Rome 10/24 – My view for awhile – UPDATED

I was up well before sunrise at 06:45.

I wont see anything of sunset at 16:45.

The calendar still has the Ave Maria at 17:30. Grrr.

Thank you for this day, Lord.

It is the Feast of St Juan Diego. The story of his canonization and miracle is amazing.

On my way to Mass.

UPDATE:

The process of getting to the airport went smoothy, little traffic (for Rome) going out at 8:30. Check in, passport, security, to the lounge took about 20 minutes. This was the case the last time I took this flight back to these USA at this time. Gotta remember that.

In the lounge I recognized a well-known Jesuit theologian – a good one- and we had a good chat before our respective flights.

The flight itself. In the row behind me and in the middle section was a couple with a toddler who alternatively went -duh duh duh duh duh and then shrieked for several minutes… for the first six hours. After a respite… started up again. Gotta think there’s something wrong there. Another passenger was realllllly creepy. An old woman, one might say a crone, with dyed blond hair that went out at a 45 degree angle to he shoulders. Her hair on top was – how to describe – pulled wound into a vertical cone, like a spike, sticking up from the middle of her head, tightly bound up. I had on a polo shirt for the flight, no collar this time (I usually do fly in black but all my clothes needed washing). When I made my way to the head, her face shot towards me a locked on me with a look of real hatred. “Uh huh,” quoth I, “That’s about right”. I continued, “Dear Jesus pour your Most Precious Blood down on her”. The next time I got up, no evil stare.

At JFK there was hardly anyone waiting for passport control. Luggage came in about 10 minutes and ride in another 10.

Things could not have been smooth except for the either challenged child and the the wicked witch of the west.

Sights from the first evening.   The Verrazzano costs $13 each way.  Think about that for a daily commute.