The Perils of a 2nd Floor Balcony....

So I thought I was being all clever and cocky getting the hang of this washing line over the balcony thing. Its something very Italian having your clothes hanging outside apartments and across streets... and is somehow incredibly charming.

Well I had got this sussed.... Or so I thought.... One morning at around 6am I woke, and after getting a drink of water, I glimpsed out of the balcony door only to see that my washing line, full of washing... had snapped!!! AARRRGGGHHH!! So at 6am I'm on the balcony hauling my washing back over to safety. Thankfully it had only snapped one end and I hadn't lost any clothing down to the floor 2 flights below... also known as a car park!!

I went back to bed and when I got up later that morning I set about fixing the washing line. I went to re-hang the washing... only for it to snap again... !! Clothes caught and promptly placed over the backs of chairs on the balcony, it is safe to say, I haven't trusted the washing line again, and to think I thought that dropping a peg was bad enough!

And yet the balcony perils continue....

After the washing line issue, I had also washed a pair of shoes and put them out on the balcony to dry. Nothing unusual in that... in the hot Roman sunshine they tend to dry in a day.... Apart from this time... I went out to check the weather the next morning and forgetting they were there, kicked them over the edge of the balcony, straight into the car park below!! Nooooooooooooo...

Problem is... I have no idea how to get into the car park of the building below as it is a different block to where I am staying... I have had a bit of an investigate and hopefully I can get them back... Someone has picked them up and set them down neatly as a pair on top of the air-conditioning units down there... but last night and this morning we had thunderstorms... so not only are my little white shoes in a car park 2 flights down on an air conditioning machine, they now need washing again as they are soaked :( My poor little shoes!!!

So tomorrow I have the task of attempting to get into the car park, grabbing my shoes and making a run for it.... Wish me luck!!!

:)  xx

A Surprising Monday... Scary and Inspriring..

So today I had a quiet day. Monday's in Italy are awkward as a tourist as most of the major attractions are closed and even a lot of the shops are, so you are limited to what you can see. I decided that I would head towards the northern half of the city, towards the Spanish Steps and Piazza Barberini.

I boarded my bus at lunchtime which took me to the centre of the city. I made my way to the bus stops that my guide book reliably informed me that there was a bus 119 on which I could get to the Pizza della Spagna... well good old Rome doesnt run that bus anymore - what a surprise!!!!

I decided to walk. I walked up through past the Trevi Fountain, which is still undergoing restoration, walked up towards Piazza Barberini which has recently unveiled its newly restored fountain. I have to say... It is a very seductive fountain with a very flity Tritan spirting his water... and that is literal I promise you! It has only recently been revealed after a lengthy restoration and it was worth it... It almost looks unreal it now looks so beautiful.

 

I then followed the road up towards the Santa Maria della Concezione which is the home to the Capuchin Order of monks since 1631. The church is the home to several wonderful pieces of Roman history of the order, with beautiful handwritten books from the 1700's on display, beautiful artworks and fabulous tapestries and clothing.

I was aware that the crypt is the main draw for tourists to visit this museum/church. I made my way through the museum taking in the beauty of some of the artefacts, and being angered by others.... Think Da Vinci Code cult punshiment tools.... anyhoo...

Now... The Crypt. I made my way down the stairs towards it... The first thing I could hear were the monks chanting. A CD of course but you can imagine the setting. I half expected Derek Jacobi to jump out as Cadfael...

Well... the first room was made up of back bones... Literally.... individual back bones from the spine were used to create "pretty patterns" on the wall, there were 2 skeletons posed to create a "scene".. The light fittings again were made from more bones.... I was successfully freaked....

So the next room was the thigh bone room, and there were piles and piles of thigh bones from floor to ceining covering the walls creating another image...

And the next room was full of pelvis plates....

And the next skulls... I stayed long enough to read the information about the rooms, but the bones and the graves....

I promptly exited without buying a souvenir postcard!!!

Phew!!!

