We caught the bus to meet a Swiss-born cousin who has lived in Rome for over 50 years. Margherita is a first cousin to my father, Werner, and Hedy (mentioned in previous blog posts). I wasn't really sure what to expect given I'd never met my cousin before, but based on my affection for the rest of the cousins, I thought we'd enjoy a coffee together. To my delight we enjoyed much more that a coffee.
Margherita is an interesting lady! She shared some fascinating family stories and gave us an excellent tour of parts of Rome we would have missed on our own. Great detail was offered on the city, it's politics and local churches. We absorbed as much as we could. The kids requested no more church visits at the end of the 7th or 8th one, but we did see some beautiful art and architecture.
One of the reasons that it was nice to meet today, was because we have had a painting my Margherita's husband hanging in our home for about 10 years. Unfortunately, Franco couldn't join us today to share the story about it himself.
One of the highlights today was lunch. We went to a restaurant that Margherita has been going to for years, and I can see why. I enjoyed a fresh antipasto plate while sitting in a quiet square looking at a beautiful church. It felt like an authentic Roman outing.
Thank you for a great day, Margherita.