Around the world in less than 31 days - 100th post!

Birthday flowers = birthday smiles

Birthday dinner in the Jewish Ghetto, at

the fittingly named Nonna Betta (Grandma Elizabeth)

It is only fitting that my 100th post for '100 days of Beall' falls on my birthday. I had planned a hallmark video upload for you for this occasion, but best laid plans - just talk to Aerolineas Argentinas about that....

Given my lack of any permanent status (job/house, etc.) AND the fact that my former flatmates are getting married, I decided it was high time to take a journey back (or rather forward) to the capital for which this blog began. I can remember packing for NZ and thinking how am I ever going to get all this stuff around the world, and now with my transient status I get to move my stuff very often. Since I have no current residence, I needed to pack up my vacation rental (tear, goodbye Monti) and felt that I couldn't rely on the kindness of many Italians to fling my belongings around Rome AGAIN, so I found a storage unit (a rarity in Italy since they have a thing called families) and managed to fit all my worldly belongings (except for you know those ones still in NZed I'm going back for, and those other ones in the Monroe basement, and those others in some storage unit near Seattle...anyway) into a ONE square meter unit. Just looking at this little box made me smile. There's just something soothing about all (ok, most) of my stuff being in one little space that is all mine - I realize this sounds a bit sad and you may start to worry about me getting so excited about a 1 sq. meter box, but this might be what a transient lifestyle does to you - makes you grin at a box with a lock on it.

You may remember my flight here and that it's not exactly easy to get from Europe to NZ. Work decided they would throw an added challenge in by asking me to go to another capital in Peru for a few days, which just happen to be the days I should be on my way zipping through time. If you think it's easier to get to NZed from Peru because, well you know, it's closer - think again.

To fast forward this story, and many hours of time spent with a very nervous and stressed looking travel agent when I told her what we needed to pull off, I finally managed an itinerary to get me around the world with a short stop in Peru to deliver a presentation and to arrive in Wellington in time for the nuptials (I arrive 3 hours before they start). It will no doubt be a whirlwind, and I'm off to a good start with my first flight delayed out of Rome over 12 hours. They set me up in a hotel for the night, gave us dinner which I enjoyed with an Argentine priest, and assigned me Room 1234, which must be a sign - that FINALLY we're ready to go!

I will try to keep you updated along the way around the world, here's my route -

Rome - Argentina - Peru - El Salvador - Los Angeles - New Zealand - Melbourne -Dubai - Rome

I then get back to Rome for a week and head to Tanzania, more on that to come....

With Love, From Rome

Happy Valentine's Day from

Fontana di Trevi

Snowmergenza!!!

Whoever built this guy must have

had the patience I've been searching for,

because they definitely had to collect snow

from a 1km radius to build this thing

Foreign University entrance,

now famous for all the wrong

reasons

The University of Foxy Knoxie,

I know you may have wanted photos

of the house, but visiting murder scenes

sort of creeped me out, and frankly

the house is out of the center so not

on my tourist agenda. Did I mention

we were in a state of emergency?

This is after 24 hours of snowfall -

state of emergency

Ancient Etruscan gates

The hills of Umbria

I mentioned in my last post that snow was on its way to Rome and that in advance of a single flake, schools and the government were shut down. I smiled in glee as I thought about the fresh powder on the mountain and what a great weekend I picked to ski, until my phone rang (to the tune of only-in-Italy strikes again) and my hotel for the weekend told me not to come because there would be TOO MUCH SNOW - on a mountain/at a ski resort. I was so dumbfounded that I begged to come via train instead of driving- nope, the ski resort still held strong with telling me not to come skiing when it was snowing.

With Roman hysteria mounting, a new capital district version of snowpocolypse on the horizon, and a suitcase packed in my office, I made a gametime decision to flee the mania and head for tranquil Perugia (at least tranquil now that the Knoxie media crews are gone). The train to Perugia is 2.5 hours. Upon arriving at Termini, I was greeted with ALL TRAINS at least an hour delay - that includes trains going south, the EuroStar, you name it, and this was all with less than an inch of snow. I decided to hang in there and the end result was a four hour delay in departure, followed by a six hour train ride. I'm pretty sure I could have walked to Perugia quicker - especially since I was all dressed in my mountain gear since I thought I would be SKIING.

Perugia is famous for being "a wonderful little world where cultures and countries collide and coexist in an enchanting city whose roots go back to Etruscan times", the Perugina chocolate factory who make my favorite Baci, and let's get real - Amanda Knox (which basically takes the first reason and throws it right on its head). Considering how close it is to Rome you may wonder why I hadn't visited already, but given that people already say I look like Knoxie (you know all Americans look alike with our undid hair and honest angel eyes), it fell a bit lower on the list. Now that ol Angel Eyes is back home in Seattle and the press have finally packed up from Perugia, I figured I could pay a visit. (To be honest, this whole paragraph is a bit of a farce, I just didn't get around to visiting).