After that, I made my way towards the Spanish Steps which is home to the Keats and Shelley Museum. Now part of me wanted to go here to see a part of major English History that is in Rome, and part of me was just curious. I know enough about Keats and Shelley but not a large amount. I know "Ode to a Nightingale" and "To Autumn" by Keats but that is sadly as far as my literary knowledge goes, which is a little embarrasing. Sadley even my Hollywood knowledge only stretches to "Bright Star". Somehow, I feel this may change.

I made my way up the stairs, and went into the museum. It was astonishing. Mahogany bookcases, leather bound books, letters, paintings, portraits... and there was even a new exhibition that had opened today about the Browings and their relationship with Rome, Keats, Shelley and Byron. The handwritten letters, written with such passion and such penmanship.. It is a time that seems forgotten, and yet when you see it, it becomes real. The passion of these men and the life they lived, it comes alive on the pages in front of you. To be privileged enough to see pages written by hand by Osar Wilde... It was an amazing space...

I can feel myself seeking out the poems to read. Having been to this museum it was truly inspiring.

After leaving the museum, I sat on the steps for a while watching the world go by, before wandering back to Piazza Navona, via Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Max Mara... etc etc etc....

 

A humble salad of leaves, pine nuts, feta and apple with sparkling wine before wandering home.... a lovely Monday all in all :)

A Roman Weekend - Beautiful Villas, Friends and Football with Beer

So this weekend I decided to have quite a relaxed one. I was due to go to friends on the Saturday evening so didn't want to stress about going into the city to then have to rush back, so I decided to spend my Saturday morning walking my local park, which is the home of the Villa Doria Pamphilj.

I had a lazy lay in on Saturday morning, got up, nipped to the shop to get supplies, came back and made myself a packed lunch - who would have known that a plastic tomato box would make such a good lunch box! So salad, tomatoes, cheese's and salami were duly boxed up, some wine decanted into a water bottle and plastic cutlery and cup all added to my rucksack and off I went!

The park is the biggest green space in Rome, boasting lakes, a huge private villa, fountains and woodland areas.... Its one of the most peaceful places in Rome, yet there are so many Romans enjoying this space, its wonderful to see.

I walked past the families playing in the play park and walked towards the lake with its geese, swans and turtles and for the first time I kept going. I headed up the hill towards the ruins in the distance.... They were absolutely beautiful. It was a lovely stone waterfall, covered in green moss and just full of life.

As I kept walking I came to a beautiful fountain, and of course, there were 2 Italian children playing, splashing around.... It's like I was walking through a postcard! As I turned the corner, huge green spaces appeared in front of me. There were families picnicing, people sunbathing, people jogging... It was a space that took my breath away. I followed the path up the hill, now I do feel that I need to point out that this was a very hot day.... It was cloudy but it was unbearably humid.... not my best laid plan to go walking but hey ho... So I kept going up the hill... I came across fountain after fountain, statue after statue.... It was a truly beautiful place...

I then took the next path that I could find, and it was a steep hill.... I was exhausted by the time I got to the top but wow, was I rewarded! In front of me was the Villa Pamphilij... It was one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. Unfortunately the public no longer have access and it is gated off, and all of the art etc that was owned by the family is now in the Palazzo Pamphilij in Rome city centre.

The gardens were stunning, beautifully maintained, like a mediterranean Chatsworth, or dare I be twee and say Pemberley?

 

 

I continued to walk through the grounds to try to decide somewhere to eat my lunch. I wandered through the fountains, the ruins, the chapels within the grounds to find some shade. I turned a corner into a large beautiful woodland area which was beautifully shaded and went to find a tree to settle under. I settled, sat and ate my lunch, drank some wine, watched the familes play, the dog walkers walk and the runners run as I sat absorbing the atmosphere.... It was perfect.

 

 

 



I packed up my back pack and made my way down the path towards the entrance of the park, after walking the whole circumference. I must say, I walked past a horse chestnut tree that put Victoria Park and my childhood to shame... I do have conkers here now ready to go and I feel a conker match with my brother coming on some time soon... (Yes, that is a challenge James....)

