was filled with musicians and vendors so we walked around for awhile before we called Steph to wish her a happy 24th!! birthday. I think Cesar was happy because he finally got to have en entire conversation in Spanish. We found a quaint restaurant near the Pantheon and I decided to try my Italian language skills. I ordered the whole meal and talked to the waiter entirely in Italian!! I rewarded myself with Tirimisu dessert.

On Monday we started early and headed to the Vatican. When we got there we decided to take an English tour to skip the HUGE line. Our guide was a girl from Canada and happened to speak Spanish so she translated for Cesar. She told us that Rome is the number one destination in the world and 35,000 people visit the Vatican A DAY!! I felt right at home though being in the English tour group and met a couple from Flowermound. The museum was incredible. I saw many works I studied at Tech and couldn't believe I was really seeing them. Then we headed into the Sistine Chapel.....round 'em up Rawhide!! I felt like cattle being herded but it was totally worth it. There are no words to describe the ceiling and the last judgement. It was truely incredible to gape at the ceiling and think, "how in the world did this man do this for 4 years of his life" We left the chapel and headed to the Basilica....the moment I was waiting for. The number one thing on my list to do was to see Michelangelo's Pieta. I know it sounds funny but I literally got tears in my eyes when I saw it. It was just as beautiful as I had hoped. How he did that at only the age of 25 is beyond me....a true master. The church itself was also breathtaking. By far my favorite church I have ever been in. You could just feel the history as you walked the corridors. We spent the day at the Vatican but no signs of the Pope....maybe next time. We headed to the hostel to get our bags and then to the train station to check our 6 hour ride back home. We arrived in Torino at 11:30 and even though I loved visiting Rome I was really glad to be home. Alberto met me at the station and gave me kisses and told me they all misses me. This morning at breakfast I was greeted with hugs from the boys....nothing like something sweet to start the day. For the rest of the day I am relaxing and then taking the boys to a birthday party downtown.
I have updated pictures so be sure and check out Rome....have a great day!!

it's Five O'Clock?!!?

This morning was a typical morning except for the fact that I was so busy getting the boys dressed and ready that I didn't have time to eat breakfast (colazione). So when I dropped Ruggie off at school I stopped at a bakery and bought breakfast. When I got home I did my daily chores and fixed lunch. I decided to take a nap at 1:30 but I set my alarm for 3:15. It was a very normal day...AND THEN....When my alarm went off I hit snooze but made sure I got up at 3:45. So I thought. I was getting ready to walk out the door, proud that I was twenty minutes early when the phone rang. It was Ruggie's teacher asking if I was going to pick him up...I thought well yeah hang on it's not time. Then I looked at the clock and it was 4:45 not 3:45!!! My heart skipped a beat and i flew down the stairs to his school. Apparently some kids stay until five cause their parents work so teachers were there. Whe I saw the teacher she said I should call next time he stays till five. I said I was very sorry and lost track of time (at least that's what I think I said in Italian). After we got home I collected my self and played with Ruggie. I had both boys tonight but it was okay. I fixed dinner for them (a new kind of pasta with a new sauce, I burned it a little but they seemed to like it so that's what matters) and then we watched a Buster Keaton movie they love because it has cowboys in it. I really enjoyed it too.
Tomorrow night at midnight I am leaving on a train to Rome!! I will be in Rome until Monday so I won't be posting anything until I get back. I hope everyone has a great weekend!! I will "blog" to you soon

