Botticelli, Bernini and Crocodile Dundee

May 19th 2013

We had dinner tonight in a traditional small ristorante, Berzitello. Do we really sound like that? Lydia and I looked at each other over our rigatoni, tagliatelle and chianti and both said ‘what is that terrible noise’. It was like a female version of Crocodile Dundee (only worse). We decided they must be Queenslanders! A table full of outspoken fellow country people – we heard (and the whole restaurant heard), about their cruise, their shopping and their expertise in wine (really exaggerated). They were absolutely full of it. It was a stark contrast to last night’s ‘museums under the moon’. We were lucky enough to be in Firenze for the annual after dark museum opening – all museums were open and free until midnight so we spent an enchanted evening with Botticelli, Michelangelo and of course David.

We are not sure what the Italian version of the Blarney stone is but the rather lovely Italian waiter who served us at dinner last night, at the very gorgeous Ristorante Accademia, had definitely kissed it. He then went on to kiss my daughters hand and tell her that she was the most beautiful sight he had ever encountered. I told him I would rather like a house to visit in Firenze so by the end of dinner he and I had completed the deal on the dowry, the wedding and how often I would visit. Lydia sat giggling, blushing and shaking her head. My the time we walked out the door he had handed over his phone number and I was planning the bambinos – reality check though – I am not sure the Italian waiter can keep my daughter in the volume of gelato that she consumes! Tonight in Roma Lydia told me that she could still feel a small amount of blood swishing through her right arm – she is determined to replace her whole circulatory system with gelato!

Roma is as always totally wonderful. After dinner we circumnavigated the whole city – Lydia has now been sacked from map reading after we ended up almost at Musei Vaticani when we were supposed to be reclining on the steps of Piazza di Spagna. After walking for what seemed like hours around the Palatino we finally staggered back past Fontana Di Trevi and up the steps beside the Quirinale. This is the home of the Italian President and is high on Qurinal Hill, the tallest of Rome’s seven hills. It seems it has housed thirty popes, four kings and eleven presidents. As we walked up the side, at first we couldn’t work out what the suave looking suited Italian men were doing standing looking very James Bond like, but we then figured out where we were. I have been reading Dan Brown’s latest book (as you do when it is set in Firenze) so was convinced we were going to be kidnapped and thrown into the back of the discrete BMW.

Well I do like camping under the stars (all five of them) and tonight is just beautiful. We have been a bit spoilt. We were upgraded on the plane on the way over and now have been upgraded to a beautiful suite in the lovely Hotel Artimede. I have real tea in front of me, and Lindt chocolate and the couch is very comfortable. The gelato princess is lying in the room beside me reading. We are on Via Nazionale – a short walk from Fontana Di Trevi, Piazza Di Spagna and Piazza Barberini – that is if you don’t let my gelato eating daughter anywhere near a map !!