​Weathering the Storm with the WP#130

Well, I guess you are tired of the heat and humidity wherever you are and so am I, but being here in Rome is, when all is said and done, is where I want to be. I can get around, mostly by public transport, although Rosa keeps asking me if I want to drive here. Not really!!! Sometimes, one of the two bus lines that are literally on the street in which the apartment is on does not run regularly and so I sometimes must wait, but that is what I have noticed about this society, a lot of waiting and one must have patience here. I like to call it the Heat of the Roment!!! Thank you Asia and I know a very bad play on words.

I have time and time again, said that the pace of life here is much slower in general and sometimes I forget that. Sometimes New York thoughts do come out in me, yet, I am sitting here writing this piece, relaxed in the air conditioned, yes, air-conditioned comfort of the apartment Rosa and I have. And, yes, Rosa is at the library as I am writing this, or she would say it is frozen. For me, it is perfect, so I can focus and not feel like I am in a sauna and, this need to remove the humidity and cool at least one room in the apartment down for a while so I can work, is a good thing. My computer likes it also. Even momma prefers a lower temperature as many others do. ​

This week’s musings are not crazy over the top but living life here. Rosa and I went to two movies, both in English with subtitles, first Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny and they had, wait for it, real popcorn, so it felt like a real movie. I liked the movie and Rosa did during the parts she was awake and commented on the ending. I won’t spoil it, if you have not seen it yet. The movie started at 8:45 pm, so it was rather late, and we did not get back to the apartment until after midnight. By the way, many busses stop service around midnight, so plan accordingly and the Metro A, during the week and for another year, closes during the week, at 9:00 pm until I believe 5:00 am to work on lengths of track as they upgrade a system built in the 70’s. They offer buses on the same routes when this happens and for the record, Rome has 3 metro lines, A, B and C, which earlier this week, I went on for the first time, as it really does not go anywhere, I would normally go, but I was curious, so I did. ​

So, back to the movies, she and I went to see, wait for it, The Blues Brothers, at an outdoor and free showing at the Borghese or in the park itself, not the Borghese Gallery. Of course, I have seen it many times, but for me, the fascination was that most of the people there to see it with Italian subtitles, were mostly locals from the neighborhood. Last year, we saw West Side Story there and that was very cool to see, as well. It reminded me of many years ago, playing in the pit orchestra of my old man, who taught at Canarsie High School, and he needed some help, so I sat in for a performance or two. In any case, it brought back some nice memories. Spoke to him yesterday out in California, where he now lives, and it was nice to catch up. ​

Besides the movies this week, one of Rosa’s colleagues, Walter (pronounced with V sound) stopped by for a while and then we went off for some dinner at a local establishment and yesterday, Rosa’s momma and here sister Pamela came over to drop off some things. Italian mommas and I know some of you who have them are wonderful. For me, when I need to buy something, I buy it. She and Pamela, at Rosa’s request, brought a lot of stuff and as if we did not have enough things in the cabinets and fridge, we now have more. Thank you, momma!!! In any case, I wanted to share these little “Roments” this past week. 
Also, there is so much to explore in this amazing city where I currently reside, and this is my second summer here. The neighborhoods and the little roads here and there, with the little nooks and crannies. Rome is not just the historical center, but the neighborhoods and you can get food at a reasonable price if you are willing to venture out beyond the center. The public transport, once you understand it, is useful, but I know most people only have a short amount of time, so the focus is the usual suspects. The best are the people and once you get to know them, they consider you friends, so there are places I have “frequented” or try to get back to here and there. 
August starts tomorrow and much of Rome shuts down. Don’t worry, the places you want to be, and experience will still be standing, but the people take a block of time for themselves, so you will see many places where it says closed, be it a week or even the whole month. This is normal as the Italians and most Europeans take their own holiday during the month of August. Once I get done with a block of my work for my valued clients, I generally go out for a while and explore as I did when I took Metro C for the first time last week, just to see where it went and unlike the other two lines, it is automated, not controlled by a human driver and it does not connect like the other two lines at Termini (the main station), but at San Giovanni, so you actually have to take Metro A to get there. By early 2025, and if you are here in Rome, they are expecting to connect Metro C to Metro B at Colosseo. 
I know a lot of little things this week. I guess I was busier than I thought, and mostly living here. I guess I hope that whenever you travel, be it here in Italy or anywhere else, think outside the box of possibilities as many places offer so much more than the unusual suspects and as always, stay safe, stay healthy and stay cool for now as winter is right around the corner. Okay, it is not, and I certainly am not trying to rush here. Thank you as always for your support of my crazy little world and my small business. As always, I look forward to your comments, questions, concerns and continuing the discourse through whichever means you read my posts!!!