Unexpected Croatia

23 Jun
In the end we liked Croatia and would probably return; however, we expected to like Croatia more than we did in actuality.  Is it heresy to NOT rave about a place that everyone raves about?
Don’t get me wrong: we are glad that we made the trip and we really enjoyed our extended time with Rick and Jane, but the country did not enchant me as I had thought it might. That’s the problem with expectations: sometimes things do not live up to them.
Along the Korčula waterfront in the morning, soft light, pastel colors.

Along the Korčula waterfront in the morning, soft light, pastel colors.

Everyone said we would love it, and we did like many things; the sailors in the group would perhaps like to take a coastal sailing trip and pull in to dine each night since the food and wine are so darn good.

On the plus side

  1. It is beautiful. The waters are clear and the coastline is pristine. The cities are clean and there is no litter.

    Above Dubrovnik.

    Above Dubrovnik.

  2. The food is great. Heavily influenced by Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines, it features lots of fresh seafood and is well-prepared and healthy. There was some creativity in the cuisine we enjoyed in Dubrovnik. I expected more of a Balkan meat-and-potatoes diet but was pleasantly surprised.
  3. Dining is not expensive. One night in Dubrovnik (the new port area) we had an excellent two course meal including antipasto, main and contorni (usually sold separately in Italy) plus 2 glasses of wine each for about $68.00 for two. We’ve paid more than that for pizza, wine and fritti in Roma when the exchange rate was poor.
  4. The people are very nice and speak English fluently. While I cannot read much that is written on signs, the spoken English is clear and correct grammatically. They learn it from TV as the dubbing so prevalent in Italy and France does not exist there. Croatians grow up hearing English and reading the Croatian subtitles.
  5. Every single toilet we’ve been in has been, at a minimum, sparkling clean and often very nice. I know this seems odd, but when you have encountered the bathrooms on Trenitalia or in some Roman bars, finding a country full of clean restrooms is a pleasure.
  6. No one is selling Selfie-Sticks, roses, or flying light-up junk in the street. Hallelujah!
Ric and I took a lot of pictures…. Click on any one of these for some highlights from our time on Korčula.
Korčula has several towers. Very picturesque.
During our tour of the island, we had a chance to see Korčula from on high.
Yachts and sailboats are everywhere! Waters seem calm.
Collection of implements from days gone by at the museum in Blato.
This little guy hung around a winery on Korčula waiting for us to leave so he could get some of the leftover cheese. Ric obliged him.
The garden corner at the end of our “street” in Korčula. Nice to see the greenery amidst all the stone.
Rosario was our host in Korčula. A former sea captain, he has settled back in his home town.
Along the seawall in Korčula one finds well-located tables morning, noon and night.
Sense of humor at a Korčula restaurant.
More restaurant humor.
Waiting for our ferry to the Pelješac. Goodbye Korčula!

On the other hand…

  1. There is a lack of efficient public transportation within the country so we had lots of windshield time. The train system is non-existent so most long haul travel is bus or ferry (or plane). It can take 4 or 5 hours to go from Dubrovnik to Split by bus, or 4 to 11 (eleven!!!) hours by ferry. Driving is 3.5 hours so that is what we did on our return. If you like to drive, it’s great. But be prepared to spend a lot of time getting from one place to another.
  2. It is dry, at least in Dalmatia. I like a more forested place, a rainforest with big, big trees. This is dry like Hawaii at Kona or parts of California. Obviously a personal preference. Beachgoers would love this climate.
  3. Cruise ships, sometimes 7-a-day in port at Dubrovnik, equal an overload of people clogging the streets. The Old Town in Dubrovnik just cannot handle the strain making…

    On a typical day, cruise ships in port - both old and new - plus launches to carry passengers to-and-fro.

    On a typical day, cruise ships in port – both old and new – plus launches to carry passengers to-and-fro.

