11.21.16 - I just want to hit the road and see my cat

11.21.16

“I just want to hit the road and see my cat”

Today was a transit day.  It was only a 1 hour and a little bit train ride, but with having to check out of one place, into another, navigate our way to the train station and then from it, it ate up most of the day and left all of us a little more tired than usual.  

The day started out with a fast and furious pack of all of our stuff that was scattered throughout the apartment while the girls pretended that they couldn’t see us working and that they couldn’t see their own stuff right in front of their eyes when we asked for it.  H2 piled their bags in front of the doorway so that she could stop her ball, but it was way more useful in tripping me as I turned and found them unexpectedly in my path.  

Leaning against her stuff (that she didn't pack), H2 told S I'm ready to hit the road. I'm ready to see my cat. I don't want to go to the next place. I guess since she learned she can pick up the cat seeing Rome isn't such a big deal. I'd rather pick up a cat too.

Tragically, Lambie was lost in Florence.  A few mornings ago, H1 couldn’t find her, and even after tossing all of the sheets, looking under everything, and even checking the loft, we couldn’t find the poor little lost sheep.  

I’m guessing she didn’t get lost - she ran away.  After being in Florence myself, I was about 75% for running away.  

Poor H1 was devastated, but we made her go down to breakfast and scarf a milk and part of a pastry, while H2 complained that the milk was hot (it was lightly steamed by the very nice barman) and that it tasted bad (it was fresh).  

KEY MOMENT: As we exited our apartment, a young lady was setting up a sign asking for money, and H2 yells she has a pig! We all look over and S tells H2 that’s a bunny.  I cannot even begin to think how a bunny and a pig get confused.  

The little bar and pastry shop was a wonderful little stop for 3 of our mornings and I think we all genuinely felt a little sad to leave it - we got a warm arrivederci from the manager and many smiles and head rubs for the girls from all the nonnas with bellisima bambinas!

One a side note, I was talking to S about this, but if someone went to rub my daughters hair in the US, I’d probably blow a gasket, but somehow here, it is so natural and without affectation or weirdness that it is taken as it should be, a gesture of warmth.  The girls at first were freaked out, but after a few times, they smile and say ciao and buon giorno and grazie and melt hearts with their cold Nordic beauty.  Last night, the mom of the restaurant was drawing while resting her chin on H2’s head and H2 just look amazed at the drawings and didn’t bat an eye about the physical contact. The mom returned at the end with cookies and squished both girls’ faces!  Just smiles from the girls, not even a that’s a little weird from H1 which in itself was a little weird.  Even walking down the street, I notice more contact - close conversations between all genders - female friends holding hands and linking arms - all ages.  It was really quite beautiful to see as I notice technology put up more barriers between people at home.  

But here I am typing on a computer while S reads beside me.  I give myself a pass for proximity.  

Anyways.

We grabbed all our stuff and started the march down the stairs and out towards the train station.  But first, carousel.  

The girls rode for two last times, this time without a crowd.  Just the two of them on a carousel in the middle of the Piazza Republica.  

The journey to the station was actually pretty uneventful.  S and I both picked up the girls rolly bags and lugged them across the city, about .7mi, then we found a left luggage office and dropped our stuff for an hour for an exorbitant fee.  

S and I needed another espresso/latte, so we found a place and I promised the girls if they let us drink it in peace, I’d buy them McDonald’s.  At the little minimart, they of course had stuffed animals, so to replace Lambie, H1 picked a moose.  Then H2 started giving me the death stare and crossing her arms to intimidate me and she left with a bunny stuffed animal.  

We sucked back our coffees and had enough time to score some McDonald’s.  At the register was our first time being asked about Trump and the U.S. by the nicest McDonald’s employee ever who asked if the girls wanted the same color toy to alleviate fighting.  

I won’t lie.  I ate McDonald’s.  And it tasted really good.  

The train ride was fast but they don’t give you a whole lot of time to get on and off.  It pulled in, people charged off, and by the time we got to our seats, that thing was heading out.  

We picked up a taxi at Termini in Rome and he whisked us through the streets, pointing out things in a low voice.  Pointing at the Garibaldi monument, then to a big building in front of it Il Duce then another Teatro Marcello.  It was a short ride and then a little walk to the apartment.  

One immediate issue was that the apartment was on a street that has the same numbers on each side but going in different directions.  Might be helpful to tell your guests that.

But we made it and all was well.  It’s not spectacular like Florence, but it works and it’s clean.  

We hung out on the couches for a bit playing Uno and rough housing, then we headed out in search of snacks in Trastevere.  The first thing we ate was unreal.  It was suppli.  Rice and tomato sauce and mozzarella fried as a fritter.  Holy Juno and Ares and Yoda - it was incredible.  We got these freshly made potato chips and zucchini too.  Dang.  

It understands me. 

Cruising down a side street, I looked to the end and I saw the holy land.  Something I hadn’t seen in days.  

A playground.

The girls played for 40 minutes under the lights and got nice and sweaty and red and out of breath.  They needed it.  

Heading back towards the Tiber, we were in search of pizza.  I had read about a place called Ai Marmi and we found it.  Seated in front of the wood fired oven, we watched the three man team lay out what must have been 15+ pizzas at once, load them all in the oven, then yell when they were ready.  We had gorgonzola and speck, zucchini flowers and sausage, prosciutto, and margarita.  

And get this - H1 ate half a pizza.

We needed gelato now, but H2 has desperately wanted one of the flying helicopters the street vendors have been selling everywhere.  Tonight was her lucky night and my unlucky night.  I ended up 10 euros poorer for 2 and then a dude offered me a pack of 20 for 10e.  Straight played.  

Then a man came up to us and asked if we were African.  You African???! He asked, we replied Californian, and he said that his wife had just had a baby in Africa and began pressing bracelets and animal figures on us.  I have never been mistaken for African before, so I was quite surprised which was a great technique.  S felt bad for getting all the gear (that we didn’t want) for free, so I gave him 5 to which he said 20.  I used the old, I forgot my wallet trick on him and that seemed to work.  

H2 is over the moon about her helicopter, and the vendor actually showed her how to work it.  She was super pumped.  After being asked 56 million times today if I remembered what I said, I can tell you I’m super pumped to not be yelled at today for not following through on my promise.

The vibe is definitely a little more intense here and a little less safe, but it’s new to us and it’s a lot bigger as a city.  The vendors are way more aggressive and in way higher numbers here as well.  

We managed to secure gelatos from a surly dude at Gelateria del Teatro right before a tour group plundered the place.  

Sadly, only...

ICE CREAM #1

Crossing the Ponte Garibaldi, we looked across the city and the Tiber to see St. Peter’s Basilica rising over the rest.  

Then we yelled at our kids to stop climbing on the railing that prevented them from falling 50+ feet into the river.  

Tomorrow morning we have our first guided tour as a family.  H1 is very excited to see the Colosseum and learn all about it, so I am hoping it lives up to her expectations.  She says she is excited to learn lots of things there and that she already knows one thing, that they played games there.

Hope she's not expecting to see a tiger.