Ancora piogge sulla capitale

Still more rain in Rome.

It has rained, and rained, and rained.  The streets are flooded, the Tiber is running high and everyone is staying indoors.  Even the Pope has said we must pray for relief from the rain.

A couple of weeks ago, the Tiber from the Ponte Sisto, the bridge that connects Trastevere with the Campo dei Fiori, looked like this:

The Tiber path was navigable, and the surface of the river was tranquil.

Then the rain started a few days ago and has steadily continued.  Now when I cross the Ponte Sisto, the view is like this:

The path has completely disappeared.  And the river is churning up its mud, and flowing fast.  Even the beggars and the street sellers have deserted the bridge.

Today, going quietly mad from being trapped indoors, I made my way across to Piazza Navona to have some time outdoors and get some exercise.  I ended up having afternoon tea at a café looking out over the deserted piazza:

After a while I headed down the piazza to the Fountain of the Four Rivers.  Even the river god of the Americas, the Rio della Plata, has his hand raised to the heavens as it to say 'Basta!  Basta pioggia!'