  4. …Dubrovnik Old Town a caricature of itself. “There is no there, there,” as Gertrude Stein famously said (although about Oakland, CA). Shops and restaurants overwhelm what could be a very pretty, quaint place.
  5. The hawkers in front of restaurants in Dubrovnik  are indefatigable. They thrust menus in your face in an effort to attract your business. Very desperate seeming and annoying, adding to the State Fair atmosphere as one walks down a crowded street.
  6. The lack of racial diversity was odd. Racial minorities were conspicuously absent. I conjecture that because Croatia is not yet in the Schengen Zone, the immigrants arriving in Italy, Greece and Spain are not making their way here. 
I must give the Croatian people credit for their recovery and the building of a tourism industry that provides much-needed capital to its sagging economy. Twenty years after the war, you’d hardly know the war happened except that memories are long and when one engages a Croat in conversation one hears widely varying points of view from “It was better under Tito” to “Thank God the Communists are gone!” But it is difficult to get a feel for Croatian culture when you are so surrounded by TOURISM.
Also kudos to Croatia for good roads, overall. We were impressed by the autostrada, which although of limited presence was well-engineered and the tolls were cheap. Be prepared, though, for sticker shock of a different nature: prices look high but are actually moderate. The Croatian Kuna is about $.15. Yes, fifteen cents to the kuna (hrk). When you see a price on a menu of 110.00 hrk, your mind does a flip thinking “$110.00!!!” but it turns out to be $16.47 for that marvelous grilled tuna! Our four-night apartment rent was a staggering 5416 hrk, but a reasonable enough price in Euros. One throws around 200.00 hrk notes like twenty-dollar bills in the U.S.

 Things we enjoyed

  • Eating. Everything. Croatian prosciutto is delicious and different from Italian. They know what to do with mussels, risotto, and octopus. Pasta is perfection, grilled calamari sublime. Blitva may change my relationship with chard forever. Try sheep’s milk cheese from the island of Pag. It is perfect with their red wine Plavic Mali. See also my blog at Our Weekly Pizza for lovely seaside pizza dining in Korcula.
  • Exploring the island of Lokrum, just offshore of Dubrovnik. Wooded paths, a Napoleonic-era fort, and fantastic views are coupled with an absence of crowds. As in any good Italian location, one could get a good cappuccino on the island, served in a proper cup, not the American standard, Styrofoam.
Ric demonstrates how uncrowded Lokrum is compared to The Stradun.
Lokrum Island peacock. They are everywhere!
The path to the fort on Lokrum went up and up and up, no switchbacks, just a steady climb in the sun.
From the Napoleonic-Era fort, one can see the boat activity coming, going, anchoring off Dubroivnik.
View from the fort at Lokrum back to Dubrivnik. A 14-minute ferry ride but worlds apart.
From the mainland, high above Dubrovnik, looking back to Lokrum. You can just see the fort.
  • Driving into Montenegro where there are more vestiges of the Communist Era than we saw in our Croatian wanderings. The Bay of Kotor is pretty and we had a nice lunch in Kotor Town, although once again a fortified city has been made a tourist zone and feels unreal.
  • Walking the walls in Dubrovnik, although I wish we had gone at 8:00 AM in the rainstorm when, according to friends who did so, they were the only people up there. The views are great, but it is a conga line that only moves at the speed of the slowest, most out-of-shape person. Thankfully that was not me.
From below, one sees heads bobbing along as people walk the walls.
The Stradun in Dubrovnik as seen from atop the wall.
There are a couple of refreshment spots and cafes atop the walls. How civilized!
A bit windblown, high atop the walls, with Lokrum Island in the background.
One must walk the walls counterclockwise. At some points it is a conga line. This view is behind us.
Kitty hiding in the plants growing in a high garden as we walk the walls.
  • Our tour of the Pelješac Peninsula, famous for wines most North Americans have never heard of unless they’ve been in Croatia. Pošip, Dingač, Plavic Mali: all good! People are passionate about their wines and we know why after a day of tasting. Our driver and guide, Petar of Dubrovnik Riviera Tours, was excellent giving us lessons not only in the wines of the region but of the recent history and political turmoil still simmering.
On the Pelješac all grapes are harvested by hand. As it is a dry climate and there is no irrigation, the vines are allowed to grow unsupported.
One of the wineries we visited.
Ric at Matuško. The barrels are larger than most we see in Italy.
The Pelješac is mountainous and blessed with dramatic views.
Barrels at one of the wineries we visited making the excellent red Pelješac wines.
The famous wall at Ston, once known as the “European Wall of China,” is 5km long.
View over vineyards on the Pelješac Peninsula.
  • The Korčula Island Tour with a driver/guide, including the Ethnographic House in Blato where we were treated to a dose of cultural insight by a kind woman who was preserving the old ways of her family and sharing them passionately with visitors to a museum kept in the family home. It seems the Croatian emigration was akin to the one from Sicily and Calabria in the early 20th century.
  • The War Photo Limited museum in Dubrovnik which gave us some insight into the war specifically in this pretty city we had wandered. It was sobering and moving to think of something so brutal so recently in the Western world.
We like an active vacation and in summer hiking is a favorite thing to do. There is some hiking in Dalmatia, but the dry landscape and the heat limited attractive possibilities for us. We are not beachgoers so that as an activity was out. There are museums, but not the knock-your-socks-off variety so prevalent in Italy that one has to see before dying.  We had a lot of transport time with two day-long professional tours in vans, one day-long self-tour in a car, and one half-day driving back to Split. That’s lot of windshield time in a week for Ric and me. Luckily my brother was driving, or we had a tour guide. 
At the end of the 8 nights/9 days, we wish we had spent more time in Split and less in Dubrovnik. Rick Steves’ Guide to Croatia & Slovenia says:
“While Dubrovnik’s museums are nothing special, the city is one of those places that you never want to leave— the real attraction here is the Old Town and its relaxing, breezy ambiance. While Dubrovnik could easily be “seen” in a day, a second or third day to unwind (or even more time, for side-trips) makes the long trip here more worthwhile.”
Split is charming lighted at night.

