Glad to be back

Rome was great. The ruins, the piazzas, the green topiary-like trees (names, anyone?), pizzas and amazing Italian wines. Our B&B that was a former palazzo. Gregarious old ladies in black. Deep fried foods. Artichokes. Barolo, mmmm.

Still, we're truly glad to be back home. And none more so than my poor sister C. Her 4.30 pm flight was cancelled because of the air-traffic controllers' strike. Cancelled. Without notice. Without alternative recourse. She was only able to leave with a 6 am flight this morning. I was thankful that my flight left at 7.50 pm, only 15 minutes later than scheduled.

Though the holiday was super, getting there and returning home were low points. Transport strikes. Long queues everywhere. Being at the mercy of indifferent workers such as a super-bitchy signora with fake tan who actually sneered at a hapless French passenger and made fun of a Chinese traveller who couldn't speak Italian or French. Confusion. Miscommunications. My boarding pass said gate B3, the TV screen said B9. At B9, travellers on a Lufthansa flight realised a little too late that their gate should have been B1. Mad dashes and groans of dismay all round. Just when I think I am getting used to living in Europe, along comes something like transport woes to rough it up again. C'est la vie!

And on a very positive note, this morning I saw a comment from Dale, a reader who made Yuk Si from a recipe I posted way back in July 2004. My mum will be really tickled to learn that her recipe was turned into an art performance!

Hi,

I tried your recipe except with kangaroo meat.
I'm Australian after all. I made a sweet version which was
very acceptable in taste, i just need to practice the texture,
although i got it right, but need to work on the crispy/fluffy
side of it.

I actually made it for an ART performance and then made a
desert for the audience to try!! :)

THANKS for your info!

Dale.

P.S. It's cold here. Forget autumn, it's bloody winter already. A cold wind is blowing through most of Europe and we're not spared. I have to wear ski cap, socks, long sleeved tops and long pants to sleep. Mimi point blank refuses her bed, preferring the bottom of ours instead, and her appetite is bigger now- well, rabbit stew for breakfast would do that to one- and she is now so long her clothes no longer fit! Rufus gets her wardrobe and struts like a tinkling popinjay.

Comments

[w]

Lordy I remember transport strikes, oh so fondly - NOT. Be warned that the most dangerous periods for strikes is the 2-3 weeks before x'mas. I remember punching a ticket for the metro only to find that the next train was in 45mins if at all.

And yes, the chill is CHILLY. Even Spain is not spared, I am cold in overcast Madrid and that is no fun.

[Beaulotus]

Welcome to Italy, signora. Why do you think I spend my life whining nowadays? And my son is losing his teacher just one month into the new school year, she's sick of Italy (already) and wants to leave!

Now I keep my fingers crossed that there'll be no strike when we fly home in Dec...

Your B&B in Rome sounds great, are you going to do a post on your trip?

[umami]

w, aiyah, 2-3 weeks before Xmas, dangerous... hope we get home in time.

beaulotus, yes I will post about the B&B and other stuff, but still have not even finished processing the pictures. So am drawing from the bank of old images.

[w]

Yah, it's their way of forcing the hands of officials who don't want holiday travel to be affected. Keep your fingers crossed!

Am heading back 18-Dec myself for at least 2 wks. Mebbe we can catch up back home if time allows.