10.24.8 ARRIVADERCI ROMA [for now]

Fairly refreshed from our nap, we dressed for dinner and headed for the train to Piazza di Spagna. Your have 3 choices of Tickets from an automat from 75 minutes of travel time to 24 hours depending on your needs. These are also good for transferring to a bus route that the metro doesn’t cover. A short wait put us on a colorful graffiti covered B Line train to Termini station for a transfer to the A Line taking us to Spagna [they shorten it for metro route map].

Once at Spagna we dd the tourist thing wandering around gawking at everything and everyone. Illy then spotted via Condotti [the Rodeo Drive of Rome] and had to stop at EACH & EVERY STORE. Gucci, Cavali, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and then some. Chuckie was thanking his lucky stars they were all closed, he could see the tchotchke list creating another Mortgage.

Hunger pangs overrode the window shopping and we started down various side streets in search to T H E restaurant for dinner. So many choices… so little time. We finally settled on Ristorante 34, a seemingly popular and busy spot run by and iron fisted Mama and her very handsome son. A zealous cameriere [waiter] took us back to the only open table on his station… right in front of the pantry pickup window, across from the kitchen door and the cashier, apparently a grandson by his similar features.

By now all the walking and dry air had Chuckie’s sore throat [which started before we left] in full bloom and starting to swell making it very difficult to swallow anything. As a result, we decided to share an appetizer, and main course, which DID NOT please the cameriere who was expecting a big Americano sized meal and big check. We did order a bottle of local Pinot Grigio that would have been better used in someone’s gas tank. Or maybe it was just Chuckie’s taster and raw throat at the time. The Caprice Pomodoro [Mozzarella and cherry tomatoes] was OK, as was the Fusilli with pancetta and mushrooms. Meal Rating: 3 - Service Rating: 1.
A couple cups of good Italian coffee and a few pictures around including MaMa with her Fillio and we were off by train to Piazza Barbarini and a quick stop at Fonata di Trevi so Illy could once again try to get the coins into the fountain. [It was closed for cleaning last trip and roped off too far back for her toss]

The Metro stop left us at the Hotel Bernini where the doorman gave directions to Fontan di Trevi with that great Italian stand by: “Sempre Diritto, Quatro Sinestra.” Is everything in Italy “Sempre Diritto”? [straight ahead]

After a quick stop for bottled water, Chuckie’s throat was really dry now, we proceed down the street… and I do mean DOWN the street to the 4th left, commenting that it was gonna be a really long walk back up. Arriving at the World Famous Fountain, we went straight to the edge so Illy could get the long overdue coin toss out of the way and she even coaxed Chuckie into doing another one too. After slipping on the wet travertine, and almost tossing himself into the fountain, the requisite pictures were taken, as well as a short video by Cecilia B. DeILLY, [which was too large to upload here] we headed back to the metro by a series of side streets which made the walk back up easier. We stumbled on a really great little bar “That’s Amore” which has pictures all over of the famous celebrities that had been there;

Sinatra & Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren, Gina Lolabrigida, Jack Lemon, Monroe and more.

Quick pictures and a couple turns later, we were back at the Metro station. 2 more tickets to ride, back through Termini and onto the B Line, off at Stazione Policlinico, down the hill and home safely at Hotel Globus by Midnight. After I finished the last episode around 1:30AM I set the alarm for 8AM and crashed.

Ciao 4 Now,

Chuck and the sleeping like a baby, purring all the way, Dragon Lady