Split is charming lighted at night.

So we planned 4 nights/3 full days. In planning the trip with one night in Split and two on Korčula, we thought the centerpiece of our trip should be the 4-night stay in an apartment high above the Adriatic in Dubrovnik. The Stari Grad (Old Town) was so crowded, hot (breezes were rare) and annoying we could barely stand to pass through it. In our experience, restaurants outside of the Stari Grad were far superior in food and atmosphere, and where the locals go. Thank goodness we stayed outside the old center! 
Sailboats crowd the Split marina as the sun colors the town.

Sailboats crowd the Split marina as the sun colors the town.

Split, on the other hand, had a great vibe and we could have spent more than our allotted half-day there had we known. Maybe the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia is more suited to the two-or-three night hops that Ric and I usually avoid.  
If you like beach time and really want to relax, or if you like sailing, the Dalmatian Coast is probably your cup of tea. We are happy to have visited and learned a bit about the history both ancient and recent. We had a great time with my brother and sister-in-law!  We are happy to have dined so well, been treated so kindly, and to have been exposed to the fabulous wines available there. The Italians, the French, and other cultures that have long been overrun by touristic hoards could learn a few lessons in customer service. The Croatians, Montenegrins, and Bosnians have it down. They are very friendly and one is made to feel welcome in a most hospitable way. 
Our travel companions, Rick and Jane.
Another Dubrovnik cat enjoys a nap despite the parade of tourists.
“Buster” visited us regularly at our apartment above Dubrovnik. He liked cheese.
Detail on one of the walls of Dubrovnik.

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Where few Americans venture….

