Each kid woke me up, separately, this morning with a card and a kiss. Charlotte, actually wrote me a long letter of appreciation which was so touching it made me cry. Josh had planned an outing for today, but first Charlotte had a to go to a special swim practice this morning for the kids competing in the Nationals. The complicating factor was that today was also the "Maratona Roma," and the race was going right by AquAniene. Not knowing exactly how traffic would be diverted, Josh and Charlotte rode bikes to and from the pool.
Once Charlotte came home, we set off for our outing to Castelli Romani which is the area around the Alban hills located southeast of Rome. The amount of traffic leaving Rome on a Sunday morning was surprising, but we eventually made it to our first stop - the town of Ariccia. Famous for its pork, there are many "deli-type" establishments off the main square, selling pork by the kilo. And when I mean by the kilo, I mean sliced right off the roasted, seasoned, and stuffed pig. We walked the outdoor market and had the obligatory pork snack. A pre-amble to lunch. The big draw in Ariccia is the Baroque Chigi Palace -- which we probably should have visited having come all this way. But Josh thought the kids would stage a revolt given that it was so close to the lunch hour. So, we carried on.
We took in the views of the scenic lake, down in a canyon of green forest and grassy terraces. Then we proceeded to La Scalinetta (up a narrow outdoor staircase from the square) where Josh had booked us a table for lunch. It was a small, family run place. Very homey and with very tasty food. This was a typical, long, slow (supposed to be relaxing) Sunday lunch. For us, sitting with the kids around a cramped table for more than an hour (and this was two) was not relaxing; it was challenging. The restaurant was at capacity, and the sole woman who was running the show was maxxed out. She took the orders, processed the checks, dealt with the kitchen, etc. When it came time for dessert the only people left at the table were Larry, Josh and I. The kids had all bolted to run around outside. I did have my bowl of fresh fragole though.
We bought the kids dessert in the square, some had gelato, some had crepes. We walked around to take in the view of the lake from all sides before getting back in to the car. On our way back to Rome, we stopped at the other lake in this region -- Lake Albano belonging to the town of Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Popes. It was a scenic drive with a few photo opps.
When I made my way down for breakfast, I was greeted by flowers from both Josh (from my parents?) and from Larry. I also opened a gift from Josh -- an very pretty onyx and rhinestone necklace.
Once Charlotte came home, we set off for our outing to Castelli Romani which is the area around the Alban hills located southeast of Rome. The amount of traffic leaving Rome on a Sunday morning was surprising, but we eventually made it to our first stop - the town of Ariccia. Famous for its pork, there are many "deli-type" establishments off the main square, selling pork by the kilo. And when I mean by the kilo, I mean sliced right off the roasted, seasoned, and stuffed pig. We walked the outdoor market and had the obligatory pork snack. A pre-amble to lunch. The big draw in Ariccia is the Baroque Chigi Palace -- which we probably should have visited having come all this way. But Josh thought the kids would stage a revolt given that it was so close to the lunch hour. So, we carried on.
We drove a bit further to Nemi, a quaint town set high up on the hillside with wonderful views of the lake and the surrounding, unspoiled countryside. Nemi is named after the forest of Diana (Nemus). In pre-Christian times the inhabitants worshiped the cult of Diana. This village was much more picturesque than Ariccia. The town is known for its strawberries (fragole di Nemi) and flowers. Everywhere, the small strawberries from the forest were on offer along with the more traditional variety. You can have a bowl of them with whipped cream; you can have them on a tart; you can get them on a crepe; you can savour their flavor in a liqueur; or you can just buy a carton and eat them plain. And, of course, there is fragola gelato!
We took in the views of the scenic lake, down in a canyon of green forest and grassy terraces. Then we proceeded to La Scalinetta (up a narrow outdoor staircase from the square) where Josh had booked us a table for lunch. It was a small, family run place. Very homey and with very tasty food. This was a typical, long, slow (supposed to be relaxing) Sunday lunch. For us, sitting with the kids around a cramped table for more than an hour (and this was two) was not relaxing; it was challenging. The restaurant was at capacity, and the sole woman who was running the show was maxxed out. She took the orders, processed the checks, dealt with the kitchen, etc. When it came time for dessert the only people left at the table were Larry, Josh and I. The kids had all bolted to run around outside. I did have my bowl of fresh fragole though.
We bought the kids dessert in the square, some had gelato, some had crepes. We walked around to take in the view of the lake from all sides before getting back in to the car. On our way back to Rome, we stopped at the other lake in this region -- Lake Albano belonging to the town of Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Popes. It was a scenic drive with a few photo opps.
It was interesting to note that when heading south from Rome, until you get to the area of Castel Gandolfo and Nemi, the other parts south of Rome are UGLY -- particularly when compared to the drive north. Of course a further distinction can also be made when you enter Umbria and Tuscany....where properties and towns are well-cared for and better preserved than in Lazio. In Lazio, everything has a very authentic, run-down quality to it.
It may have been the big lunch, the wine, or the long drive, but everyone was tired when we returned home, especially Avery and his parents. Josh and Avery took a nap, and I tried to get in a little repose of my own. Unfortunately, somehow, things went awry with Charlotte. It's hard to say what started it, or why, but it ended with me losing my temper and striking Charlotte. In the end, I felt terrible for having reacted in this way, but I felt equally sad about her behavior throughout the course of the day...especially given the letter she had written and given me this very morning. It's difficult for me to accept her self-centeredness and selfishness as just a part of growing up and being a "teenager." I keep thinking that she is better than that, and I hope underneath it all, she is.
We had planned to take everyone out for a Sunday night pizza dinner to cap off my birthday celebration. But, between Avery sleeping, Charlotte crying, and me being upset, Josh opted for take-out and brought some pizza home. Despite his efforts, given the way things devolved, I can't help but think this is a birthday that I would soon like to forget -- although sadly, it will probably be forever etched in my memory.
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