Arthur said...

Io sono Pietro (married to Gianetta). Today we visited Maria Grazia Luffarelli. She painted the little boats that Jacob and Alicia have, the frog that Matt and Alison have, the goat going up the hill that Suzie and Brian have and the birds in the Sun Room in Vermont. She remembered us cordially.

Last night we had a fantastic experience in modern Rome - at an enormous shopping mall in a suburb. We took public transportation to get there - an exciting adventure in itself - and then spotted in the distance the brightly lit glass dome of the mall. Tall marble Obelisks punctuated atriums along the first floor corridors. It seems the typical village passagiatta (promenade) has been reestab lished in the mall. Handsome families with babies in strollers, many with accompanying dogs, parade down the aisles. The dogs are brave, not balking at the escalators.

In case anyone is worried we aren't seeing any art, relax. We saw a Bernini statue at a nearby church here in Trastevere and Raphael frescoes in a palace just down the street.

Oh yes, we're aren't starving either.