Rome produced a beautiful winter's morning for me today.
I was out the door a little before 10am and the sun, although shining was still low in the sky, creating deep shadows in my piazza. This is the view from the front door of my building, looking towards the Trattoria degli Amici.
I like this little restaurant. As part of the Trastevere Sant' Egidio community, the proprietor employs some disabled staff who look after their customers with an engaging friendliness. And the food is delicious.
Note the staff T-shirts, a very useful memory aid for me in learning gender-specific nouns :-)
After a coffee and cornetto over the Tiber at the Piazza Farnese, and a quick stop for bread from the forno in the Campo de' Fiori, I headed back over to my local market, the San Cosimato for some healthy fruit and veg (this to counteract all the pizza, pasta and bar snacks I've consumed this week). The market is about three street blocks away from my apartment.
At 11.00am the market was reasonably busy, with the covered stalls on the perimeter selling fresh meat, cheeses and other cold goods, and fruit and veg stalls in the centre. I particularly liked the semi-circle of school kids, busily sketching half a swordfish gorily displayed on the fish seller's slab.
Loaded down with garlic, asparagus, apples, blood oranges, zucchini, leeks, potatoes, carrots and cavolo nero cabbage (and a little bunch of parsley - prezzemolo) I headed back through the Santa Maria Square to my apartment; at the left here is the little street that runs between Santa Maria and my square, the San Egidio. Just look at that winter sky!
I've got a big pot of minestrone on the stove as I write and it smells fantastic.
Last night I had drinks with my landlady, Sari Gilbert, a journalist and New Yorker who's lived in Rome for 30 years. Aside from being funny, extremely fluent in italian and a great mimic, she has a fantastic knowledge of the city, having co-authored the National Geographic Traveller guide to Rome with fellow american Michael Brouse. If you are travelling to Rome (or even armchair travelling), it is really worth investing in a copy of this guide - it truly is the best one I've used.
This afternoon I headed out with Sari's guide in hand to explore the Renaissance and baroque palaces in the Campo Marzio area, which was the name the ancient Romans gave to the broad expanse of uninhabited land that stretched from the Quirinal Hill to the Tiber River. From about the 4th century BC this vast flood plain was used for military encampment and exercises, and subsequently for games and athletic competitions.
Last night I had drinks with my landlady, Sari Gilbert, a journalist and New Yorker who's lived in Rome for 30 years. Aside from being funny, extremely fluent in italian and a great mimic, she has a fantastic knowledge of the city, having co-authored the National Geographic Traveller guide to Rome with fellow american Michael Brouse. If you are travelling to Rome (or even armchair travelling), it is really worth investing in a copy of this guide - it truly is the best one I've used.
Starting near the Piazza Farnese (which lies within the old Campo Marzio), I headed up past the L-shaped 16th C. Palazzo Ricci - my newest favourite palace in Rome - to the little marble plaque that marks the perimeter of the ancient Roman neighbourhood and dates from the reign of the Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54). In September Jim and I stayed on the Banchi Vecchi almost next to this plaque and neither of us noticed it.
Rather modestly, it says:
'Boundary Mark Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (The Emperor Claudius) son of Drusus, High Priest, Acclaimed Emperor in the 9th Tribunate For the 16th Time Consul For the 4th Time Censor, Father of the Fatherland, after having increased the Territory of the People of Rome, extended their city's confines, here marked by the 36th Boundary Stone.
XLIX A.C.'
After heading all the way along the Via Monserrat and then all the way back along the Via Guilia, I went over into the Jewish Ghetto, past the very lovely Turtle Fountain and skirted past the Theatre of Marcellus. This theatre, built by Augustus and dedicated to his nephew (and heir, had he lived) pre-dates the Colosseum by a good 80 years and seems rarely visited. With the Portico of Octavia closeby, and approaching from the Ghetto side, it's a great city walk.
I continued on over the Campidoglio to look out over the Forum in the late afternoon. Very few people were moving out among the ruins, and the temperature had dropped sharply. The light is very soft at this time of the year and up on the Palatine Hill the vegetation looks very lush and green.
On the way back up past the Campidoglio I saw this very delightful bit of topiary. The twins still need to fill out a bit, as does the she-wolf's snout and undercarriage, but you get the general picture.
Rather modestly, it says:
'Boundary Mark Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (The Emperor Claudius) son of Drusus, High Priest, Acclaimed Emperor in the 9th Tribunate For the 16th Time Consul For the 4th Time Censor, Father of the Fatherland, after having increased the Territory of the People of Rome, extended their city's confines, here marked by the 36th Boundary Stone.
XLIX A.C.'
After heading all the way along the Via Monserrat and then all the way back along the Via Guilia, I went over into the Jewish Ghetto, past the very lovely Turtle Fountain and skirted past the Theatre of Marcellus. This theatre, built by Augustus and dedicated to his nephew (and heir, had he lived) pre-dates the Colosseum by a good 80 years and seems rarely visited. With the Portico of Octavia closeby, and approaching from the Ghetto side, it's a great city walk.
I continued on over the Campidoglio to look out over the Forum in the late afternoon. Very few people were moving out among the ruins, and the temperature had dropped sharply. The light is very soft at this time of the year and up on the Palatine Hill the vegetation looks very lush and green.
On the way back up past the Campidoglio I saw this very delightful bit of topiary. The twins still need to fill out a bit, as does the she-wolf's snout and undercarriage, but you get the general picture.
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