Mai in Una Vita

Well, that is what they say, mai in una vita, about this spectacular city—Never in a lifetime, meaning that you will never see all of Rome even if you spend a lifetime exploring the city. So many things to see just standing in one place. Or in my case, lying.

From my perch on the back of the sofa I look out over a lovely piazza where the Doria Pamphilj museum is tucked into the corner and a very old high school is across from it and a pretty little church now used for exhibits and such is on the corner and one of the Doria Pamphilj sons lived in part of the huge building, perhaps or perhaps not still feuding with is sister.

And here are other things I see:

A black kitty–or is it?

Graffitti.

(If this (our story) is a love story, it’s a fairy tale.)

A marble foot from a huge statue.

Seagulls soaring over the terra cotta rooftops, screeching whatever they screech at each other.

A nonno walking with his little granddaughter.

Emiglia, a homeless woman, so smart, so funny, who once wrote a book and who now lives out of her suitcase and is greeted by all of the very important businessmen on the street and of course, all the neighbors; a rare and intelligent women who goes off in her own world from time to time and then returns to chat for hours about politics, religion, life…(she won’t let mama take her picture for me, but that’s okay).

People on Vespas.

Tourists everywhere with maps searching for the Pantheon (just around the corner but hard to find).

Couples kissing at all hours of the day.

Mai in una vita…even for kitties…sigh…