 

I ended up back at the lake and took a wander back to my apartment. It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday lunchtime and early afternoon.

 

That evening I was off to meet Tiziana and friends for a party at their apartment. I got myself ready and got on the 44 bus to the Bocca della Verita, (The Mouth of Truth.... If you don't know what this is, PLEASE go and rent Roman Holiday straight away!), walked past the Circo Massimo, past a beautiful Italian couple having their wedding photos done, and got onto the metro. Alessia was waiting for me the other end and we made our way to Tiziana and Federicos :)

 

She had prepared a fabulous spread of pasta with rocket pesto, mozzarella and pomodoro, stuffed tomatoes, beautifully cooked potatoes and of course, wine and prosecco :)

 

I had a wonderful evening with them and their friends which I think are slowly becoming my friends. I think thats why I am looking to come back to Rome after Firenze until November....

 

After a wonderful evening of wine, food and laughter, Alessia dropped me home and I fell into bed and slept soundly.

 

Sunday morning I awoke around 10am.... Seems me having a lay in is becoming the norm.... I didnt want to go to do anything touristy today as the weekends are really busy in the city centre. My friend from school Karlijn was off to watch the Roma match today so I thought well why not go to a bar and watch Roma play and have a couple of beers... I decided to go for a light lunch at a restaurant I knew was cheap and served good food. 1 salad and 2 beers later I was off to the bar.

 

 

 

 

I went to the same pub that I had been to with my parents where we met Tizina and Federico the weekend before. I bought a pint, settled in and watched the match. It is safe to say the Italians like their football!!!! 2 beers later and a 2-0 win for Roma, I wandered out of the pub in a nice fuzzy haze and made my way towards the bus home.

 

Quite frankly, it was a lovely relaxed, Roman weekend.

 

I only have 1 left.... Good job I am coming back... :)

 



Long weekend with my parents in Rome.

So after a few days of radio silence I am back :) I have had a busy few days as my mum and dad have been over for a long weekend and it was lovely :)

I had been the previous evening with Tiziana and Federico to a big supermarket on the outskirts of Rome called Panorama. It's a little like a small version of Bluewater with a big supermarket at the end. We went purposely to get some meats etc without paying the extortionate costs in the city centre. I have never seen a deli in a supermarket like it! It was unbelievable. The choices of meats and cheeses were unreal. I decided what I wanted and Tiziana went to the counter and helped me order. I came away with prosciutto, mortadella and salami along with some buffalo mozzarella, gorgonzola, some peccorino and scamorza which is a smoked cheese. I was reliably informed that it is best served sliced and with a pile of prosciutto on the top and then grilled.

 

 

So mum and dad arrived mid evening on the Thursday and I had everything ready obviously alongside some chilled Prosecco. We sat, ate, drank and chatted and it was great. The food tasted so good, better than anything I have ever had before and it really wasn't expensive at all. We all went to bed that night with a nicely full tummy!!

 

The Friday morning I had my last morning at school and then I came back meet mum and dad and we were to go into the city centre. This was to be their first experience of buses in Italy. Basically the motto is... "Get on and cling on!" The buses are rather rickety and they throw them over the cobbles, up hills, down hills and round corners and it can be rather hair raising. Luckily it is such a picturesque journey that somehow doesn't seem to matter. So off we went into town and we walked up past my school and wandered through to Piazza Navona. We sat to catch our breath and to enjoy the view. We then made our way towards the Pantheon via the back streets and we stopped in a great little restaurant with red and white table cloths. I had pizza, dad had ravioli and mum had tagliatelle with lemon. That alongside some white wine was absolute heaven. Perfect start to the weekend :) We then walked up to the Pantheon and grabbed some gelato before sitting on the fountain taking it all in. We then hopped in a taxi home so that dad could go for a rest. Mum wanted to see the area that I live in so we went for a wander down the road taking in all the shops and bars and restaurants. We eventually got to the tram stop so we decided to hop on and go to the Trastevere for a drink. There is a little bar that we have been in before and it somehow seemed right that we sit and have an Aperol Spritz.

