Buon Natale! Buon Anno!

Buon Natale! (Merry Christmas!)

I hope you had a wonderful Advent Season and will continue to have a Merry Christmas! I'm still here in Rome and it is wonderful. Here is a picture of the Presepio (Nativity) in St. Peter's Square along with the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve. There were children caroling while we were waiting in line for Natale Del Signore 2006, Messa Della Notte (Midnight Mass). The Mass was just beautiful and the Pope came over to me twice! I'll have to see if they have pictures online. This time it may have had more to do with the little "bambini" (kids) next to me. The Pope gave them a blessing and he spoke of children around the world that are suffering, have nothing to eat and have to beg for food. There were little ones from around the world dressed in their native garments that brought flowers to Baby Jesus at the altar. Che carino! How sweet!










Here is a picture of my new friends Francesco and Chiara. They were a little tired when I snapped this picture as it was after Midnight Mass. Francesco was next to me and screamed "Viva Il Papa" and the Pope came over and gave him and his little sister Chiara a blessing. He was so excited he did a little dance afterwards. He even showed me that he can count to 10...in English! Che Bravo Francesco!










Here is a picture of Castel S. Angelo. I was out walking on a beautiful sunny day and decided to snap a few pictures. I also went to the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina. The wonderful thing about Rome is that their are ancient structures everywhere...even right in the middle of a crowded intersection. This sacred area has old structures and temples where the city's stray cats decided to take up residence. Sometimes you can see little old ladies dropping food off for them like lasagna. In one picture you can see a cat getting a drink of water in a beautiful old temple...you can still see the colorful frescoes on the walls. Che belleza!










Tuesday, Dec 26th after the Feast of St. Stephen : Quiet Mass in the Sanctuary, Fr. Greg (who is totally awesome and pictured above in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore) led us on a Presepio Spiritual Walking Tour. We visited the Nativity Scenes at some local churches, sang some songs and prayed....including Gospel Readings and a Meditation from St. Ignatius of Loyola. Lucky me...while we were in Santa Maria della Vittoria I was able to see the Bernini statue Estasi di Santa Teresa pictured above. This church is actually next to Santa Susanna across the street. Actually, my first time attempting to go to Santa Susanna I went to Santa Maria della Vittoria accidentally. I spent a few minutes thinking, "Hey, I thought mass was supposed to be in English, not Italian" before I figured out I was in the wrong church. (smile)

I've enjoyed taking part in the Christmas traditions here. People here are usually either Panettone people or Pandoro people. Panettone is a dome shaped Christmas cake with raisins and candied fruit (like fruit cake). Pandoro is a conical sponge cake. I find the sweets here aren't sweet enough for my American palate so the jury is still out with me.

My beloved Piazza Navona has been taken over by cheap traveling carnival type games and candy stalls. And just as everywhere else there is a focus on the commercial side of the season with all of the shopping. I've included a picture of the Fendi store decorated for the holiday....one of the cuter decorations... My friend Kelly and her boyfriend Darren went home for the holidays to Canada but left me a present to open on Christmas. A fashion magazine (in English!), a large bag of M&Ms and a DVD with American TV shows! You have to live here a while to appreciate how nice of a gift that was! Grazie! Well, it is 2am here and I'm supposed to be packing for my trip home to Bossier City. Ci vediamo...a presto! (See you soon!)

L'appetito viene con mangiando...

Or L'appetito vien mangiando (Appetite comes with eating...) An Italian Proverbio/Proverb. My friend Valerie (Paris) gave an impromptu dinner party for a a few other expats (US and Denmark). We had a great time. We had a giggle with something similar to those funny Thanksgiving turkey stories...The chicken took about 2 hours longer to roast than planned . (smile) But it was very tasty! I've noticed that quite a few of my posts involve eating...maybe I should change careers and become a chef! Watch out Giada! (a foodtv reference...my favorite Italian chef).










Although I've been to St. Peter's many times, I had never been to the top. A nice (and cute...wink) Italian guy named Filippo offered to escort me. After a short elevator ride and about 300 (claustrophobic) steps I reached the top. What a beautiful view!

I also went to the Papal Audience on the 6th and for the first time in many months it was held in both St. Peter's Basilica and in the Paul VI Hall. Pope Benedict XVI focused the weekly catechesis on his recent trip to Turkey.

I started individual Italian lessons with another school. I like it better...I'm learning quicker. I have to speak to Monica (my teacher) in only Italian of course. The first day I think I told her in Italian the night before I "ate my two friends". She said I forgot two important words..."with whom...(I ate)". She said eating your friends is called cannibalism and Italians frown upon that. Ha! Ha! She also scolds me for forgetting and throwing some Spanish words in our conversation here and there. But I'm enjoying the sessions. Ciao for now!

Going! Going! Gone!....

Saturday night I went to Santa Susanna's Saint Nicholas Serata Dinner Dance and Auction to benefit 9 Roman Charities this Christmas Season. I didn't win any bids. I was really hoping for the Chocolates from Around the World Basket! I guess I can thank the person that out bid me for saving my thighs! Besides the clothing, jewelry, Notre Dame items, trips, spa treatments, Italian lessons etc. there were plenty of gift baskets. My favorites were the "American" baskets. They had barbecue sauce, peanut butter, ziplock bags, cake mixes, toll house morsels, etc. Don't laugh! You'd be surprised what little things you miss. I think I would pay 10 euros for one spoonful of Jif peanut butter! I did win a door prize of Americana placemats and dish towels. It was a wonderful evening and raised a lot of money for the charities. I also had cool tablemates. Pictured above are Sr. Pat, Sr. Maria, me and Sasha. Nella was a little camera shy. The other picture is Fr. Greg being the auctioneer for the live auction. Last week I purchased some yummy extra virgin olive oil and fresh honey being sold as as a fundraiser....my two favorite food groups...Fat and Sugar!!! All this talk about food...I'd better be careful or I'll show up in Louisiana at the end of December for my 2 week home visit a little too chunky and you won't recognize me! (giggle)

Last week on a beautiful sunny day I decided to go to Villa Borghese (Borghese Park). I went to the museum, Galleria Borghese pictured below, and fell in love! His name is Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Ladies, don't get excited...I know you are all hoping for an "Under the Tuscan Sun" experience! He is just an Italian sculptor and painter from the 17th century. (smile) I was almost mesmerized looking at his statues of Pluto and Proserpina and Apollo and Dafne (Daphne). Dafne escaped the grasp of Apollo by turning into a tree. Bernini captured the transformation perfectly in marble....amazing. Proserpina is trying to flee from Pluto and you can see the tears running down her face and see how his fingers press into her flesh...again...this is marble. (OK, I see the running theme too...women trying to escape from men...no comments from you armchair psychiatrists please. (smile) ) Bernini also did the bronze Baldachhino (canopy) over the high altar at St. Peters and the Colonnade in the square. He also did the Fountain of Rivers in Piazza Navona that I walk past almost every day. He did a sculpture of David that has a face with such intensity you can almost feel the emotion... he was said to have used his own features. After my museum visit I had a nice little mini picnic lunch in the park while people watching...not a bad way to spend an afternoon, huh??