Version da Pietro

We've seen a lot but the highpoint is the Italian people - when they aren't in their cars. Their interest in what you're saying, their facial expressions and genuine affection total up into substantial pleasure.

The view from the steep hill a short distance to the west of us - looking out over the center of Rome to the east and St. Peters to the north - is wonderful. We have inched our way along the Roman Forum, guide book in hand - with translucent pages showing both the original scene and the modern ruins - to the extent that we could visualize the old for ourselves. We also saw the ruins from the high up perspective of the museum on top of the hill just above. We visited a friend of Gretchen's in his attic apartment, stepping over diagonal beams to get into his tiny rooms. He's a historian, originally from Indiana, who's been in Rome for many years.

We had quite an experience in a restaurant in what was once the Jewish ghetto - we call it Gretchen in carcere, i.e., Gretchen in prison. At about 3:30, after lunch, the three of us, Janet, Jill and I, filed out leaving Gretchen to go to the bathroom, telling her we would meet her in the Portico d' Ottavia immediately outside. The solitary restaurant employee dutifully turned out the lights and rolled down the metal door cover since we were the last people in the restaurant. Gretchen stumbled around in a sort of rabbit warren of passageway in the dark. Finding the light by a window looking out at us she telephoned Janet. It took 40 minutes for a neighboring store owner to locate the employee during which we talked and made gestures to Gretchen through the glass. Very funny.

Art grows on you. The saints and popes become familiar people. I've never before seen a statue where the hand print of the man is left in the woman's waist.

We visited the Jewish synagogue and museum. The history is sad. The Jewish population of Rome, including Libyans, is only 14,000. It is, however, now an active and hopeful community. The visit a week ago of Pope Benedict to the synagogue won't make much difference. We heard that Pope Pius XII will still be sanctified. The Vatican is reportedly anxious about the Islamic movement and not about to antagonize groups they see as allies.

Pietro.