Flashback: Yesterday during lunch, we booked tickets to see a show that a friend told us about. It was an “immersive theatre experience” about Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel.
We thought we’d bought tickets for the 7pm show, but when we double-checked this morning, we discovered that we’d purchased the 2pm instead. By that point it was almost 12:30. Doable, but difficult. So we called and asked if we could change the tickets. They said yes, just come to the box office.
I’d thought about taking a cab or the Metro, but this being only my second day in Rome and with little time to decide, I opted to hoof it. Took me about 40 minutes, but I absolutely fell in love with all the streets and piazzas as I rushed through them. Wishing I had more time and all three of us were together. Was glad, though, that I’d brought my water bottle because it’s hot as Hades here and I filled it up a couple of times at the public water fountains (called Nasoni), which are a blessing.
Managed to get lost going back to meet Marsha and Madison for lunch, but only when I was almost there. Somehow I got on the wrong side of a giant Villa and a highway, so I eventually had to backtrack a bit.
They found a great little cafe across from the Villa Medici, called Caffè Ciampini that had wonderful food and an incredible view. We absolutely loved it and are thinking of going back.
From there we tried to visit the Villa Medici and got a little confused. What looked like the entrance actually said the National Gallery of France. Then when we followed a stone staircase up to the top, we found a graveyard and beautiful shaded gardens with a carousel and bike rentals. We soon realized that we needed to do more research.
We followed the path down to the Palazzo del Popolo, which is huge and we just loved. Like many places in Rome, it has an obelisk in the center. But the thing we liked most was that this felt like we were really in ROME. So different from any place we’d been before.
From there we wound our way through the quaint streets on our way to the Pantheon (which I always get confused with the Parthenon). We absolutely love all the narrow streets here. Some are chock full of tourists, but most are reasonably passable and always empty out into quaint little piazzas. Many of which have a ristorante with outdoor tables.
The Pantheon had a huge line that wrapped halfway around the piazza, but it moved fast and we were at the entrance in no time. I hadn’t realized there was a dress code like the Vatican (no bare shoulders, no bare knees). We all three had our shoulders covered (they had scarves if you needed one), but we were all wearing shorts. They ushered us in anyway, which seemed to be the case for most people.
It’s beautiful inside and one of those places that you just can’t capture in a photograph. They do ask you to be quite as it is a place of worship. But with that many people inside, even the whispering carries.
Finally it was time to head to our show. And fortunate for me, because after a bit we ended up on the same route I took this morning! I finally gotto show Marsha and Madison the Piazza Navona, the Via dei Coronari (beautiful street full of shops), and the Ponte Sant’Angelo.
I was especially excited to cross the Ponte Sant’Angelo. When I started learning Italian, I also started listening to Italian music. The video for one of my favorite songs, “Gocce di memoria” (Drops of Memory) was filmed there.
The show itself was interesting. We got headsetsfor English and there was a couple of times I took my earpiece out to hear the Italian. It was a combination stage show with actors, projections, lasers, fog, and dance. The story was interesting and made me want to learn more.
Afterwards, it was getting late and we were a little hungry, so we stopped off at a nearby cafe for pizza. Madison and I shared one with prosciutto,which was pretty good, while Marsha just skipped straight to Tiramisu for dessert.
Our final stop for the night was Trevi Fountain again, which was just as crowded as it was during the day. But even more beautiful. We just love it, despite having to fight our was through the crowds just to see it.
As we strolled up Via Veneto on our way back tothe hotel, I marveled at the little sidewalk cafes that are mostly enclosed. At one point, there were three in a row, one right after the other. There was also one that was even a Hard Rock. Perfect end to a wonderful day.
Ciao!
Ciao!
No comments:
Post a Comment