Saturday 27 April

Castor or Pollux?

Leaving Rome today. After checking out of the Hosianum Palace hotel we were able to use our museum ticket to visit nearby Crypta Balbi for a few more ruins. Then a taxi to the airport. It's cold in Thalwil.

The museum was located on an excavation site near our hotel. But the tour was in Italian. We saw the remains of the cistern, water and sewerage system.

Our flight home  was delayed and it was cold on landing, but we were happy to get back to our cosy apartment. Happy memories!

Friday 26 April

On our last day, we took two buses to get to the Villa Borghesi gardens. I was hoping to do some sketching but it started to rain heavily. At least we weren't in a boat on the lake. We walked round the park and then went to visit Villa Guilia, which housed some exquisite Etruscan relics.

Outside the Colosseum in the rain

Then we took a tram all round the northeast of the city and got off at San Clemente. We had pizza at a dodgy cafe and then strolled along to the Colosseum and Constantine's arch to take photos. When the church reopened we looked at the upper church with its mosaic apse and chapel of St. Catherine, then went down to the lower 4th century church which was damp and dark. Afterwards we got the bus to Piazza Venezia and had a reviving icecream.

Constantine Arch

In the evening we had dinner at Vinando (not memorable this time) and then climbed the steps to Campidoglio for a view over the ruins by night.

Thursday 25 April

Marcus Aurelius on horseback on top of the Capitol hill

I was stiff and sore all day after my fall.We went to the Roman Forum on the opposite side of Via dei Fori to the Imperial Forum. We had a good view from the top of the Campidoglio, and we walked down to see the Temple of Vespasian, the Arch of Septimus Severus, the Mamertine prison (no way out), the front of the Curia where meetings were held, and the Temple of Saturn. We stopped for a coffee. Then we took the bus to the Roman National Museum near the main station. They had some interesting sculptures of emperors and gods, altars and mosaics, and portraits of different facial types from the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum

We had a late lunch at Gran Caffe near the station, and caught the 'Pickpocket Express' back to Largo Argentina. We looked in a nice bookshop nearby but weren't tempted. We went up to our pleasant roof garden of the hotel to read. Then we visited the Gesu church of Ignatius Loyola, very Baroque. The church was full of people as if for a service, but there was only a disembodied voice, no priest.

Nice view of the ruins!

We thought of heading to Trastevere again for dinner. We went via a different bridge and found the place to be very crowded. We ended up at a place called Galeassi. We had the menu of the day: spaghetti with garlic, oil and chilli, plus chicken pieces with lemon, and a bottle of Friuli Sauvignon 2011. I had a chocolate torte for dessert. Quite a nice meal in the end.

Wednesday 24 April

Richard at Ostia Antica, a sunny day

Today we visited Ostia Antica, the old port of Rome. We took a bus to Pyramide and then the train. It was an extensive area, full of groups of all nationalities. We saw the necropolis, houses, Neptune's baths, the large theatre and numerous columns, statues and ruins. Walking round was quite difficult on the cobbled paths. After a ham and cheese panini, we visited the sculpture museum and bought some postcards in the shop.

The large theatre at Ostia Antica

On the way out, I tripped on the cobbled path and hurt my knees and arm We managed to get home ok by train and express bus. I bought some arnica in a chemist's and we had chilled coffee and cake in Ducati, a chic coffee shop.

Later we had a campari soda and dinner at Virgilio in the Campo de' Fiore, where there was a band playing as usual. I had stuffed courgette flowers, scaloppino al limon and cheesy mashed potatoes. Richard had squid and carbonara. We had a Piceno Red 2012 and a small glass of limoncello. An enjoyable evening.

I didn't sleep well due to my aches and pains.

Tuesday 23 April, our pearl wedding anniversary

The Spanish Steps - a favourite landmark

Awake at 8 for a nice breakfast. Other guests are mainly Polish. A sunny day, nicer than yesterday. I gave Richard a card for our 30th wedding anniversary. We took a bus from Piazza di Venezia to Piazza del Populo and took photos, and listened to a clarinet player. We visited the church of Santa Maria del Populo, which contained art works by Raphael and Caravaggio.

