Rome: A Visit With Friends, Lunch and a Pedicure

The train ride from Lugano through northern Italy is lovely.  Rome train terminal is a crazy place.  I found my way to the buses to visit my Roman friends: Donnatella and Nino.  I met them thirty five years ago when they came to Pittsburgh to go to graduate school in architecture at CMU.  Donna and I had a nice drive to a neighborhood bar/restaurant to have a drink and appetizers.  She then cooked a yummy gnocchi with zucchini, saffron cream sauce with squash blossoms and basil leaves.  I can’t believe I didn’t get a picture.

The next morning they had to go to work so I spent the day “hanging out” in Rome (that’s so cool).  I found the street where Jen and I will stay and had a look at the Colosseum: Lunch was delicious pasta carbonara and an eggplant appetizer: After a lovely lunch I had good intentions of taking a walk to the Trevi Fountain but I got sidetracked at a nail salon and had a much-needed pedicure.  I had my own personal toe dryer:

Found my way back to the train, giggling all the way thinking that I came to Rome for lunch and a foot massage.  When I got back to the condo Donnatella showed me a picture of her and me from Christmas 1983.  We had a good visit and then we met Nino for dinner and had a nice walk under the “harvest” moon.  Before I left the next morning for Venice, Nino gave me an English copy of a book he wrote on Vincent Van Gogh.  I can’t wait to read it.  Nino also wrote a book on Caravaggio.  (WOW)