Making Waves with Mimi

Water Exercise in Rome!!

Last year I was privileged to meet Mimi Adami, a water exercise instructor extraordinary. Her classes are taught at the C. S. Aventino on Via Marmorata. This year I fortunate to join her classes again. Mimi loves to use music with her classes and she varies the routine each day. Classes are Monday through Friday so the variation keeps the class motivated. The other day we were working through our routine to the sounds of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, and Carmen by Georges Bizet. Other days Mimi plies us with more popular hits like "Downtown", "New York, New York", or "Grease". Besides working on our range of motion and core balance we are all having fun shouting the lyrics to the songs we know. Nothing has been so much fun since singing in the shower.

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Ode to a Bus System

(or Riding Buses in Rome)

Over the years I have avoided riding buses in Rome. It might be my Midwest upbringing or just stubbornness that I can walk faster to where I want to go. Besides, unlike men, I never get lost! However, this year, age and a broken toe have encourage me to look for other modes of transportation than my aching feet.

Rome has a very efficient bus and metro system. The Metro has always been my first choice but my current apartment is not convenient to a Metro stop. So today, 3 days before I leave Rome…I capitulate and take the bus.

The first bus I took was the 117 bus. This is a micro-bus with only ten seats and standing room. On previous trips I have used it. It and its sister Bus 116 navigate the small narrow streets of old Rome. They pass through narrow walls sometimes only inches away from their side mirrors. (I know I was once almost knocked over by one of those side mirrors.) These buses are fun to ride. If you are unfortunate enough to occupy a standing room only spot, they are almost like riding a standing roller coaster. But, I digress.

Today, Bus 117 was only slight occupied and I was able to observe, in comfort, its meandering route though old Rome. We started a San Giovanni en Laterno, then up to the Celio, down to the Colesso, up again on the Esquiline, through a tunnel under the Quirinale, past Piazza Spagna and around Piazza del Popolo. For a patient, unhurried tourist it gives a great view of prominent city sites. I chose to depart this bus at Piazza del Popolo and walk the length of the Via del Corso because shopping was on my agenda. If I had chosen to stay on the bus it would have gone the length of Via del Corso, to Piazza Venezia then it turn up Via Nationale, take a jog around the Mercati Traiane, then Via Cavour and Via Imperiali, and past the Colesso again and finally up Via San Giovani en Laterno and the end of the bus route.

In an adventurous mood, I decided to try Bus 628. Over the last 4 weeks, I had seen it numerous places as I walked through the city. But in a city with various one way streets and street names that change every few blocks, it was hard to determine what was the actual route from the bus stop signs. Fortified with the mind set I had nothing to lose, I got on Bus 628 near the Piazza Colonna on the Corso. Off we went: First through the Piazza Venezia; down past the Teatro Marcello; past Tempio di Ercole Vincitora and Tempio Portunous; up Via del Circo Massimo with a view of the Circus and the Palatine Hill; down the Viale del Terme di Caracalla and a view of the bathes; up Via Druso; through the Roman Walls at Porta Metronia; down Via Panonia and right to my front door in Piazza Epiro.

For 2 euros I traversed all the seven hills of Rome and viewed most of the major sites of Rome. I still love to walk but it is nice to travel like rest of the Romans for the short time I get to pretend I am one.

Getting my bearings in Rome

May 26 was my first full day in Rome. I thought it would be a good idea to get my bearings and determine how long it would take to get to my water exercise class each morning. On the suggestion of my husband (not exactly the best idea) I took two different buses at rush hour to the pool location. The circuitous route took 1 hours and 1 minutes. I took Bus 218 to St. John Lateran and then Bus 3 past the Coloseo (Coliseum), Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus) and over the Aventine Hill. After arriving at my destination I found the nearest bar for a cappuccino! I decided to try and walk back to the apartment. That took 45 minutes, saved a Euro and gave me great exercise. I have been walking back and forth most of the time since. The view is a little different: I walk past the Roman Walls, the Terme di Caracalla, the Circo Massimo.

