Resuming in 2012

March 15, 2020

Locked down but not out in Italy

Singing from the balconies! One nice thing about this crisis ... solidarity! “Guess you’re not living like a tourist anymore,” was the funny, truthful and somewhat gut-wrenching message of a friend the day the lockdown in Italy began. Today is day 6. My beloved Italia has been hit hard with the COVID19 epidemic. With the second largest elderly population in the world, the epidemic has meant a disproportionate amount of deaths in the country. So though I haven’t been worried about contracting it myself, this isn’t about me or someone like me who, if contracted it would probably have a sucky couple of weeks and then recover. It is about if someone like me contracted it and then spread it to a person with a complicated health history or an elderly person with a weakened immune system. Eerily orderly: Lines for the grocery store, each person one meter apart In a country with no concept (and no physical room really) for personal space, and in a city with reproachable hygie...

So I lied to you. I am sorry. I didn't post pictures of tagliatelle or write about the new restaurants I tried in Rome. I did try many and, of particular note, I had one tagliatelle from Met in Ponte Milvio that was crazy good, but sadly, I have no photos as proof.

I can't offer a good excuse. Just that 2011 was a bit overwhelming for me. However, I have told you this story before, so I won't repeat it. I will just say that I breathed a sigh of relief at the ring of midnight and the start of a new year.

But despite a December filled with doctors and antibiotics first for me, then for my cat, then for my boyfriend. The year also ended with a family-filled Christmas, a friends and fondue-themed New Year's and generally wonderful week in Montreal. And this time I do have photo evidence. Behold.