Buon Natale!

The previous year, Grace and I lived out part of our dream, an entire summer in Rome. Our prior visits had taken us to the spot we now call home. Our hearts will always be in the Campo even if we are not.

Now, as Christmas approaches we are landing, unannounced, for a holiday visit with our friends/Famiglia Romani! No one knows that we are coming and we can only hope that our carefully planned, surprise visit will go as planned.

The taxi takes us to the Hotel Campo dei Fiori, where we check in and leave our bags. We have rented an apartment from them for this trip, but they too are a bit confused by our plans. They didn't realize that we had amici in the Campo. Explanations over, bags being delivered we take  a winding back way into the Campo so that we can arrive unsuspected by our friends. To this day nothing I've heard has has been more pleasing to me than my name being slowly and softly being uttered by sonia as she first recognized me. Grace was grabbed, hugged and our names called through the Campo...Grace and Max!!! They are here! We were home!

And, yes it worked just as we hoped it would. I now know how a conquering hero feels when he returns to his homeland. It is something that everyone should get to feel, even if, like me,you are not exactly a conquering hero type.
Two of our friends had lost their fathers over the last year and they thought our arrival would help them through the first Christmas without their loved ones. I wish we could have been able to do more, but our just being there seemed to suffice. They did more for us than we can ever make understood.

The invitation to Christmas with Lina, Giulia, Alessandro and family was the ultimate compliment. Food, friends and a glorious roof-top view...our first Christmas in Rome! Maybe there is something more to look forward to, and I certainly hope so, but this was sublime!

We had another couple spend New Years with us so that they didn't need to make the trek home and back, permitting them a night on the town. And Antonio for dinner. Grace in the cucina ordering us about, all the food straight from the Campo just outside our door, simply the best!

Location, location, location! A cry we hear so often. It may be part of our dream, but Amici, amici, amici is truly our thought! We will not be physically there this year, but, as ever our thoughts, hearts and minds will!

Buon Natale a tutti! Tanti auguri!