13 Jun
From Montese we ventured to Lago di Garda. I have to say I was not impressed, except by our lodging at the fabulous Erika Hotel. And we did have some fine meals, especially at Cirano, affordable, family-run, low key, with excellent wine suggestions. Lago di Como seems better set up for hiking, long ferry trips, and gawking at fabulous estates. Maybe we didn’t give Garda enough of a chance. And there was that issue with a tow truck. I was not driving. We may have to go back just to stay at Erika’s and to ride to Monte Baldo. But on to the Alta Pusteria.
Our balcony looked out over the Val Fiscalina, which runs deep into the mountains. We hiked to the end of the valley.
Our balcony looked out over the Val Fiscalina, which runs deep into the mountains. 
Our Italian friends raved about Sesto and Moso. They go every winter and we decided that this would be a great opportunity to see the area since we were already at Lago di Garda. We left Rick and Jane in Verona to go on a wine tour with some friends, and rented a car to continue on to Moso. The drive was spectacular and luckily the traffic was minimal as it was Sunday. I shudder to think of those narrow roads through the mountains with logging trucks coming and going.
Moso was very quiet on Sunday. We had a bottle of wine gifted to us by Riccardo of Trekking Italy and we had cheese and sausage leftover from our Montese picnic. The very kind landlady gave us some great multi-grain bread, and we found water at the one bar that was open. What more could we need for supper?
The entire apartment is constructed in the traditional style of the Sud Tirol. Here, our nook.
The entire apartment is constructed in the traditional style of the Sud Tirol. Here, our nook.
We stayed at an agriturismo that I found through Red Rooster.  Red Rooster specializes in small family properties in the Alto-Adige. They are family focused and very affordable. Kirschnerhof is right on main street in Moso, but is indeed a working farm, with 11 head of dairy cows. The warm fragrance of the barn wafted over the property in a not-unpleasant manner. The place was spotless and impeccably organized. We had a comfortable and attractive one bedroom apartment that would easily accommodate a family of 4 for a price you won’t find at a Motel 6 in Cook, Nebraska.
We were greeted by a plaque announcing this was °home° for a few days.
We were greeted by a plaque announcing this was °home° for a few days.
In this region English is a distant third to German and Italian. I would call this a region of reluctant Italians. They seem shocked to hear us speak Italian. Menus are in German and Italian, seldom English. One day at lunch the waiter clearly knew we were not local and although we greeted him in Italian and asked for a table, he warned us the menu was only in German and Italian, then never spoke another word of English to us. Frankly an Italian menu is always our preference even in Rome as the English translations are often quite odd and sometimes they leave out items. But I digress….
Tiny Moso, or Moos in German, with dramatic backdrop.
Tiny Moso, or Moos in German, with dramatic backdrop.
Hiking is the thing to do here unless you arrive in winter when skiing is the #1 activity. June is not high season so it was quiet. Half of Kirschnerhof was occupied, meaning two-out-of-four apartments and one room. It seemed every place had a sign saying zimmer frei. Baked goods lean to types more commonly found in Austria or Germany, while pastas dominate restaurant menus along with lots of potato dishes.  As we have found in other parts of the Alto-Adige, menus are a combination of Italian and German cuisines.
We spent three lovely days hiking. Well-marked trails made way-finding easy, something we have come to appreciate both in the Val Gardena and the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland. The ability to hike to a rifugio and find coffee and full-service menus along with clean restrooms is so civilized! Nothing like fresh strudel and espresso for elevensies! Not to mention a nice place to freshen-up, instead of crouching in the woods. Click any image below to enlarge or for a slideshow.
Ric along the path to Fondo Valle.
The broad Val Fiscalina is filled with meadows and woods and made for pleasant hiking.
Rifugio Fondo Valle.
The little stream is unbelievably clear.
This guy ascended with us in the cable car. A few minutes later he made a dramatic descent.
On the way to Monte Elmo, the path leads through Rifugio Gallo Cedrone. Always nice to find good espresso and a toilet along the path.
High above San Candido I needed my fleece jacket while having cappucino on the terrace of the rifugio.
On the trail to Fondo Valle.
Finding your way is easy.
Rifugio Fondo Valle, a nice place to hang out before the return hike.
I think this is a ranunculus. Spring flowers were abundant in the meadows.
I took this picture of a bunny at Fondo Valle especially for our niece, Elizabeth. Ciao E!!
It was cooler by far than Roma. It was in the low 50s, Fahrenheit, in the morning, so hauling along the fleece jackets and SmartWool socks turned out to be a good idea. One day the high in Moso was 21 Celsius/70 Fahrenheit. Roma was 31C/88F, which is not bad for Roma in summer, but it is hot for moving around.
The Montese hike reminded us we really do like hiking sticks, so we bought new ones in Moso, the nicest we’ve ever had. Too bad about the three sets sitting in Roma, but they are a pain-in-the-ass to carry along, so it seems we end up re-buying them on subsequent trips. Once we had a set in Switzerland that when extended properly for hiking refused to collapse for transport home so we left them in the room. The newest ones are more cooperative so I think they will make it onto the packing list for Ortisei in July. Am I digressing again?
On our last hike, downhill from Baranci, we came across the ruins of an old health spa. While the spa heyday was the late 19th and early 20th century, knowledge of the curative waters goes back to the 16th century. I’ll let the pictures do the talking. 
Grand Hotel Wildbad back in the day….
The trail takes on right past the ruins. Ric is in the foreground.
Another view of the ruins. But the water is still there and drinkable!
Obviously in disuse for many years, but a flock of sheep keeps the grasses under control.
Walking down from Baranci we came around a corner to find this tiny church.
Healthful waters… heals what ails you. I drank a bottle from the spring.
We met only German and Italian-speakers here. The common greeting from hikers on the trail is Gruß Gott. After all, we are only 6 km from Austria as the crow flies: Up until WWI, this was Austria. Although Italian is the official language for education, German is the cultural choice in the household and the first words uttered in any business location. Nonetheless, like Montese, it was a good opportunity for me to practice Italian. Is it truly where no Americans go? Probably not really, but for those who want an experience where one does not run into English-speaking tourists at every turn, this is a corner of Italy to try.
We came across this strange box in the woods.
We came across this strange box in the woods.
Upon opening the box we found a clever display about the woodpeckers in the area.
Upon opening the box we found a clever display about the woodpeckers in the area.
Inside was an old woodpecker nest, displayed in cutaway with Plexiglas protecting it.
Inside was an old woodpecker nest, displayed in cutaway with Plexiglas protecting it.
And the original hole bored by the woodpecker led to the display nest.
And the original hole bored by the woodpecker led to the display nest.