 

 

 

 

After our drink, we grabbed a cab (bit of a long walk!) and we went back to the apartment. We decided to have some more meats and cheeses for dinner that evening and we just relaxed.

 

On the Saturday we wanted to go to the market Campo di Fiori, so on the bus we went taking in the view before wandering down. The market is full of fruit and vegetable stalls and people selling kitchen gadgets you never knew you needed, and then there are a few stalls selling tourist rubbish such as glass boots filled with limoncello and multi coloured pastas costing a fortune. We wandered through the stalls and then chose one of the many bars and sat for a drink which was well needed in the heat.

 

 

 

We then decided that we wanted a light lunch as we were planning a large meal that evening. We walked through to get the tram to the Trastevere and we ended up in Ginos where we shared a pizza, some meatballs and a salad, and it was lovely. Just what we wanted.

 

We then went home and mum and I went for a walk to the park of the Villa Doria Pamphilj. Its a beautiful green space and was full of large Italian families enjoying a day out. We walked up the hill and sat for a while. We then went a little further up the hill and discovered a huge lake that was full of turtles. There were families feeding the swans and the geese, you could see the ruins of the Villa in the distance... Somewhere I will be investigating further. 

 

 

 

Saturday night, we got the bus to town and wandered into the top of the Trastevere... I have never seen it so busy! I have never been to Rome over a weekend before this trip and I hadn't been to this district on a Saturday night. I wanted to take mum and dad to a place I had eaten at before that was really good and not that pricey.. We walked up... and as we turned to corner I have never seen so many people! There were people queueing to get into restaurants. Luckily there was a table being cleared just as we got there so I managed to nip in! That's it... phew, settled for the night. We had a fabulous antipasti to start and some prosciutto and melon.

 

 

 

 

I then had the osso bulco, dad had veal and mum had chicken. The food was rather good... and the wine wasn't half bad either! We leisurely enjoyed our meal and then made our way to the Santa Maria in Trastevere. We stood here for a while watching a man perform creating giant bubbles which the children loved and then we went to grab a taxi.

 

On the Sunday we had planned to go to the market. This didn't end up happening as the buses have switched their bus routed back to the school timetables, but of course we didn't know this! The next 870 that appeared we took and went into town. We wandered in towards Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. We sat in a side street and had a drink before deciding on eating by the Pantheon. We walked through and chose a restaurant and settled in. The thing with eating in places like this, is that you are paying for the setting rather than the restaurant. If you are aware of this, then it doesn't matter. A bottle of wine was 22 euros... a litre is 8 in some small back street restaurants... but sitting beside the Pantheon, eating a fabulous salad, sipping ice cold wine in the Roman sunshine....life sometimes just doesn't get much better.

 

 

 

We grabbed a taxi home (after another gelato of course) and then just relaxed for a while before coming out for the evening. We found a restaurant near the entrance to the Trastevere which did a good menu and was really cheap... just as we were settling into our meal, 2 girls came and set next to us... lo and behold, if it wasn't the same 2 girls that had sat next to us the night before in the restaurant!! Just one of those funny coincidences! We had fabulous food... but the highlight was dads steak. He absolutely adored it, and it was cooked to perfection! It was so much quieter compared to the night before. It was just a lovely day all round, even if not planned!

