We've talked about it for days, worried about it, checked forecasts constantly to learn more, and now finally it's here: the day of the big rain storms. The ray of hope is that the rains are to hold off until (around) noon. More or less. There's time to fill the morning with a walk. One which will include all five of us. On the other side of the river. After breakfast, of course. No photo for that: it would be the same as yesterday's anyway!
We're in a hurry. A walk, a climb up to the Giancolo overlook, a few churches -- all this will take time. And we're all photographers. For as long as I've known these guys (decades!) we've practiced taking pics with our cameras. Of each other, sure, but of the world around as as well. And pictures of us taking pictures -- we do it all. So it can be slow going when we are on a roll. For this reason alone, we take the bus to our end destination, Trastevere. [Break down that word (which designates a once very bohemian neighborhood in Rome) and you realize it is very much on the other side of Tevere, the river that flows through the city.] We want to get in as much as possible before those heavy rains.
The bus is crowded. I wear a mask. What can I say -- I haven't forgotten about Covid.
We encounter another Polish person during the ride (though she's been in Rome for 35 years). This is not a great surprise: you have no idea how frequently you hear the Polish language here. It's an easy flight and it's got a big draw: this, after all, is the home of the former Polish Pope. (I suspect that at the Vatican, the second language among visitors is Polish, but I wouldn't really know since I stayed away.) The follow passenger a little bit takes charge of our Trastevere walk, in the way that take-charge types do, and we listen politely to all her advice and then do our own thing.
(the foursome)
(the lovely and mostly empty streets of Trastevere)
(motorcycles, a bicycle, and some Vespas!)
(Basilica di Santa Cecilia)
(Basilica di Santa Maria...)
(... with the fabulous 12th and 13th century mosaics inside)
Now is the time to climb the hill. Hurry, the rains are coming!
We reach the overview. And then we climb some more. Finally -- the Belvedere del Gianicolo. Looks threatening out there, doesn't it? We feel a few drops. Everyone has an umbrella. Do we need them now? The sprinkle pauses. Good!
Down we go again and still meandering, we finally cross the river, back to the Centro Storico.
And it really does seem that all roads lead to the tourist track of the Centro. Pretty quickly, we reach Piazza Navona.
(the fountain is cleaned up and ready to impress!)
It's the first visit for some, a recent visit for others, but still, I'm not complaining! The Piazza is more crowded today, but its vast spaces have plenty of room for everyone.
Isn't it raining yet? I mean, it's close to 1pm!
We push on, pausing at this church, to see this and two other Caravaggios:
(The Calling of St. Matthew at San Luigi dei Francesi)
And from there, it's a hop skip to the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain. I tell you, all roads lead this way!
We separate now. Some want to pause, to maybe grab a coffee, others want to leave the dense pack of humanity ASAP.
They do allow you to come down right to the the Trevi Fountain, up close today (it was roped off yesterday, who knows why), so I take one shot of these two before the three of us scoot off back to the neighborhood of our hotel.
And why improve on a good thing? Yesterday's lunch was lovely. And calm. The three of us go back and order the exact same foods.
So, how wet are we from all the heavy rain? Well, actually...
... it did not rain at all during the day! Go figure.
A pause, a rest, a review of the plans for the next day, and then all five of us go out again.
(a self portrait, as I wait for the elevator to come down...)
This time to a bar, for a predinner aperitivo. The bar is just around the corner, on a rooftop of a tiny hotel. And this is when the rain finally does come down, hard! I mean, really hard! Ha! I guess the forecast wasn't totally off.
Undaunted, we sit on the roof, under an enclosure of sorts, mostly dry, with blankets on our laps. And we drink spritzes: Aperol, Campari -- you name it.
Every once in a while, the gutter will have dumped accumulated water and we'd think -- pity the person standing nearby! It's a virtual waterfall out there!
By 8, we leave for our restaurant. In the two hours of our (jovial!) chat on the rooftop, the rain had moved on. No umbrellas needed anymore! Just remarkable...
We eat dinner at the Taverna dei Fori Imperiali.
The best part for me? The appetizers. Fried stuffed zucchini flowers and melty cheeses, artichokes done in the old Jewish style, eggplant smothered in sauce. (No complaints about the pasta either!)
It's very late by the time we get back to our respective night posts. We have big plans for tomorrow that start early, so goodnight for now, from a not so stormy Rome!
