Monday 13 August 2012



























Our flight touched down at 9:30am local time in Rome.  That put our bodies at about 3:00am and exhausted but we couldn't let that stop us.  
We immediately noticed that the Italians were much more fashionable than we had imagined.  Suddenly the wrinkled linen ensemble I was sporting seemed tired and dated.  I needed a shower.   After finding our shuttle to our hotel, we loaded what seemed like enough luggage to last a month into the back of the van and were on our way.  I marveled at the narrow streets and vespas buzzing around us like flies.  I was in Italy and all was well with the world!
We arrived at our hotel ~ King Hotel at Via Sistina 131~ in about 15 minutes.  This hotel is PERFECTLY situated.  It is around the corner from the Trevi Fountain and just a hop, skip and a jump from the Spanish Steps.  All of the major sites can be reached by either foot or quick train.  The hotel itself is a bit older, but clean and the staff is very friendly and helpful.  They offer a great little breakfast every morning where you can dine on the rooftop terrace.  The elevator is very tiny and can only accommodate one person and their luggage at a time, but we thought that just added to the charm.
We immediately washed up and changed and got ready to head out and explore Rome.  I absolutely love the cobblestone streets and narrow alleys.  We only had to turn the corner and the Spanish Steps were at our feet.  This is definitely a busy spot, with people filling the steps and the area below surrounding the fountain.  By the way, we saw tourists filling their water bottles with the water spilling out of this fountain.  Apparently it runs out of an aqua duct that provides potable water, although to be honest we didn't try it.  Be prepared to be approached by street merchants offering any lady in your party roses.  They will compliment her and tell her that they are hers to keep until the gentleman in the party refuses to offer money and then they will be quickly absconded.   From here we strolled the surrounding streets which were ripe with charming outside cafes and clothing boutiques.  People watching is at it's prime here.  A few streets over and you can find yourself surrounded by Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Valentino and all of the top designers.  For the avid shoppers in your group this is a must, even if only to peer longingly at the gorgeous window displays.  Even the pedestrians in this area seem to be well-dressed.  Keep an eye out for impeccable shoes and handbags.   A short walk further and we were on Via delle Muratte, home of the Trevi Fountain.   It really is quite magnificent.  The sculpture is beautiful.  Of course one HAS to toss a coin in the fountain!  Legend says that this will guarantee your return to Rome ~ so get rid of all of that change!  Photographers are jockeying here for the best vantage point but with patience you will get a great view of this lovely landmark.  We decided to stop in to the L'Antico Forno Bar Trevi for a quick cappuccino and cocktail ~ final bill 21 Euros.  A great place to just sit and people watch and plot your next stop.
You will notice that there are vendors and horse and buggy carriages lined up all around this area.  We were starting to fade, so we decided to hire one of the horse and buggies for the hour long tour of Rome.  We did not regret it ~ what a fabulous (and romantic) way to breeze through the cobblestone streets and breathe in the sights and sounds.    We trotted past the beautiful parliament buildings, the Pantheon, the awe-inspiring Colliseum and ruins of Julius Caesar's home.  Our driver was friendly and informative with a quick wit.  He would stop at every location and allowed us to hop out and spend as much time as we needed visiting and taking photos.  I must mention the Colliseum is so much larger in life than I had imagined.  We witnessed at least two wedding parties being photographed here.  Just a note our tour did not bring us to the Vatican City as it is quite a distance by horse, however we did get to see everything else on our 'bucket list'.  After a lovely relaxing tour of the city we were returned to the Trevi Fountain.  The entire hour cost us 125 euros for the both of us together and since we were jet lagged and limited in time, we would certainly do it again.  We wandered back to our hotel and decided to shower and change and head out to find a lovely spot to eat.  
Rome at night is just wonderful.   There was a vendor roasting chestnuts under the streetlights and the smell is intoxicating.  There are little cafes and ristorante's beckoning on every street and sidewalk.  Many ristorante's have small, glass-enclosed rooms outside on the street that reminded me of a large bus-stop at home.  But these clever Italians have added that special touch that only they seem to be able to do and have turned these little spaces into elegant, chandelier-festooned dining establishments.  The candle-lit tables draped in table linens all have a 360 view of the street scene with the added bonus of air-conditioning and shelter from the elements.  Why haven't we thought of these in Canada???  We passed many of these before we settled on a quaint outside restaurant perched on a landing at the top of a quiet stairway.  Ristorante "La Scala 95 S.r.l." was everything we wanted.  The bread and wine was delicious ~ I could live off of Italian Bread and olive oil!  We ordered a Caprese salad to share and a pizza.  The Caprese salad was one of the best I had during my stay in Italy ~ rivaled only by one in the Amalfi Coast.  The ambiance was relaxed but elegant and the service was impeccably offered by handsome young men in white shirts and vests.  After lingering over the last sip of wine we happily paid our bill (72 Euros) and strolled back to our waiting bed.  It had been a LONG day for us, but I fell asleep with the sights and smells of Rome dancing around in my head.  We have an early morning tomorrow as we head off the the Tuscan countryside.  Stay tuned for Cortona and Montepulciano....Ciao!

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