Rome

 

We had a relaxed start to the day, with a leisurely breakfast at our hotel. There was a bit of drizzle first thing in the morning, so we weren't in any hurry to go out. By 10am the rain was over and it was looking brighter so we headed off. I've been to Rome several times, but Ian has not. We first headed over to the Colosseum. Lots of people of course, both tour groups, individuals and people trying to sell tickets and trinkets to the tourists. We have no plans for tours or inside visits in Rome, just strolling around to see some of the sights. We then walked around part of the Forum. Then back to our hotel for a light lunch of left-over pizza and beer. After a bit of a rest we ventured out again. This time to the Quirinale and Trevi Fountain. The narrow streets are incredibly crowded, and the Trevi Fountain even more of a zoo than I had anticipated. We did a little window shopping on a few shopping streets. The men's fashions in particular are fantastic! Ian had enough by this time and went back to the hotel. I decided to walk up the steps of the Vittorio Emanuele Monument, as you can get a good view of the surrounding area from there. Also a good view of all the construction! Rome is building a new Metro line and there will be a station at Venizia Square. 

What with this being a Jubilee year in Rome, School Easter holidays for many countries in Europe, a visit by King Charles.... it's very busy! The sound of horns and sirens are everywhere.

Karen and Aaron come over to our quirky lounge area to drink the wine we bought in Beaujolais. Afterwards we go to dinner at a restaurant that Karen and I had been to in 2017, Taverna dei Monti. Again it was a great experience, and a wonderful belated birthday dinner! We all had bruschetta then pasta,(I had ravioli with ricotta and spinach in a tomato sauce - delicious!) they also brought limoncello and amaretti for after's, and we had a fun conversation with a family from Liverpool across from us. Ian and Aaron even finished with Grappa. Luckily a short walk back to our hotels.















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