Sogni di Sicilia

We're near Rome's main airport, in Isola Sacra, or, more commonly known as "Fiumicino". We are missing my niece by just handfuls of hours! We should've planned better, as she would be a trip within a trip (I mean this in the best way; she's electric). After a good night's sleep in a cute and comfy B&B (Zefiro), we're finally carving out enough time to visit the scavi as intact as Pompeii: Ostia Antica. I've wanted to get here for years, and have never had time for that one little side trip. Well, now we're staying in the land of the side trip! Ostia Antica is only 15 minutes by car from our B&B. A veritable ancient marketplace, trading post, sites of the first purveyors of 'fast food,' with still-standing thermal pots set up like modern-day banquet steamers. On the beach. And it's a beautiful day! What could be better? If it were open. It's Monday, so as with many museums, including outdoor ones, it's closed. This is...

Our gracious host of B&B Quindici allowed us to leave our luggage and keep the parking pass as long as we need. It's Sunday. Davide is riding here on his motorcycle to meet us for lunch. We used the morning to walk to the beachy side of the peninsula. It's a warm and sunny day; only a sweater is needed this morning. Crowds waiting for the cinema to open Huge Christmas bear at piano. Street art. Barbershop and 12:00 shadow Lido directions You missed a letter, bruh! Big-ass Babbo Natale and cello Old women walking  Our B&B alley We met Davide at Comeilmare and had a delightful lunch, laughing, talking, eating, hugging. He totally gets me but doesn't make me feel bad for any of my 'character flaws'. It's been fun watching him mature over the years, and I adore him.  He got back on his motorcycle, we got into our car, and we each paced off in opposite directions from the same starting point, like duelers with motors instead of pistols. ******** We arrived in...

Exploring Gaeta in the morning, going into Gaeta Medievale (Gaeta Vecchia) on the tip of the penisola. Our B&B host sets up breakfast for his guests at Cafè L'Angolo. Look who once stopped there... Gigi Proietti from a favorite program of ours, "Bulletproof Heart"! Instead of hiking up the mountain right then, and since we were in Gaeta Vecchia, we decided to have a big lunch at Le Salute, recommended to us by our host. Carla, the hostess/owner, took to us right away, circling to our table to hang out and chat. We ate heartily. He was in heaven with this particular version of linguine e vongole . My scialiatelli allo scoglio was also pretty darn amazing. And this carries the taste of  my grandma's bread I wish I could say this was our second course, but it served the next table. I just photographed it to put a picture on  Facebook and make my friend Stefano insane with longing. They call this cake, but sadly it turned out to be mousse, which I find disgusting and...