2008 Winter in Rome Day 8

14th Dec




From our apartment behind the Pantheon, we covered Campo de Fiori, Palazzo Ricci and Santa Maria inTrestervere in 3 hours. Claude Lebet’s violin shop at Palazzo Ricci was closed for the day, causing much disappointment to Hope. The atmosphere across Ponte Sisto in Trestevere became less touristy and more real. All its colorful lanes , fodder for more photo shoots, led us to S Maria inTrestevere. It was a moment of prayer and reflection in the sanctuary. Off S Maria, we became the first customers of the day at the corner ristorante. We couldn’t say no to the extremely friendly manager and lunch was the full works with antipasti,primo,second,contorto etc. The bill was round down to €60 because he couldn’t find small change.





From Via G Indundo, Ponte Sublicio,we search for the road (at the end of Via Marmorata ) that leads up the hill to Piazza di Cavaliari di Malta. Hugging the leftmost lane, we puffed up and were greeted by 2 heavily armed guards near the gate. 2 other tourists were peering into the keyhole and we tried to loosen things up by putting up touristy behavior – maps, cameras and queuing up. The metal plate around the keyhole was rubbed clear of rust by the nosy oily noses of tourists peering into the keyhole. Behind the keyhole, St Peter’s Basilica was framed up by trees lining the driveway. It was just that to see and what more with guards nearby toting machine guns, we went northeast by Via de Sabina.




Among the tangerine trees, the view from Parco d Alessio of Vatican city and Rome downtown was as good as that from Capitoline Hill.
Down the hill at Santa Maria at Cosmedin, we queued behind Japanese tourists to put our hands in the mouth of truth / nostrils. Northwards to the Pantheon on Ponto Sisto, we gawked at city town council workers trying to dislodge a boat among debris near Isola Tiberina. It was a monumental task and I declared that photos opportunities of them at work would be available the next few days.

6 km and it is time to retire for the day. ZaZa pizza opposite Sant Eustachio café was recommended by the landlord and we concluded the pizza was a good choice to end the day with.