New Home and Keats Shelley Day

All moved into my new home for the next month.    I know I will be very happy here.  I have lots of space and light and I’m right in the middle of things.    I love living in the city.  

In between moving, I’ve been running around Rome with my dad seeing old things that I never tire of and new things that I love just as much as the old.     I was feeling a little sick yesterday but much better today.   A little extra sleep and some advil did the trick.    I’ve included a couple of pictures from my new apartment.  

Had our first lunch in Campo di Fiori yesterday.   Wandered around the market for awhile and admired the artichokes.    I love artichokes as much as I love beets.    I’m looking forward to daily trips to the market.    I also found my grocery store here.   I just love that I can buy cute little containers of cubed pancetta for less than 3 euros.   Crazy.    Eggs are on the shelf here.   Not refrigerated.  I haven’t figured that out yet.    Today I made my first purchase in Rome of toilet paper when I realized we didn’t have any.   This is after I completed flooded the bathroom floor and left zero hot water for my dad.    Rough start. 

Last night we went back to our favorite pizza place Da Baffetto.   I love super super thin pizza and this is the absolute best.    I can tell I am hungry now as I’m writing about food.   Will refocus. 

Today after a fabulous cappuccino (last reference to food, promise) we went all through the normal tourist stops.   Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Pantheon.   My favorite Bernini elephant.   Quick stop for shopping and then out again to the Keats Shelley Museum located at the bottom of the Spanish Steps.   We spent awhile lingering around the door reading about all of the famous poets, authors and artists who lived in Rome.   There was a really interesting map showing the streets around Spanish Steps and where everyone lived.   No one lived directly on via della vite, but several right nearby.   Unfortunately we spent so much time at the entrance, by the time we made it upstairs, they were closing for lunch.   

We continued on to the second part of our Keats Shelley day and walked down to the Protestant Cemetery.   Gorgeous weather for a walk.  I can’t believe I’ve never been here in late Spring.   Competes with fall now for a perfect time to be here.     The cemetery was amazing.  I know that sounds strange but I am really glad we went.   We saw all of the famous burials, including my guy Munthe’s family.   My favorite part was just wandering around and reading all of the inscriptions.   I was telling my dad that I had a little bit of an epiphany when I decided that my favorites were not those about someone’s worldly accomplishments but instead those that referenced the difference that the person made in someone else’s life.   It was quite a profound moment for me.    I am so glad we went.    Could have wandered around for hours.     Decided to leave when I saw Emily Elizabeth’s grave.   Emily Elizabeth passed at age 37.   Freaked me out a little bit. 

We stopped on our walk back for a beer and some bruschetta (sorry) and then wandered back through Trastevere and found my brother’s old apartment before heading back home.   Here now, writing and thinking about getting ready for dinner.    Life is good.