Last day of workshop - yay!

More domesticated today. We were able to stay in until 10 a.m - fewer tears with each day now which is ‘the name of the game’ as far as I'm concerned. Even managed to climb the 10 stairs with stroller folded up AND with Sophie in my arms. Big tick to both of us today. I feel like I'm getting my momma skills back.

Cappuccino on the way - 1 Euro 10 cents!

Wet and cooler today - in my parka for good measure (definitely needed later). The street vendors are busy outside the Metro station selling umbrellas; it was hats yesterday.

So it is good we are having a quiet one without (so far) having to tramp the streets when it is not really such good weather anyway. Seems like Sophie and I are a bit more of a team now - I even got kisses yesterday! Bellissimo!!

We set off after topping up with mama's milk and it took a while for Sophie to settle. We headed down in light rain along via de Cerchi on the side of Circo Massimo nearest the Forum - the footpath is difficult in places: cars parked beyond the kerb making it impossible to get past with the stroller and stay on the footpath, forcing us out into the traffic.

But this Palatine area is interesting nevertheless. We came out in via dell'Ara opposite the Temple of Hercules Victor with its colonnade of twenty Corinthian-style columns arranged in a circle.

Here I find the lovely church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin built in the 8th century hidden away here; it has a tall bell tower. Hidden gem.

But now it is starting to get really wet. Thank goodness we trialled how to put the waterproof cover on the stroller this morning before Kathryn went to work. We ‘make haste’ back to the FAO.

On the way in, I get waves or smiles of familiarity from security; and on Floor 2 there is the nice IT technician; and the admin support girls who are designated to the various rooms: there is a sweet girl for the Ethiopia and Philippine Rooms on either side of us; our girl for the Nigeria Room has a very nice head-dress and has taken a little while to warm to us but, despite speaking English, she's been warmer since we started to talk in Italian. There is also the nice man down the hall who offered me his office the other day when Sophie was inconsolable (Day 2, the really long day) and we say ‘hello’ and wave every day now. Even some of the delegates greet us like we are part of their group.

We are back for lunch now at the workshop: drying out, fed, nappy changed, Skype to daddy in Panama (7 a.m. there). Sophie is helping mama facilitate the last session. Thank goodness today (Thursday) is the last day of the workshop! There are meetings on the days beyond this.

The group has broken up into discussions now and then they have a Skype link to Richard ‘the head honcho’ who is over in the U.S. so I am having a break before ‘the last bash‘ for the afternoon. They anticipate not finishing before 6 tonight.

The Sri Lankan delegate I spoke with at dinner last night has arrived with a gift of boxes of tea for me - how nice!

So we set off as the afternoon session kicked off and when Sophie was getting tired? It is raining steadily. Back on with all the wet-weather gear, stroller too. Sophie asleep by the time we rolled out the building: past the Ethiopia Room, the Malaysia Room, down the very slow lift (doing my stretches now while I wait for it to arrive), out through two sets of sliding doors, down the painstakingly slow but essential lift adjacent to the final set of stairs, past security and into the street.

Decided to walk to the Colosseum and back - why not? I need to be back by 5 (alle diciassette the man at the gate said) so we will be "moving it". 

All dull of course due to the rain but it beats pacing corridors past the Iran Room or Indonesia Room. Passed lots of tourist buses, lots of glum and wet tourists - how nice Sophie and I went the other day: blue sky, hot even, then!

I found an interesting way back along the tram route at the foot of the Parco del Celio area away from the hustle and bustle of traffic and people on the level below on the busy via San Gregorio, back past San Gregorio monastery that we passed the other day when we went up into the park.

Down on viale Aventino there is a tram track in the middle of the street. I notice taxis can use this also so have to keep my eyes peeled for not just trams when I cross; have seen OTHER vehicles use this too, looking like VIPs (or maybe they just think they are! I'm convinced the Italians make laws and rules simply for them to be broken!).

Race back through security by 5 p.m. and go up to the 8th floor which many people have said has a cafetteria/bar etc. and great views. Everything closed however - a drink would have been nice (!)  - but the views certainly ARE fantastic! 

Pity I'm only using the phone for photos...

Meeting goes to 6:30 p.m. Sophie stroppy. The team of 4 are going out for dinner. We pack up the conference room and load the pram with boxes of stuff - get to the lifts; they have been turned off at 7 p.m. A man fortunately emerges from his office on his way home and calls security to turn the lift back on. 

Down we go, organise temporary storage for the stuff, then head out to dinner at the place I found in Testaccio yesterday - Da Oio in via Galvani.

It turns out to be a terrific place: the food is authentic Italian, the waiter is wonderful with Sophie (as is an older gentleman behind us who spends the evening making eyes at her). She tastes potato, grilled zucchini and carciofi (artichokes) and thoroughly enjoys herself (although the floor under the table is a disaster!).

I get more kisses.

Kathryn has roast lamb and I have polpette (meatballs) which we share followed by the most delicious tiramiso I think I have ever had. Kathryn pays for the 5 of us - the price including wine is about what we'd pay for 2 people in Australia.

Home - and bath-time for Sophie, a load of washing and off to bed.