Rome Day 2: Three coins in the ...... oh, nevermind

Today started out later than I would have liked.  I slept through my alarm, probably because I was up WAY too later trying to figure out the picture thing here on blogspot.  I think I have it down.

I confimd the Metro stop with the front desk for the Spanish Steps as I planned to go on the Rick Steve's "Heart of Rome Walking Tour".  So I hopped on the Metro which dropped me off right next to the Spanish Steps.

Lots of steps here, up to a church that seemed to be under renovation.

Selfie at the Spanish steps

Piazza di Spagna

More of the steps

There was a fountain in front of the Spanish Steps that was under renovation.

So, the Spanish steps were actually the END of the tour.  But since the Metro station could get me there, I decided to take the tour going backwards.  After all, in the book, Rick Steve says the tour can be done in reverse.  That meant reading the map in reverse.  I was doomed from the start.  I can't tell you how many times I had to backtrack when I realized I had gone the wrong way - which happened a lot, so just assume it took me 3 times as long to do this tour than the projected 1-3 hours in the book.

Anyhow, I got to my next destination.  The Trevi Fountain  Cue the music!!  Well, actually, don't because this is what I found at the famous Trevi Fountain....

I wasn't entirely surpised as I had heard from Jim that the fountain being under renovation might be a possibility.  Still I had hopes.

Here are some pictures of the Trevi Fountain without water

And if you absolutely had to throw 3 coins in the fountain, there was this mini-Trevi just for that

More of the fountain

Anyhow, about this time, I realized I was pretty hungry, so I found a cafe with wi-fi so I could catch up on the blog and have some lunch.  I had a salami pizza and water.  Sorry, I have no documentation of this, but the pizza was round, had cheese, tomato sauce, and salami.  Just perfect to get me through the day.  I got part of yesterdays blog caught up and was on my way.  Weaving and backtracking due to my poor map reading skills as well as reading the tour backward.

Next big ticket item was Palazza Colonna.  Not sure why, I didn't read why it was popular, but there was this....

In the back and to the side of the Plazza Colonna was the Parliment buliding.  The Piazza was swarming with police, most on their phones.  Official business, I'm sure.

And then, around the corner, a corner that I hadn't had to backtrack to, was this...

Smack dab in the middle of the Plazza - the Pantheon.  Who dropped that there?  Most likely, who's idea was it to build a square around the Pantheon!!

One of the side altars

Columns

Ceiling

 More of the ceiling

The fresh flowers seemed out of place, so I took a picture

Main altar

More of the main altar

Presider's chair

More of the altar

Not sure what this is, but everyone was taking a picture so when in Rome.....

More of the ceiling

Crypt?

Another side altar

People in shorts in a church!  Including me

Sunlight from the top - really cool

Outside the Pantheon, there was guitarist and 'cellist that were performing in the Plaza.  They were really great!  They played a version of "Bolero" that brought the crowd to it's feet.  There was also a fountain - one that wasn't under renovation as well as some horse and buggy.

As I winded my way along, getting lost, turning back, I stumbled upon this....

Recognize that?

Father Brian kept talking about the French church.  While trying to figure out why and where it mattered, here is was.  Must have been a sign - and on the way back, it was open!!

Next was the Piazza Navona.  A rather long and narrow Piazza with a church and several fountains (all in working order)  The church is Saint Agnese and the fountain is The Four Rivers fountain.  I'm sure the fountain meant something and if I paid attention in school, I might know.

I thought this awning was quite amusing.... 

I finally made it to the final destination, Campo Fiori, which was a rather large market place.  I did get this picture because it had the word Carbonara in it, as well as some local color

Of course my crappy map reading skills took me farther than I needed to go, so I found a lovely cafe and got some pineapple and some water and contemplated my next move.  (yes, pineapple, does that really need a picture?)  However this gypsy accordion player did

I decided to walk back to the Spanish Steps to catch the Metro.  With a brief stop at Saint Agnese - which was open, but no pics allowed - in no time, I was back at the Spanish Steps.  How come it took so long to do this walking tour backward?

So, I decided it was gelato time.  This time Panna Cotta and Pistachio.  This pistachio wasn't as good as last nights which proved that no gelato is created equal.  

Here's the cone

And here's me on the Spanish Steps consuming the cone...

As I headed to the Metro, I noticed this poster, they are everywhere!!!  However, I'm curious as to what this actually is.  

On the Metro, we were two boys serenading us with something Italian and then a really fast version of "The Entertainer".  One played violin and one played clarinet (a white one!!) I snuck a picture

I got back to my room and rested a bit, finished yesterdays blog and headed out for dinner.  I wanted to go to this Bar near the gelato place, but they were closed.  I really wanted a sandwich or something besides pasta or pizza.  I ended up at a restaurant and having salad and pasta carbonara.

This was just like Nonna's.  Amazingly tasty

I decided against gelato this evening.  The pasta was quite enough.

I took this picture about 4 blocks from my hotel.  The dome of St Peter's, looks close and in the neighborhood, huh?  We all know it's quite a hike to that beloved dome.

There you have it, folks, the end of day 2.   So many things to try and do tomorrow, and I'm sure getting  lost will be one of them.

Ciao,
Maestro