Today's itinerary included the catacombs, Palatine hill and exploring the shopping district. We were the only people on the English tour of the catacombs and our guide, Father Anthony, had a heavy Indian accent so I just smiled and nodded most of the time. He kept quizzing us on the meaning of different iconography and religious trivia. My grandma would be ashamed of my performance- couldn't remember who St. Cecelia was, didn't know that the anchor was a religious symbol and couldn't tell the difference between shards of oil lamps and perfume jars. Father Anthony was particularly disappointed that I couldn't read Greek. Apparently US schools are failing in more ways that we realise, and that includes the numerous Catholic schools I attended. However, I was incredibly proud to have figured out how to use the bus system, in a foreign language no less. It was a major accomplishment for a suburban kid.
For lunch we went back to the Trastevere neighbourhood and found a little trattoria that looked inviting. In the spirit of trying as many classic Italian dishes as possible, I ordered homemade lasagne. I'm not a big lasagne person but this was the best I have ever had. Then we trekked back into the city center for more exploring. Palatine Hill is thought to be the site where Rome was founded and was the home for many emperors and wealthy citizens. It had stunning views of the city and the buildings were impressively well preserved (which is to say that a number of them were still standing and largely intact.) Then we revisited the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps and explored the shopping district along the way. The two high end streets that are Rome's version of Rodeo Drive were literally lined with a red carpet and chandelier style Christmas lights. Gucci, Versace and Louis Vuitton aren't really my style but it's always nice to see how the other half lives and reaffirm that it doesn't have any appeal.
Lonely Planet restaurant recommendations seem to favor places that are way off the beaten path and have taken us down a number of suspicious looking back alleys. Tonight was no exception. After winding through back roads for 20 minutes we finally find the place but there isn't a soul in sight and we spend several minutes casing the place out and trying to decide if it is open. Then someone comes charging out the door with a garbage bag in hand and practically knocks us over. We ask when they open and he says now so we go inside only to be shown to a table and then told in Italian that they don't serve until 6:30 (it's barely 6:00). Unsure of how to exit gracefully we begin discussing escape routes that will avoid undue embarrassment. Caroline obviously wants to leave but seems unwilling to make the first move. So after 10 minutes of being studiously ignored I just get up and walk out. I think I was half expecting someone to stop us and we had to resist the urge to run giggling down the alleyway. I've never dined and ditched but somehow ditching without dining seems even worse. Maybe it's not as amusing in writing.
After our awkward experience and perhaps motivated by the fact that we have been the only customers in a restaurant on at least four occasions this trip, we settled for an unoriginal but bustling restaurant in one of the major piazzas. As this was our last night in Rome, I of course ordered the fettuccini alfredo. (For those of you who havent heard my grandma tell the story at least three times before, homemade fettuccini is the dinner I always request on my birthday. Ten years ago when I was in Rome, we went to a restaurant that claims to have invented fettuccini so of course it's obvious what I ordered. When the head waited asked me what I thought of it, I told him my mom's was better. Honest to a fault even then.) This time it came with mushrooms, ham and peas. It was good but too rich. Mom's is still the best.
For a series of complicated and convoluted reasons, Florence and Pisa have been axed from the itinerary and we fly out of Rome this afternoon. Florence, Pisa and Venice will just have to be a separate trip. But the timing couldn't be better. I'm officially tired of Italian food, am inordinately thrilled to be going back to Oxford and can't wait to touch down at San Diego International Airport in T-minus seven days.
Lonely Planet restaurant recommendations seem to favor places that are way off the beaten path and have taken us down a number of suspicious looking back alleys. Tonight was no exception. After winding through back roads for 20 minutes we finally find the place but there isn't a soul in sight and we spend several minutes casing the place out and trying to decide if it is open. Then someone comes charging out the door with a garbage bag in hand and practically knocks us over. We ask when they open and he says now so we go inside only to be shown to a table and then told in Italian that they don't serve until 6:30 (it's barely 6:00). Unsure of how to exit gracefully we begin discussing escape routes that will avoid undue embarrassment. Caroline obviously wants to leave but seems unwilling to make the first move. So after 10 minutes of being studiously ignored I just get up and walk out. I think I was half expecting someone to stop us and we had to resist the urge to run giggling down the alleyway. I've never dined and ditched but somehow ditching without dining seems even worse. Maybe it's not as amusing in writing.
For a series of complicated and convoluted reasons, Florence and Pisa have been axed from the itinerary and we fly out of Rome this afternoon. Florence, Pisa and Venice will just have to be a separate trip. But the timing couldn't be better. I'm officially tired of Italian food, am inordinately thrilled to be going back to Oxford and can't wait to touch down at San Diego International Airport in T-minus seven days.
AHHHHH Meg, We will just have to have Fettucine Alfredo when you are home for Christmas next week. T-6 and counting! The lights are on the tree!
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