DEAF CATHOLIC CONFERENCE, VATICAN CITY, ITALY
Usually in November, Rome tends to be very rainy and 45-50 degrees. Every day here has been 75 and sunny! The Romans are in shock. They can't believe how good the weather is.It's strange because already we see Christmas symbols and ads, but the weather is more like May-June than 40 days till Christmas.
TUESDAY, 11/17: a group of us with our guide(ROSELLA) and our sign language interpreter( ILARIO STOCCHERO) went off for a tour of ancient Rome. First we went to the Colliseum. To this day, famous architects cannot figure out how people 2,000 years ago could have built a stadium that held over 75,000 people safely, and is still standing today. From there, we walked though the Roman Forum, these are the ruins of where the government of ancient Rome was established. This was where JULIUS CAESAR, CICERO, and so many other famous people met, spoke, and ruled the world. During our walk, a woman stopped to watch us signing. She is a professor at Gallaudet University, now living in Italy. She knew Mary Ann Barth who was in our group. Small world!
From there, we kept walked to where our bus was waiting. The bus was not there. Why? Because there was huge demonstration of unemployed workers blocking the streets of downtown Rome. This happens in Rome often! The police know there will be a demonstration; they set up road blocks; the demonstrators refuse to move.So traffic becomes a mess! We walked another four blocks to the restaurant.
Eating in Italy is a JOY! The food is all fresh; the people here do NOT use chemicals or preservatives; and Italians know how to cook! Lots of vegetables, olive oil, etc. Lunch is often: bread, some pasta, then a salad! Dinner here often means fish dishes. The fish is so fresh and cooked so well! Even in a small restaurant with reasonable prices, you feel like you are having a feast! And, of course, afterwards, you go to a place for some GELATO----as one person signed to me ther other night, "I feel like I am eating some of heaven!"
After our meal, we walked to the Trevi Fountain, a place made famous by two movies, "Three Coins in a Fountain" and "La Dolce Vita". This is one of the most popular tourist areas in Rome with lots of restaurants and shops! We took the bus to my favorite church, St. Paul Outside the Walls. This the church where St. Paul is buried. I always feel very humbled to be in this holy place. Finally, back to the hotel through the crazy Rome traffic.
Our interpreter, ILARIO STOCCHERO, isa good friend, a man who taught in the deaf school in Padua, Italy for 38 years. He and his wife and two children live in Padua. He came to be our interpreter for the day. A wonderful man. I feel blessed to call him a friend.
JIM SMITH who is on our trip has helped me and others get our computers set up here. He really has been most helpful. Sadly, BERNIE FAIRWOOD, a deaf man whose wife won $3,000 at our raffle last Saturday died sudenly on Tuesday. I am in shock at this news. he was a terrific guy and I am sad I will miss his funeral.
Finally last night, a group of us went out to celebrate the surprise birthday of Mary Ann Barth who will soon be turning 60. We ate in a restaurant that is basically a fish restaurant and everyone there,e ven people who don't normally eat fish, said it was the best place they had ever eaten at! Of course, having a home made cannoli birthday cake helped! Got to bed at 10pm and slept all night; first time I had been able to do that since arriving here. Jet lag, ugh!
TUESDAY, 11/17: a group of us with our guide(ROSELLA) and our sign language interpreter( ILARIO STOCCHERO) went off for a tour of ancient Rome. First we went to the Colliseum. To this day, famous architects cannot figure out how people 2,000 years ago could have built a stadium that held over 75,000 people safely, and is still standing today. From there, we walked though the Roman Forum, these are the ruins of where the government of ancient Rome was established. This was where JULIUS CAESAR, CICERO, and so many other famous people met, spoke, and ruled the world. During our walk, a woman stopped to watch us signing. She is a professor at Gallaudet University, now living in Italy. She knew Mary Ann Barth who was in our group. Small world!
From there, we kept walked to where our bus was waiting. The bus was not there. Why? Because there was huge demonstration of unemployed workers blocking the streets of downtown Rome. This happens in Rome often! The police know there will be a demonstration; they set up road blocks; the demonstrators refuse to move.So traffic becomes a mess! We walked another four blocks to the restaurant.
Eating in Italy is a JOY! The food is all fresh; the people here do NOT use chemicals or preservatives; and Italians know how to cook! Lots of vegetables, olive oil, etc. Lunch is often: bread, some pasta, then a salad! Dinner here often means fish dishes. The fish is so fresh and cooked so well! Even in a small restaurant with reasonable prices, you feel like you are having a feast! And, of course, afterwards, you go to a place for some GELATO----as one person signed to me ther other night, "I feel like I am eating some of heaven!"
After our meal, we walked to the Trevi Fountain, a place made famous by two movies, "Three Coins in a Fountain" and "La Dolce Vita". This is one of the most popular tourist areas in Rome with lots of restaurants and shops! We took the bus to my favorite church, St. Paul Outside the Walls. This the church where St. Paul is buried. I always feel very humbled to be in this holy place. Finally, back to the hotel through the crazy Rome traffic.
Our interpreter, ILARIO STOCCHERO, isa good friend, a man who taught in the deaf school in Padua, Italy for 38 years. He and his wife and two children live in Padua. He came to be our interpreter for the day. A wonderful man. I feel blessed to call him a friend.
JIM SMITH who is on our trip has helped me and others get our computers set up here. He really has been most helpful. Sadly, BERNIE FAIRWOOD, a deaf man whose wife won $3,000 at our raffle last Saturday died sudenly on Tuesday. I am in shock at this news. he was a terrific guy and I am sad I will miss his funeral.
Finally last night, a group of us went out to celebrate the surprise birthday of Mary Ann Barth who will soon be turning 60. We ate in a restaurant that is basically a fish restaurant and everyone there,e ven people who don't normally eat fish, said it was the best place they had ever eaten at! Of course, having a home made cannoli birthday cake helped! Got to bed at 10pm and slept all night; first time I had been able to do that since arriving here. Jet lag, ugh!
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