Spanish Steps, lunch, Trevi Fountain

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Lizzie's feeling a little better and was a trooper and went to school. Freddie and I decided on a short trip to Rome so we could be home when Lizzie got home from school. When we boarded the local train, there were two armed police officers on the train plus a conductor who was checking tickets....that was a shocker! We showed our red passes and driver's licenses and that was sufficient for the conductor.

We got off the Metro at Spagna and it was a short walk to the steps. There's also a fountain by Bernini, and a column topped with a statue of the Virgin Mary. I've read they put lots of flowers on the Spanish Steps in the spring and its beautiful. We then headed towards Trevi Fountain looking for a sit down place for a light lunch. We went down Via Frattina, the area around the Steps is filled with high end designer shops...great place to window shop. We found a place with tables outside under a canopy...Bar Centralissimo...so at least we were in the shade. I had fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with cheese and anchovies, plus gnocchi with four cheeses (not exactly a light lunch)....Freddie had a ham and prosciutto pizza. For those of you who were at the ladies night when we made Lisa's gnocchi...the ones I had today were different. They were smaller, about the size of a gum ball, almost as round and without the ridges. The cheese sauce was slightly tart and very yummy, but we both felt our lunch at Mercato Wine Bar in Campo de' Fiori was much better.

After lunch we walked to through a piazza that had some official government building....Freddie photographed the guard focusing on his weapon. There were street performers in the piazza...two guys dressed like Tibetan monks in gold robes. One guy was sitting on a large tube being held in the air by the other guy who was sitting on the ground....supposed to be a show of strength and endurance for which we should give them money. A man with an Italian accent asked my if I knew why those guys did that...I said no. He said "because they like it"...I said the money??? He said no, then whispered to me "he's a homosexual"!!!!

Trevi Fountain was mobbed as usual so we didn't hang around long. The metro station was a short walk from Trevi Fountain and we got home soon after Lizzie did. Freddie's starting to feel crappy....oh no! We're planning on going into Rome tomorrow night with Lizzie. For Saturday....a 90% chance of thunderstorms means the villa will probably lose electricity more than once which will set the house alarm siren off. Don't want to aggravate the neighbors so I suspect we'll be staying home.

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Photos

Freddie's favorite store
on Via Frattina

guard
Armed and ready for business.

Rooftop Gardens
I was so impressed by how many buildings in Rome have extensive and elaborate rooftop gardens, many have palm trees.

Cannabis beer
For sale in a souvenir shop near Trevi Fountain. The beer is made in Germany.