Weekend beach trip, walk in the park and a birthday party Oct 9-10,2010

dunes at beach south of ostia

the guys getting settled

lunch of wonderful mussels in a fabulous sauce followed by a fish pasta dish. great food and great sun.

some of us swam 

and our Swedish friend, Johan froze!

During my Sunday morning stroll new structures appeared in the villa borghese park, an exhibit called Our Silences.

Susan and I aren't affected by "our silences" as we chat non-stop on these Sunday morning walks

A Mexican installation, white bronze statues with taped mouths. supposed to symbolize how we shouldn't remain silent in the face of adversity, or when we feel like we would like  to say something but we don't.  Our unspoken thoughts  when expressed perhaps could make the world a better place. At least that is what i understood from the one exhibit sign

and writing on the back, perhaps supposed to be the words never spoken?

our usual route passed the duck, turtle and fish pond

birthday dinner table set

the birthday boy

Great dinner of a spicy, roasted pumpkin soup, stew and rice, salad and a divine chocolate pave cake with whipped cream and/or an assortment of ice-cream (yogurt,or fruit sorbets), accompanied by a French red wine, an Italian red and with dessert an 1845 spanish madera. A nice celebration!