Feelings of the Day: Because my wife and I like to travel to Europe, in the March to early April timeframe once every two or so years. I have been fortunate to be healthy and fit to enjoy these holidays and it is a trend I wish to continue. My advice is to walk, bike, exercise, and eat well just a little bit more so you too can enjoy your vacations.
Full Day’s Events: Today was Monday in Rome, meaning most museums had locked doors. We discussed and headed to the Capitoline hill, where several items of note were located. First up we walked up the tall Cordonata Capitolina staircase which leads to a square designed by Michelangelo that...
…was under renovations. From here we could have gone to the Capitoline Museums, which were freaking fantastic 14 years ago, which include the Caffarelli villa and Senatorial palace. Instead we walked back down again…
…and up the Cola di Rienzo steps. He built them after the plague in 1348 to thank the Virgin Mary for saving Rome. He built the stairs here because of the Basilica of Saint Mary at the top. On the way up we passed by the Assassin's Creed statue, which is actually di Rienzo but I couldn’t help making the association.
There was a Byzantine abbey here in 574, but the Pope took it over in the 9th century and gave it to the Benedictine Friars who still care for it today. The Basilica of the Altar of Heaven was rebuilt in the 1200’s and has some very nice frescos and statues. The columns inside were taken from Roman buildings and no two columns are alike. There are also LOTS of people buried in the floor. You have no choice but to walk on them as you mosey along.
We left and descended the stairs…
…and up the Monument to Victor Emmanuel the Second. He was Italy’s first king and this structure was, and still is, controversial. Built between 1885 and 1935 it incorporates three agora (gathering places) on different levels and has a tomb of the unknown soldier, with eternal flame, at its base. It has many ancient Roman features, but on a much grander scale. I would say over the top. It is controversial among a number of Italians because it was incredibly expensive and had art and statues that remind people of the Mussolini era. It is also nicknamed “the wedding cake” or “the typewriter”.
Having gone up to the top level, you can go to the very top in a glass elevator, but my morning coffee needed somewhere to go. We asked an attendant and they directed us to where it was located. We then descended the monument…
…to the lineup at ground level. About thirty people waited in line for two washroom stalls. The other stalls, across the hall in a smaller hallway, were out of order. After doing my business we walked back up and…
…had a cappuccino in the lovely, reasonably priced cafe on the top level. With all these steps, we were hungry so we walked back down and…
…went to nearby Ristorante Melo, a Sicilian place. The owners, 60-70 year olds with their daughter, ran the place with good energy and TONS of Sicilian doodads and items. I had spaghetti with squid and bread crumbs sprinkled all over for texture. It was a great basic pasta dish. My wife had rolls of pan fried swordfish, garlic, and parsley. Chicory was served as a vegetable side dish and for dessert we each had a Cannoli made in house. Imagine pastry, lightly fried, stuffed with ricotta cheese (so smooth it would make a baby’s clean bottom jealous) and a dash of cinnamon to top it off. The entire meal, especially the dessert, was fantastic.
From the restaurant we walked a short bit North to see the Galleria Sciarra. The building was built as an extension for a palace, but when it was bought renovations occurred from 1885-88. The wonderful murals are from that period and indicate the things you look for in women and things you don’t. There is a link here for other images of the Galleria.
Next we walked through Galleria Alberto Sordi, a mall that has three radiating hallways from the centre point, and went into Zara’s clothing store where we…
…walked up and down more stairs. There was an elevator, but we stuck with the theme of the day. I picked up two short sleeved shirts, something I didn’t bring this trip because it was predicted to be colder, and a satchel that I knew would come in handy rather than wear my large Cotopaxi backpack. With the day done we walked back to our place, and the final set of stairs, to lounge out. Supper was brown rice with lemon zest and a sprinkling of balsamic accompanied by a salad. 7.4 km and 31 flights of stairs walked.
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