As I mentioned in the last blog entry, Sunday is a day of leisure for myself and the missus. Not that the entire vacation isn't a getaway. But, if you'd completed as many kilometers on foot as we have, you wouldn't be surprised if your heart, brain and body weren't all on the same page. We've logged some mileage on our quest to conquor Italy, both in the air and on the ground. But, as I mentioned before, it's probably the best way to see it.
As we walk the streets, we see the hordes of people packed on open air tour buses, whizzing by all the sites. It's like being in a Major League Ballpark when Barry Bonds was chasing Hammering Hank's Home Run record- all of the bulbs are flashing in one big wave as people try to catch snaps of the key attractions, so that they would not have to travel back on foot the next day. I tell you, if there were any birds in the area, they're blind now.
As promised, this blog will highlight some of the small details that have been as key to our experience as the huge examples of the vastness of the Roman Empire spread all over town. Below are some observations, quick recounts of some of the people we've had the chance to talk to and the "favorite places and things to do" in Roma! Enjoy.
I'll ask the Keisha's opinion on these later, and we have yet to get to Trastevere (the second half of our stay in Italy) and Florence (which we plan to trek to on Tuesday), but:
Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Foutain):it's a few short blocks away from our hotel, and is one of the major attractions in Rome. Every day the piazza is packed with tourists, and people trying to sell touristy stuff. It's alwaya a buzz. The first day or two, you are one of the many. But, after a few days walking around and drinking in the culture, you feel like you belong and, therefore, it should be there just for you to enjoy. Some of the shops and places to eat are great as well. Each morning, Keisha and I hit a spot near the Fountain for some breakfast, then park it by the Trevi Fountain. We might even hit a nearby cafe for a cup of tea or cappuccino. Amazing. When we post the pics, you'll see why.
"Fromaggi. Pane.": Cheese. Bread. That's all the sign reads atop the entrance of this boutique shop down the street from Trevi. We go there to get our morning rations. Freshly baked bread, healthy Italian cheeses, assorted meaty goodness and, of course, all of the specialy provisions you'd find at a Di Bruno Brothers shop at home. Of course, Keisha loves it. But, we have a luggage weight limit and no fridge in the hotel, so we'll be bringing back only memories.
Gelato Supreme: There is a "home made" gelato place up one of the side streets that lead away from the Pantheon(for those of you who do not know, gelato is an Italian ice cream, but with a greater addictive quality). Saturday night, Keisha and I hit the streets to find it again. We got turned around a couple of time, saw a couple of new treasures, nearly sprained our ankles and stumbled on it again. They charge a reasonable price, the portions are huge, and the taste is just...wow! A colleague of mine mentioned that a gelato place in Florence is the best in Italy. Tuesday will be judgement day.
Via del Corso: It,s one of the major arteries in Rome. Walk along Via Del Corso long enough, and you'll find a shortcut to neary every major attraction on this side of the Fiume Tevere (Tevere River). Not to mention the fact that it's one of the (if not the) major shopping districts in Rome. Stores are packed with wears from every major international and local designer. There is a shopping mall (for Americans who need to work their way up to Via del Corso's energy and pace), but the bulk of the great finds are located on the ground. Tons of people fill Via del Corso to shop, chill and catwalk. It's like South Street with a purpose, Downtown Brooklyn packed with everyone from the other four boroughs. It's so obscene, that traffic cannot make it down the street, and a sea of shoppers cover every square inch of street. Truly amazing the latitude that pedestrians have here, whether it's on Via del Corso, or anywhere else.
Petit Ristorante: Another great find near Fontana De Trevi. We ate lunch there on our first day here, and was back at the counter by Friday. We even tried to go for dinner last night, but they were closed. Sadly many shops are closed on Sunday, and will not reopen until Monday afternoon. So, we may not be able to sample their cuisine again until our next trip to Italy. Authentic Italian Food (and vino!) at a great price. Win. Win.
On this subject, there is a rule that rings true: "Eat where the locals eat, not where tourists eat." Hard to believe you can have a bad experience with food in Rome, but we did. That's because we broke the rule. On our jaunt back from the Colosseo, we decided to stop at a little restaurant lining one of the side streets. Red and white checkered tablecloths, a guitarist playing in the small piazza (he belonged to the other restaurant, but he was close enough to entertain us) and not Italians dining there! Tourists filled every table- probably suckered in like we were. But, a great gelato from our trusty nook helped to put it all behind us.
Roma Is Lovin' It!: On our way to our tour bus (tour of Vatican City on Friday), the driver started pointing out some of the sites, like the Public Square and some statues. Then, he pointed to "a typical restaurant in Italy." To our surprise, it was a McDonald's restaurant, which was jam packed with customers. We laughed at first. But, when he mentioned that there were 27 Mickey D's around Rome, we all felt kind of sad. Now, our ad agency has McDonald's as a client, so I was down to try it at least once, just to see how different it was from the States' version. Keisha would not have it. I still might sneak in a small french fries, just to see if the formula made it across the pond. But, all I can say for now is that they are much cleaner establishments and, more often than not, provide plenty of space for eating- including outdoor bistro tables. Funny!
There is a price for resting your bones: If you go into a restaurant here that offers the option of sitting at a bar, or standing, you better choose the former. That is, unless you're rolling in it. Sit down, and the food will cost more. This did not happen at Petit, because it's sitting room only, and is kind of short on space anyway. But, for the rest of them (at least the ones we encountered), you should make sure you know what you're paying for when the waiter asks "table for two?"
Here versus There: Not that we do not hear about the differences all the time. But, out of the mouth of Johnny, the stories are pretty funny. Johnny works here in the Hotel Julia. He spent a years in the US, and was almost arrested for drinking a glass on wine with his sandwich outside of a Food Lion in Jersey (public drinking is like breathing here). We was also startled by the flock of police that rallied to him on I-95, when his car started to smoke due to an oil leak (he didn't know that this is standard procedure, and not an act of racial profiling). He also talked about a "masterpiece of God" he met at a club in North Carolina who, as it turned out, swung more ways than an pendulum. But, aside from his exploits, Johnny has been great at pointing us in the right direction, whether we're searching for an attraction, or the nearest hardware store to find a universal adaptor to plug in my made-for-American electronic devices into Italian outlets.
If I do get to blog before the flight home on Thursday, I will likely post something on Wednesday, after our trip to Florence. Stay tuned.
Ciao!
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