Roaming around in Rome

It seems like ages since we were in Melbourne even though it seems that every day we meet a few more people from there. We drove back to Rome from San Gimignano, managed to get a car space outside our hotel (unbelievable!!) and after disgorging all our gear and returning rhe car we did an open air bus trip around Rome to get oriented. Today we started to do that again, but then started looking for the shop where I'd bought a handbag about 15years ago. The shop was there, the handbags are even better and I'm bringing a new one back. The good thing was that Fulvio, the handbag designer also had news of old friends Paolo and Silvana, from Hanoi days, and even though I thought they had moved to Genoa, they were home in Rome and we visited them in their beautiful top floor apartment for gelati and grapes late this afternoon. It was so good to catch up with them, enjoy the delights of the local market (Campo di Fiori)as well as other landmarks. Tomorrow, home via Qatar for work and more work, this week and next! We both think this has been a wonderful time away together and are thankful for this special opportunity.

Michael makes a friend in San Gimignano

Fulvio at his shop Ibiz in Rome

Birdseye view at Piazza de Popoli Rome

Il Campagnolo where we stayed near San Gimignano

Colosseum with huge crowds

San Gimignano

Veggies and fruit, Campo di Fiori, Rome

Michael last stayed here in 1968

With Paolo and Silvana on their rooftop verandah, Rome

Paolo and Silvana with Michael, Rome

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Demo, PIazza Navona, Rome

Next week , the  diet!