Brain Triatholon

Today was a relaxing yet interesting day. Pat had to go to Milan this morning so I was in charge of getting the boys dressed and ready for the day. Alberto and Ruggie left for school at 8:30 and I sent Fil off to camp with a mother carpool. So the rest of the morning was mine. I went back upstairs and scrambled some eggs and made some coffee. A good way to start the morning. I decided to go the another open air market near my home. This one is much larger than the one by Ruggie's school and full of interesting things. I love looking at all the products and interesting people. I found three pair of shoes I really wanted but like always they didnt have my size. (good for my pocketbook) After the market I went to a dollar store I found the other day (okay its really a 99 cent store but you get the idea) I bought Ruggie a new coloring book and crayons because I am tired of coloring Teenage Mutan Nija Turtles in his old book. The crayons turned out to be worth less than 99 but you get what you pay for I guess. After my shopping stint I went back home to prepare lunch. I tried a new concuction today-sautade green beans, red and yellow peppers and pasta with parmesean. Yum it turned out okay, I was a little suprised. At four I picked Ruggie up and we colored in his new book until 5:30. Around that time it began to rain and then hail. Pat said she had never seen ice fall from the sky and she was a little worried (the hail was pea size so I wasn't really concerned). At 7:45 Louisa, Pat's sister came and picked me up because I was going to her house to help her with her English for a job interview she has next Tuesday. We stopped and got some pizza take away and studied for several hours. My brain is really hurting after this lesson because I was required to speak slowly, write many hard words (and we all know how great my spalling is ;-) and make it sound professional. Towards the end of the lesson, my friend from Spain called and talked with me for 20 min. His English is fairly good but I still have to explain a lot and speak slow. So I'm calling it a night after the triatholon of language practice. Until Tomorrow...Buona Notte Amici

GROM

Today started early but turned out to be great. I went to the outdoor market with Pat to buy fresh fruits and veggies at 8:30 in the morning!! I really enjoyed picking out the fresh produce and liked the lady that helped us. Apparently Pat goes to the same lady everytime so they are friends. She showed us pictures of her kids and we met her husband. This outing is trying for when I have to go by myself to buy the food....buts it's okay cause they know I am American so they will help me. When I got back Anna came over for our weekly lesson. I am getting to the point where I get really excited for the lessons cause I never know where we are going to go. She takes me to the neatest places and always have good stories to tell about each place. I keep forgetting she is only 14!! Today we took a bus downtown and walked to the first metro stop. The metro is only a year old and not very big. It was made for the Olymics and they are continuing to work on more stops.. Right now there are 10 stops. We went to the very last stop which is a small town outside of Torino. We literally walked up the stairs to outside stood on the street corner for 5 minutes and then to the metro back to downtown! :-) When we got back to town we went to the official Olymic museum. I found out later that the building it is in was shaped after a special chocolate made in Torino. The museum was fantastico!! (and free) Right as you walk in the time line starts with each day broken down in its events. A list of the medal winners are posted for each event for each day. All the posters are in both Italian and English, which is nice. There are two theaters that play both the closing and opening ceremonies and small tvs throughtout the museum playing some of the record breaking finishes or disappointments. There are several bobsleds, luges, and sports uniformns. on display as well. Up stairs there are elaborate outfits from the ceremonies (dresses shaped like mountains complete with houses, trees and skiers) At the very front of the museum there is the timeline of the torch and pictures of each runner (the torch is also on display) After the museum we went back to the apartment and Anna went home. I still had time left on my bus ticket so I decided to go downtown again for lunch. I am not afraid of the buses anymore so I feel like an old pro getting on one. Downtown I went to McDonals. American food sounded really good and man how I missed chicken nuggets. After lunch I was walking around and past this place called GROM. It is the most famous gelato store in Tornio and there is always a line 20 ppl long. But today there were only 6 ppl so I jumped on the chance to taste this special stuff. I wasn't sure what to order so I took a chance on Crema Di Grom (sounded like the house speciality) Good choice. It was amazing. I'm not sure what was in it but I think cookies and chocolate. I am definately going back even if I have to wait in line. I found a bench to savor my flavor and then went shopping in some of my new favorite stores. I was just dream buying but my new pretend wardrobe is awesome. When I got back at two I decided to take a nap before I picked Ruggie up from school. After four we went to the park and then picked Filippo up. I fixed dinner for them cause the parents went out for the night. My least favorite part of the job is bedtime its like pulling teeth. But to my surprise it wasnt too bad. It has been so much worse so I'm counting my blessings. Well its off to bed for some sweet GROM dreams and I wish you a good night as well....Bouna Notte

