STILL ROME..DIFFERENT DIRECTION

The next morning I took off in a different direction. I wanted to see the Palazzo di Venezia and the Fontana di Trevi and a few things in between so I started where the map told me to go. Walking, of course. The altitude is almost zero and it makes it a lot easier for me to walk. Even with one lung and no oxygen it was fairly easy, with frequent rest stops, of course. I could never have done this back in Denver. There is a lot to be seen even on the way to somewhere but I can’t write about all of it. There are Churches and fountains and columns galore everywhere. I will only mention them and post a picture here and there.

Most notably, The San Giovanni in Laterano (Church) built in the 4th century. Picture to the right.
The Column of Peace (colonna di Triana) and The Basilica di Santa Marie Maggiore (below)

This column was actually moved here in 1614 from the (Basilica Massenzio ?). These are pictures on the way to the Trevi Fountain.Picture is below.

I was amazed by the crowd at the Fountain when I arrived. It was nearly impassable to go from one side to the other. But the statuary in the fountain is so intricate and beautiful and the aqua blue water fits the color of the marble just right.

The fountain was built between 1732 and 1762. The name of “Fontana di Trevi” comes about for the three roads (tre vie) that converge here. It is said to be a very large fountain in a rather small piazza but considered to be the most beautiful fountain In Rome.

People seem to use this as a rest stop. Indeed, it is a quieting place and seems to incorporate much that Italy stands for. The fountain with the statuary, of course but also the colors of the buildings surrounding the fountain that seem to represent the landscape of Italy and the water to represent the sea. Sort of peacefully crowded. When you take a picture of a crowd, such as this, it is interesting to look at the individual people and try to figure out where they are from and who they are with and catch them in “that” minute.
These pictures are street scenes leaving the fountain. You can see the infusion of tourists, which I am one of, but with my liking to be in crowds and being a people watcher, there is always the problem of finding an empty table to have a drink and watch the crowds. Those that do find an empty table, much to the chagrin of the waiters, tend not to give them up very soon. It is what I call the “Seinfeld Syndrome” where George finds a good parking spot and don’t want to move the car because someone else will take the spot.

With map in hand I headed towards the Piazza Venezia which was a fair distance off. Along the way I detoured to visit the Pantheon, briefly. Picture is above. This huge building was built in 27 – 25 B.C. but was restored and rebuilt in 115 – 125 A.D. Each column is 39 ft high and 5 ft in diameter.

Here, above, is a picture from the Pantheon looking out.
I left, as the day is wearing on and so am I, for the Palazzo di Venezia. Many sights along the way give you many reasons to take your time. The people and the buildings. If you ever go, don’t follow the crowds completely. Take some side streets and get lost, even. You probably have a map and if not, anyone can get you on the right track right away. I eventually found the street that led to the Piazza di Venezia. A trip in itself worthy of the time it takes to arrive. Plenty places to sit and watch and rest.

When you arrive at the piazza you will know where the rest of the people were. They were here. The piazza is really large and the palazzo even larger. Very impressive. To make it seem even larger, the Monument to Vittorio Emanuelle stands in front of the Palazzo. Beautiful in it’s own right. They seem to go together.

I found a place nearby to eat that was very busy but had a table open. The problem with going alone is the dining alone. To me it is awkward and the waiters really prefer full tables as the tips are obviously better. This was a place inside which was good because the sun was hitting the tables outside. I believe I just had a pasta and sauce and a small eggplant (melanzana parmigiano) and of course a glass of wine. I sat for some time as I was getting tired. I decided to start back towards the hotel.
Along the way were several areas of the ruins and in particular the Mercati Traianei. This was a long continuous bldg that was once, to make it simple, what we would have called a mall.

Probably the first mall ever. It once had 150 shops and offices and a place where they could find most everything they needed while shopping. Sounds familiar? Not enough information to know whether people got upset after driving all the way there in their chariots only to find the store was out of what they needed. That sounds familiar! I made it back to the hotel and relaxed the rest of the evening.