I sat on the cool stone steps of the Piazza Trilussa resting my feet and just breathing in the moment as the twilight deepened toward darkness. On the other side of the square, cars zipped along the edge of the Tiber, and all around me people came and went as the warm spring day yielded to a faintly chilled nighttime.
In summer the locals will crowd this place, but tonight there was a comfortable hum of activity.
I had come back to Rome this morning with no agenda – and that’s how I wanted it. I hadn’t even settled on a restaurant (although I’d considered a few), knowing that even when one chooses wrong in Rome, it’s mostly OK.
I took the morning flight from Lamezia Terme and checked into my hotel around lunchtime, quickly realizing that I was staying near a great meal. Just down the street, I found Er Buchetto, a famous porchetteria, where they slice delectable bits of crispy roast pork and serve them on a crackly crusty roll.
It’s just a hole in the wall, but it has a well earned reputation. They would be closing soon, so I rushed out of my hotel and headed the few blocks away to where I happily handed over my Euros (they don’t take cards here). I eagerly collected my sandwich, served simply on a piece of filmy paper, and a beer. Sitting at the table on the curb I marveled at the perfect simplicity of this moment.
In the end, this was my agenda – just Rome.
Down the street I had seen the Baths of Diocletian, which I don’t think I’ve ever visited before. This seemed as good a time as any. The structure is magnificent, built on a scale that is difficult to fathom, with grand arches, apses, and domes.
At least that’s what used to be here – the building has long since begun crumbling, and they are doing their best to preserve what remains. It now functions as a museum, but in comparison to some of the other things I’ve seen in Rome, it is a relatively minor site. It was the perfect thing for me to see now, but I wouldn’t consider it a “must-see.”
My meanderings took me past the ancient columns of the Temple of Hadrian in the core of Ancient Rome and on to my favorite.
As I approached the Pantheon, the narrow streets bent and crimped, finally opening onto the piazza where my spirits rose as high as the grand columns. I never fail to marvel at this site.
The Piazza Rotunda in front of it was packed with people and the line to enter the ancient structure was long. There were no open places to sit at the fountain. Things have changed here since I last visited – no longer is it a site I can just wander into and out of at will – one should book a ticket ahead of time.
But it was of no matter – as much as I love standing on that marble floor under the massive circular dome, being in its presence was enough.
And so I continued on to the Piazza Navona, a long piazza bedecked with churches, fountains, and cafes.
And beyond that I strolled to the banks of the Tiber where I saw the Tomb of Hadrian hulking by the riverside. This is another site that would seem to demand a visit but in reality is underwhelming.
Far in the distance behind the Vatican, the sky was aglow as the sun was starting to settle in behind the treetops for the night.
I crossed the Tiber and would get no closer than this to St. Peter’s Square. The Pope has been ill and it is a Jubilee year. I’m sure it is crowded.
So I continued my journey on foot, following the Tiber on the far side. This is how, as the sun had set, I had found myself in the Trastevere neighborhood. It isn’t where most tourists spend their time in Rome – heck it isn’t a place where I even have spent much time.
But I have memories here, and as I considered options for dinner they beckoned me.
I dove back into the luminous Roman night on a mission.
And I found Sabatini – an enduring Roman restaurant, and an institution. I was first here 21 years ago with Mom and Dad, and I would later bring Dan here. They do Roman food right, and I was thrilled that they found a table for me.
The waiter was animated as he suggested Carciofo alla Giudia (fried artichoke), and I was thrilled to order spaghetti alla carbonara, which I just can’t get right on my own.
I sipped my wine and mused over my day. I hadn’t had many hours, but I had done what I needed – I’d had two perfect meals in Rome.
The last stop for the evening was the Trevi Fountain, where I paid my obeisance to ritual and history, with a nod toward the future, casting my coins into the fountain.
I don’t know when number 20 will be, but I’ll have to make it special.
butterblogger 