So once I finally arrived at 2am, the two saving graces were 1) I got the last of three taxis; 2) my hotel actually still had someone at the reception desk - unheard of in Italy, most of the time you get yelled at if you're not there by 8pm. So I slept in at my cute little hotel La Rosetta in the historical center for only 50 euro a night/bfast included, and couldn't wait to frolic in the mountains of snow that I was sure had accumulated given Perugia's higher altitude than Rome. See photos above of the 5 cm of icy glaze. I spent the days visiting the ancient Etruscan churches, and then visiting the not so holy ground of Knoxie's stomping grounds - the foreign University, the bars and cafes of party/college town, and eating as many Umbrian specialties as I could - tortellini with mushrooms and creme sauce, wild boar, arugula pesto, and tens of Baci. Side note - I joke that I've learned Italian 'one Baci at a time' because each chocolate candy has a saying in it about love in Italian (baci means kisses), and I eat at least two a day in Rome and practice these phrases as my dedication to Italian each day. Perugia is a charming little capital city, and I can see why so many people would study abroad there. The taint of murder and drama don't seem visible (at least on a weekend visit) but I can't imagine what it must have been like inundated with journalists and protesters, considering how small it is.

As I write this, we are in another state of emergency. Schools and government were again canceled today, and my FAO email box was flooded with staff complaints for why we were not also shut down - BEFORE A FLAKE HAD FALLEN. I walked home from work at 7 without a single flake of accumulation or slippery ice to deal with. Italians are angry that everyone is making fun of them for their panic, saying "People don't understand, we haven't had snow like this in 27 years". Ummm, snow like what? I understand it doesn't snow here, but how are you hampered by 5cm, and actually NO accumulation in the streets and both times on a Friday/Saturday?

I will do my best to deliver you some pics of the Colosseum COVERED in snow tomorrow, if this snowmergenza delivers this time. And I might even try to sled in Circo Massimo - I mean why not join the mania and get crazy - When in Rome

Capri and Sun

Capri - a sunny island sojourn in January

Anacapri

Chiesa di San Michele,

one of the most amazing aspects of

this little church is the 'splendid majolica'

floor. The whole floor is is a full scene

of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

Minus of visiting in January -

some things are closed, like this chairlift

to the top of Monte Solaro - guess I'll have to hike!

Villa San Michele

The Sphinx looking out over Capri

And wouldn't you know it -

one tiny island nation has made its

way to one tiny Mediterranean island

Axel Munthe's Villa San Michele,

this guy is a Swede and a man I would have loved

to be buddies with. This says (regarding a wine carafe

held by a skeleton from Pompeii) "the meaning is that

one should enjoy life while one can". Amen Axel, amen.

It goes on to say how Axel believed in the simpleness of

food with plenty of wine and vegetables, and that no one

over 50 should eat meat, except prosciutto = new bestie.

If I've piqued your interest here, you can check out the

best-selling novel the Story of San Michele

Enjoying Napolitano/Caprese pizza

on the seaside before heading back.

As mentioned in my last post, I have a lot on my list that I want to do differently this time around in Italy (sans thesis hanging over my head), and since I may only have six weeks, I really have to get amongst it, as they say in NZed. I woke up last Saturday after a stressful work week, and decided I would go to Capri. Yes, I know it's January and Capri is an island loved as a summer destination - but I'd never been AND one of my first Italian friends is from Capri, so I figured I owed her a visit to her homeland. Plus, it's only 2 hours from Rome by pub trans, and has lots of hills.

I contemplated a stop in Napoli and then when I got there, decided no, I don't need more city time, so I hopped on the ferry which is only a 45min ride from Napoli. I was joined by some travelers from Portugal and some American study abroaders, and the rest of the ship relatively empty, save some locals out for their weekend shopping. About 10min in, I felt very very bad for the unknowing Portuguese and Americans who thought they were out for a lazy cruise. In winter especially, the sea can be rough, and this is not a cruise ship, its a fast mini-boat (hydrofoil) = vomiting all over the place. None the less, I enjoyed the ride thanks to my gift of a sturdy stomach and arrived quickly to island paradise.

