Oh, those Roman ruins!

May 9, 2015

Hello!

I posted the blog yesterday before dinner, so will now need to catch up.  After nice afternoon naps, Robert decided that he must be getting a cold, as he had a runny nose.  I gave him some of my antihistamines, and as they seemed to help him, we headed out to dinner. (Note here:  We went to the small laundry down the street, and asked if they “did” wash, which they said we did.  That being the case, and a Laundromat in the hand is worth two very noisy machines in the kitchen, we went back and got our second load and left it there; it is promised for 2 p.m. Saturday.)

This time, we took the Metro from Re di Roma station all the way to Spagna, set right next to the famous Spanish Steps. 

Crowded Spanish Steps

We arrived to find hoards of people generally milling around, which is something they do tend to do here, although the authorities have placed huge planters all up and down the Steps to limit the number of people that can just sit there all day. 

Lots of people!

As we walked down the street, we found an open Farmacia (pharmacy) and got R some decongestants which I thought might be helpful.  Then, around the corner we went, and up to the Restaurante La Rampa, where we haven’t been in years!  It sits directly to the east of the stairs (in fact, we found that there is an entire “other” set of Spanish Steps, but as they are discreet, not ornate and face the side, no one cares to sit on them!)  They were just beginning the dinner hour, and we were, actually, the first two customers to sit inside, rather than outside!  (The smoke from the outdoor terrace was amazing.)

We got a nice table, and ordered sparkling water along with a bottle of Frascati, which seems to have become our “wine of choice” in the area – considering that we really enjoyed visiting Frascati in the past, and that the wine  For starters, I selected a visit to their impressive antipasti table, and R chose two artichokes done in the “Jewish” manner (as opposed to the Roman way.)  Then for mains, I had the eggplant parmesan and R had sole – the whole fish, of course! 

R's Jewish artichokes (fried)

My plate of antipasti

is very young and doesn’t travel well; hard to find in the U.S.

I think I had better luck with my chosen plate of antipasti – fried mushrooms, fried cauliflower, fresh mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, meatballs, slices of melanze (eggplant … again!) rolled around arugula, fried potatoes and I’m sure I have forgotten something, but you get the general idea!  Robert’s artichokes were deep fried, and he thinks that he was supposed to eat the entire leaf – but he decided against that, but our waiter did ask him if he didn’t like it.  So…next came my eggplant parmesan, which was hot and very delicious, and Robert’s sole, which of course came with all the body parts – head, etc. Robert is truly a master of de-boning fish, but the waiter asked if Robert wanted him to do it, and R agreed – and was finally presented with a plate of boned sole, which he said was wonderful. 

My eggplant

R's deboned sole

And, as I tend to look for gelato rather than do a fancy dessert, that was basically the end of dinner!

The problem we had now was that the antihistamines had really taken affect, and R was literally falling asleep at the table!  We got him a cup of Café Americano to help, but it was obvious that what R really needed was sleep, so back to the Metro and a straight shot to the apartment – with only one stop, and that at Procopia for my stracciatella/nutella ice cream cone … YUM!  Back to the apartment about 9:30 p.m. and to bed shortly thereafter.

Up this morning early – about 6 a.m. because we have 8:30 a.m. reservations for the newly opened Via Triumphalis necropolis at the Vaticani Musei, and do NOT want to miss that!

From our apartment, Metro Linea A is a straight shot all the way to St. Peters, and this time we got off at Cipro, on the far side of the museums; probably took about 20 minutes in all. St

The lines all around the museum were absolutely incredible – and where were all these people going to go?  However, we did find the entry for guided tours, and within a very few minutes, we were all ticketed and ready to go for our tour!  (It is SO nice to be able to make reservations prior to visiting, and then be able to walk in for “your” reserved time!) 

Stunning fountain on private driveway

Down into the necropolis...

