I'm on my way to Roma for the first time. Even the taxi driver, Jamie was warm to me, giving me a big hug and warning me about my purse, etc. "Be cautious with all of your belongings in Rome." I won't let anyone get too close, I assured him. I appreciated the sage advice and the trip to the SFO Airport. I gave him a $5.00 tip, he was so surprised. "Are you sure?" "Yes", I said. I'm looking at this awesome exhibit called Caticons. It's all about the fascination the world has with cats. Reminds me of how my cat actually sat, well laid in my suitcase as I was packing for Rome. It also reminded me of what my daughter said while I was packing, she was cuddling with our cat Salami. "Are you sure you give the cat enough attention?" "Ummm". Well I couldn't tell her the truth. Cat's don't need us, we need them, it's pretty simple. But of course, I didn't tell her that.
I just read at The Cat Art Exhibit how the Chinese created stories, lore about the cats ruling the world. But it didn't last, because the cats didn't care, much too busy chasing sun beams.
I also learned that in 1871 was the first cat show in London, England wow!
My gate A1 to Paris, Charles de Galle Airport is next to the Cathay Pacific Airline to Hong Kong. It amazes me how many non-Asians, I mean Caucasians are going to Hong Kong.
On the airplane
The boy in front of me has curly, wavy, hair, exactly like my son Lucas. They treat people so well on Air France, already a "moist toliette/real washcloth, face mask, pillow, blanket." I figured out how to watch the nose camera and see us take off from San Francisco, totally awesome, what made it even more special is this is the pilots' last day, he is retiring. Everyone was so complimentary, the flight attendants announcing in French and in English what a stellar career and pilot he is.
I'm a firm believer that you need to make time for yourself. If the people in your life discourage or don't allow this personal self-exploration, you need a "new person" (new term made popular by the TV Show, The Bachelorette), that's what happened to me about six years ago. I had to get a few new people on the team.
The applause for the retiring pilot was awesome. I had a cold chocolate fudgecicle on the airplane, good food on Air France. The boy in front of me looked like Lucas from the back, his hair all wavy and messy. I feel très fatigue.
There is Guitar music player at The Charles De Galle Airport, and next to the young man playing is a child in a portable body pillow, it inflates into a bed, totally awesome, I took a picture.
Raining hard in Italy, at the FCO airport, on the Leonardo Express Train, debating how difficult it would be to get out my umbrella.
Spring Allegro playing at The Piazza del Papilo. Man dressed as a roman soldier said to me, "Shakira, are you ready?" He puts his hand out and he's wearing a red roman soldier outfit. I read about these guys in the Rick Steves Guidebook on Italy that my daughter gave me for my birthday this year. They charge a lot of euros to take photos with them, beware.
Lake Bolsera Vertova. Magarita Pizza for lunch, coconut pistachio gelato for desserts. Wonderful cheeses, bacon, olive oil, deli meats, pigs ass and two wines, San Giovese with 17% merlot, Arthea Franklin died today. Yes, Edwardo our Air B N B Experience at the Italian Deli showed us a picture of the pig's ass and had no shame in saying "Pig's Ass", after the white Italian glass of wine, I was repeating his tome and giggling.
Roaming in Rome, but not too far from the beaten path, with me, myself, and I. That’s plenty of people given I’m a gemini, LOL.
Colosseum
Framinia/Fracassini
2 toward Flaminio
Flaminio Stop Line A
M MEA towards Anagnina
Termini
MEB towards Laurentina
Colosseo
The street sellers sell water when it’s hot, when, it’s raining, they sell umbrellas and rain slickers, it’s as if at 3pm everyday, God cues in the rain!
Thoughts written on my Hotel Villa Glori four star hotel business card.
If you don’t like yourself, and you don’t like people, what’s the point?
Another random thought:
I loved the water spouts in Rome, no need to buy bottled water, simply I took my one bottle of water and replenished it whenever I needed more water, some days I just put a little water on the back of my neck, when it was getting a little warm, before God cued in the rain.
Cookbook Author Gina Meyers
