ROME IN GENERAL

The weather: it is really great although mid-summer is a little warm (36 - 42°C during the day and a cool >32°C at night). Winters are cool (minimum -5 to 7°C, maximum 8 to 16°C) but the buildings are centrally heated and everybody is geared up for the cooler weather. My "polar" friends keep reminding me this is NOT cold!! It is refreshing to walk to work in the morning in winter as this means one is then ready for the first cup of coffee immediately arriving at work. As it is a Mediterranean climate, it is similar in many ways to the western Cape (usually without all the wind).

Being a tourist: I have still not been to see most of the tourist places, such as the Vatican Museum / Sistine Chapel. Perhaps one day before I retire ...................... amazing how little one tends to do when one lives in a place like this. However, a concerted effort will be made to rectify this shortcoming. Now that the children are old enough to baby sit themselves without serious injury, it is time to start exploring!