Italy.

Gene invited me to Riderwood on Friday afternoon to see a film of La Traviata by Verdi in the main auditorium.  Gene introduced me to his pal – these two put on operas every Friday.  Gene asked me to go see this particular opera because it’s staged beautifully on location in France.  Here’s the most famous song (the only song to which I recognized the melody) from the film – the drinking song!  So starts my Italian day…

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In the evening, we watched Roman Holiday.  I’d never seen it before.

Priness Ann says (in response to a question about her favorite city) : Rome! By all means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live.

And Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn don’t get together in the end!  She needs to go back to her duties as a princess and is turning down being with GP – she says (with regards to her duty as a princess): Your Excellency, I trust you will not find it necessary to use that word again. Were I not completely aware of my duty to my family and to my country, I would not have come back tonight… or indeed ever again!