Today I decided to take my two daughters shopping. But since times are tight for everyone, and my wallet is not exactly packed with money, I introduced to them a new kind of shopping — window-shopping. And there is no better place to do that then the center of Rome. Perhaps because it is the […]
A Jelly Bean View of Rome Read More »
Every year I enjoy covering big events at the Vatican. Aside from my job as a journalist who needs to cover the event and worry about the significance of the Homily and the health of the Pope, I enjoy the show. The Vatican knows how to put on visually dramatic, spectacularly colorful, deeply meaningful performances.
Palm Sunday at the Vatican Read More »
When I was in graduate school at Columbia University in New York City there was big construction project on the building next door to my dormitory with the entire side covered with scaffolding and workmen climbing up and down it all day. One crisp September morning I left the dormitory with Paola, an attractive Italian
Butt-Squeezers and Wolf-Whistlers Read More »
One morning Nico slipped at the Villa Glori park near our home and fell backwards, cutting his head on a small stone. Blood came spurting out of the back of his head, turning several kleenexes bright red. The cut was small but it was clear he would need stitches. Gustavo set off at a sprint
PART V – MARIO’S WOMEN Dear Blog Readers, some of you have been asking about the women in Mario’s life. Indeed, if you have read the past five posts the only woman to make a cameo in that macho world of Network TV News is Jackie Kennedy. Today I will tell you about the two
PART V – Globe-Trotting with Pope John Paul II and Humoring Hizbollah An important part of any journalist’s job in Rome is covering the Vatican. Working in the Rome bureau of CBS News Mario extensively covered the historic papacy of John Paul II. Below are some of Mario’s reflections: “How much does that camera weigh?
High-Tailing His Holiness and Humoring Hizbollah Read More »
PART IV — OFF TO THE CONGO – DANGER, DIAMONDS AND DEATH In 1960 Mario landed in Rome between assignments. At that time the bureau was in Rome’s famous Piazza di Spagna (ah, the good old days of network television when they had tons of money– sadly, CBS no longer has a bureau in Rome).
Covering the Congo: Danger, Death and Diamonds Read More »
PART III – THE GLAMOUR AND GRIME OF A FOREIGN TELEVISION CORRESPONDENT After proving his talent in Boston, CBS decided to send Mario off to the Sierra Maestra moutains to follow Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and the Cuban revolutionaries. Mario left my mouth hanging open when he told me casually, “I interviewed Castro at least
The Glamour and Grime of a Foreign TV Correspondent Read More »