Sunday in Rome

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As per usual, John was up a little earlier than Peggy and took a long walk around the area (Trevi, Victor Emanuel shrine and Pantheon) before joining up on the hotel’s roof for breakfast. Our plan was to be at the Borghese Museum for the first group to get in, giving us plenty of time to view the many Bernini statues. We called for an Uber and it just couldn’t get to us so we hoofed it to Piazza Venezia only to discover that the Rome Marathon we getting underway and there was not way we were going to get a cab or Uber to the Borghese in time to go in. Sadly we had to cancel and make new arrangements. This was well handled by Peggy as John moped about sad to miss the fabulous museum without too many tourists. Freed up we walked to the National Museum of Rome, stopping at Rome’s Episcopal Church and Santa Maria Degli Angeli on the way. Of particular interest is the Astrological clock on the floor in beautiful intaglio stone work. The National Museum was interesting in that there were hundreds of small, beautifully carved sarcophagi and impressive spaces in this old palazzo.

From the museum, tired and somewhat sore (Peggy discovered she had already done 10,000 steps and it was only 11:00 AM), we made our way to Santa Maria dei Victoria where Bernini had carved Saint Theresa being pierced with a golden arrow by an angel. It – and the small and very baroque church – are a truly moving experience. We spent quite a while in the church and then had some refreshments at a local café (it was at least 85 degrees when we sat down) before taking a cab to Piazza de Spagna with the idea of having lunch at Nino’s, a favorite restaurant. It was closed so we found a substitute with a great TripAdvisor score and terrific view from above the Spanish Steps. TripAdvisor said it was open but it was NOT (after climbing the steps in the hot sun) so we settled into a pasta and salad place with views of the pedestrian traffic atop the steps. Then back to our hotel for a rest before going out again for walk about and a late afternoon and evening light snack and drink.

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