Rome: DAY 4

FOURTH DAY

September 16, 2005

Just in case anybody is getting confused, it is September 16, but I am writing about our day, yesterday.  It always starts with the light here.  Maybe I have more time for it or perhaps I am paying more attention, No matter, as Kim and I take our coffee on the terrace of our floor, the light lifts us into the day, Kimberly is very intent on doing the apartment thing.  I have decided to stay and do some local grocery shopping which means looking for a bigger market and trying to find the local gym.  We hang out for a while reading the Herald Tribune and sort of putting the start-up off. Finally, it is lunchtime, and we still haven’t started but Kim does have an appointment to see several apartments.  Lunch is a sort of buffet affair with some cold pasta, salads, and fruit.  The reason we have been sticking around for lunch is to get a chance to meet some of the inmates.  Since we have been in Rome, I don’t think we have been overeating but with no scale to check ourselves, it is more about how our clothes fit.  The walking is dynamite but my hips don’t much like it.  Our lunch companions are either boring or we are and finally it’s over.  We leave the table to pursue our separate adventures   It is the first time we have not done whatever we are doing together.  I can sense Kim’s nerves and finally she asks me to go with her.  I decline and hand over money for cabs etc.  She goes and I put on my backpack and we both head out to brave the world by ourselves.  Without much trouble (one wrong turn), I find the new supermarket and figure out what I can carry including water, diet coke and of course that staple, Scotch Whiskey.  incidentally, booze is cheap.  I am not sure why, but even with the lousy exchange rate still less then Costco.  Our neighborhood is in the middle to upper middle class range and cute.  Mostly apartment houses with lots of flowerpots and vegetation.  The streets are quiet but with lots of small businesses.  They are all closed for the afternoon siesta, but the market is clean and well lighted with everything I need.  There are lots of open-air markets in our part of town and they are closed by about 1:30pm and reopen in the early morning.  I suspect that the place I am going is about l/2 to3/4 of a mile from the school.  So just up and back about a mile or more.  It is hot, too.  The pack is heavy too.  I feel old too.  Oh well.

Kim comes back with a smile and some fun stories of riding on the back of the agent’s motor scooter.  She got to look at 3 different places none of which seem to work.  It is really only day one of the search.  We are making good contacts and will find our place. I am not altogether sure of our mission here, but I know that Rome is a good spot for trying to find out.

It is late afternoon and we join with our group of fellows, and scholars for a walk with one of the staff professors for a walk along the hill of the Aventine.  The group about 30 strong takes a public bus down to the starting point.  The weather and feelings are magical.  While on the bus, some guys try to steal Richard Barnes’s wallet, but luckily it slips to the floor of the bus.  I saw them trying, but it is so fast that it is hard to react.  The Barnes’s are friends of Kris and Owen’s. In any case, I was able to tell Richard which of the guys were making the attempt and they got off the bus immediately. I wish I could have hit them with my walking stick, but I was too slow.  The wall and the churches and the trees and light as well as the super lecture by our guide took away the irritation and as we came down the hill to the Palatine, I realized once again how lucky we are to be here.  The group marched on and we took a bus home.  By the way, I am learning why I don’t like buses much.  It was rush hour and it was crowded and hot.  It is also bumpy too but useful and cheap. I am happy to be home to drinks and a shower.

We discover that we will probably have a renter in SF for the house.  Good!

Rome: DAY 3

THIRD DAY

September 15, 2005

Yesterday was the 56^th birthday of the wonderful Kimberly.  She is the oldest woman that I have ever been with.  But, as she often points out, I am the oldest man she has ever slept with.  Our dinner date with new friends was interesting and fun.  We went local, about a 10 minute walk from our school.  The antipasti were sensational followed by a great veal chop, chased down with a decent Italian Red.  In terms of price, basically it is the same as a good dinner in SF or slightly cheaper but because of the Euro/Dollar difference about 20% higher.  Bring back those strong dollars. 

