And Next is Rome

And Next is Rome

Yesterday was pretty much a lost day with a flight from Prague to Rome with a several hour layover in Frankfurt. The plan was to get our Euros at the ATM in the Frankfurt. It worked for me but Dick tried three different ones and they refused him apparently because he had not notified the bank that Germany was part of the itinerary. Then there was the Rome airport where the three ATM's he tried were out of cash. His vocabulary deteriorated significantly around then. We arrived at our apartment about 7:30, had the orientation to the place and the neighborhood, went to the tiny market up the street for a few groceries, made a quick dinner and that was the day.

Today we went to the Borghese and swooned over the Bernini's again. We happened upon a chatty American who was an expert in mythology and art and gave us all kinds of interesting info. This day made me nostalgic for the great trip last summer with Nicki, Mary Beth and Alisha. We had a similar experience to last summer in that after the gallery, we walked our feet OFF! We are now on stubs! Instead of the Via Veneto, we walked to the Piazza del Popolo. There is a great overlook from the gardens of the Borghese overlooking the city and the Piazza.

                                                    

 In fact, I recall that last summer we looked at the people standing on the overlook from our spot in the Piazza and wondered where they were. Now I know!

Last year, there was frustration over trying to go into the church of Santa Maria del Popolo because it was closed until some afternoon hour and we had other things to do and couldn't wait around. This time, the timing was going to be perfect! We would have our late lunch and be at the church by 3 when it opened to see the Bernini sculptures, the Caravaggio paintings and the Raffaello that the church is reknowned for. We found a restaurant off the Piazza, sat down and discovered it specialized in GERMAN FOOD! The feet were already suffering so we ordered our Oktoberfest beer and wurst then went to the church arriving about 2:45. Waiting and waiting and waiting, we soon found that the church doesn't open til 4. Dick was thrilled. 

See Dick look thrilled

I don't regret waiting. It was MAGNIFICENT! It's a beautiful church, and the art work is amazing. Perhaps the most I've ever enjoyed visiting a church. Now I feel badly that Nicki, Alisha and Mary Beth missed it last year. I guess they just have to come back again. Here are 3 of the Bernini's and a crooked picture of the church.

 

  After all this, we decided to take a cab to the supermarket "near the apartment" that we had been told of. We had the cab drop us on the street of the market.....turns out it doesn't exist, asked some random stranger where there might be a supermarket and were directed to one even further from the apartment (and we were already distant from the apartment.) We made our way to the market on our foot stubs, stumbled home and that's all folks!