 

On the Monday we had another unplanned situation occur. We had intended to go to the Palatine Hill as none of us had ever been there. However, with the change in the buses, it was very difficult to get there, so we grabbed the next 870 that came and we got off at the top of Gianicolo Hill. We stopped to admire the view, take photographs and generally have a relax. The views are some of the best in Rome and are well worthy of taking a trip up there, especially on a clear day. We waited for the next bus to come clattering through and went into town. As it wasn't quite lunchtime we went for a drink to decide where we wanted to eat. We sat in the same bar that we had been to the day before just off the Piazza Navona. As we were sitting there, a waiter came out and instantly I recognised him. He had been mine and mums waiter when we had had a long relaxed lunch in a restaurant last May, and then he had also worked in the same restaurant where we had celebrated my birthday this May with my family. It was great that he recognised us and we had a lovely chat. We wandered into the back streets of Piazza Navona to find somewhere cheap to have lunch. We found a tiny little restaurant on a side street where the pizzas were 6-7 euros and 8 euros for a litre of wine. Perfect, and the food was excellent. I think that meal was one of the best I have ever had in Rome.

 

We had plans later that afternoon to meet Tiziana and Federico for beer at a little pub near Piazza Navona which worked out nicely as that was where we wanted to have our final meal. We met for beer and had a great couple of hours. We laughed, chatted, talked about anything and everything and made firm plans for me to meet them on Saturday.

 

We made our way round to the restaurant where we had chosen to eat and we settled in. As the waiter came over he looked at me, looked at my parents and said "Have you been here before? It was your birthday?" He remembered us from when we had been there in May for my birthday. I just think that's amazing - that is 2 waiters that remembered us! We started chatting and we were talking about me staying in Rome for a while. He was such a nice chap, it just makes the evening a little more special when things like that happen. We had good food, good wine, good panna cotta and then got a taxi home :)

 

So Tuesday was the day that mum and dad were due to go home. We didn't want to go into town as it would be too tiring and stressful so we decided to go to the park with a picnic and spend some time there. Off we went with a rucksack full of food and drink and we made our way through the park to the lake. We took some old bread to feed the turtles and the ducks while dad sat and relaxed. We then wandered back through to a nice shady area, lay the blanket down and ate our homemade lunch. Not quite pizza but a mortadella roll and fruit with wine in a plastic cup was perfect for that day. We made our way back to the apartment until it was time for them to get a cab to the airport.

 

 

 

It was such a wonderful few days. Can't wait to see them again... Until Verona!!! :)







 

Sunday :)

So today is Sunday. Its the first Sunday of the month and in Rome that means things are VERY busy. All of the museums in Rome are free to the public on the first Sunday of every month... that includes the Vatican Museums which some view as the most important museum in Rome as it is home to the Sistine Chapel.

And it was hot. Really hot. Like 33 degrees hot....

So my mission today was to go to the Porta Portese market. This is the biggest market in Rome on a Sunday and is classed as a flea market. I got the bus 44 from my apartment to the entrance of the market and quite frankly, I have never seen anything like it... It was vast. Stalls with mounds of clothes, piles of handbags, stalls stuffed with jewellery, phone covers, purses, household implements... it was immense... and hot!

I even purchased something... but I cant possibly say what is it is as it's a present for my mum and she and dad get here thursday and she will receive it then....

I then wandered through the stalls, attempting to take it all in... We do not have markets like this anymore, England doesnt seem to where we are anyway.... I dont know of anything that comes close in size. As I wandered it became hotter and hotter and hotter... As I finally came out the other side onto Viale Trastevere, I saw the temperature... No wonder!!!

I caught the tram from outside the market to the entrance of the Trasevere, and made my way through deciding what I wanted for lunch. I knew pizza and pasta were just too heavy in this heat so I had made my mind up that I wanted a salad... tomatoes... cheese... fresh flavours that weren't heavy.

I stopped at Ginos, where I had been for lunch a few days earlier. I ordered the "Bruschetta della Pomodoro e Basil" and the "Insalate Gino". It was just what I wanted. Personally, todays lunch was a perfect Sunday lunch in this heat. I didnt want the heaviness of pasta or pizza and this was just perfect.

I then had a 'cafe' and paid the bill before wandering to catch the tram home.