Our late morning, early afternoon was a study in the problem of Americans in Europe and language issues.  Kim is quite ok at the practice and getting to the read to speak phase of Italian.  We went to the Tabacchi in our Monteverdi neighborhood and she was able to buy our bus tickets for the week.  It went really well except there is no discount for seniors.  We took the wrong bus from the stop, but of course it didn’t matter because we simply got off at the Coliseum and walked into the Pantheon, probably less then a mile.  Rome is really a wow with ruins and ancient digs right on your way.  We went to Trajan’s market and there is an obelisk next to the market called Trajan’s Column rising about 100 feet that is bigger on the top then at the base so that the eye perceives them to be the same size.  It is what I suppose you call an optical illusion done in 100AD or thereabout.  Walking on we made it to the Pantheon starving and arguing about which way to go.  The Pantheon is a magnificent structure that is close to the oldest standing building in Rome.  There are still lots of tourist around and the square abounds with life and energy.  I tried to find a restaurant that we went to last June but ended up at a swell little pizza/salad/panini spot. I guess I know now that not being in a car with your wife does not stop the endless discussion of which way to go.  After lunch we decided to go to Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s most touristy and lovely squares.  Chock full of artists selling their wares and tourists ogling the fountains.  Kim insisted that it was one way and I another.  For once I was correct but it may never happen again.  As we were walking back home, we decided to take the Argentino Tram to Trastevere and catch the little bus up the hill.  It worked and we were home.  It is not easy to get started with a new place.  Finding the market, getting the bus, speaking the language is all part of the startup, but we are trying and having fun doing it.  It is very civilized here and many people speak some English.  That is fortunate for me.  All I can say is “bring it on” - just kidding.  Still working on the motor scooter thing. 

Rome: DAY 2

SECOND DAY

September 14, 2005

Yesterday was our first real day in Rome.  Out early with no jet lag to investigate the hood.  We headed out the back gate of our palazzo and next to the old Roman wall that was built by Aurelius, 161-180 AD.  That would be Marcus Aurelius, just in case you wanted that info.  We found our neighborhood street complete with Banks, car dealers, bars, the Herald Tribune, and even an elegant Meat and Cheese store.  Not having much language is an impediment but so far not a complete stopper.  Kim is trying and can make herself understood.  We came back to coffee at our own little bar in the Academy.  It all seems so unreal. We do lots of chatting with other residents and fellow travelers Everyone is pleasant and friendly. We decided to walk down the steep steps toward Trastevere for lunch and some shopping.  Our friends Paul and Stan have given us several restaurant ideas and we settled on a place next to the Santa Maria church called Paris.  Of course, in our silly American way, it is only 12:30 and nobody eats lunch at 12:30.  We are just a little mortified and go to the supermarket to get supplies for the room.  Soap, paper towels, cereal and a few snacks to tide us over between many meals and it all costs pretty much the same as in the US. The Euro is still rather expensive so our dollar is about .80 Euros.  So the same is about 20% more expensive.  We go back to a lovely lunch at Paris and proceed to drink a bottle of red with our meal of a salad, pasta and a main course.  I fall to the table for my nap -just kidding and we struggle back up the steps to our room.

My thoughts on the Academy may change, but my immediate picture is of a place designed for students and scholars in a quiet Academic setting.  The visitors (us) are designed to fill up the place and provide more revenue for the Academy.  The senior staff seems stuffy and pedantic, with a casual wave of the hand for us extra folk.  Kimberly is much more forgiving and open.  So while the regular inmates are super friendly and nice, I feel we are baggage to the in-house people.  We took a tour of the library with the head librarian.  She is nice but reminds me of a teacher who has too much to do and reminds you of it all the time.  Still there is lots of good material to be found if I ever get started on my project.  We also had a conversation with Pina with the main objective being my desire to buy a motor scooter.  Pina is the associate director for the school.  She is beyond crisp and slightly arrogant.  It is clear we are supposed to be on our own all the way.  Most questions were deflected and not very helpful.  No matter, she is probably right, and we need to do it on our own.  I wish she could do it in nicer way. 

