Tuesday Sept 7

Whew…. airlplane seats are getting smaller and we’re getting less flexible.

And it took us about 3 minutes in the Fiumicino airport to utter “Damn, Italians” as we were jostled by eager Italians pushing toward the 7-person-deep carousel where the luggage from Mogadishu, Delhi and Kazaktan joined ours from Zurich. A calm and cool Amadeo, resplendent in suit and tie picked up frazzled and overheated us and ferried us to apartment in a sort of air conditioned car, supplemented by window drafts. Our apartment is in an area restricted to traffic…there are cameras – but not a problem to an Italian. When the traffic cleared, he swung around the island using the oncoming traffic lane.

Apartment is great - comfortable and spacious., and is 100 steps from the little electic bus stop.

Dinner with Yolanda – Taglierini with funghi porcini….oh my. The first porcini of the season have arrived by the truckful in the markets. An especially abundant year for them. Expect to see lots of photos.

Starting the day with cornetti and capuccini and a newspaper. The bartender remembered us. And we viewed his beautiful selection of panini - this for Reed – and started thinking lunch –grilled eggplant and mozzerella or caprese, or prosciutto/rughetta. And next door was the baccala place so we started thinking about dinner – a fried cod fillet or two, maybe some fried olives – and do you suppose punterelle with anchovy/lemon dressing is in season yet?

Decided to shop for lunch. We are just outside the colorful, tho somewhat lame (too many souvenir sellers) Campo dei Fiori market on the Palazzo Farnese side of it . Overdid on lunch - prosciutto, porchetta, figs and tomatoes. And good wine is cheap!!!!!

Italian news following a familiar pattern – lots of politics, Berlusconi losing support of his coalition, maybe an election in the offing. Yet another assassination by the Mafia in the south – now it is not just judges and prosecutors they seek – but ecologists who impede their business interests. Human interest story on the plight of children in Africa – there is always something humanitarian and worldly on the front page…and a disturbing image.

Hot and sticky – laying low.

ps have to relearn Blog ways