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SUNDAY APRIL 17:
My cousin, Jimmy Mella & his girlfriend, Tara, pick me up at home at
around 2pm. We arrived in good time at the airport.
I usually arrive at noon, even though my flight is at
5:45pm. I do so to request an exit seat or bulk
head. Luckily we both got an exit seat with plenty of leg room.
MONDAY APRIL 18:
The flight was smooth
and we arrived on time in Rome. After a small problem of a bag left on
the plane we proceeded to the baggage area where we met my friends Jake &
Bernice Ginder who were on the Continental flight with Tara.
I called on my cell phone for a pick up and Massimiliano (Danilo’s
brother) was there in ½ hour. So we were in Rome at Hotel Alimandi by lunch time.
We all left our bags at the hotel and took a walk to the market at the end
of Via Tunisi and stop at the ATM machine for some Euro.
Originally I was to sleep in Paolo’s kitchen, but again my luck held out
and I had my old room for the entire week.
Jake & Bernice had the small apartment next to my room. Jimmy & Tara take
a cab to their rented apartment on the Via Giulia near the Farnese.
Well, after a light lunch at my friend Giulio & Mary’s restaurant down the
block from my apt. we rested for a few hours. We had made arrangements
with Jimmy to meet us in Piazza San Pietro at around 6 pm for the first Fumata of the papal
elections.
We all put on the red hats I bought (all except Jimmy, who proudly wanted
to show off his receding hair!)
The cardinals had already entered into the Sistine Chapel and the doors
were locked (CON CLAVO). I believe that first day there was no
voting. However, since the piazza was full, they had to send up the smoke
signal at 8:30 pm to send everyone home.
While in the piazza we were approached by various members of the media,
NBR interviewed us, Jeff Diamant from the Star Ledger, seeing our red
hats, came over and started to interview us for an article with
photos (this was never placed in the paper- but there were some mention of
my name in two of his articles)
As we returned to the apt. on the Via Tunisi we decided to stop at
Antonio’s Dai Bastioni for a light dinner then on to bed.
TUESDAY APRIL 19:
 I got up early and went over to the hotel’s roof top
garden for breakfast. First, however, I stopped by the market on Via
Andrea Doria to pick up some Tarrochi or blood oranges which I juiced for
Jake, Bernice & my breakfast. Jeff from the Star Ledger came over from his
hotel around the corner (Spring House) to join us for coffee and a few
questions.
Since the next Fumata was due after noon, we decided to go over at around
11:30. (There were 2 votes each morning and
afternoon. If one pope was elected then the ballots from both votes were
burned together)
I had the morning free to visit with a few friends and make some phone
calls. I also wanted to organize a dinner or lunch for either Friday night
or Saturday for lunch with my American & Roman friends.
We walked over to Piazza San Pietro at about 11:30am. We stood in the same spot behind the
great obelisk. Jeff from the Star Ledger found us there and asked if he
could “hang out’ with us. He asked us all questions about why we
where there and what we expected.
At about 12:00 pm the smoke started to rise. At first it
looked white. To add to the confusion the Angelus bells started to ring. A
clamor rose in the crowd and many rushed to the front of the piazza. They
thought the election had taken place. But the smoke proved them wrong, it
come out in a dark deep BLACK. Thus ended the second FUMATA.
We returned to have lunch at Giulio and then to rest. At about 5:45 pm I went down to the hotel with Jake. I
went into the office to send some emails while Jake went into the T.V.
room. At about 5:55 pm he came running in to tell me that there was smoke
and it looked white (because this was the burning of the ballots from the
first voting of the evening it meant that a pope had been elected!!)
I pick up my camera and ran with Franceso Alimandi (an older brother in the
family of 12 that run the hotels)
Franceso said all the way that it was Ratzinger. I replied, “It can’t be,
he doesn’t want it!" Well, I found out how wrong I was.
As we entered the Piazza it was 2/3 full. We took a spot in one of the
corridors on the right side of the piazza. Because of my height and the
red hat, the rest of the Alimandi's, Paolo, Martha, Daniela came over. Jimmy
Mella, who was out walking saw people running to St. Peter’s so he started
over and found us, as did Tara.