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Escape to Emilia-Romagna

8 Jun
The heat built fast in Roma. Ten days prior we were putting on our fleece jackets in the morning because it was cold in the apartment, but by the time my brother and sister-in-law arrived June 1, that was no longer a problem: it was getting warm. Luckily for us – if not for our cat sitters – we were leaving Roma. We also left behind the tourist hoards.
Lunch on the veranda at Corte d'Aibo is a family affair.

Lunch on the veranda at Corte d’Aibo is a family affair.

Heading to Emilia-Romagna on June 2 (the Festival of the Republic which celebrates the election in 1946 when the monarchy was rejected in favor of a republic), we left behind the Roma tourists only to find throngs of Italians. At least they were at lunch when we arrived at Agriturismo Corte d’Aibo. But that was the holiday and the last day of the Italian four-day weekend. Continuing on to our mountain destination of Montese, we found ourselves the only tourists at the very pleasant Hotel Belvedere .
This is not your average balsamico. This is Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, another thing entirely.

This is not your average balsamico. This is Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, another thing entirely.

I found Hotel Belvedere and Corte d’Aibo thanks to Riccardo of Trekking Emilia-Romagna. Somehow my SIL Jane and I hit on going to E-R and hiking, and I was fortunate to stumble upon Riccardo’s company. He put together a great itinerary for us including a tasting and tour at an acetaio called Ca’ dal Non,  lunch at the agriturismo, and a guided hike through the mountains, which saw significant action in World War II. The arrangements also included our hotel, breakfasts and dinners. All we had to do was show up and sweat a little on the hike.
Stefano, foreground, explains a fountain in the mountains to Jane, Rick and Ric. Multiple basins allowed people to use one for drnking water, the next for washing, and a final one for watering livestock.

Stefano, foreground, explains a fountain in the mountains to Jane, Rick and Ric. Multiple basins allowed people to use one for drinking water, the next for washing, and a final one for watering livestock.