Below are the sites I walk by everyday:

New Apartment in Rome

I flew from Madrid to Rome on May 25, 2011 and was met at the airport by my lovely husband. We made our way from Fiumicino Airport by train and then a short taxi ride. This year we had to change apartments because our previous apartment was under a long term lease. The new apartment has been a nice change. Located at the base of the Celio (Caelian Hill) it is right outside of the city walls and close to the Appian Way. While this apartment building is not as old as our previous one, it is in a lovely 4 story building, built in the Mediterranean style, probably around 1930. The interior apartment has been recently updated with canned lights, a dishwasher and a washing machine. It is not air-conditioned but the property is sheltered with huge umbrella pine and the open screened window have kept the apartment cool. Here are a few pictures:

Ok, folks I'm going to get on my soapbox for a minute. Anyone who knows me knows I love to travel. But, I also believe in traveling safely. Whether you are a student, a senior, or a first time tourist don't carry all your possessions in one place like a purse or backpack. Here is what happened to one of the students we were traveling with:

On Sunday afternoon her entire purse stolen from a Starbucks near the Prado in Madrid, Spain. The contents included: US smart phone, rented Spanish cell phone, camera, debit card, credit card and passport. This was over $1,000.00 of personal objects. If there is any suggestion I give to anyone I travel with or who is living in another country. LOCK UP YOUR PASSPORT AND UNUSED CREDIT CARDS! They are much less likely to be stolen from a rented apartment. If you must carry them with you carry them in a secure money belt. Also, have copies of your passport informational page on you if you lock your passport away.

Rest of our Sunday afternoon was spent guiding our novice traveler through the ins and outs of cancelling credit cards, acquiring a new passport and obtaining new travel funds. This procedure took my friend most of the next day as she shepherded her student to the US Embassy and the appropriate bank. This was a great learning experience that you don’t wish on any traveler young or old. Be careful out there, whether you are in New York, LA, St. Louis, Madrid or Rome.

Back in Madrid, Spain

So you can’t go home again because time, people and places change. But, to visit places that were once important in our lives gives us a chance to reflect on who were are and what we have accomplished. This May two old roommates, Gail Schafers and I, had the opportunity to visit our old haunts in Madrid, Spain. In the school year of 1971-1972 we attended St. Louis University in Madrid. We were two 20 year olds embarking on a great adventure….little did we know how adventurous it would be. The Spanish and US cultures were much different at the time:

1. The Dictator Franco was ruling Spain; now Spain is a constitutional monarchy.
2. Fascists were the only legal political party; now there are so many parties it is hard to keep them straight.
3. There was only one TV station that ran primarily political propaganda; cable has arrived as in the US more stations then you could ever hope to watch. (Both have those inane reality shows.)
4. Like Paris and LA there were student riots….but in Spain the Spanish military would break them up with water cannons; now the Puerta del Sol is hosting a protest of the young unemployed…the military only watches from the sideline.
5. Blue jeans were a novelty….now blue jeans, tattoos, multi-colored hair and all the current styles of youth are apparent.
6. Serenos guarded the streets, our apartment and opened our mail now serenos are no longer part of the system, private freedoms are respected but there is also an increase of personal crimes.
7. Signs of affection in public were outlawed…the sexual revolution is in full swing.
8. I only remember 5 metro lines now there are 10 and a fast metro train runs from Airport to downtown metro stops.
9. In 1971 the city was going through a building boom which made it dusty and filled with a diesel smell. Today, the city is beautifully clean and ,though fill with cars, the air is much fresher.
   

Gail in front of 51 Gaztambide and our second floor bedroom window.

Gail and I searched out our old apartment. We visited our old school now housed on its own beautiful campus with over 650 students. (we were about 50). We ate our favorite foods: Tortilla de Patatas, Jamón Serrano, Gazpacho and Paella. We visited our favorite museums, parks, el Rastro, and took a side trip to Toledo. Our time together was short but during it we experience the sites, smells and tastes that are Madrid. We were transported back 40 years ago to all the great things we remember about the city and were surprised and pleased by all the developments.

Prado Museum

Empty wine glasses at Cafe Gijone

Last evening at an out door cafe.