And then there's Mom!
Trip Start
Mar 27, 2008
1
15
20
Trip End
Ongoing
Rome,
Lazio,
Italy
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Before i came to Rome, Mom and I had discussed her visiting with the 3 Dinosaurs. The Dinosaurs are the girls my mom grew up with and has been buddies with for her whole life. They have this name because my brother commented when he met them " Oh, you are the girls my mom rode the dinosaurs with!" the name stuck. Meanwhile, they like to plan a trip together each year, or as often as life will allow, to some place interesting or important to them. This year, for obvious reasons, ROME. (Last fall, i met the girls and had a great time in San Francisco. We actually became friends!!)
So. For various reasons they couldn't make it. But, mom wanted to see me so her and her boyfriend, Tom came anyway. They made a trip out of it and came after a trip to eastern Europe.
Well, Tom and I have never really been what you would call friends or even tolerable aquaintances, but, I have made decisions over the years that he is good for my mom for whatever reason so... ok.
My work schedule is quite busy so i made as many concessions as possible but I thought that at least they could go off on their own while I worked on the 2 days of conflicting schedule. But Tom couldn't really leave the room much. Mom said she was ok but I think she was disappointed. I know I was a little, but just because i wanted to spend more time with her.
On Friday night we had a most wonderful dinner. I had hoped to take a stroll through a nice area of Rome and find a nice place but we had to eat at the first place we came to. I was just fine, Mom seemed fine but Tom... He just didn't seem to be able to see the fabulousness of Rome. Oh well.
Saturday morning I had booked us a tour with My housemate, Linda, to the Sistine chapel. At the last minute we found out that there was a schedule problem so we opted for a tour of the Fori romani. Linda is an archeologist and scholar so we were to have a very great custom tour. We saw every detail of the forums and then some. A secret dungeon where St. Peter was held. his head was bashed into the wall by guards and the imprint is protected. The miracles were; that he created water through the floor and used it to baptise the guards who later set him free.
We then went to Campidoglio which is a plaza designed by Michelangelo. it is flanked with museums and we opted to have a nice lunch on top of one of the seven hills of Rome.
After lunch, we walked through the Jewish ghetto. Most of the shops and kosher places were closed until 4:00 but we trekked on to Largo Argentina where our guide left us. She was quite tired and not feeling great.
Mom and i went to a bookstore and got me some books in Italian for my practice and then zig zagged to Trevi Fountain and on to Piazza di Spagna. After a nap we went to Italo-Chinese for dinner. (more on this later)
The next day was Sunday and we decided to forgo our tour and see the "porta portese flea market" so we could include Tom. Frankly, i think there is more wrong with him than meets the eye because he just absolutely cannot have a good time and he hangs on my mother like a child. For me it is only frustrating to see. But I feel very bad for him.
Anyhow, we enjoyed the flea market enough, ate a nice lunch in Trastevere, and then Mom and i went on to the Colosseum for a tour and then palatine hill. we rented the walkie talkie guide but it would have been better with Linda because i have so many questions. It was very interesting to say the least. The fact that i learned that really stuck, is that humans have inhabited this area since there have been humans!!! Kinda neeto!
We again had dinner at italo-Chinese and that was fine with me...It is a very nice place which fuses an italian menu with a Chinese. The prices are more than reasonable and it is close to my home.
Monday, i had to work but had several cancellations so Mom and I went shopping together Monday afternoon. i had my heart set on a certain pair of jeans but as fate has it they look terrible on me. So we spent quite a while finding "the right jeans" Finally I found them at a shop that has been consistently good for me. we bought them and i will pick them up after the hems are done. The rest of the visit was rather uneventful with me coming by their hotel between classes and after work. i had at least hoped they would take the "on-off" tour and see Rome from a bus but Tom just wasn't up to it, and, I guess their trip through Eastern Europe took its toll on Mom too.
Good byes were sad but, i am happy with my decision to be in Rome and Mom could plainly see that. Over all, we are both glad we made the effort. I am happy to get back to my routine, but I miss Mom already.
I miss you, Mom.
DF
