They arrive in thousands in wintertime and transform the roman sky with their evolutions.

​Starling’s flocks are beautiful to see and always distract me when I am driving, nevertheless being thousands and thousands they create some problems as well.  The make a real mess on the cars.

Italians like sports: running, biking or playing soccer. There are races taking place in Rome on a regular base...the most famous is the Roman Marathon in April.
We have a marathon on All Saint’s Day, November 1st too. Any opportunity to run by the most beautiful sights of Rome is welcomed by the roman citizens, Italians and foreign participants.
If you are in town and want to join the race, you find the info here: http://www.corsadeisanti.it/

In the past article, I stressed the importance of the she wolf for the roman citizens.

I want to give you an example by posting these wonderful pictures done by Greta, a 5 years old child, in school.

The She Wolf feeds Romolus and Remus

Romolus saw more birds in the sky, therefore the Gods prefer him and he will be the founder of Rome. (Look at Auspicia for more info)

​Romulus set the borders of Rome and Remus invaded it. Romulus killed Remus

​The She Wolf is the most important and significant among the Roman animals.
The myth of Rome’s origin state that a she wolf breast-fed the two abandoned babies Romulus and Remus saving their lives. Romulus, grown adult, was the founder of Rome.
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The she wolf is therefore associated to Rome foundation, to our sense of identity and has been the symbol of Rome in the past 28 centuries.

It seems strange but events that happened millennia ago are current for a Roman citizen, the She Wolf is a symbol with which the Romans identify themselves now.
It is the emblem of the city together with the famous S.P.Q.R – the senate and the people of Rome.

The symbol of the She Wolf is everywhere: in the garbage cans, in the ribbon for road works, on the Capitol - the seat of the municipality. Of course, the soccer team Roma has the yellow and red roman colors and the she wolf as a symbol. The genuine Romans frequently wear a pendant with the she wolf.

I love the Frecce Tricolore, they make me feel proud I am Italian.

The ‘Frecce Tricolore’ National Aerobatic Team of the Italian Air Force

In these days they are training for the ceremony of June 2nd, Republic day.
I’ve been lucky of being by the Roman Forum just in the moment when the planes were drawing the tricolor in the sky. I was also able to take these pictures...

​Roman climate is very mild and pleasant in winter time, and quite hot in summertime. I always suggest winter visit to Rome: the sky is beautiful, the city is quitter not overloaded with tourists, the weather is not too chilly.
The snow in Rome is an event. It happens so rarely that I’ve seen snowing in my city only about 10 times.
Kids are excited, as they don’t go to school, the city is a bit paralyzed when it happens.
The snow never last more than 1 or 2 days. It soon melts, knowing this we hurry in taking the most of the pictures we can of our beloved roman sites with the snow.

The Roman sunsets are famous, beautiful, surprising.

​Rome is an incredible city: often at the end of a day spent exploring, the sight of the sky that ignites with extraordinary colors rewards us.

Rainbows are beautiful to see... it always takes me to a childish surprised mood when I see a rainbow in the sky.

​I always remind myself to look up, not to focus on the ground, on what I am doing, on being in a hurry.
As soon as I exit home in the morning, I look at the sky and the roman sky is beautiful and it repays and surprises me.
I want to share some pictures with you...

We have thousands of green parrots in town. They are all over...in the trees in front of my home, in the ruins of ancient Rome and a huge colony is in ancient ostia excavations.

They are not native of Italy; I imagine that green parrots owner tired of taking care of pets released them and they found my city very comfortable.

​They have considerably grown in number in the past few years.
I have never seen a green parrot when I was a child and now I wonder if they are replacing some other species.

We fortunately don’t have too many pigeons in Rome.

I have nothing against them, nevertheless these birds are dangerous for art works, and therefore a limited presence is optimal in the eternal city. 

​Largo Argentina, located in the very center of Rome, is an archeological site. The square was dug in the nineteen century revealing the remains and podium of four republican temples dating from the fourth to the first century before Christ.

​It sound strange, but it is right there that a cats colony resides. Homeless and abandoned cats are taken care in that beautiful setting and admired by the passerby. If a roman want to adopt a cat that is the place where to go. My brother got two cats there.

​Some 4 years ago, I saw the first rabbit on the palatine hill and since then, while touring with my clients the remains of the imperial palaces; I always look around for them.

The palatine hill is the site of Rome origins... where our story started 28 hundreds years ago. It is where Romulus, Rome founder, created the city. Because of this symbolic value, the hill later become the residence of Octavian Augustus and of the later emperors.

The site has majestic ruins and it is fascinating to immerse ourselves in this mixture of history, nature and power.

I love the idea that this historical place has new inhabitants now...the bunnies.

They are big... brown, grey and black colors, very calm, and not scared of people.
I do not know how many rabbits are there, I’m always wondering, as the area is very extensive.
 I saw them first time in 2015. In 2016, I counted four, but the following year I saw none. I was worried, of course. Then I saw them again last year and few weeks ago.
​I just love them.

​Rome is a great city for shopping; aside for the typical souvenirs, I believe fashion and particularly shoes are a must. Wearing them at home will bring you back in vacation.

Shopping the sales in Rome is a pleasure. Every year I try to resist and finally indulge in shopping.
In Italy, sales happen twice a year and the discounts vary from 20 to 70 percent.
The sales start around January 6th and every shop discount the prices of the fall and winter collections. The sales last a couple of weeks. The first days the choice is wider and discounts are lower, by the end the prices are cut down more.

​An important roman tradition during Christmas time is to visit the ‘100 Cribs’ exhibition held in the enchanting Sala Bramante in piazza del Popolo. The event is held from the beginning of December (usually December 8th) till the Epiphany.
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Over 150 cribs from all over the world are on display. Christmas Nativity created by artists from all over the world using all kind of materials: terracotta, clay, ceramic, cardboard and cork, mahogany, crystal, pasta, leaves and more.

On December 7th at midnight the faithful gather at piazza di Porta Capena to start the night pilgrimage to the Holy Mather on the eve of Immaculate Conception day. 

​The pilgrimage on foot last all night long. 
The walk proceed along the Old Appian Way, pass the Domine Quo Vadis church, proceed by the Catacombs of San Callisto, the Mausoleum of the ‘Fosse Ardeatine’ , and continue along the via Ardeatina ending at the Sanctuary at 5.00am.

​August 15, or Ferragosto, is the assumption of the Virgin Mary, one of the most important holidays on the Catholic calendar. In Italy it is a national Holiday.

The origin of the feast dates back to the reign of emperor Augustus: in 18 BC he instituted the  Feriae Augusti to mark the end of summer harvest and provide a day of rest for all. As frequently happen the pagan date now coincide with a religious one.

​Ferragosto is one of this clue days along the year when we party and look for absolute leisure with our beloved ones.
The week around August 15 is when you easily find many commercial sites closed for vacation as traditionally August is the month we select for summer vacations.
On August 15 in Rome, many major sites are open except the Vatican museum.

​Summer sales kick off 6 July.

In all shops the prices of the spring and summer collections are discounted from 20 to even 70 percent.

Of course, the first days of sales are the ones with the largest assortment of items, but as the days pass by the discounts became even most consistent.
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If you’re visiting Rome during the sales season don’t miss spending few hours shopping!

​Saint John day used to be celebrated with night parties and special traditions on June 24th  The event started the eve before and lasted until dawn. It was the night of the witches.
The romans believed that the ghosts of Herodias and Salome were condemn to wander on a broom at night to espy the sin of beheading St John the Baptist, and on that night, all witches met in St John’s square.
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The romans left their homes and gathered in the square to pray and eat snails.