Within ½ hour some 3 hundred thousand + had filled the square and the Via
della Conciliazione that leads to the Tiber.
Now the excitement increased in volume, the big bell, Sant’Andrea, started
to ring (it seemed that it took Quisimodo some time to get there to start
ringing).
Into the right colonnade the Banda dei Carabinieri came in. To the left a
long colorful line of the Swiss Guards filled in to take their place.
Bells, cheers, band playing created a deafening din. As deafening as the din
was, so also the silence was, when the Camerlengo of the College of Cardinals
came out onto the central balcony above the main door of the Basilica.
 Now the news everyone was there to hear: “NUNCIO VOBIS GAUDIUM MAGNUM,
HABEMUS PAPAM”
I announce to you great joy, we have a pope, when I head the Latin name of
JOSEPHUM I realized that Francesco was right, Cardinal Ratzinger was
elected pope. He took the name of Benedict of the number XVI. I believe he
took this name in honor of St. Benedict who founded western monasticism
and help convert Europe to the church. I think that one of the
main concerns of his papacy will be the re-conversion of Europe! When he came out to great the people I
saw a humble & spiritual man, not the cold Teutonic man that the media
made of him. He waved with both hands, he asked for the help of our
prayers, he spoke in proper Italian with a heavy German accent. It looks
like the Rhine has truly flown into the Tiber!!
I received a message on my cell phone from an old school friend, Marina
Cosi’, who is a journalist for RAI and also is president of the Journalist Union in Italy. Her office is located across the bridge
at the beginning of the Corso V.E.
As we were crossing the bridge (all wearing our red hats) a young lady
called out my name, ALFREDO! It turned out to be the daughter of my friend
Chipper Dongara. Chipper had told me that his daughter was going to be in Rome that week. I had written her that we
would all be wearing our red hats, so she took a chance and found me in a
crowd of some 300,000. I invited them to my lunch at the Alimandi on Sat.
and then we went on our way to Marina’s office.
Needless to say Marina is as far to the left as I am to the
right. When we were at the Catholic
University in Milano I was the token Conservative in
a sea of misguided leftist!
We went out to dinner at a place on the Corso called Luigi. After dinner
we walked into Piazza Navona for Tartufo and then back to the apt to
sleep.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 20
Breakfast was early again. Made more fresh blood orange juice. My other
cousin, Judy Mella Persichielli was due in this morning with her husband
Tony and the Bishop of Trenton, John Smith. Judy and I had been planning
this trip for some 15 years. Sadly enough she was late by a day and didn’t
see the FUMATA BIANCA.
I called her and told her I would stop by her hotel near Piazza Navona. I
got there, Hotel Rafael, a little after noon and we walked over to Piazza Navona for a
cappuccino.
After I walked them back to the hotel I called Jimmy on his cell to see
what he was doing. He was in the Ghetto with Tara waiting to have lunch. He asked me to
join them. So I walked over and met them in the Square behind the
Synagogue. This area is called Portico di Ottavia, which was the ancient
entrance to the Theatre of Marcellus (Ottavia’s son and heir to Augustus).
We found this great little place for lunch called, appropriately, Il
Portico. I had always wanted to try the famous “Ghetto Food” called carciofi alla giudia and Fiori di Zucca. The first are artichokes cut
to the heart and deep fried- are they GREAT. The second, fried zucchini
flowers, is something that I make at one of my classes. You take the
flower, fill them with mozzarella and anchovies, dip them in a batter and
deep fry them-THEY ARE HEAVENLY.
We walked back towards the Campo dei Fiori to pass by the Trattoria der
Pallaro where we wanted to have dinner that night. From there I walked to
the Corso Indipendenza and hopped on a bus to Piazza del Risorgimento
which is a short walk back home.
That night, Jake, Bernice & I took a cab to dinner at Der Pallaro where we
met Judy, Tony,& Father Joe (the Bishop’s secretary-the bishop had dinner
with the big guys at the North American) and Jimmy & Tara who came in
latter.
