5/18/11: wow only took blogger 6 days to recover this
About 10pm: Today was so long I don't even remember what I did this morning. Woke up around 8 and went to St. Eustachio again for breakfast. Backtracked to Largo Argentina and took Bus 87 to San Clemente, where I had tried to go the other day. The church itself is beautiful and from several different centuries, but then you can pay and go downstairs for several different ancient things. First, the old church but also a bunch of Mithraic stuff, which Rick Steves describes as a strange cult. And it was strange indeed down there. I feel like over these past few days I have been underground a lot. Anyway, there weren't that many people down there (tour groups were just arriving as I was leaving), it was dark and there were sounds of gushing water from the old aqueducts, and I cannot say I liked it very much!
Took the bus back up a couple stops to the Forum and found the entrance, then proceeded to wait in line for like 20 minutes (it was only 10 people) to be told that waiting line was not necessary for RomaPass people. I should've known that of course, since one of the main reasons to buy the Pass is to skip the huge Colosseum line, but it just didn't occur to me. The Forum changed a lot in the last 4ish years. It's no longer free and stuff is different. Some of the old buildings were opened for a several months long exhibit about Nero, and the House of the Vestal Virgins has been restored and is opened.
Plodded through the Forum for a while and then exited out the back up to the Campidoglio square designed by Michelangelo. Descended down the "steps" (not really steps) and tried to find some lunch before my 1:15pm Palazzo Valentini tour. Wanted to try a recommended place but at 12 it didnt really seem open so I looked for other options. Ended up at a crappy set-menu type of place across from the tour palazzo. It was edible pizza. And that is all. Of course, when I went into the palazzo (a public palace now occupied by province workers) there was a cafe there that had probably better stuff. Ah well.
The Domus Romane at the Palazzo Valentini is AMAZING. Only 6 years ago they dug under this Renaissance palace and found a huge villa, probably belonging to a Senator according to the tour guide. It was right next to Trajan's forum and so close to the main Forum and so opulent with all kinds of marble that it had to be someone really rich. The tour is so cool because instead of going down into the house, you walk on glass OVER it, and there's this wild multimedia/computer rendering/audio/video/awesomeness presentation that takes you throughout the whole house, including the baths, sauna, living quarters, etc. It explains what excavators found, and shows renderings of what it might have looked like 2000 years ago. Completely fascinating and since one of the hardest things about seeing ancient stuff is the fact that it's so hard to imagine what it was like all that time ago and these renderings make it a lot easier to imagine. SO COOL.
Hopped down the street and stupidly paid 8.50 to go into Trajan's Market. Waste of time and money but oh well. Then hopped a couple bus stops down to the Colosseum and wandered around on my own before doing the lower level and 3rd floor tour. That was also cool, to hear about how everything worked and what happened underneath. Not much to see on the 3rd floor except awesome views of Rome and the Arena. At one point the lovely tour guide Emma heard some teens shrieking and she said "The Italian people! Those are italians, i'm sure of it!" OK I guess it's one of those you had to be there moments.
Planned on squeezing in a visit to the National Museum of Rome near the station. Since it was like 5:30 pm the Metro was a mess. I took a bus to the station instead, which took forever at that time, then walked the wrong way after getting off the bus. By then it was 7 and basically too late to go. And honestly I was so tired (falling asleep on the bus to be exact) that I wouldn't have appreciated more ancient stuff anyway.
Stopped off at the B&B real quick and then set out for dinner at Da Francesco, where I had 2 meals on my last trip here. It has changed, most likely due to the Rick Steves effect as it's now in his book. It was busy but most of the people were together. Prices had increased and the red and white checkered tables were replaced by nicer-looking cloths. The prosciutto stand and antipasto bar were replaced with more tables. Anyway, I was going to get pizza, but today's Thursday and that's Gnocchi Day in Rome so I got homemade gnocchi instead. It was delicious, light and fluffy yet chewy and all different - very homemade - sizes. Also had a bruschetta with olive paste. No cover charge still, so that was nice.
Wandered back and found another recommended gelateria - Frigidarium. Got a dark chocolate (fondente) and bacio combination, and they dipped it in chocolate that hardened Dairy Queen style. All for 2 euros. Amazing way to end 5 great days in Rome.
Off to Sorrento tomorrow, which should be a welcome smaller-town few days. I don't think I (or my feet) could handle another big city right away. Some of the forecast for the next few days shows spotty showers so hopefully it doesn't turn into anything too disruptive. And hopefully the internet will work at my next B&B so I can keep posting blogs and pictures!
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