A "Romantic" Day!

Today was an absolutely indescribable day of adventure! The map is annotated below...


I started at I, our apartment and walked to C, the Trevi Fountain, passing the Pantheon (B) along the way. There were hardly any people there at 8:30 in the morning, so I took the opportunity to linger, tossing 3 coins over my shoulder into the fountain, ensuring a return to Rome! Here a nice British lady offered to take my picture, if I would take hers.


Next, I walked down to D, the museum called Scuderie del Qurinale, where I waited in line for 4 hours to see and exhibit of paintings by the Baroque master Caravaggio. The picture is obviously not my own, but this was one of the paintings at the exhibit, known as The Taking of Christ c. 1602. Caravaggio's paintings have a sense of internal light that seems to emanate from the figures, especially Christ, that does not translate at all into pictures.

After this, I popped into Palazzo Barberini, E, for a quick look at the gardens, passing by Boromini's Quattro Fontane in the process. (sorry, no pictures...)

On the way to the Spanish Steps to see the Keats-Shelly House (F), we also stopped by Santa Susanna, the American church in Rome, as well as Santa Maria Della Vittoria, home of Bernini's
The Ecstasy of St. Teresa.


After the Keats-Shelly house we strolled down Via di Condotti, where there is lots of high fashion shops (Prada, Gucci, Valentino, etc.) We walked into Prada and it was fun to pretend I could afford $500 pairs of shoes... We also stopped into Cafe Greco, the cafe where Keats, Shelly, and Byron would drink and smoke while writing poetry. I had a caffe Corretto, which is a shot of espresso served with Sambuca liquor and a coffee bean for good luck.

We stopped by Richard Meier's contemporary Ara Pacis (G) museum, built over the site of an ancient temple, but it was closing for the evening and we couldn't get in.

Crossing back over the Tiber we found Ponte Sant' Angelo (H), named for its proximity to Castle Sant' Angelo, a fortress used to defend the ancient Roman walls during the emporer Hadrian's time. Angels decorate the bridge. There was a wedding party on the bridge taking pictures with a view of St. Peter's in the background. You couldn't ask for a more perfect setting, or a more perfect day!



P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I got you a present, but you won't get it until I get back :) Love you!