I hadn't booked anything partly because I decided to come that morning, but also because it's January and frankly no one is in Capri in January, save for a few unknowing Portuguese tourists with sea belly. Of the Italian isole, Capri is by far the most expensive, elite, and crowded - in summer, even though it doesn't even have any beaches. It is all rocky mountain surging into the Mediterranean. Perfect for me - no tourists, plenty of hills to climb, and rock bottom prices.

Upon inquiry at the tourist office, I found a hotel for 50 euro per night with a sea view and balcony (in summer its 250 per night). I had the whole hotel to myself, except for the lovely Swiss owner who set me up with dinner reservations to eat some of Capri's local finest. I basically spent the afternoon relaxing with the sunset and strolling through Capri's posh shopping streets, enjoying an apperitivo on the main piazza with the locals, and then heading to dinner for one where I received not one, but three notes from the waiter asking if I would meet him afterwards. Again the combined lack of visitors, plus traveling alone making others real uncomfortable to the point of them feeling like you MUST want company - nope just on a weekend me-moon.

I woke up early Sunday to the sunrise from my balcony and set out for the hills and to tour Anacapri which has more ancient villas/churches than Capri town itself. I also fancied a ride on the chairlift to the top of one of the mountains, but alas January thwarted that one. I had the whole mountain to myself and just as I was feeling a bit like I was back in NZed, I ran into a remote cottage called "NZed house" - of course.

All in all it was an easy weekend away and a nice change from the city streets and chaos of Rome. Next up - skiing in Abruzzo this weekend. Wish me luck because snow is on its way to Rome tomorrow as I hit the road, and please trust me when I tell you that Romans do not know what to do with themselves with snow. The mayor canceled all schools and government (not hard to do in Italy) at 3pm before a single snowflake had fallen. Oh Italy

Once Upon Another Time....

A year on the Mediterranean

A walk to remember - 150 stairs for 365 days

Home sweet home Viale delle mura Gianicolense

The towers of Bologna

Gran Sasso, Abruzzo

Attending the Last Supper

Atop St. Peter's
San Pietro, Vatican City

The nasoni of Rome

The view from the Gianicolo, Monteverde
Civita di Bagnoreggio, Umbria

The Palio, Siena

Wine casks of Montepulciano

Wine tasting in Montalcino

The GD David

The Italian male

Cinque Terre

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

Wine tasting in the Piemonte

The keyhole

The Tiber

Vittorio Emanuele
Porto San Sebastiano, Monte Argentario

Talamone, Tuscany

Villas of Lago di Como

Bellagio, Lago di Como

Palermo, Sicily
Panarea, Isola Eolie

Italian fashion

Ponza

Aventine Hill

The Forum

Fontana di Trevi

Spanish Steps

The Pantheon

The Colosseum

Apologies for my long absence from bloggerville - I had to abruptly leave Italy in the middle of December when I found out I was forced to fly back to the U.S. on the last day of my contract (Dec 14th). In the craziness of FAO and life as a consultant, I had no idea when I left if I would be returning. So I had to give up my precious apartment, pack up all my things, and take a giant leap into the unknown with no home, no job, and no idea of what would come - and all in time for the holidays.

A few extra special Christmas gifts were amidst all this madness......By forcing me home on the 14th (with paid airfare) I was able to surprise my best friend Erica for her 30th birthday. I was also able to spend a month in the U.S. visiting family and friends, eat so much American food that I was longing for Italy again, and go on 4 job interviews to see if I could stay. In my month in the states I was in five cities, went from 75 and sunny on the beach to sun and wind in the mountains to frigid city streets and snow. I managed to see every one of my family members, attend two birthday celebrations, dress like a flapper, get asked on a date, and go to Anthropologie four separate times.

I received my contract renewal on Christmas Eve - but only for two months. So back into the unknown. This return to my life abroad was probably the hardest yet, maybe because I was home for so long and really got accustomed to being with people I love, or maybe it was my unlimited access to hot sauce, sushi, mexican food, and condiments that I didn't want to leave.

As you may imagine it's hard to find someone to give you a lease for just two months, but I had thought I found a solution in an apt I found before I left in December. Unfortunately, that fell through three days before I was returning, so I scrambled and found a vacation rental. And somehow in the spirit of giving - another gift - a super cute, cosy, apartment in the most coveted neighborhood in Rome for half of what I was paying before. My new commute to works includes having to shove past the Colosseum which is directly in my path. When I landed back in Italy it sort of felt like I never left - especially when I was greeted with the most Italian of welcomes home - a taxi strike and no way from the airport. Oh Italy - I missed you

In honor of my return and my nearly one year (interrupted) anniversary here, I've decided to regale you with a two part bonus blog - one part year end report, and one part that you've all been waiting for - an NZed/Italy match up. So here's part one, and stay tuned for part two coming soon......

