Author: Anna

  • Life and relations

    I had their family photo, and they had mine as you can see above. I was very happy, and it was great fun that I got a connection to my Dubai voyage. That day was a whole day with walking through some important parts of the Vatican. There were a lot of people, and I sometimes lost my group, but then I found them again. Plenty of beautiful frescos, marbles etc so I needed time to make my own reflections. I thought about my mother and that gave me some peace and harmony. I will from now on watch the pope on TV every year at christmas and remember her.

    I liked Rome, maybe because it was easy to talk to the Italiens. We have common interests like cooking, dogs, history, culture etc. They liked my cooking photos, especially the risotto, and the pizza made them smile. Moreover, I like that when I go by taxi I can talk to the driver, and they are very proud since they know a lot about their own history. Roald Amundsen was mentioned, since he was connected to Rome in one way or another. I have to read more about him, and maybe someone can send me a comment if you have any more information. He was an adventurer, and he actually came from Fredrikstad-Sarpsborg in Norway where I have lived for four years. Interesting.

    Dogs are very popular in Rome. I met several. I showed them my sweetie, and they had my photo. Ending today’s blogging by showing you “Sporty”. Dogs are different, and this dog really was sporty. So much energy and always on the go. Like my sweetie.

  • American family in the Vatican

  • Music unites religion?

    Religion is difficult, and I got in touch with it recently when my mother passed away. Last week in Rome, I stayed a whole day at the Vatican.  We had to wait for the guide who had some kind of trouble. Meanwhile, I started to talk to a family next to me. They were from Miami in Florida, and the father in the family works as a medical doctor within emergency care. The whole family are muslims, and they talked vividly about how to raise their children by showing them other religions. Even though you practice your own religion, there are also other religions that you have to show respect to.
    I actually was a little happy since I had been to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi last time I travelled. I showed them some photos and they had also been there. That was a nice start of the walk through parts of the Vatican – to unite with the Dubai voyage. I kindly asked them if I could have their photo to put it here on this blog. They said yes.
    Below is a part of the lyrics from “Losing my religion” by R.E.M..  Since I like the piano I searched a long time for an instrumental version of this song. Maybe it can summarize some.
    “Every whisper
    Of every waking hour
    I’m choosing my confessions
    Trying to keep an eye on you
    Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool
    Oh no, I’ve said too much
    I set it up”

  • Losing My Religion (Piano cover)

     

  • Marble makes my heart melt

  • Italian politics

  • Marble and core

    Challenge your brain. To think “out of the box” is not always easy. It is convenient and comfortable to stay in your zone that you are used to. There is a story about the chained elephant. This elephant had been chained his whole life. One day he was released, but he didn’t move even though he could. This reminds me of my own thinking. To be tied to past experience. That will always stay with you. Memories cannot be erased. To think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective is my daily challenge – to find novel and creative thinking.

    I am lucky. Stockholm is endowed with summer. I remember summers when it has been raining almost daily. Every morning I have my Nespresso. Sometimes tea. I follow the news, and usually it is very calm but the UK is having change. They have a new leader for the conservative party. Boris Johnson. I found a nice presentation of him here where he is introduced:

    https://www.economist.com/erasmus/2019/07/27/boris-johnsons-confusing-and-contradictory-religious-history

    There was not much politics in Rome. Only one occasion where a man wanted me to read about his party as I show you on the photo above. That was in the middle of square Piazza Farnese. He asked me if I am a communist. I told him that I am a tourist traveling. And indeed, he was in a way right, I have been to several countries where communism is dominating. Like Cuba and Vietnam.

    It is now approximately 30 days til running. I will more actively focus on core training. Those muscles are very important when you run. I don’t want any injuries. What is your training objective?