Rome, 17th August 2008
(Pictures in the gallery at the bottom: More pictures, less interference with the text)
The past days have brought two rare reunions, one more or less expected, the other one fully unexpected. On Thursday both of my sisters arrived in Rome, coming from Berlin and Munich. As I was getting prepared to pick up my sister Victoria from Stazione Termini, someone Skyped me, claiming to be Carlo. I immediately recognized my old friend’s voice. I had not seen Carlo Martucci for about ten years and, to my great sorrow, lost contact with him. I had sent him a message online, which I did not really expect to reach him. He got to know that I was in town and explained that he lived just around the corner from where I am staying right now. We promptly arranged to meet in front of the Pantheon and soon fell into each others’ arms. I invited me to join me and my family for dinner and we took off to Termini.
There I met up with my parents, my sister Victoria as well as another old family friend my mother had met in town earlier J A merry crowd we all sat down in a rustic, down-to-earth street Restaurant and ate good Pasta. Soon a taxi stopped on the street next to our table and my eldest sister Carolina stepped out making the family complete. She is working for a bank in Berlin but is currently working in Munich for 6 weeks. Later in the evening I accompanied Carlo to his beautiful apartment where I also got to know his lovely girlfriend. We talked until well into the morning hours, he told me about his course of studies in architecture and showed me some of his work.
The next day my family and I made an extensive walk through Rome, starting off with an ice cream breakfast at one the most famous Gelaterias. In the afternoon we drove out of Rome heading to our friends’ farm in northern Lazio where we would spend the weekend.
Upon our arrival our friends, the Caponettis, were already waiting for us. They realized their lifelong dream of to “spend our life in the country: big family, greenery all around, horses, dogs and animals of all kind; many friends and guests”. I can only advise any traveller in Italy, seeking beautiful nature, Italian culture as well as hospitality to stay in this beautiful agritourism-hotel. We were also warmly welcomed by the dogs, horses and all the other animals on the large estate. The place is beautifully located in the Tuscania valley in which there are thousands of Etruscan (the pre roman civilization in the area) tombs and irrigation systems many of whom date back over 3000 years. The landscape is breathtaking. For the first time in weeks I was able to sleep … in silence … and soothing coolness. I had a little guest in my room that night: a scorpion. I have never seen one alive before. Since Scorpio is my star sign, I won’t forget this first encounter.
Saturday, we drove to Viterbo, a pleasant ancient town surrounded by medieval walls and once the favorite residence of the Popes. Later a good friend, who know my parents longer than I exist and is the godfather of Victoria came to see us, driving all the way from Bologna. Giorgio Caponetti took all of us to the neighboring estate, which belongs to a two time Olympic Gold medal horse rider. There the very friendly horseman showed us around ruins of a Cistercian monastery, which he is restoring with much skill and dedication. In the evening we were blessed with the famous cooking skills of Laura Caponetti for the second time. Another lovely evening with much talking and wine drinking, above us the stars and – to our great surprise! – A lunar eclipse. On Sunday, after a hearty breakfast, we took off to Rome driving on the Roman Via Cassia.
Tonight is the last evening my family and I will be together. Carolina has already left and Victoria will leave tomorrow morning. My parents also need to be on their way up north, towards Berlin. However, very soon there will be another lovely visitor, my girlfriend, coming to visit me for the weekend.