Trust me that I was the last person to think when I left the States two years ago, that there was going to be a second chapter in this fairy tale. And while it has surely been a fairy tale, it hasn't always been a fantasy......

Once upon a time, the UN hunted me down in NZed and gave me a ring (not the wedding variety, the phone variety) and asked if I'd like to move to Rome, the only thing was that this time I'd have to work. They could tell I wasn't quite convinced to leave the splendor of NZed behind, so they promised no taxes, all the vacation time I wanted (unpaid), diplomatic immunity (except for the bus), and at least a one way flight back to the U.S. if I still wasn't convinced. And while it hasn't always been a fantasy, it has always always been a dream come true.....

It took awhile to battle the Italy of my dreams (and former vacation) while trying to actually live in Italy. Italy can be amazingly beautiful and glamorous and delicious, and it can also be brutal, frustrating, and illogical. So in the tradition of the great Roman conquerors, here's a tally of who came out on top and where:

Street domination: WINNER - ME: Now granted when I arrived I had already had some practice with the need to dominate the streets in Italy from my brief visit a few years ago. Using my legs as my primary means of transportation has resulted in not only a need to dominate the streets, but has also provided me many occasions to lose. I am proud to say that I have walked to work (and most other locations in this city) everyday of my year here, and not once been hit by a car or stepped in dog poop = total domination. And as I instructed my many visitors, it is all about confidence and caution

Carbs: WINNER - Italy: Coming here I was still of the American mind that carbs are bad and will definitely make you fat. I will tell you that either it's our carbs or it's a lie, or maybe see street domination above. The fact is, eating pasta, pizza, and paninis everyday won't make you fat, as long as you're doing it in Italy

Males: WINNER - Me: Again, coming here I was set to think that men would be aggressive and annoying, and they're not, they're hilarious. As long as you're okay with being stared up and down, having all your things paid for, and never letting a man walk before you through a door, then Italian men are harmless, generous, and caretaking.

La Bella Lingua: WINNER: Italy - Everyone, even me, thought it would be easy to learn Italian given my knowledge of Spanish and French, and yet still after 11 months I struggle. Now maybe it's cause I never took a real class, live alone, work in English, don't have an Italian boyfriend - but it still frustrates me. And now, in Italy's utter glory, I can't speak Spanish or French well either because I intersperse Italian words. The Tower of Babel is here and now

Exercise: WINNER: Draw - I thought that I had ingrained exercise enough into my daily routine and psyche in NZed to make it last wherever I went, but Italy makes it hard. The combo of cobblestone, lack of a car to get 'outside', danger (roads, muggers, see cobblestone again), and the lack of an exercise culture have all combined to thwart me or make me thwart myself. Thank god for my means of transport in my legs or Italy would have really won

History: WINNER: Italy - I somehow thought just by living in Rome that I would immediately become a history buff. Any of you that came to visit soon found out I was making up a bit of my own history with my own Libby Beall's tour of Rome. The fact is, no matter how hard I try to memorize/learn it all, I'm battling over 2,000 years, so I'll happily cede this one

Patience: WINNER: Draw - Each day that I think that I've won and that Italy can't get to me/surprise me anymore with its snafus and hassles, I am as my Dad says "put at the end of a long line". And while I won't say I've won this one, Italy I thank you for continuing to test me and teach me there is ever more patience to learn

Acceptance: WINNER: Me - And while I may not have won on the patience front, I have accepted Italy for the duality that it is, which has made not only life much easier for me here, but also unleashed an ability to see more of its hidden charm. However, I'm not sure Italy has accepted me and my undid hair and lack of a puffy shiny jacket

Living Alone: WINNER: Me - I'm not sure why I thought living alone for the first time in my whole life in a country without customer service was a good idea, but it has certainly taught me that I can do it and thrive. I have to thank my charming landlord Pietro for taking it pretty easy on me

Italy by the numbers:

-I somehow managed to top my NZed year with 15 visitors

-Not pictured here the 8 other countries visited (yes, I'm including Vatican City)

-5 Italian islands visited

-200+ gelatos eaten

-500+kgs of prosciutto devoured

-1000+litres of wine imbibed

-50+ churches toured

-Countless more things to see and do!!!!!!

*I will give you superlatives only when I'm really leaving

And now that I'm back for at least a little while, I better get after it. Stay tuned as I try to check off all those spots I didn't get to and WIN at all those things I failed at, to truly conquer Italy

Once again, I could not have survived, or even lived, this second chapter of this fairy tale without the support (from near or far) from all of you. Thank you again for taking this truly ridiculous journey with me - I couldn't do it without you.