During our hike, we learned about the flora, fauna and history of the area. The Gothic Line was here, a place where Germany was making a last stance in the north of Italy as the Allied Armies, having fought their way north through the boot, bombed the heck out of them, and unfortunately, also bombed the Italian villages.
We met an older man – he said he was 80 – who upon learning we were Americans said, “The Germans went away, the Americans left, and now there are no porcini.” He was jesting, but memories are long: although we “liberated” the area, the old growth forest was destroyed by both the German occupiers and the liberating armies, so the treasured porcini no longer grow there. We chatted in Italian for a while and when we commented on his good health and energy (after all he was taking the same long hike that was wearing out us 60-somethings) he said “They gave me an organ donor card and I told them ‘take anything you want; none of it works anyway!’”
Ric in our woodsy picnic spot, an area frequented by families on Sundays. This one surrounded a church that commemorated the civilians killed in the area.

Ric in our woodsy picnic spot, an area frequented by families on Sundays. This one surrounded a church that commemorated the civilians killed in the area.

Stefano, our guide, was a font of information and knew the area well, having grown up nearby in the famous cherry town of Vignola. He speaks excellent English having lived in the U.S. (He loves Seattle!) We lugged along Parmegiano-Reggiano, salume, bread, and fruit for a picnic, along with local Lambrusco and a homemade crostata, all supplied by the hotel. At the end of the trek, my pedometer wrongly said the hike was about 8 km, Stefano said 11, my brother estimated 12. It felt like 18.
We were then treated to a tour of a caseificio or cheese factory at Dal Contadino.  This was a multi-generational farm operation producing the famous parmigiano-reggiano as well as ricotta, marmalade, and more. It was fun to visit a typical small family operation and see the incredible labor that goes into making this cheese. The artigianale beers they served with the cheese really hit the spot after hiking. If you ever get a chance to drink White Dog Beer, do it.
At the top of Mount Belvedere there is a monument honoring the 10th Mountain Division.

At the top of Mount Belvedere there is a monument honoring the 10th Mountain Division.

I have to say that, whatever the length, the trek barely dented the calories we were consuming. The kind owners of Hotel Belvedere looked after us well. Clean, comfortable rooms with good showers, incredible food from classic pastas for primi to roasted rabbit, pork and steak for secondi. They were also experts in recommending local wines to complement their food and served some of the best grappa around. Compare this with an American town of 3400 people where your choice of wine with dinner might be beer.
Montese has a castle dating back to the 13th century.

Montese has a castle dating back to the 13th century.

This was not high tourist season. In fact, it seems only August gets pretty busy. Otherwise Montese is off the radar of folks headed to more famous destinations. Nearby one can visit the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, the town of Modena, and even Parma is within reach.
After three nights we somewhat reluctantly said good-bye to Montese and the lovely folks at the hotel, as this was part one of a three-part trip. On to Lago di Garda!
Piazza in Montese, in front of the Hotel Belvedere.

Piazza in Montese, in front of the Hotel Belvedere.

We took one day away from Montese to journey to Maranello and the Ferrari Museum. Quite a collection!

We took one day away from Montese to journey to Maranello and the Ferrari Museum. Quite a collection!

