Diet Update - January

Who am I kidding? Of course Dr. Phil is saying the truth! With all the food I had during my last two trips, and what came in between, I have strayed from my weight loss regime not a little but a lot!!! However, since I got back, I've been watching what I'm eating and skipping dinner, and exercising for an hour every day. So far, I lost 1Kg, but that is only, as I know it, water retention. The hard work of losing the true weight is only beginning. So best of luck to me! And best of luck to all who are trying to get fit and healthy this year!

Wisdom Of the Week

It is never too late to be what you could have been.

George Eliot

When In Rome - P2

When in Italy actually, at every street corner you'd find a tiny shop with the sign of "Fast Food" written above it. So do they serve burgers? No! in fact I did the mistake of once ordering a burger from a shop and it was one of the most disgusting burger I ever had in my entire life I just threw it away. I learned my lesson. When in Italy stick to the Pizza! So in every "Fast Food" corner you'll find Pizza and Foccacia sandwiches. Man! the pizza I had at these places was the best! The crust was amazing, with the right amount of tomato sauce and cheese! We were also once invited to a restaurant which specializes in pizza, unfortunately like many times my cam battery was dead at the beginning of trip and forgot every time to recharge it. I am only sorry I didn't snap any pics, of the food Roberto served us at his restaurant. I was so confused, I didn't know what to order because all looked so delicious. Roberto only nodded and patted me. "No worry." He tells me in his broken English. Moments later he brings me two different kind of pizzas with rocca leaves salad, no they were not big, as appetizers, then four kind of pastas in small portions for a second course, then a breaded chicken with fries, Veal limone and the juiciest steak with grilled veggies on the side as a third course. I am only sorry, honestly really sorry that I didn't snap any pictures of the food which was brought to us because it was one of my fondest memories of the whole trip. For dessert, we had a biscuity waffle dessert topped with fresh berries and cream, and a chocolate tartufo. We got to the restaurant around 2.30 pm and left around 7.30. It was for me the best meal I had in Italy. Oh yes! I indulged on food during this trip. Our breakfasts, lunch and dinners, or what I call "Lunner" which is a late lunch early dinner, were filled with fat and carbohydrates! I even gave up on the salads after the first day. Now since I got back I've been a good girl, eating healthy and exercising, and hoping to lose those kilos I put on during the trip, although I'm still craving a good slice of Pizza ;p

one of the best pizza!

I do't know why I bothered to order fries but they were good anyway

At the small hotel we stayed at, we were

served one evening, on of the best Pana Cota

I every had with a black berry coulis.

This is for Ansam!

So while exiting our hotel in Rome, I find these chestnuts and my first thought

was you Somsom! I had to take a picture and I bought some, and ate it with lot of thoughts of love for you ;)

The smell of the chestnuts filled the air! Just loved it! Yum Yum! Really warmed us up in the freezing temprature of Rome ;)

When In Rome

So I'm back, tired and jetlagged. It has been a whirlwind of a trip, two days here, two days there, and two days over there. It took us three airplanes to reach our first destination, then we hired Marco to drives us to the surrounding small towns for our meetings. As much as I've been to Italy, I've never been to Rome, except for the airport. We decided to stay there for the last day. We arrived in the wee hours of the morning, checked in and went for an early breakfast. Then back to the hotel we decided to make most of what's left of the day. Being history geeks, we did the whole tourist thing in five hours. By the time we were done, we were so exhausted and just passed out. The next morning we were on our way to the airport back home. Frankly, if you visited small towns around Italy, such as in Florence, Tuscany and Siena, Rome isn't that impressive. I didn't like it that much. It is crowded and dirty. I hated our hotel, after staying in small family owned and very clean hotels which were run by the mama and the papa and the children and grandchildren, our hotel in Rome although new and modern I didn't like it at all. The food isn't that good either, after what Papa Georgio fed us in Siena and rich authentic meals from other small towns we visite, the food in Rome compared to them was just awful. Well, to be fair, I enjoyed the Vatican most. Being a religious landmark, it had that air of serenity, and the staff was very helpful and nice. We stayed there the better part of our tour, by the end of it we sat at a café inside the Vatican's garden and warmed up with the most dark and intense hot chocolate. For lunch we wanted to go to a restaurant my sister recommended we should try, unfortunately it was closed by the time we reached there, so our driver Gabrielle suggested another place. The food wasn't that bad, but the service was awful. The waiter was very rude, we didn't leave him a tip and he was very offended and started grumbling! Fahad and I were so astonished, our reaction to the waiters attitude was, even though Fahad was very pissed, we started laughing! and still laughing just by remembering the way he threw the plates when he served us. Well. If I'm not making any sense, it's because I'm still exhausted. Enjoy the pics.

Best Canolli ever! At Piccarozzi Cafe.

I wanted to have lunch there and the food looked so

good, but Fahad wanted to try some other place.

Fahad's Chocolate Cake

Espresso anyone? The best!

Out tickets to the Musei Vaticani

Oh Yes! we have to go all the way up there.

Sphere within a sphere inside the musems garden

The Vatican's Library.

A Bible cover in silver and gold and encrusted with

jewels. Very impressive.

The fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chaple.

It is a bit fuzzy because I was snapping very quickly.

Inside the Sistine Chapel

I loved the hot chocolate served inside the Vatican's

garden cafe.

The exit of the Vatican Musem

Pantheon and the square in front of it

Fontana di Trevi

Colosseo and its surroundings

Barroco... the food was ok but the service

was terrible.

Risotto with porcini and beef

Penne with Susage (Gabrille's order)

Tartufo Fettuccini (My Order)

Bye Bye Rome...