Tag: united states

From Eternal Rome to New Rome

M's Adventures
DC with the Greek style temple Lincoln Memorial on the left and the obelisk Washington Memorial on the right.

I will not be retiring to my palace in Split like Diocletian. But, I will be leaving Rome. I will be moving from the eternal city on seven hills to a newer Rome in America. Washington, DC, is sometimes called the “new Rome” and in some ways it is. There are lots of monuments and white marble buildings. It is a capital, and some would say that it was influential the way that Rome once was. It gets unbearably hot in the summer. Like Rome, it is a touristy town. Like Rome, DC also suffers from not being quite as fashionable as its northernly neighbor (for DC, it’s New York, and for Rome, Milan).

The top of the Spanish Steps in Rome with the dome of St. Peter’s on the left and the obelisk of Sallust.

But, for me, it will be my next home. Arrivederci, Roma!

Arrivederci translates to, “Goodbye until we meet again.”

What Americans Notice In Italy

M's Adventures

Now that I’ve had my first American visitors, they suggest that I write about what they noticed while in Italy. They noticed three very different things…

Adults making love to their gelatos: This is what they really noticed. They said that it was not normal in the United States to see a grown adult in business clothes “making love” to an ice cream, while walking on the street. I have no photos of this so instead I include a photo of a gelato that I ate… while on the street. As you can see, gelato melts fast so you have to eat it fast.

Note that my gelato has “panna” or whipped cream on it. This is normal in Italian gelaterias. Another thing that is normal is that no matter how small your gelato, you will usually get two flavors.

Peanut and salted caramel gelato.

Swastika graffiti: On the walls. In the United States, it would removed or painted over fairly quickly.

Five inch platform mules: On women. I guess it should be ten centimeter platforms since this is in Italy.

The Rock Stars of Yosemite National Park

M's Adventures

"Tunnel view" of Yosemite Valley.
“Tunnel view” of Yosemite Valley.

There are some places that remind me of how beautiful this world is and how lucky I am to see it. Yosemite National Park is one of those places. Yosemite (one interpretation of the meaning of “yos-e-miti” is that it means “those who kill” and the native tribe was warning the early visitors — who mistook this warning as the name of the valley) is a beauty, both photogenic and gorgeous in the flesh. There are so many great stories to be heard about the valley, El Capitan, Half Dome, and all the other rock stars (ha!) of the park.

El Capitan, or the "inchworm."
El Capitan, or the “inchworm.”

El Capitan, considered by many to be the largest monolith in the world, is actually called “inchworm” in the local lore. The local story explains how the lowliest smallest creature, the inchworm, saves two bear cubs who fell asleep on top of the rock.

2,500 feet of falling water at Yosemite Falls.
2,500 feet of falling water at Yosemite Falls.

Land of Choices

M's Adventures

Land of milk and soy, goat, almond…

I was recently in the new Trader Joes in Clarendon, Virginia, USA, and I was bedazzled by the array of new choices. Mine was a normal reaction and I came prepared with camera.

Bread by any name.

Whether you call it a tomato or a tomato, it’s still a tomato. Milk, however, is not just milk. And how great is that!