The Five Keys of Rome

Well, the flight to Rome from  London yesterday was 2 1/2 hours, and, as it should be, uneventful.  Security at Heathrow is much the same, with minor variations; they are obsessed with the liquids business, but, on the other hand, we didn't have to take off our shoes!

We were met at the airport by a car and driver, as arranged, and our B & B host was there to welcome us.  We are staying at Il Tesoro, and the location is certainly great.  It is within walking distance of the Vatican, with a metro station at the door, not to mention an ATM and a rollicking market!  The place is - well, what can I say, funky?  The room  is nice, and there is a rooftop deck where Hank can drink beer and smoke.  But we have five keys, of varying degrees of intricacy, to go through to get here, including two to get into the building, one for the elevator (which holds two, and heaven help you if you had too much luggage).  And once we got to the fifth floor, another key unlocked the floor and the final key unlocks the room!  It does not tend to create a mood of confidence!

Hank's friends from  high school, Ted and Kathleen, most recently stationed in Cairo, have joined us in Rome, and, indeed, joined us for dinner last night.  I remember from  my last trip to Italy (albeit 30 years ago), I never had a bad meal in Italy, or a bad bottle of wine.  The tradition continues.  No names for you - any old trattoria will do,  and any recommended bottle of wine.

Today, we did the stuff close by -

the Spanish steps (so called because the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican was located there in the 17th century, also known as the spot where Keats lived and died)

the column of Marcus Aurelius, typical of the columns with carvings showing the victories of the returning general, but not Trajan's column (better known), or any of the many obelisks (broght back from  Rome after the conquest of Egypt) which we also saw

 the Fountain of Trevi by Bernini (of Three Coins in the Fountain fame most recently)

Church of San Luigi di Francesca, with three wonderful Caravagios)

the Piazza Novanna, with yet another wonderful Bernini fountain (shaped like an oval as was the race track formerly on this cite

and the Church of St Agnes.

By that time, we were seriously out of gas, and stopped for lunch at the Restaurant of Antique walls (suitably in Italian, of course.

Followed by a leaning experience.  We stopped at a coffe shop, and I asked for a latte.  And received a glass of milk, which, of course, is what latte means in Italian.  What I meant, of course, was a caffe latte.  So, now I know.

All we could manage in the afternoon was the Church of Santa Suzanna, and the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, home of a wonderful Bernini statue.

More about just being here tomorrow.  I'm  bushed!