Our guide collected about 22 of us in all for our tour, and we were all provided with an earplug and device so that we could hear what our guide had to say.  We first entered the Musei Vaticani and then filed out a side door and were outside on the Vatican driveway.  We literally walked through padlocked gates and down the driveway to get to the Vatican “parking lot.”  It was here, in the 1930’s that part of the necropolis (cemetery) was found, but then quickly covered over again.  However, in the 1950’s, they were building again (seems like every time anyone wants to build something, they run in to something else!  It’s taking FOREVER to get Linea C metro line put in!) 

Looking into a "house" tomb

This time, however, archeologists were called in for an “emergency survey” – which means, get in, save what you want to save, and then get back out so we can continue our jobs here!  However, the Vatican being its own country, rather than a part of Italy, someone in charge decided that investigating the find was WAY better than continuing the parking lot … so they excavated – and I have just one word:  Wow! 

From a 4-year old child's tomb

Do love those mosaics...

Would that many other archeological sites be handled as completely and well as this necropolis.  First of all, the cemetery handled both Christians and pagans, with the Christians preferring to use sarcoughigi or just wrapping the body in cloth to deteriorate (inhumation).  Most of the pagans chose cremation. So, there were various skeletons lying beside small terracotta urns that held the remains of pagans.  In some places, small “houses” had been built for various families – again, with small indentations for urns, and larger spaces for full bodies. 

The necropolis, as many other places in Rome, began on the side of a hill.  However, over the years, between floods and mud slides, the lowest tombs were eventually covered and built on top of – and this process happened at least four or five times, and this is what turned up when starting work on the parking garage. 

The way the archeological dig was handled was that they left everything as they had found it!  They took things out and cleaned them off and in some cases (like mosaics) reassembled the pieces.  They laid a metal see-through walkway on top of everything, which enables one to get very close to the various parts of the necropolis.And when it was all done (including the parking garage!) they opened it up to the public – but only in 2013. 

Use of stunning marble

 

Our tour took almost two hours, and was absolutely wonderful!  Not only were we walking where “other people” could not go, but the quality of the work – there were several well-done videos with English subtitles that showed some of the restoration practices that were used – was truly phenomenal. 

At the end of the tour, we were brought back inside the Musei Vaticani.  As R and I had gone off without breakfast (figuring that we could get something before our tour, but then not having the time) we headed to the museum’s coffee shop.  R had a Calzone with cheese and tomato sauce, and I had a ham and cheese sandwich, washed down with glasses of what looked to be “real” orange juice. 

Beautiful frescos

Lovely tile

We debated what to do next, but as the crowds were truly horrendous – I mean incredible! We decided to see the Etruscan museum, which we had not seen before.  (We have seen the Sistine Chapel on multiple occasions, and decided we could do without it, considering the Mongol hordes!)  Lovely Etruscan collection, with very few people – our kind of place!

From necropolis, glass vials to catch mourners tears

By the time we had finished, it was after noon, and we decided to head back to the apartment.  This time, I was the tired one – I had definitely seen enough for at least a morning.  So, we walked to Ottaviano and caught Metro Linea A which brought us back to Re di Roma Metro station, and our front door…(stopping, truth be told, for gelato at Procopio, my favorite gelato stop…)  I collapsed into bed waking up several hours later, much refreshed and ready to go again!

On to the Etruscans!

Love those lions

I did take the time to do some ironing on our shirts that had been hanging outside (and yes, I did remember to bring them in last night!)  There is a table-top ironing board (which is very awkward to handle!) and an iron, so I did what I could with the shirts.  I’m sure we will be entirely wrinkled by the time we are finished with our European adventure!

Stunning Etruscan jewelry

Really like the gold diadem!

R got the laundry, which seems to be fine, except that they always use very heavily scented detergent, which drives us crazy.  But at least everything is clean, which is the object of the exercise.  We have made a reservation at Roberto & Loretta for dinner tonight, which R assures me is walkable distance from the flat.  I still have to see the Trevi Fountain at night, but maybe tomorrow?!

Ciao!

m

xxx