Transfer Week and Special Dinners

Amidst transfers this week, we hosted Jacqueline and Claudio Fiorella at an American dinner at our apartment. It was a house full of people as we had Kiera Bennion and her sisters: Brittany, Annie, and Michelle staying with us. Sister Swenson and Sister Stephenson were also invited so they could translate. Sister Riffaldi, our newest Italian missionary had just arrived in town that day and was working with our two sister missionaries. Around the dinner table, mostly Italian was spoken with a running commentary of English going in the background. Everyone had a great evening together.

Sister Stephenson is a new trainer, and while she was attending her meetings in conjunction with that calling, Sister Swenson went on a little giro with Elder and Sister Sommerfeldt. We had thought to show her “Moses” and “Theresa” in downtown Rome, but by the time we left transfer circle those churches were closed for pranzo. We wandered over toward Venezia and there was a military show going on. Will sat in the helicopter there.
The man in charge about passed out to see this big man come up to him and want to get inside the copter.

Then, he couldn’t physically get both long legs inside.

They shared a fun moment together laughing and talking.

Sister Swenson and Sister Sommerfeldt opted to just have their picture taken together on the ground. This sweet sister (daughter) finished her mission this transfer.

Thursday evening we attended the “dying dinner” at the mission villa. This fine looking group of missionaries were preparing to return home after serving honorable missions.

Brother and Sister Calabrese are in the middle at the front with President and Sister Acerson on either side of them. The missionaries’ arms of love were encircling them.

Brother Calabrese puts in hours of volunteer work at the office. He is also our Stake Patriarch and a beloved member of our ward. Brother and Sister Calabrese are both converts to the church and they often tell the missionaries how grateful they are that they have given of their time to come to Italy and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Friday night was date night – especially with Mother’s Day coming. We finally tried out the Amatrice Restaurant that is right at the end of our lane. We often eat pizza when we go out, but I wanted to try the house specialty – which was pasta. Before Valentino brought out my pasta, he tied pasta bibs on us. We were laughing hard, but it’s a great idea.

Valentino agreed to have his picture taken with Karen. He was a very accommodating and fun waiter, and he also spoke great English.

Poppies – will always mean spring in Italy to us! With red and black faces turned to the sun, they grow wild along the roadways.

Sorrento and the Almalfi Coast

Our Saturday outing this week took us south to Sorrento

and the Almalfi Coast.

Sorrento is known for it’s beautiful inlaid-wood music boxes.

The wood is cut paper-thin before applying to the designed part of the music box.

Each color on the box is a different kind of wood. For example: green is olive wood, pink is rose wood, red is mahogany, dark brown is walnut, etc.
Many stores carry a large variety of music boxes and inlaid-wood pictures.

Sorrento has great shopping

and a very pink church

And then there was the Almalfi Coastline


Will took over 385 pictures

These pictures were edited and only the best were kept.
Along the winding coastline road were incredible sights to enjoy.


There were fun roadside stands

Yes, those are lemons in the middle. This area is known for its lemon products. At dinner we ate lemon oil on our bread
A ceramic factory caught our eye on our drive.

The beautiful ceramics cost a small fortune but were sure fun to look at.

This table was several thousand dollars, but the shipping was free anywhere in the world

Will especially wanted to eat at a seaside restaurant and enjoy the view.

He chose this lovely setting, which we all enjoyed.

The little attached shop was fun too.

We wound our way almost to Salerno while enjoying the incredible view.

Cultural Week - i.e. Museum Discovery Week

This past week was Cultural Week in Italy. Throughout Italy most of the state museums were free, whereas they usually cost about 10 euro each to view them.


Even as we discovered museums we had not previously visited, we saw familiar sights as well.
Motorini’s are everywhere in Italy and the drivers are crazy in the chances they take.
Sometimes they pay the price of too fast, or too close, or too many chances. This picture was taken down by Termini. At least the driver had walked away from the accident. Sometimes they are not so fortunate.

The National Museum of Rome
This sarcophagus, or burial tomb, was incredible and intricate in it's carving.

In a vault in the basement, there was a huge ancient coin collection

We have come to really enjoy good sculpture. It is so amazing to think that a sculpture artist takes a huge, raw block of marble, and working from the outside in, can chip away just the right amount of marble to leave everything in proportion, with incredible detail. The way the marble is polished in the end makes it smooth, delicate, textured, flowing, or refined.
So, these are the museums, ruins, and scenery we enjoyed this week.
Borghese Museum
Pauline – is Will’s favorite sculpture in Borghese museum. Lady Borghese was actually the model.

Karen’s favorite is Apollo and Daphne. Theirs is a mythical story. Apollo is chasing Daphne through the forest. When he catches her, she begins changing into a tree - hence the branches growing out of her fingers and toes.

Castel Sant’Angelo

The Coliseum

The Roman Forum
A former dining room in the forum


Museum of Modern Art
Modern, in this case, is everything from the 1700’s to the present. Here we viewed the best sculpture, other than Borghese Museum, that we have seen in Italy. There was a plethora of excellent sculpture. These pictures are a tiny sampling.
Cleopatra - notice the snake on the fruit

Cute sandals - even for today

Bronze boy with dog - the expression on the boy's face is priceless

Young ragged musician


Mussolini Mansion
This is the ballroom

A sitting room

Interesting bedroom furniture


The Owl’s House on the Mussolini Estate
This is a stained glass on the first level of the house

In the Mussolini park area

Spanish Steps. Once each year, they cover the steps with huge pots of brilliant flowers. It is very showy and draws the crowds.

On Sunday afternoon, Giuseppe took us on a giro to an area of Rome we had never seen before.
Giuseppe - our personal tour guide

Will, as usual was taking pictures, while Karen listened to an on-going art and history lesson.

This tour included:
Theresa !!

The tomb of a famous ancient Roman general

A fountain reminiscent of Trevi fountain - on one of the two hills in Rome

A "modern" Roman general

Anita, the general's wife and a fighter in her own right

The prison where Giuseppe works

The lighthouse at the top of the hill

A very full, interesting week!