Rome is Having a Cold Snap

Not that I'm complaining bitterly or anything - after all, it's Rome.

There was a lot of hanging around the airport (as there is all too often) as my flight got more and more delayed but you know, I'm here so that's all irrelevant.

My brother and his family lucked out with their apartment: it's a fourteenth century building that was a palace for some Vatican dignitary that has since been converted into apartments.

The street view is unremarkable but it gets better once inside.

My bedroom is accessed via an extraordinarily narrow and winding staircase off the kitchen which is just big enough for one person, barely big enough for a person plus a small carry-on. Apparently it used to be servants quarters.

The ceiling is rather lovely, as is the view of the courtyard from my window.

The ceilings on the main floor are so high that when this apartment was converted they were able to add a second floor so my nephews have their own private space: bedrooms, a common desk area and bathroom reached by floating metal and glass stairs and a glass-bottomed hallway which is rather disconcerting.

There are huge rooms with incredible art on the walls: a Caravaggio and some large canvases which were frescoes (supposedly by Raphael or his school) that the Vatican transferred to canvas a decade or two ago and rehung on the walls.

It's really not too shabby except that the heat keeps going out and temperatures are below freezing.

This morning I went along with my brother and sister-in-law to do grocery shopping. I kinda find foreign grocery stores fascinating and this one did not disappoint.

The meat and cheese section was at least a quarter of the store and it was wonderful.

I was delighted (and more than somewhat envious) that you can buy sheets of fresh pasta to make your own tortellini or ravioli or cannelloni or lasagne or whatever. I'd be all over that if I lived here.

And the peppers! Large, delicious and gorgeous.

Twice as much yoghurt as at my local supermarket at home, and this wasn't the only yoghurt section.

Ive been to Rome a few times and have done all the tourist stuff so it's all the same if I do it or don't - the only thing on my agenda is to spend time with my brother and his family. And to not be cold all the time.