Very late start this morning as I did not fall asleep as easily as I had hoped last night, nor did I sleep that hard.
When I finally get out, I walk for what seems like hours to Castel Santangelo but I love it. I did many things when I was here last year, but I missed this and the Jewish ghetto, which I vowed to see this year. Il Castel Sant'Angelo was Needless to say monumental, as it is filled with history:
"Built, as was the Elian bridge in front, by the Emperor Hadrian (117-138) as a Mausoleum for himself and his successors, it was completed by Antoninus Pius in 139. In 271, the Emperor Aurelian incorporated the pile into the defence system he designed: it lost its function as a tomb to become a fortress.
In 1277 it was occupied by Nicholas II who connected it to the Vatican by the famous corridor, a safety passage which runs along the top of the encircling wall of the Vatican. Hencefort, it remained under the control of the Popes who used it as a fortress, to impress, but also as a prison and a place for torture."
The best part was that it was not too busy or too hot.
The Jewish ghetto was a lot smaller than I anticipated. I am not exactly sure what I was expecting but it was not what I saw. In Firenze, there was the beautiful temple that doubled as a museum, maybe I was under the impression in Roma there would be something similar. And Maybe there is, but there was a children's concert going on, which I think was inside the temple, which is why it was closed. In any event, their little voices where adorable and made me happy.
I walk for a while longer, in and out of what seemed like undiscovered streets and stumble upon Etablì. As Massimo unlocked the door, I say how proud I am to have found the restaurant all by myself, naturally, he laughs. Max is sooooooooo sweet, we chatted for a while and I tell him i would see him later, as I planned to eat there sta notte. I wondered back to the hotel and went for a run.
After, as per normal, I showered and got ready for cena. I walked back to Etablì, well that was the plan anyway, yet somehow, I seemed to get lost, how do I keep managing this? As I show up about 30 minutes late to dinner, I apologize. Tranquile, va bene. To make me feel better, Max tells me it is hard even for Romans. Sweet, but unbelievable. I have on of the most fantastic waiters, Maurizio... He is patient and adorable, he respects my desire to refuse the english version of the menu but is happy to answer when I ask what something means. Normally, one would most likely get irritated with such behavior, or offer the English menu once again... Not him. It didn't matter because I tell him, "sono vegetariana e no piace funghi" everything else was fair game... I tell Maurizio to surprise me, which is exactly what he does. Pasta, baked... Too much, so good. He doesn't rush me or make me feel as if I am wasting his time, although I am the only person still eating, naturally. When I cannot take another bite, we discuss wrapping it to go, as I hate letting so much food go to waste and there are plenty of homeless to give it to. When he came back empty handed, we laugh at the fact he forgot to tell the bus boy I wanted to take it to go... No problem.
I stay for a while longer and enjoy the company before walking back. This time, I do not get lost... But I think "If my dad knew I was walking alone at this time... He would kill me". Needless to say, I did it anyway and he would be happy to know the one time I felt bothered by a passing car, the police was the next car and stopped to make sure I got home safe and I did.
I wash up and drift off.
Xoxo, Me