A NICE Weekend

Pardon the pun but we had a nice weekend in NICE, France. At 4 in the afternoon of Friday we loaded the car and picked up Alberto from work. At half past five with the 70’s music (Genesis and Supertramp) blaring we headed for the French Riviera. We arrived in Nice a little after 8 and checked into our Bed and Breakfast. The house was tucked away from the coast and is exactly what I had imagined a French B and B looking like. Our room (me and the boys) had antique furniture and a fireplace. We decided to take a walk along the coast and watch the sunset. My first impression of Nice, was an ugly dirty city but the closer we got the coast I changed my mind. Che Bella! Fantastico!!

On Saturday we had a traditional French breakfast at the B&B. We had coffee and croissants with marmalade (oh don’t forget the butter, French people LOVE butter). After breakfast we headed to the beach. The morning was beautiful for a swim. I laid on the beach to try and tan but eventually cooled off in the Mediterinian. The water was so clear and while I was snorkeling I saw three fish swimming along with me. For lunch we went to a café where I had true French fries and a sirloin steak. Definitely not Texas meat but it was the first steak I’ve had in months. After lunch Alberto took Ruggie to the hotel for a nap and we stayed on the beach. At 6:30 we had an aperitivo before dinner. We talked with a lady who was also staying at the B&B. She was painting a lovely picture of a court gesture. She asked me where I was from and I found out she was from a small town outside Paris. After our wonderful conversation we went to dinner in a small town above Nice. The old city within the walls (since Medieval Times) is still standing, so we walked around but unfortunately everything but restaurants were closed. We ate at a very fancy restaurant in the old city. French cuisine is very elaborate and used many ingredients so I was a little worried about what I ordered. I had some kind of white fish with mixed veggies and for an appetizer I had crab stuffed ravioli that was out of this world. After dinner we walked some more and saw the old castle ruins. After a long day at the beach we all slept very well.

On Sunday we slept in until 9:30 and then had another great breakfast with French cheese. Pat wanted to go back to the beach while the four of us walked the cape. It was absolutely beautiful. The day was cloudy and made for a good day to walk. Which is a good thing cause we walked for two hours. When we stopped for lunch I was so tired I just wanted to take a nap. It started to rain right as we sat down for lunch. We moved to a dryer place to eat and had sandwiches. After lunch we decided to get in the car and head for home because we wanted to beat traffic. We drove through Monaco and stopped just for a minute to look around because Ruggie was asleep. We also drove through Monte Carlo. Beautiful! We took the long way home through the mountains but it was totally worth it. They were the coolest mountains I had ever seen, rough and jagged but beautiful. Four hours we finally returned home. I really enjoyed the time in France but was so happy to be back in Italy. The people are nicer here and I am accustomed to their way of life and language.

My Kind of Lesson

Today before we let for France, Anna, Alberto's nice came over to practice English/Italian. At 9 she came over and said she wanted to go to the Cinema Museum (okay twist my arm). So we took the tram downtown because it was another foggy rainy day (did I move to London or Italy?) The museum was fantastic. It is the largest collection of international film memorabilia and is the tallest museum in the world. Ferrari is celebrating over 50 years so they had a huge display of movies that feature the ports car (Ferris Beuler’s Day Off and Steve McQueen movies to name a few). Around the main room there are different movie sets you can enter and watch a particular clip from several movies dealing with a related topic. For example there is a huge fridge you can enter and watch movies dealing with eating. The seats inside the fridge are toilet bowls and the fridge door is completely stocked with food bigger than my head. There was a room for cartoons where you can watch Looney Tunes on TV screen set inside a bomb. “Fiffel Goes West” was shown on a screen set inside a vault filled with fake coins. The museum walks you through the evolution of film starting in the early 1800’s. At the end of our tour we took the central elevator to the very top. From there you could see the whole city (on a day that is clear). I am definitely going back to this awesome museum!