Rome is a city built on seven hills, but Lisbon is a hill with many hills. It seems like the only level place is by the harbor. Lisbon is a gorgeous city but better suited to billy goats than a flat landlubber like me. People told me that it is like San Francisco. No. It … Read more Lisbon Is Too Hilly For Me
For those who have been with me here on my adventures for the past 12 years, you know that I move cities every few years. My time in Rome is soon over, so I am beginning to reflect on the things I will miss about Rome. For example, the other day, I was sitting out … Read more Scenic Rome – Things I Will Miss
Since the honeymoon is over for me, I thought I’d remind myself of why I chose to live in Rome. It is Rome. The eternal city. The place that people dream of. The sun shines almost every day. The produce is fresh, local, and delicious. The markets are great. You can fill up your own … Read more The Great Things About Living in Rome
Just as I wrote about the great things about living in Rome, here are the less than great things about living in Rome. How hard it is to get things done, like paying a bill. This can take a long time because sometimes you do not have the bill you need to pay, then you … Read more The Realities of Living in Rome
Some countries are great for tourists. Italy is one of them. Is it this way for everyone? Here is my list of diminishing joy. Tourists: At the top, tourists. To be a tourist in Italy is a delight. All the mechanisms are here, from ATMs, efficient trains, to affordable food to make you spend your … Read more The Nine Levels of Life In Italy
The quality of the photos is not high as most of these are shot from the car. Rome is not always beautiful. It is also a place of beggars, homelessness, trash, food banks, traffic, and always, the one eternal thing is tourists.
Grocery stores in Rome are small, but, you will probably be able to find everything you want or think you want. For some speciality stuff, you will need to go to the international stores as the basic chain stores have very little “international” food. While the chain stores are convenient, I actually prefer the little … Read more Grocery Stores in Rome
It’s the new year and time for new fashions. The Italians are fashionable and this includes what type of food they eat. When not eating Italian food, they eat what is trendy. A few years ago it was all about sushi. Last year, it was all about poke (but most of these places are not … Read more Mexican, Tex-Mex, Latin American Food Trending in Rome
Sundays are family day, and long lunch day. If you have children in the two-five year old range, going out for lunch on a day trip outside Rome requires a few things… a place that is safe enough for them to run around (because the goal is to get them tired out), has some entertainments … Read more Child-Friendly Restaurant Outings Within Two Hours of Rome
There are many Chinese restaurants in Rome, but I like spicy Chinese food (like food from Sichuan). I have been to about 15 Chinese restaurants at this point and I am finding that most are the “same same” — so I do not want to continue. The first three are places where one can get … Read more In Search of Spicy Chinese Restaurants in Rome
Away from the center of frenzied tourism in the center of Rome, is a large old fashioned gelato shop. Fassi is located in Esquilino near the Termini train station. It is the oldest one in Rome, started in 1880. This former “palace of frozen delights” is showing her age, but the gelato is fresh, every … Read more Fassi Gelateria, The Oldest Gelato Shop in Rome
With many of the Romans downsizing, there is perhaps a treasure for you to find in one of Rome’s flea markets. When I got here two years ago, I may, just may, have bought some gold red velvet furniture… but not at a flea market. Here are the major flea markets: Porto Portese, Piazza di … Read more Someone Else’s Treasure – Flea Markets
