more Felix and Kika in Rome

See Felix and Kika's signature Thunderbirds pose in front of the Thunderbirds building. (the Fao..Francisco says i don't have to redact that)

Felix and Kika's first few days in Roma

Arrivata

We're here!

The first few days we've wandered zombie-like through the streets of Rome, pinching ourselves.. we're really here. We stayed in a lovely hotel in Aventino (which had a plaque on the entry stating 'one of the most romantic hotels in the world'. We didn't get up to much romance and they didn't have room service either, which made having 3 meals a day tricky since the kids would fall asleep at 4 30 in the afternoon due to jetlag and the restaurants don't open until 7 pm.  Then they'd wake up around 3 or 4 am and would be particularaly bouncy which meant that we had to try and keep them quietish for 3  hours since the rest of the hotel was probably trying to sleep after all that romance. 

Ten days in those settings wouldn't be benificial to our stresslevels (and nutrition) so we left the hotel sooner than planned. Now we're staying in a small, rather flash 2 bedroom appartment near the Colosseum. It's heinously expensive but has all the essentials and a lot of glass table tops and Ikea utensils. It has a washing machine (but no dryer), lots of cupboards and drawers, internet access, 'autonomous' heating (does it's own thing). We have a view of some  BC ruins, St. Peter in the distance, and the best bakery in Rome around the corner.

The small fortune we handed over for the privilege to stay here doesn't guarantee continuous electricity, about 3 times a day we have to take the elevator down and two sets of stairs to flick the power switch back up again.

Our days so far this week revolve around figuring things out and getting the right forms and papers. We've already clocked many a mile around the [redacted] Thunderbirds building which houses more people than live on Waiheke Island. It's a maze of buildings and lifts and staircases (the staircases unrelated to the lifts). When you've finally found the person in the office you've been looking for (this is after passing through security and receiving the correct security pass in  exchange for your passport), it's unlikely they are there because they may be having coffee (at 10 30) lunch (at 12 30) or won't be back until 2 30 (for reasons that nobody is in their office until 2 30) or in Budapest (the entire personnel administration is about to move to Budapest). Felix and Kika have already had quite enough of visiting 'THE OFFICE'. 

We have had some success though. We've been here less than a week and so far we managed to get a Codice Fiscale,  a building pass for both mr. Blaha and mrs Kirsten Blaha (although i don't know who that woman in the picture is), a simcard for francisco's phone, almost a bank account (i think), a school for Felix (but it's definetely going to be too expensive for Kika in september as the thunderbirds don't subsides her until she's five so we're going to have to find an italian kinder for her!) and this afternoon our first appointment to look at a permanent place to live. 

Apart from all this traipsing around for the right forms, signatures, codes and permissions, the setting is of course quite impressive. From 'the office' there's a view of the Circus Maximus and the ruins of the Forum Romanum. To get there from our appartment we cross a park and then walk past the Colosseum (or take the bus). In the weekend we went for a bike-ride in the Villa Borghese and hung out at some lovely Piazzas. It's been cold but really lovely sunny dry weather so the colours and the light are just perfect. We've had some amazing coffees (macchiato my choice of brew). Our first visit  to the neighbourhood supermarket nearly reduced me to tears for all the amazing food. I just didn't know where to start! It's artichoke season and Romans like to buy seasonal and local so artichokes everywhere. And mandarins everywhere as well.. literally.. on the trees.

ok time to cook pasta for the kids. I'll post some pics.

Oh and one last observation: Rome's favourite car must be the  Smart. You can park it sideways like a motorbike!

Next Stop Hong Kong

Next Stop was Hong Kong Disneyworld. We went straight from the Airport Hotel by train to Disneyworld, with the Disney Train (on special request from Felix)

We met Snowwhite, climbed Tarzan's treehouse, went on all the rides, saw 3d shows, ate noodles, met the chinese god of Fortune, and more. Of note: Vibeke went with Felix on the Space Mountain rollercoaster ride.  I don't like rollercoasters AT ALL, but Francisco officially didn't fit and they had to stop the ride for him. So then i had to do it with Felix and i squeezed him so hard he couldn't breathe he told me afterwards!   

So long NZ

So long NZ
Originally uploaded by Zoet

Raul took us to the airport in the Bongo van on tuesday the 22nd of January.
Because the Italians don't allow you to import surfboards as a resident into Italy we couldn't pack it with all our other stuff with the shipment.
So we had to travel with Frano's Pope Bi-sect longboard. Although we got questioned about it by a Marlon Brando look a like customs officer on arrival at Fiumicino Airport, we're happy to report that we did in fact manage to take the Pope to Rome.
This moment was the conclusion of a long week/month of goodbyes to all our beloved friends, whanau and places on Waiheke Island. All that 'leaving behind' leaves you feeling a little drained, so i'm kind of happy to move onto the next phase, which is diving into the unknown. But we'll miss you guys!
Here's to believing that in the end, this will all make us 'richer' in experiences and knowledge and understanding... And i'm looking forward to spending some time with my Europe-based family and friends.

arrivederci waiheke island

sad to leave the island
Originally uploaded by Zoet

that's it.. we're off. In the middle of a hot summer month, Waiheke Island suitably put on some rain and choppy seas to send us off. Who knows when we're back? We love the island, but we also love adventure and we thought living in Rome for a few years would be pretty special.