Rome October 2013 with Fig and Pat

We have been to Rome many times, and despite minor changes in Gelateria and Restaurants and tenfold increase in tourists, it really is a timeless city.  We returned this year because of Danice's younger brother Fig.  When he heard of our previous travels he confided that they didn't travel much, but he would really love to see the ancient ruins of Rome.  So about two years ago we began looking for a 2 BR  exchange in Rome.  Not an easy feat, as those with extra rooms are often those with children, who travel only in the summer; and the requisite walking all over Rome is best not done when it's hot.  So we jumped at the chance to exchange with Giuliano when he needed a SF home at Christmas and told us we could name the date to use his large apartment in the Testaccio area of Rome.

The book lined living area

You'd think he'd be able to hold the camera straight

We loved all their ceramics, particularly these storage jars which we called the "Morandi" jars.

October is perfect; it has been 72 to 75 degrees with blue skies and light breezes.  A huge thunderstorm and downpour had the grace to swoop through while we were cuddled in our beds.

We arrived October 11, from Florence; Fig and Pat were arriving the following day from Paris.  That gave us enough lead time to get settled and visit our favorite open market to stock the larder.  We had stayed in the Testaccio area about 10 years ago and loved the real working class Italian environment, moving toward a younger hipster/professional set.  There are many small business that occupy some very small spaces on the ground floor of the apartment buildings in about a ten block area of the district. These range from low end clothing, to high end shoes, butchers, bakers, printers, auto mechanic, fine food to go, and super markets. I took a photo at night to try to show this environment:

Car mechanic three stories down from our exchange apartment working on an original Fiat 500

And, of course, there is the piercing shop with some really pretty studs, etc.

Our gracious host recommended several restaurants in the area, so we had lunch the first day at his favorite, Felice.  The Pasta caccio e pepe was great, as were the fried fresh anchovies, oxtail and chicory dishes.  Next day we explored the neighborhood further and found Testaccio Square fenced off for construction.  We had loved watching children and oldsters enjoying this large urban park previously, so we loudly lamented it's demise.   Fig and Pat's plane arrived about 2:30, so we scurried home to wait.  Danice said to Paul that we'd been planning this for 2 years and it was finally about to happen and she was just holding her breath that it would all work out right.  We waited and waited. Finally at 4:40 a text from Fig that EasyJet had finally provided their baggage and they were off to the train.  Danice was hanging out on the balcony watching for a Taxi when they drove up at 5:45.  A very happy reunion all around.  That first night they weren't into going out, so Paul provided pears and cheese, then Melone with prosciutto, then a great pasta with pesto, potato and thin green beans with a good local red wine.

Next morning, Sunday, Pat's allergies and cough had kept her awake so she opted to stay home, but we were eager to show Fig ROMA!!  We headed for the Coliseum

and the Forum.

Fig had prepaid for a tour of these later in the week so we walked around and tried to absorb the enormity and majesty that they represent.  Home for a nice neighborhood outdoor dinner.  Monday morning we walked their feet off, taking a bus up the Corso so we could walk to Trevi Fountain,

then through Piazza de Colona to our Gilotti, our favorite gelato spot, to the beautiful Pantheon, Piazza Navonna,

That's Fig taking a picture of Pat

across to Trastavere for a less touristy lunch, back to Augusto Impertori, the neglected tomb of Augustus right near the stark Richard Meier modern building housing the ancient Ars Pacis monument to Peace, then to Piazza de Popolo and back down to Spanish steps, Quirinale and an old favorite bar for prosecco and lemonade.  Pauls android found us a much needed nearby bus home. As we disembarked the bus, we saw our old favorite park, filled with kids and oldsters just as we remembered, though the kids we saw before have likely grown and gone. There are two squares in Testaccio and we hadn't gone far enough west in our search for the park.    Paul tried to renew his SIM card from Wind online, but they weren't accepting any US credit cards or Paypal accounts.  Paul made a salad at home and we headed to Remo for some good Pizza.

Tues we set off for Saint Peter's.  The Sistine Chapel is the best, but unless one springs for a private tour it takes hours, so we convinced Fig and Pat that just seeing the huge Piazza and Basilica with Michaelangelo's Pieta would be enough.  The size of the crowds on a Tuesday in mid-October were amazing.  The security line to get into the Basilica looked to be at least 2 hours long, so we gave up and went for Gelato and coffee.  Then we toured Castle St. Angelo with some very nice views,

This space was designed by Michaelangelo

crossed back over the Tevere and starving we found a small restaurant for a nice outdoor lunch.

Then to Teatro Marcello for some more great ruins and Paul's android found us a bus home.

I've taken this picture just about every time we've been in Rome, and it always seems to be a cloudy day when we are there. I think our previous Rome blog has better pictures since there was more access to the ruin.

After a brief rest to recharge the phone, we left Fig & Pat at home and we set out on a long bus ride further south where Paul had located a TIM phone store.  (We were amazed that Wind's website showed no stores in Rome.) We had some confusion in unknown part of non-historic Rome, due to Google Maps locating the store on the wrong corner with park between the wrong corner and the right corner.  But, intrepid travelers we,  we finally got to the TIM store.  Paul explained he had a Wind SIM card, but couldn't get it renewed, and the nice TIM guy told us Wind was just 3 blocks up the hill.  So we got there; we spoke no Italian, they spoke no English, but a bilingual customer stepped up to help us and we renewed the old SIM card - 15 Euro for another month.  Not sure how it will work in Greece, but we are dependent on it here in Rome to get our tired bodies home via public transit each day.

On the way home from the Wind store, we decided to buy two weekly cards for Metro or buses. Self serve machines won't take our credit cards, so we gave it a 50E note for two 24E cards.  It gave us one card and 6E change, prompting a nice chat with the friendly station agent who said she would call a technician and it might be 15 minutes.  We sat on some exit stairs to wait.  After about 10 minutes, and perhaps no response from the technician, the kind agent came over and gave us a hand-written card to replace the one we didn't get from the machine. Sweet of her to bend the rules out of pity for our tired souls.  Only catch is Danice's hand written card doesn't work on the Metro turn-style, so we either talk to an agent each time or more frequently Danice walks very closely connected to Paul (think Grant and Hepburn in Bringing up Baby) and we go in on his card while she waves hers in the air.  We think we look like scoflaws, but the Italians dont seem to notice or care.

Next day we were off to the Caracola Baths, beautiful ancient structures in the middle of a big green park. The facing is now brick since the marble has been removed for other purposes.

 Very democratic, all citizens of Rome were welcome to exercise, bathe and study there.  Not so democratic, women were apparently not considered to be citizens of Rome.  Unfortunately, Fig was coming down with a cold to end his 2 week trip and Pat's coughing kept her up the prior night.  Out to a local pizzeria for a delicious outdoor dinner.

Thursday was the day Fig and Pat had planned their guided tour of Colosseum

and Forum,

but both were under the weather.  Fig really wanted to go though, so we three rushed over via Metro and Paul took Pat's place for the tour while Danice walked all around Rome endeavoring to maintain some stamina gained during the Mario hiking trip. Fig and Paul really liked their guide who was passionate about Roman History and Art, but they wanted more details on how people lived and interacted in the Forum's times.  Fig said it was "What I came to see", so we were really happy he did it despite his bad cold.  Paul fixed another nice dinner at home so they could pack and turn in early for their 4:15 taxi to the airport.