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Base Camp Barton

29 May
We are mostly settled now that we have been at Base Camp Barton for almost four weeks. Why Base Camp Barton? This is a place to keep our (limited) personal possessions and to park the cats while we travel around Europe for a couple of years. We wanted a “base camp” to return to, to call home, to make a headquarters. Here in Rome we have friends, contacts, doctors, and services we need, as well as access to the terrific transportation network of Italy’s trains and quick flights to other parts of Europe.
We have a large "sala," a combined living room and dining room. Some of our landlady's antiques combined with our comfy recliner, our rugs, and a modern sofa.
We have a large “sala,” a combined living room and dining room. Some of our landlady’s antiques combined with our comfy recliner, our rugs, and a modern sofa.
We wanted a furnished or semi-furnished apartment to make eventual departure easier as we have no intention of shipping large items back to the U.S. at the end of this adventure. I found out about SabbaticalHomes.com and started perusing it last summer. Here, as opposed to VRBO or other tourist-oriented rental sites (which I love and use when traveling), I found apartments with pricing more conducive to long term living that are fully furnished.Finding an apartment here is a very different process from finding one in the U.S. There you can fill out an application almost anonymously, submit it, have a credit check done, and with payment of a damage deposit you are approved. Here it is more of a relationship thing, unless you are a tourist renting a VRBO-type of apartment. I’ve had other ex-pats or would-be-ex-pats tell me that they were refused a mid-to-long-term rental, or that the rental suddenly disappeared when they went to meet the owners.
The bedroom has two French doors to the terrace. Very light and airy.
The bedroom has two French doors to the terrace. Very light and airy.
Eventually one popped up in our preferred quartiere of Parioli at a price that was within reach, which is a different concept than affordable. (Rents in Rome are staggering!)  The person who listed the apartment is an ex-pat Italian living in Boston, and the apartment belongs to his parents, so we made contact on both sides of the Atlantic. It was a perfect size, about 100 square meters. Would they be able to rent it for two years? Yes. Would they consider letting us bring our cats? Yes! So we went to what we have come to call “The Vetting.”
Janie models the bed.
Janie models the bed.
One warm September Sunday we met our landlords to see the apartment, had coffee and chatted in a mix of Italian and English. There was no application, no credit check, not even a question about income or finances. It was good enough that we were associated with the American Embassy. We went back for a second look and said yes, we’d take it. Constructing a legitimate rental agreement was another process that eventually involved an attorney, but not for any negative reasons. We all wanted to end up with a legal contract and in Italy there are some interesting requirements. For example a two-year agreement is not legitimate. It has to be a “4 + 4” contract or an 18 month (maximum) contratto transitorio. Perhaps most interesting is that once the contract is signed, it has to be registered with the State and a fee paid. In the U.S. I would stick a rental agreement in my file drawer on the odd chance I needed to refer to it, as would the landlord, but here it must be registered so the State can collect yet another fee. Oh, and just before the formal signing, the son from the U.S. was here to visit, so he dropped by to meet us too. A family affair!
The new apartment guest-room-office is not-quite-ready for occupancy.
The new apartment guest-room-office is not-quite-ready for occupancy.
Italian friends have told us stories about having to open a bank account in the name of the landlord and deposit an amount equivalent to a year’s rent! This is in case of default and only the landlord can withdraw from it. €1,000 rent = €12,000 deposit. To add insult to injury, the renter has to pay bank fees, so at the end of the rental period one has not only tied up a significant amount of cash but does not even get it all back as monthly fees are deducted! Luckily we were trusted and were able to put down only a standard two month’s rent.
The guest room now ready for guests.
The guest room now ready for guests.
Before we unpacked the last box our nephew and his fiancée were in Rome to visit. Luckily for them not in our guest room as it was the place we stashed all the stuff we didn’t know what to do with right away. We had lots of meals out with them as we were not ready to tackle cooking just yet. They left town, we unpacked the last two boxes and made up the guest room the morning our son arrived just two days before I retired. Immediately following our last day at work, we went to Sorrento with him.
So now we are alone for a week and doing the shakedown, figuring out how things work, where things are, where to put our still-too-abundant “stuff,” and how to spend our days. They are going by rapidly. We joined the gym across the street and did our first workout today. How nice it was to not be constrained by a lunch hour for a workout!
We’ve had to have some minor repairs on appliances and it seems the stove (which must be 40 years old) will need to be replaced, but the landlady has been an angel about it all. Yesterday we had screens installed in our bedroom, a blessing as the mosquitoes can be horrible here and very few Italian apartments have them.
The terrace is narrow, but wraps around the bedroom and there is just enough room for two to sip wine.
The terrace is narrow, but wraps around the bedroom and there is just enough room for two to sip wine.
Beautiful bougainvillea across from us.
Beautiful bougainvillea across from us.
Another view out the back door, off the bedroom.
Another view out the back door, off the bedroom.
The lady across the street has a terrace to die for...but she faces west which is less-than-optimal.
The lady across the street has a terrace to die for…but she faces west which is less-than-optimal.
We’ve already been yelled at by the portiera for parking in the driveway for 6 minutes after an IKEA run our first week here. “NON SOSTARE QUI!” she said. “NON MAI!” So we feel like we are accepted. She yells at a lot of people.
The cats love the wrap around terrace and have discovered all the sunspots. We have adapted to hanging laundry out versus having a power-hog clothes dryer. We do have a dishwasher to compensate, which the embassy did not see fit to supply us.
We are expecting guests – my brother and sister-in-law arrive Monday – and the first cat sitters are lined up for a 9-night stay. Base Camp Barton is ready!
Libby has found a good hiding spot, under an afghan on the couch.
Libby has found a good hiding spot, under an afghan on the couch.
This would be called an "ampio ingresso" in an ad for this apartment. I love these big entrances with room for a coatrack, umbrella stand, big table and mirror.
This would be called an “ampio ingresso” in an ad for this apartment. I love these big entrances with room for a coatrack, umbrella stand, big table and mirror.
Many Italian apartments have a service hallway, leading to the kitchen, that can be closed off. That's Janie trotting toward the camera.
Many Italian apartments have a service hallway, leading to the kitchen, that can be closed off. That’s Janie trotting toward the camera.
The kitchen is the size of a postage stamp, but functional. We were spoiled at our last place!
The kitchen is the size of a postage stamp, but functional. We were spoiled at our last place!
 

