Settling in

Today has been bright and clear in Rome and, to my mind, not all that cold - certainly not cold enough for either gloves or scarves.  Granted, I was out the door well past mid-morning after a lazy start to the day and several cups of coffee so the sun was well and truly up.

I'm very happy with my apartment.  The sitting room, which looks out over the piazza, has lots of squashy sofas for lounging and reading, and the light streams in from the tall windows with a view opposite to the local museum, the Rome Museum of Trastevere. 

By day there is a pleasant hum from people walking through the square on their way to Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere.  At night the local bar, the Ombre Rosse, is a popular spot for drinks before people head out to eat.

I've hooked up all my electronic devices to the WiFi so I've been able to skype Jim and talk with friends.  It's super-easy to blog at the kitchen bench or at the bedroom desk, and this is where I envisage I'll do most of my italian homework (when I'm not out communicating by touring, eating or shopping, that is).

Trastevere has it's own market, San Cosimato, which is a smaller version of the Campo dei Fiori.  At the moment there are artichokes, blood oranges, fennel, brilliantly red tomatoes, apples and leafy green kale.  I'm itching to make some sicilian caponata with the beautiful black eggplants and red peppers, or maybe an eggplant parmigiana?  Easy to exist almost entirely on vegetarian dishes here.  The produce at San Cosimato is perhaps half the price of its neighbour at the Campo dei Fiori.

Sari, the owner of my apartment has put in (for Rome) a large kitchen, with lots of good equipment for cooking and eating.  A window near the sink opens out to a sort of little conservatory, with climbing plants winding their way up along the grillwork.  Watering these requires a bit of acrobatic work involving standing on one of the kitchen stools and leaning out over the tiny ledge.

Leading off the kitchen is a long and narrow bathroom with the usual bidet.  I don't know any non-italian who is comfortable using the bidet aside for foot washing or cooling wine! 

When I arrived yesterday, I dutifully unpacked all my clothes, hung them up and stored my suitcases so I'm really settled in now.  I'm finding the bedroom is a very cocooning space, with an entire wall of books and a built-in desk opposite the window, and tons of cupboard space and storage.

Today I've had an easy sort of a day, finding some beautiful black knee high boots to replace my several-season's-old pair.  I managed to talk to the shop owner in rudimentary italian, which is encouraging.  It's one thing to be understood by a patient tutor and entirely another to converse in everyday living.

Topped off with further italian at lunch locally here in Trastevere at La Tana de' Noantri, my first bucatini amatriciana and a couple of glasses of Corvo white wine, it's been a great first day in Rome.