Hustle and bustle of the city

 One of the best things about Rome is it is such a walkable city. With the aid of Google maps, it is easy to reach the places you want to see by foot and by travelling this way, you also see unexpected things along the way. We had a leisurely morning today, leaving the apartment just before 11 and set off towards a neighbourhood known as Trastevere.

'Largo di Torre Argentina' - just around the corner from our apartment.

Our walk took us across the river Tiber. We stopped to watch the river running. It's not exactly a pretty river - a murky brown/green colour. But the birds flying and diving around was entertaining, and the bridges and surrounding buildings were charming. Being Sunday, many things are closed. Even more, places seemed closed on the other side of the river! We spotted a few bars open, but definitely no shops. Trastevere is what I would describe as 'grungy'. It is popular with younger people and apparently has some great restaurants. In the light of day, it looked a little dirty and rough around the edges. 

 

  

We decided this area wasn't for us, made a loop, and headed back across the river. I catch myself grinning from time to time when walking these amazing streets and am reminded of just how old this city is. When you stumble upon some ancient columns in the middle of nowhere, next to a boutique shop. We had a light lunch and spotted a nice-looking Gelati place. On past trips (in warmer weather), we usually indulged in gelati daily. But on this trip, we haven't had it often. The place was called 'Lucciano's', and you could watch the gelati artist at work through a window at the back of the shop. This is a big call, but it may just have been the BEST gelato I've ever had. It was incredibly creamy, and the pistachio and lemon meringue flavours I chose were spot on. After our sweet treat, we decided to take a rest in the apartment for the afternoon.

In the hustle and bustle of a big city like Rome, it is nice to have a quiet space to retreat to when it becomes too much. We took a bit of a gamble with our dinner choice tonight. We wanted to eat somewhere close to our apartment, so we picked a restaurant called 'Pasta e vini'. They are also open much earlier than standard Italy hours, so we decided to give them a go. It was busy, which is always a good sign. The staff were friendly, and the food was delicious! We shared a fried mixed vegetable plate for entree. It reminded me a little of tempura; the batter was light and crisp. Then we enjoyed pasta dishes. Spinach and ricotta ravioli with tomato sauce for me, and Shannon had a Carbonara with a twisted pasta we hadn't seen before. Another enjoyable meal. We decided we needed to walk our dinner off a bit, so we strolled back towards the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Both are equally as beautiful at night and tonight were less crowded.