Mags
09-19-2005, 17:50
Well, it is not exactly a trail. (though Via Appia was a long, long haul back in the Roman Empire days :) )..but hello from Italy.
Dodged some scooters, eating gelato, espresso and spaghetti alle vongole (with clams). Drinking vino and espresso.
Met my cousins. The wife of my grandfather's cousin did not speak English at all. However, no translation needed for "mangia". :) Ate way too much...and was forced to eat some more anyway! The meal could have been from my childhood...it was almost exactly what *my* Grandma Magnanti would make. Way cool...and way delicious. Another cousin through marriage is also the VP of the Rome Marathon Assoc. How cool it that ?!?!
Yesterday went to Anzio beachead and saw the American Cemetery. My grandfather Magnanti,s division was at that beach head. I am too tired to go into the history of this battle, (Long story short: Timid American leadership with tenascious German defense = many allied casualties) but sufficient to say it was an intense struggle. Seeing the simple gravestones, going to the museum and looking at someof the sites listed in abook about my grandfather,s division was rather intense on emotional level. Had to sit down, was a bit overwhelmed. As with many veterans of WW2, he was hesitant to talk of his experiences. As with many veterans of WW2, he was also proud of his service. Consider this visit a small way of honoring my grandfather,s memory.
Wow..a lot in afew days. :) Did not even get into how much I get to use my bad Italian outside of Rome and how many times I was mistaken for a real Italian (my bad grammar and accent gives me away. Took a few Italians by suprised when they realized I was not an Italian. They then wondered if I was British. Go figure! )
Ciao for now...will have more when I get back.
Dodged some scooters, eating gelato, espresso and spaghetti alle vongole (with clams). Drinking vino and espresso.
Met my cousins. The wife of my grandfather's cousin did not speak English at all. However, no translation needed for "mangia". :) Ate way too much...and was forced to eat some more anyway! The meal could have been from my childhood...it was almost exactly what *my* Grandma Magnanti would make. Way cool...and way delicious. Another cousin through marriage is also the VP of the Rome Marathon Assoc. How cool it that ?!?!
Yesterday went to Anzio beachead and saw the American Cemetery. My grandfather Magnanti,s division was at that beach head. I am too tired to go into the history of this battle, (Long story short: Timid American leadership with tenascious German defense = many allied casualties) but sufficient to say it was an intense struggle. Seeing the simple gravestones, going to the museum and looking at someof the sites listed in abook about my grandfather,s division was rather intense on emotional level. Had to sit down, was a bit overwhelmed. As with many veterans of WW2, he was hesitant to talk of his experiences. As with many veterans of WW2, he was also proud of his service. Consider this visit a small way of honoring my grandfather,s memory.
Wow..a lot in afew days. :) Did not even get into how much I get to use my bad Italian outside of Rome and how many times I was mistaken for a real Italian (my bad grammar and accent gives me away. Took a few Italians by suprised when they realized I was not an Italian. They then wondered if I was British. Go figure! )
Ciao for now...will have more when I get back.