The Fall of Rome (ours at least)

Kathy here-
Last days in Rome. Having avoided some of the biggies (David in Florence and the Vatican in Rome) and now avoiding the question of whether to try to get to the Sistine Chapel before leaving Italy altogether we finally settled for a couple of lesser sights and then a trip to the modern and fabulous Auditorium Parco della Musica (above), which I have longed to go to since seeing a photo in our Lonely Planet Guide to Italy (more on previous blog entry). So we got to The Pantheon, which was a highlight for me; such incredible dimensions and beauty and proportion.

While trying to get to the Trevi Fountain from there, which really should have just been around the corner, we stumbled across the Piazza Navona which was a long, rectangular public space that featured the best hip hop dancers I have ever seen, a strange man dancing while setting up his finger puppet show (didn't stick around to catch THAT sure-to-be-scintillating show), brides and grooms looking for photo ops and a ton of artists painting and selling their paintings, some of which were pretty good!
We did finally make it to the Trevi fountain (ok we grabbed a cab which took us the long and circuitous but necessary route). It really is huge and beautiful and is fed by one of the oldest aqueducts in Rome but is absolutely surrounded by swarms and swarms of people and their cameras. I know, I know, we are included in that bunch. Hard to get near it though, so we gave up and enjoyed the aforementioned best gelato in Italy.

The next day we kept our reservations at the Borghese Gallery (the second best museum in Rome apparently, and really not crowded at all). We took public transit and not realizing how big the Borghese Gardens are and forgetting how ridiculous the signage is here, basically had to run through the gorgeous grounds to get to it in time for our reservations. We arrived sweaty and grumpy. It WAS amazing, especially knowing it was someone's residence. An incredible collection housed in rooms with gorgeous painted ceilings. After leaving there it was off the the Spanish Steps, very close by. Another disappointment, although perhaps another time of year and it would be less congested. Really, it's a bunch of stairs. We went up and down, looking for somewhere somewhat affordable and interesting to rest our weary bods and quench our thirst. After passing the expensive and empty wine bars, and the full and crappy looking trattorias, we found a dark enoteca with a big wooden bar. Good looking men of all ages behind the bar, waiting to dish us out a plate of antipasti from the ten or so bowls laid out on the bar of olives, cheeses, meats, breads, sun dried tomatoes. Yummy. And a dozen or so wines by the glass. In the menu I mean. At Iris' request we sat at the bar (she loves to watch how they do things) and quickly settled in. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that they were playing some great 80's music -for me at least:) Now happily cooling down, eating, drinking and groovin' we decided to stay and ordered a great thin crust pizza with olives and fresh anchovies. Yummy. Then, on to Paulo Nutini at the Auditorium. A great and BUSY end to the trip.