Shabbat Shalom a Tutti

Today was "car day," the day we pick up the rental. We wait till the first weekend because we really can't leave Viterbo Monday through Thursday when Fred is teaching. We got another red Citroen but in a smaller version than the last one. The woman who rented us the car in Rome last time we were here thought she was doing us a favor and gave us the larger version. It was like driving a truck -- compared to my own Mini Cooper compounded with the narrow streets. This one will be fine.

Back tracking --- yesterday I walked around a lot... It was the Fourth of July which I hate here because it's nothing special and I never hear from people at home because they're all having parties and watching fireworks. But I suffered through it :)

Here's something I found in my travels:

It's some kind of cannabis dispenser. I have no idea what comes out of the machine. Maybe some kind of liquid for vaping.

And this... the very sad memorial to the poor man who was murdered in the spring. He sold jeans here. It seems to still be a crime scene because it has been left untouched. So eerie and tragic. We had left Viterbo hours prior to the attack.

There is a slow food event setting up in Viterbo. I found these cardboard chairs interesting.

Thursdays are "group dinner" night for the program, so we went to one of our new Italian guide's favorite pizza place. Coincidentally it was also one of our son Henry's favorite places. Taverna Etrusca. After an antipasti course we had our own individual pizzas, which we could choose from about twenty, maybe more. It was great. I had my favorite -- arugula, tomatoes, parmesan, and mozzarella. A salad that happens to be a pizza. It's low cal ;)

For dessert, the very proud owner blasted our national anthem and served this cake:

He was so excited, and it was so thoughtful, but we're living in complicated times. The national anthem used to bring a tear to my eye, but last night I just wanted the music to stop and for the Italians to go back to their meals. But this reminds me. I once new a woman, a very progressive, left-leaning mother of two sons who were both Boy Scouts. I asked her, how do you support a homophobic organization [which it was at the time]?  (Curious was my tone, not accusatory.) And she said, It's MY Boy Scouts. The current leaders can't take that away from me. My sons will get all the good there is to get out of it, while I raise them to not be homophobic. And she said the same of the Catholic Church, explaining why she hadn't pushed that away either. I'd like to apply this thinking to the country while its leadership and I don't agree. I think I can, to some extent, but I'm afraid there's much more at stake here. 

During dinner, the owner's wife was there with their newborn asleep in a carriage. Fred recalls that she has been waiting tables there for many years. We don't know which came first -- the working together or the having a baby together, but as we were leaving, I said, Bellisima! about his sweet baby girl. He said, Bellisimo. He is a man. It made me think of this:

To see where this came from, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_9KMGK13bM
It's like a Candid Camera show. 

Now, back to today. Car day. I slept late because I had what Fred and I call a "half-time show." (But there's nothing entertaining about this show.) It means I woke up in the middle of the night and could not get back to sleep. Last night's half-time show was three hours... ugh. Once I had enough hours of sleep under my belt, had my tea,  and did the daily crossword puzzle on line, I left to get the car, and go to my first pilates class at the new gym. According to the flier they gave me, I had to make a reservation, which I did. Oh, and I also needed what Italians call a "medical card," or -- my suggested alternative -- a note from my doctor saying I'm fit to exercise. I love MGH and Patient Gateway. And doctors who get back to you!

With the help of Google translate, I told the teacher about ten minutes before class that my Italian is not great, but I'll just watch her and the others closely, and that I know pilates. She was very kind, responded in English, and asked for my name. There were ten of us -- apparently a smaller-than-usual class due to it being a summer Friday. I thought I'd done a pretty good job of not standing out... but a few things were off for me. I had to be given a padlock to lock up my stuff in the locker room. Mats were already all set out for us, which was great, since I had not brought mine. But they all brought towels to put on top of their mats, and they cleaned their mats BEFORE working out, not after, as I'm accustomed to doing. Nobody had a water bottle except me. I'll adjust accordingly, but my cover was totally blown when she started the class with "Stand up" in English. Eyes immediately found me and I cringed the rest of the class as she taught it half in English.

Some photos of the gym, inside and out. It's a beautiful gym, with top-notch amenities and a fantastic view. A bit too much nakedness in the women's locker room for me, however. Astonishingly comfortable with nudity, they are!

You can see the walled part of Viterbo in the distance. It looks far, but the wall is basically across the street. 

Italy's been a great adventure for us all these years, but in no small part because of the car. The freedom. The air conditioning. The radio. For me, the car is right up there with the pizza, pasta, and wine. Today as I drove around and got lost on purpose after my workout, I listened to the banter of the DJs between songs -- picking up a word or two here and there -- and suddenly they signed off with Shabbat Shalom! Now there's a couple of words I know!