The azaleas were in bloom

Then we walked back along Via del Babuina and Via Margutta to the Spanish Steps. I thought there was a cafe there but my memory betrayed me again. The azaleas were in bloom. We visited the Keats - Shelley Museum beside the steps, where the poet Keats died. A school party was having a talk. Then we climbed the steps, and at the top we had a glass of white wine.

Tourists are drawn to the Trevi Fountain to make a wish

We descended the steps again and strolled to the Trevi Fountain, which was crowded. Then back past Piazza Colonna with the column of Marcus Aurelius, and on to the Pantheon. After a coffee, we went into the Pantheon and saw Raphael's tomb inside.

Inside the Pantheon

For dinner we had booked a table at Il Bacalo, near Piazza Navona. It was a small place and hard to find. We had tomino cheese with warm wild mushrooms, monkfish rolled in lard and a cognac sauce (not that nice) and I had a panna cotta with kiwi. We also had an expensive bottle of Alto Adige Pinot Blanc. The dinner was a bit disappointing and the service was rushed.


Back to our hotel. I continued reading The Marseille Caper by Peter Mayle.

Monday 22nd

Caravaggio's Deposition in the Vatican Museum

Raining heavily today. We had tickets for the Vatican Museums at 11.30. We arrived early by bus, found our meeting point and had a coffee. Our guide gave us blue cards and then took us into the Vatican and got us our entry tickets. It was very crowded inside and out. There were pictures and posters of the new Pope, Papa Francisco, all over the place.

The ceiling of the maps corridor was beautiful

First we went to see the Pinacoteca or art museum with works by Lippi, Fra Angelico and Rafael. We liked the Raphael Transfiguration and the Caravaggio Deposition. We missed the sculptures. Then we walked through the map corridor with its decorated ceiling, and the Rafael rooms where we saw his works including the School of Athens. Then we joined the crowds in the Sistine Chapel. No photos or talking were allowed.

Michaelangelo's famous Pieta in St. Peter's

We left the Vatican and defied the rain to visit St. Peter's, where the highlight was Michaelangelo's Pieta.

We took a taxi back to the hotel. Still cold and wet.  Wondering where to go for dinner. We ended up in the Campo de' Fiore, and took cover in Maranega. We started with a glass of Montepulciano and bruschetta, and then had a hot meal - grilled chicken for me and steak for Richard, with more red wine. There were musicians playing in the square - the usual repertoire on guitar and sax. I gave the waiter a tip.

Sunday 21 April

Trajan's Column

Today after a nice buffet breakfast, we visited the Imperial Forum, including Trajan's column and markets. We saw all the ruins on one side of the Via dei Fori Imperiale. There was a parade celebrating Rome's birthday. We had a good view from the top of Trajan's Markets, but we couldn't go inside the House of the Knights of Rhodes.

Trajan's forum

Lunch at Pastarito, a friendly pasta restaurant. We rested in the afternoon.

Fontana delle Tartarughe

In the evening we walked through the Jewish quarter and the Tortoise fountain, and crossed over the Tiber via the island to Trastevere. There we had a glass of Chianti Classico at Vin Allegro, and watched a pillow fight. Then we had dinner at Spice and Wine. I had marinated anchovies, saltimbocca and a Puglian Primitivo. They were playing seventies music.

Saturday 20 April

The ceiling of Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Left Thalwil in snow, arrived in Rome in cloud, but warmer. Our taxi awaited us to drive to the Hosianum Palace hotel, near the Pantheon. After settling into our modest room, we explored on foot the Largo Argentina ruins, now a cat sanctuary.

Indian pole trick near the tram extension works near the hotel

We approached the Pantheon from behind and joined the crowds at the front, but it was closed for a service.

We visited the beautiful church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva and had a Prosecco in Piazza Navona with its three fountains.

Piazza Navona boasts three fountains - this is the Four Rivers

Back to our room to collect coats, then we had dinner at Vinando nearby. Antipasta, swordfish, Villa Simone Frascati and chocolate souffle - very nice.

WiFi was only available in the hotel reception area, and was not free. Our bed was very hard and I didn't sleep well.

Getting ready

It's raining in Zurich but we are hoping for sunnier weather in Rome. Everything is ready apart from the packing. Should I take a jumper?