Una Giornata Particolare...

I recently saw the movie "Una Giornata Particolare" with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. Every week at my language school they show a movie in Italian. This movie is a about a few hours of a particular day in Rome during a dark part of history in the world, shared between the two main characters. I sort of had una giornata particolare last week. I was in the middle of doing homework and wanted to take a break and get out of the apartment. I'm at the stage where I'm writing small papers now.


Even though I looked out the window and it was pouring rain I decided to go out anyway. It was a couple of the best hours I've spent in Rome. I went to a Tazzo d' Oro, (pictured) a cafe' that is supposed to have some of the best coffee in Rome. Although I don't drink coffee I had to try it. "Vorrei un caffe' e un muffin" (I would like an expresso and a muffin...you didn't think I was going just for the coffee did you???) Che buona! It was actually very good...very creamy and smooth, very rich etc. Hmmm....maybe I'm a closet coffee drinker! I'll try their rival for the #1 spot,



Sant'Eustachio Il Caffe' to see if that wasn't just an anomaly. (Another day I went to the second cafe' before I met my friends at the cinema. The coffee and the lemon pastry I had was very good. I'll leave it up to the serious coffee drinkers to say which one is truly #1 in Rome. They both had a nice ambiance....ok...that translates into cute Italians.)


After my snack I went on a walk through the Roman streets and snapped a picture of a cute tourist couple trying to keep each other dry(pictured). It was very peaceful as most of the tourists scrambled for cover and I could move around freely through the streets. On my way home I remembered where I was in this downpour and ran to the Pantheon to see the rain fall through the oculus (opening in the dome ceiling). It was almost magical. While walking through the shallow river the rain was making on the cobblestone street, a waiter yelled at me from under his awning, "Bella, che fa?" (What are you doing?). I just yelled back to him with a smile, "E' un bel giorno!" (It's a beautiful day! ) To me every day in Rome is beautiful...even the rainy ones.

One day while out walking I went to Piazza del Popolo, a busy piazza where there are many people out shopping and people watching. I listened to a man play jazz on a saxophone and then decided to walk up the steps to the trees to Pincio Park. The park overlooks the square and was one of the best places to watch the sunset. (pictured) I also spent a few minutes in Piazza Farnese. I snapped a picture of this

fountain on one of the side streets off Piazza Farnese.

One day I took the tour of Castle Sant'Angelo with the rented audio guide with my friend Kelly. (1st Castle picture taken from another day) I love the audio guides because you can go at your own pace and skip around. The highlight was the terrace of the angle (pictured). It was a terrace with a beautiful view of the city.
It has a huge 18th century bronze statue of Archangel Michael


and the Bell of Mercy, which in the past announced executions. (pictured) There is also a statue of Archangel Michael in the main courtyard (pictured) Also pictured is the courtyard of the well which also has a high wall of the Papal apartments, 16th century frescoes and a 15th century well. The door to Alexander VI's prison is pictured here in between the frescoes. There are also pictures of me and the drawbridge and Kelly as we started up the ramps. We actually had a snack in a nice little snack bar they at


the Castle. Unfortunately it was raining so we couldn't sit outside at one of the tables with the nice views. Lately we have had some rainy days but not like the days on end of damp and cold days other expats warned me of. Thankfully, we have had plenty of mild weather and sun.

Another day while in the Jewish ghetto section of Rome I had a great lunch at Giggetto Al Portico D'Ottavia. It is a well known family run restaurant that specialize in traditional Roman-Jewish

cuisine. I had all the recommended items like the carciofi alla giudia (Jewish artichoke) and the battered and friend salted cod etc. But I also had a stuffed canneloni in besciamella sauce that was great. I had their saltimbocca (veal cutlet wrapped around ham & sage) and a piece of fruit tart. Unfortunately I was following everyone else in their wine consumption and unlike everyone else that drink wine normally or growing up , I didn't really drink alcohol before coming here and my 2 glasses of wine sent me home for a nap. (smile)

Another day I had dinner ate at Tapa Loca, a Spanish tapas restaurant. The
gazpacho reminded me so much of when I lived in Spain...and reminded me that I needed to make arrangements to go over there soon too! It was a dinner full of sangria, serrano ham, spicy tapas dishes, churros con chocolate etc. It was wonderful. There are a few restaurants that have other cuisines but most of them aren't very good. That is ok with me because I still love Italian food and eat it every day....there are still so many dishes to sample. I'm working up my nerve to try the famous trippa (all romana or alla milanese or alla romana...tripe). I'm sure it is very good.

Hey...is there anything any of you have seen or read about that you think I should visit?? Let me know....although I'm still working my way through my travel books I would welome any suggestions. Grazie!

Some of my planned trips are Ostia Antica, Tivoli, Naples, Milan, Spoleto and Venice.