Der Pallaro is a prix fix dinner for Euro 21. It’s one of the best
bargains in Rome. The price includes: antipasti, pasta,
roast with potatoes and vegs, wine & water on the table. For dessert we
had a sweet tangerine juice and a Crostata.
Besides other topics at dinner we did set up dinner for the next night.
Jimmy & Tara invited us to his Villa Mella on the Via Giulia at 7pm for
cocktails and I was to make reservations at an other restaurant in the
Ghetto, Il Pompiere (The Firefighter)
THURSDAY APRIL 21
This was the day for me and the Ginders to shop and prep up for the lunch
on Saturday. I had made up a menu and shopping list before I came over. So
off we went to the open air market on the Via Andrea Doria and also stops
at Di’ per Di’ & Todis, two supermarkets across from the hotel.
We started at 11 am in the kitchen, took a lunch break and
returned that afternoon for a few hours.
What a menu:
Hot antipasto: eggplant rollatini, scampi in garlic
butter, suppli’ al telefono, Cold Antipasto: pinto bean salad,
marinated mushrooms. Pasta: Spaghetti alla puttanesca, anglelotti
con prosciutto e gorgonzola, Entrée: Roasted pork stuffed with dried fruit, sausage & spinach with roasted
potatoes and mixed salad.
Dessert: My unorthodox Tiramisu
I couldn’t have done this alone, so great thanks to Jake & Bernice.
We arrived at the Villa Mella in time. Judy & Tony were already there.
Marina and a friend came for a drink.
We left for the restaurant at about 8 pm. Marina said that another friend, Michele, was to
join us at Il Pompiere. So we were 10 at the table.
The waiter suggested a Frittura mista, including the artichokes,
zucchini
flowers, fried cheese & fruit. Everyone ordered an entree - mine was a
wonderful grilled mixed fish platter. Every thing was fresh and well
prepared. I highly recommend this place in the future.
FRIDAY APRIL 22
Friday was another prep day in the kitchen. By the afternoon I was really
tired. Even after my nap I just wanted to stay in. Jake and Bernice when
off to Perilli in Prato and I stayed at the hotel to relax. But
that didn’t work. Paolo & Sandra insisted I accompany them to Dai Bastioni
for dinner. So I started to walk with them down the block. We got as far
as Guilo & Mary’s and Mary came out and invited us in for dinner. They are
usually not opened for dinner but they had a group there. Well, I ate like
I was going to the chair! I tried to walk off the dinner but only got
around the corner and returned home. To bed with a full stomach, not good!
SATURDAY APRIL 23
The day of the big lunch was here and also one day to go before I returned
home. Had breakfast and did some last minute shopping. Got into the
kitchen around 9:30 and started the Roast and potatoes. The
guest started to arrive at 1:30 pm. Judy and the Bishop et al had a tour
of the two hotels. We then sat around the table and I started to serve
then meal. The Dongara group was a little late, but they got here in time
for the pasta course. The group expanded to 30+. Everyone had a great
time.
After lunch I returned to my apt for a rest and the bishop took a group to
the Vatican.
Dinner that nite was leftovers. Then to my room to pack and set the alarm
for 6 am.
SUNDAY APRIL 24
Got up really early, around 4 am and took my shower at
5am and was down at the lobby with Jake at
6:00 am. Had a cappuccino & some toast. Massililano picked me up at 6:45 and went into town to pick up Jimmy &
Tara. The only problem was that the center of Rome over to the Vatican was completely shut down! Maxi knows the
back streets and was able to get to the Via Giulia, but getting out of
town was really difficult, so he took the long way around. But we got to
the airport by
8:15 am, not bad with all the detours. Well,
lucked out again, got a bulkhead seat!
Flight was quiet, until the landing (not my favorite part of the trip).
Got home by 4pm. Now I’m planning of returning for a
month this summer.
Being at the papal election has been one of my greatest dreams, to be part
of history was overwhelming. I shall never forget this week in Rome. My friend Karen Barone always says of
me, that I never left my prior life; I must have been a cardinal in the
Renaissance or maybe the poor guy who cleaned the brushes for Michaelangelo.
What ever I was, I know that Rome is home for me.
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