The family comes to Rome: Part 3

In part 3, we accomplish much touristy activity. Monday, after we returned from Florence, I had class all day and wasn't able to spend the day with them. Mom and Anne walked around Trastevere; they found a cool over look place where they had a good view of Rome. They also found a great looking restaurant that we went to later on in the week. Monday night we had dinner with Rachel, her parents, her sister and Francesca at one of our favorite places, Retro. ummm yummmmm. It was a great night we all had a fabulous meal together. The parents really bonded. After dinner, Anne, Rachel, Leah, Annie andAnnie's friend and I went out for our friend Jack's birthday. It was a good night; Anne got to meet and hang out with alot of the people in my program. Super. We shared my small bed. It was rough. We can barely sleep in the same bed when it's a queen. Twin bed is hard.
The next morning we met the parents and Dad's good friend Dr. Bucci for a day of touring. Dr. Bucci lives very close to the Trevi fountain and he showed around for quite awhile. After we took pictures at the Trevi fountain we walked to the Pantheon. It also was much nicer in the sunlight rather then the dismal gray.

Dr. Bucci took us into a church, San Luigi dei Francesi, the church of Saint Louis of the French because inside the church, there are several Caravaggio paintings.  (Caravaggio was a important Baroque painter). The one was being restored but it was still able to see one of them, naturally I took a picture.

The Inspiration of Saint Matthew

It was a beautiful church; there was so much gold detailing in the ceiling and on the walls, it was unreal. It made me excited to see the Vatican and Saint Peter's. I imagined it the same only about 439785304 times bigger. Though I think that it is my favorite church that I've been in so far. And I never would have found that on my own, that's for sure. We went to Piazza Navona after. The only time I've been there was at night a few weeks ago and seeing it during the day was great. It was beautiful; the water was so blue. They have to paint the bottom because the water that comes out of my faucet does not look like that. Picture break: 

The fountain in the middle of the piazza represents the four major rivers of the world known at the time, thus the name Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (The Fountain of the Four Rivers). I'm not sure which of the four rivers I have pictured above but the four are the Nile, Danube, Ganges and Plate. In statues rivers are pretty much always portrayed as men in a "lounging" position to show the movement of the water. The Nile River God has a rag covering his face because they weren't sure where the river started. How you don't know that I don't know, but I didn't make it. I just take the tourist pictures 400 years later (It was erected in 1651 and was designed by Bernini). 

The Nile

Found: Picture of Anne's snazzy leather jacket: 

After the Piazza, we made our way back past the Trevi Fountain to Dr. Bucci's apartment to eat lunch with him and his wife. Dr. Bucci used to work with my dad at the University of Maryland and when he retired Clara (his lovely wife) and him moved back to Rome. They both are Italians through and through despite living in the States for 40 years. Anyway, we walked on this street named after the person that used to do the wash for the Pope. Lucky girl? Not sure. Clara made a wonderfulll lunch. We had cheese and spinach stuffed ravioli with a cream sauce, lots of wine, mozzarella, prosciutto, cauliflower, bread, salad, more bread, binges (fried dough with really good cream inside) and Frappe which is fried dough that they only have before Lent. Rather wonderful. That night we had a quiet night in because we did alot of walking and needed some peace and quiet.


Next time: The Colosseum etc!