Shopping for an Icon

Athens is filled with tourist shops.

On the first of numerous strolls through the neighborhood of Plaka we found a small shop with religious items.

The owner, Anastasios Vobirakis, spoke English and, in addition to sharing his merchandise, he shared many stories about his Christian faith. We wanted to return to the shop to obtain an icon, but it took us the rest of the week to find the store again. It was not until our last night in Athens that we spotted it, but the shop was already closed.

When we returned in the morning we saw the store owner with his prayer book in front of the shop. He was happy to see us, and shared even more stories about his merchandise and the miracles of the saints.

Here we are with Anastasios and our icon of St. Paul.

When you are in Athens be sure to stop in and visit Anastasios and his religious items shop. (29 Panorosou St. -Mitropolis.

Athens for the 2010 Marathon

We just returned from Athens where Vincenzo ran in the Athens Classic Marathon. It was his second full marathon race, and his time was 10 minutes better than his Rome Marathon in March, 2010.

Athens airport banner announcing the Marathon.

Vincenzo's race "prep notes"

estimating when he will arrive at check points.

Eating the traditional before race bowl of pasta.

(Larry had the delicious moussaka seen in the foreground.)

Vincenzo in the stadium (seventh runner from the left) approaching the finish.

After the race with balloon and flowers.

Cheese Options at McDonalds

When you stop in at McDonald's in Rome for something to eat, part of the menu will seem familiar to Americans. You can see a picture of CBO, a sandwich with pollo, bacon and cipolla (in the US that's cheese-bacon-onion) next to the McFlurry options.

But then, there is a hamburger with mozzarella and basil.

There is also a hamburger with fresh pecorino cheese and rucola.

I chose the burger with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Canonization

On Sunday I journeyed with three friends to St. Peter's Square to witness the canonization of six saints, including Mary Mackillop, Australia's first saint.

Maria, Brad and Larry

Caravita, our church in the historic center,

was a center for picking up our pilgrim packs.

The packs included a guide to places in Rome that were important to Mary Mackillop, a booklet with her biography, a bottle of water, a rain pancho, and our pilgrim scarves.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square for the canonization Mass. (In addition to Mary Mackillop (1842-1909), Pope Benedict XVI also canonized the French Canadian Andre Bessette (1845-1937), Stanislaw Soltys (1433-1489) from Poland, Juana Cipitria Barriola (1845-1912) of Spain, and two Italians, Giulia Salzano (1846-1929) and Camilla Battista Varano (1458-1524).

St. Peter's Square was literally a sea of people. We we in front of a group from Scotland, beaming because of the Scottish heritage of Mary Mackillop, and behind a group of Australians of Lebanese descent.

Proud Australian Flags!

This cross contains a relic of Mary Mackillop and was presented to the pope during the canonization. (It was at Caravita a couple of weeks earlier, pictured here with Sister Maria Casey, a member of Mackillop's religious order who was the procurator for Mary Macillop's cause for sainthood, and Tim Fischer, the Austalian Ambassador to the Holy See.

Garbatella Windows

The architectural details in my neighborhood of Garbatella are always a feast for the eyes.

Today as I walked home along the Viale Guigliemo Massaia, named after a 19th century missionary to Africa and the Orient, I took some pictures of interesting windows.

The bathroom window is open!

This basil on the window sill

might end up as pesto for tonight's dinner.

Castelli Romani Half Marathon

On Sunday we went to the Alban Hills, south east of Rome, for the 12th Castelli Romani Half Marathon. Vincenzo ran a 22 km course that began and ended in the town of Genzano, winding its way through the hill towns of Fontanaccio, Ariccia, Villimi, Albano, Castel Gondolfo and Le Piagge.

We arrived early so that Vincenzo could warm up in the streets of Genzano.

Here are the runners leaving the starting gate.

Vincenzo running around a corner

with just a few hundred meters to go.

A happy runner with medal and flowers at the finish line!

Food Court in an Italian Mall

About 15 minutes from our apartment is an enormous shopping center called Euroma2. It is nearly 300 stores on three levels, with thousands of parking spaces.

Recently I was walking through the food court to get to an electronics store.(I needed vacuum cleaner bags.) It was not quite dinner time, so the food court was nearly empty. I took some pictures to give you a look at how Italians design food court outlets!

The golden arches of MacDonald's (above and below) are hardly visible!

About a dozen Italian coffee bars are scattered about in other parts of the mall. Here are a couple of them.