Me vs. Rome City Hall: VICTORY!

With the amount of complaining I do about the ghastly bureaucracy in Rome, I think it is only fair to give credit where credit is due. This morning I left the house at about 10:00, fully prepared to spend an hour or two in line at the municipal building only to be told that I was missing some paper and should come back.

Rather, there was only one person ahead of me, and when it was my turn I was assisted (as always, from the other side of a bulletproof glass with a tiny circle through which I would squeak out my request) by a lovely young woman who helped me correct the few errors on the form I
had to submit, and within 15 minutes or so I was out of there with my signed, stamped (Italians love stamps) and approved documents.

I must say that it being August in Rome and most Romans are still on vacation had something to do with the fact that it was all so quick and easy, but still. I have nothing but love for Italy today. Except of course that it is 100 degrees today!

Worth mentioning, the fan you see in this picture actually dates back to the founding of the Roman Republic.

Take a Number!

Well readers, spring is in the air! Along with spring come tentative plans for summer travel. Given the fact that my little family just welcomed a new member, I thought I'd better get cracking on the passport situation in order to be ready to fly when the time comes.

Some online research told me I'd need a birth certificate. No problem, I thought, let me head to the town hall and grab that. I woke up bright and early, bundled up the baby and headed over to the neighborhood circoscrizione.

First things first, TAKE A NUMBER said the grouchy signora at the "welcome" desk. I wish I had brought rubber gloves, the number machine looked like something out of a horror film. I hit the button, hoped that I took the right one (directions in Italy tend to be ambiguous), and then put some sanitizer on my little fingers. When they finally called my number, I gave them my request form and was told that the birth certificate would take 40 days to procure. WHAT?! 40 days seemed like a long time, but hey we are in Italy, pazienza!

After our 40 day wait, I headed back to pick up the blessed birth certificate. Guess what, CHIUSO! Closed, come back tomorrow. Ok, what's one more day. Indeed, the next day the heavens parted and yet another brush with the devil known as Italian bureaucracy had been successfully dealt with!