Thursday, October 2, 2014

Trying to do nothing in Rome

Today was a day that we planned to do nothing. We were going to just get on a bus and ride around the city. But our plans went awry before we even got to the bus stop.
As we were walking down the street we passed a nondescript little church. Really nothing to look at from the outside. I don't know why Carmen said we could go in. She's gotten very strict about how many churches she will tolerate. But it was her idea. It turned out this was San Clemente,  a 12th century church with intricate mosaics, on top of a 4th century church, on top of a temple to the Persian god, Mithras from the 1st to 3rd century. Thank god Carmen had her cane.
After that we continued on our way to the Coluseum but it was a madhouse there, all the buses stuffed with tourists and people going to work. We decided to take the subway instead to an unknown stop.
But I guess there are no unknown stops in the center of Rome. We ended up at the Piazza del Poppolo,  where another church, this one Baroque to the gills held two significant Carravaggio's that were on Carmen's artistic wish list.
After a very expensive lunch of Salimboca, penne arrabiata and salad, all squisiti,  we had to see the Trevi fountain, all the more amusing for being dry and covered with scaffolding....and handsome workmen chipping away at it.
On the way to the metro we happened upon Bernini's Triton Fountain, by accident of course.

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