We needed to replace one of our large bags, so we walked around the Spanish Steps area, near our hotel, to find a store that was recommended by the hotel. We ended up finding nice, large, rolling bag for about $45 US! While we looked, we visited the Trevi fountain designed by Bellini.

The Trevi Fountain

We started by going west to San Maria del Popolo; the piazza is symmetric about the east/west axis with four churches on the square and an Egyptian plinth in the center. San Maria del Popolo has a couple of Carravagios, one of the crucifixion of St. Peter (he was crucified upside down which is more painful and slower than an upright crucifixion).

Crucifixion of St. Peter, Caravagio, located in San Maria del Popolo

We had lunch at a little ristorante (ristorante are eateries where you can sit down to a full, three or more course meal; trattoria is medium priced and more like a tavern, and a caf̩ or bar is a place to get a quick sandwich. One important note Рmost Italians stand at the bar while eating and drinking in a caf̩, and it costs more to sit down at a table there Рthink Italian drive-through. Make sure to tell the person working the bar that you want to sit down when you order) of pizza without sauce and cold spinach with oil and vinegar dressing with lots of garlic.

Ticket front for the Galleria Borghese

Ticket back for the Galleria Borghese

After lunch, we took a taxi to the Galleria Borghese, a picture and sculpture gallery sitting upon a marvelous large garden complex. We saw lots of Carravagios and I took a Pepto pill to cool my stomach. While we strolled the gardens after visiting the gallery, a family of Americans asked us for directions; I’m glad I can read a map…. We walked over to the Cimitero dei Cappuccini, the Cappucin Cemetery, which is awesome; it is completely decorated with the bones of people that were interred there. The motto, in Latin of course, on one wall is, “What you are we once were. What we are you will be.” Very spooky….

The stone sign outside the Capuchin Cemetary

One of the decorations inside the Capuchin Cemetary (yes, those are human bones)

We walked back to the hotel and napped a little, and then had dinner in a trattoria (We ate at 8:30PM because that’s when the Romans eat – most ristoranti and trattori open at 7:00 or 7:30PM for dinner and at noon for lunch). Aviva had a roast artichoke and minestrone, and I had the minestrone and a carbonara (Spaghetti with a sauce of egg, oil, cheese and bacon). During dinner I was struck by the overall intensity of Italians in Roma; they seem to sit closer, gesture freely and look directly into each other’s eyes.

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