We saw the 15 presentations of the second group of fellows and they were profoundly excellent.  Imagine trying to explain your dissertation to a group of super intelligent people in five minutes.  I would have thought it could not be done. Mostly, I was wrong and we ended up getting the point.  Some of what we came for was to be around these smart guys, many of who are women.   Once again, we had dinner at the Academy with lots of talking.  We are going to dinner outside tonight with Nord and Charles.  Charles was a fellow and is returning to visit,  He is the President of the Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington DC. and is very bright and knows lots about San Francisco and many people that I know.  His friend Nord has done lots of things but is currently writing Visual Criticism for Art Forum.  We will stay in the neighborhood.  More adventures to come as we are off to Central Rome for an afternoon of gelato and sightseeing.

Rome: DAY 1

FIRST DAY

September 13, 2005

We made it to Rome, what a surprise.  I am sitting in Studio 303 at the American Academy overlooking the entire city of Rome just over the top of the hill from the neighborhood, Trastevere.  We are currently waiting for the computer tech to come up and make us Internet ready.  We have already met many of the fellows and visiting artists.  Yesterday, when we came in from the Airport they were just about to begin what they call the five-minute presentations that each fellow gives to start their fellowship year.  It was all very interesting and I made it through the first 6 presenters before I felt the need to go to my room and shower and unpack.  Of course, the amazing Kimberly made it through all 15, just too much sweat, anxiety, and the need for a little down time forced me to the room.  Tonight there will be another 15 presenters and I trust I will make it the whole way.  The group of Rome prizewinners is interesting and seemingly strong.  They all seem young to me.  The subjects they are studying are varied and highly detailed as well as intellectual.  Each prize has been given by some group or honors some previous fellow.  There are two sides to the group, the arts (music, painting, architecture, etc) and the humanities (literature, history, medieval studies, etc).  I am not Fellow, but a Visiting Scholar.  They also have a category for Visiting Artists.  We are people who are not applying for a Rome Prize but for admission for a shorter period of time and perhaps a less academic pursuit.  It clear that the program is first and foremost for the fellows.  Kim tried to sign up for the free Italian lessons and was rejected because it is a perk for the fellows and their spouses.  She will try to find a school someplace close off campus.

Of little interest to anyone but me is the description of our journey to Rome.  Of course, the main thing is that we arrived safely and without too much jet lag. But, not without some of the usual things that make a nervous traveler into a certifiable nut case.  First let me say that United sucks.  Nothing in particular but always that low morale and bad vibe that you get from their people.  I must say that they have had lots of disappointments in the last several years but still, it gets old and the attitude is palpable.  We got to Denver and found out that our plane to Frankfurt was late, also that we would not make our connection.  No problem they said but when we got to Germany just getting rebooked in this Big Mac sized airport was no easy task.  We had our first real traveling spat, ended up in three different lines and then walked about a mile to our gate in time to catch the next plane to Rome.  No big deal except for the heat, anxiety, and general sense of having to go too far.  But wait until you hear this.  When we got to Rome and dragged our bags to the Taxi stand, the drivers had a fight about who would take us to our lodging. We must have looked for all the world like the biggest marks this side of Timbuktu.   Literally, guys were swinging at each other, shouting, pushing and shoving (including me) and in general doing the kinds of things that make me crazy.  Then, I got really irritated and started trying to separate the drivers and shouting at them at the same time.  Kimberly could not believe me.   It all settled down and in retrospect seems funny but it would have been hard to convince a tired traveler at that moment.  Then surprise of surprises, the driver really screwed me on the fare.  Oh well, just part of what will become a steep but steady learning curve

At last we arrived at our home base for the next two months. The storied American Academy in Rome.  Such a monumental building that it takes your breath away and you ask yourself what you are doing in this place. The grounds and gardens are fantastic, big and beautiful.  In lots of ways, exactly what we had been led to expect.  Perched on the old wall that was built to protect the ancient city and on the top of the highest hill in Rome, it is a commanding and regal presence.  Our room is a large studio overlooking the city.  It is very Spartan but clean and comfortable.  The bedroom is in a loft and there is plenty of space for both of us.  The floor is a very cool red tile and the furnishings look like a bad garage sale.  We are happy. If dinner last night was any example of the cooking we will be eating out a lot.  We did not come for the food at the Academy and the whole of Rome is at our culinary call.  We lasted until about 10PM and met many of the residents.  Our sleep was untroubled and all in all a very successful first day.