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Time Travel

20 May
I was going to write about our new home — and I will do that soon — but I have to write to tell potential travelers to Roma in the next few months about the special evening tours of Caesar’s Forum and the Forum of Augustus.
Dramatic lighting reveals important relics and helps one to understand the site.
Dramatic lighting reveals important relics and helps one to understand the site.
Last night Ric, Derek and I went on the audio-guided walking tour of Caesar’s Forum and we were impressed. This is the first time visitors have been allowed. It is carefully managed to avoid damage (one is kept on a walkway) but you are right there, in the Forum built over 2000 years ago. Modern Roma seems far away. The multi-media presentation, available in 8 languages, was extremely well done and helped one to understand the layout and function of the forum. It’s wonderful to have an evening activity like this, making use of the lovely evening hours after the heat of day has passed. The shows/tours run every 20 minutes starting at 21:00 and until midnight. Each tour is about 45 minutes in duration.
Last year Ric and I attended the show in  Augustus’ Forum, which was developed to honor the 2000th anniversary of his death. This is a stationary show, where you sit in bleachers as the multi-media presentation plays out across the ruins in front of you. Again, available in many languages, this show last about 40 minutes and is run three times each evening: 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00. You can buy a combined ticket and see both on the same night.
Herewith a few pictures to tempt you. If you are in Roma between now and November 1, make reservations and go!
Piazza Venezia in the soft evening light, while we wait to be admitted to the site.
Piazza Venezia in the soft evening light, while we wait to be admitted to the site.
Trajan's Column: The entry point is right under the column, very easy to find.
Trajan’s Column: The entry point is right under the column, very easy to find.
The crowd gathers and adjusts their headsets. The guide merely ushers you through the site.
The crowd gathers and adjusts their headsets. The guide merely ushers you through the site.
We are below Via Fori Imperiali. Notice the people bathed in golden light on the street above. We are at the level of ancient Rome.
We are below Via Fori Imperiali. Notice the people bathed in golden light on the street above. We are at the level of ancient Rome.
We enter from a part of Trajan's Forum, crossing under Via Fori Imperiali into a part of the complex one usually can only view from above.
We enter from a part of Trajan’s Forum, crossing under Via Fori Imperiali into a part of the complex one usually can only view from above.
A movie is projected on the ruins showing the creation of Via Fori Imperiali.
A movie is projected on the ruins showing the creation of Via Fori Imperiali.

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