Bonjourno from the heart of Rome.

I have been here a few days now and walked the entire city  - my feet are super sore and I just want to be carried from now on in.

The tour of the Vatican was great - the only landlocked country in the world and a population of not quite 900 with the lowest birthrate.  So many interesting things emerged from my four hour tour.  For example: only the Swiss guard the pope.  This dates back to when the German Emperor arrived with his army to conquer Rome and every one else fled except the Swiss, of which 140 died during the battle.  If you are Swiss and want to work in what amounts to the Pope's army (or the Vatican army) you have to have come from a family that has been Catholic for at least 7 generations and be between 18 and 30 years old.  They wear the original uniforms rumored to be designed by Michaelangelo.

Also, they did not warn us ahead of time, but when I went to enter the Sistine Chapel you are supposed to have your shoulders and knees covered.  I was wearing a tank top, but luckily I had a scarf with me.  When the guard stopped me going into the Chapel I said that I could one or the other but not both.  They were divided, one said knees and the other two voted for shoulders.

St. Peter's Bascillica was truly grand.  Nuns everywhere taking pictures. 

Crazy little town the Vatican is.

Today, and fatigued of tours, I opted for a last minute spot in an Italian cooking school.  I expected to be lost and bored but quite the opposite.  We made four and a half dishes over the course of a few hours and then sat down to eat.  It was so good I am sick.  It feels like turkey dinner hang over I ate so much.

Our appetizer was prochuitto, mozzarella and eggplant stuffed pumpkin blossoms deep fried in beer batter.  The half dish was a dip that could also be used as a pasta sauce.

Then we made bowtie pasta and a sausage/mushroom sauce.

The second course, as it is called, was meatballs in a tomato sauce with a side dish of eggplant and tomato.

Rounded out by a chocolate soufflé.

They are the original 0 mile diet here - they only cook what is in season and what they buy at the market, all organic.  Fresh ingredients and our chef doesn't believe in food processors, the only spice he used was sea salt.  So good.

Here for one more whole day, then off to London on Thursday.

Thanks for reading.
c