A simple, perfect Sunday :)

Tivoli, Villa Adriana, Pizza & Beer :)

So Saturday Morning... a perfect lazy Saturday morning.... a lay in, a light breakfast, washing done, news read, coffee drunk... wonderful.

I was due to meet Tiziana and Federico a 4pm at Santa Maria del Soccorso tube station so I spent some time working out the easiest route for this. Trouble is, you have no idea how long these journey are if you have never done them before and where we were to meet was the complete other side of the city. I worked out the best thing for me to do was take the 44 bus to La Bocca del Verita, walk past the Circo Masimo to the tube and then take the tube up to where I was to meet them. I left just after half past 2 to get the bus. I got to the Tube station at around 3:50 so not too bad!

I met Tiziana, Federico and their friend Fabio and we all piled into the car towards Tivoli. Tivoli is a beautiful hillside town on the outskirts of Rome. There are several ancient sites that are worth a visit and today we were off to Villa Adriana. This is the Villa of Hadrian, better known to us English people as that chap that built the wall between Scotland and England....

Hadrian didn't like living in Rome day to day, he found it too busy and crowded, so he decided to build himself a 'Little Rome' on the outskirts of the city. This city was a 'kept court' by his servants and slaves at all time so whenever he decided he wanted to be there it was a fully functioning entity.

You could feel its opulence and grandeur as soon as you walked in. The first thing you see is a wonderful space filled with water... as you approach you can see the emerald water glistening in the sun, the turtles basking and the fish playfully flirting in the sunlight. This was apparently a meditation area and an area of relaxation for Hadrian... I can see why...

 

 

We then continued to wander through the ruins... I have to say, they were some of the most beautiful sights I have seen in Rome... Statues, domes, banks of water, all set in such a Romanesque way... Absolutely stunning and me waxing lyrical about it cannot do it justice.

 

 

 

We continued to wander through the olive trees in the blistering heat... The crickets making their cry, the sun beating down... I was quietly content and in heaven... plus all this uphill walking meant guilt free pizza later!!!

 

 

 

We wandered and wandered amongst the ruins, its beauty I could not even begin to describe, but if I was in Hadrian's court, I would have been happy to live here :)

 

 

 

 

We made our way towards the end of the ruins and then all of a sudden you could sense the weather changing.... It became a little dark and a little fearsome.... The sky over the mountains became rather dark....

 

 

 

The heavens opened.... we all took cover under an olive tree as it was the only way we could keep dry.... We were in a completely open space with no shelter.... We stood for 10 minutes until the shower passed and we made our way back to the car...

 

And then we went for pizza and beer :) We made our way through the village around the Villa Adriana and Fabbio decided he wanted a coffee, so we stopped at a little cafe shop, it was full of Italian men playing table football and talking, drinking beer or cafe... we stood at the bar, drank our cafe, and then moved on... safe to say, true Italian cafe is.... WOW! no wonder you only need the tiniest amount as it knocks your socks off and will keep you awake for hours but its so smooth and silky.... perfect :)

 

 

We then started winding through the back streets on our way to a restaurant that they had all been to several times before. It is like half pub, half restaurant. You can choose which side you sit. So we started driving through the back of an industrial estate and Tizianas words were... "It's OK, we thought the same when we first came here.... its worth it trust me".

 

We turned a corner and this beautiful pub/restaurant came into view. We piled out of the car and wandered around the back and sat by the lovely outside bar. Beer was served in plastic pint glasses, there was a huge pizza oven at the back of the pub and there was just the right sort of music playing.... Then Tiziana's friend Alessia came, who we had had dinner with last Friday... I felt a firm group of friends building in Rome :)

 

We sat, talked, drank beer, and then food came... deep fried rice with mozzarella in breadcrumbs... one of the most beautiful things I have ever eaten! Along with this were fried mozzarella balls... who wouldn't want to eat fried mozzarella!! Amazing...

 

We then had more beer and we ordered pizza.... It was amazing. I could barely eat half of it but it was sooooooooooooo good! Perfect end to a perfect evening I felt!!!