Inspired by the Monthly Writing Challenge The next few weeks mark two years since the pandemic really hit home here in Italy. While we were under the international spotlight as the virus exploded across parts of the country and into the global headlines, we still had no sense of what was to come. Swiftly, we went into lockdown as the world watched slightly aghast at the strength of the measures. We were very much restricted to our homes. One family member could go out to the supermarket, food stores or chemists. We had to carry papers justifying why we were out and we were expected to be within 200 metres of our home address unless we couldn’t access food or medical supplies within that limit. We queued up silently, two metres apart, in masks and gloves, not even daring to speak to anyone, to nervously do the food shop. In our home, in central Rome, we heard the birds and people singing and tried to block out the only traffic sounds in our neighbourhood, that of the ambulances he
Thoughts and experiences while we live our Italian adventure. Gathered together in the gardens created by the Princess Zenaide, a 19th century writer, poet, singer and host of literary salons who followed her fortunes and sought to create beauty.