Piazzas and more piazzas

As I noted earlier, I'd gone to Palazza Barbieri but it's closed on Monday.  I did get some shots of the outside, but I really wanted to check out the interior.  But my next stop was to revisit the Moses Fountain.  It's a beautiful fountain and near the Piazza della Repubblica, some nice shops and the Termini, or major rail terminal in Rome.  But what really got my attention were all of the scooters parked in a large scooter lot.  And this is only a tiny fraction of the scooters parked all over Rome.

From the Moses Fountain I went on to the Piazza della Repubblica because I wanted to visit what looked like a very old church.  It is the Basilica of St. Maria of the Angels and Martyrs.  Michelangelo was commissioned for this work by Pope Pius IV who wanted to consecrate the most monumental parts to the 40,000 Christians who were martyred.  The basilica itself was built in what had been the Baths of Diocletian.  "Michelangelo utilized the great central hall and some of the side rooms and succeeded in leaving intact the great sense of grandeur that the ancient building possessed without imposing his own architecture on the building."  The great bronze doors were created in 2006 by the Polish-born sculptor Igor Mitoraj.  There is an interesting history about the meridian line created in the basilica and the reasons for it.  Some were scientific: the height of the walls, the building was already oriented towards the south, etc., but what might have been the more important and real reason was an opportunity to reinforce the dominance of the Christian calendar over the pagan calendar.  It is a beautiful church and building.  Some other reconstruction is going on to the right of the building, but it was difficult to tell what. 

I have to say that one of the things that really struck me is how large the church is once you step inside.  The exterior, unless you have already wandered over to the right to see the construction area, looks deceptively small.

From this church, I went to San Vitale, the full name of which is Basilica of Sts. Vitalis, Valeris, Gervase and Protase.  It is another 1st century church that has been restored numerous times.  It is a generally unprepossessing church, especially when compared to some of its basilica brethren.  The front is virtually undecorated and it is built as though some monument to some pope's or cardinal's or aristocrat's ego.  It's a rather humble church.  It is dark inside; not many windows and the larger windows are treated as though frosted, so not much light comes in.  The church is situated below street level, so that doesn't help with lighting.  It is somber rather than majestic.  What I loved about this little church is the wood ceiling with the inlay designs and "pictures."  I wish I could have discovered more about that ceiling, but, alas, there has been nothing written about it, at least nothing I could find.  The wood is somewhat dark and adds to the sobriety of the interior, I think, as well as the moodier sensibility of the church.  That and the scary bronze of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on the portico.  "Come ye, and think carefully about your decisions and your behavior" seems to be a message of this church.

From San Vitale, I went back to the hotel to regroup and recharge my camera batteries.  I need to get a newer camera and/or be sure I travel with more than one charged battery.  I'd had an extra battery, but it was the old original battery and neither were holding charge at all well.  Then I dropped the original battery in a puddle and that was that for that one.

In the afternoon, I went back over to Castel Sant'Angelo to get a few shots on a nice day, but also in search of a particular street vendor who had some drawings I thought I wanted.  He wasn't there on Monday, so it's possible he's there only on holidays and weekends.  Ah well.  I'd seen similar work elsewhere, so hoped I'd find something I liked.

And then I head along the Tiber River towards Trastevere, which is a little neighborhood, I think we might call it.  Rather Bohemian-like in its own way.  As noted by Matters of Taste, what's wonderful about Trastevere are the little shops and the overall delightful quaintness.  It was easy to be "lost" here for quite awhile.  I walked back up to St. Peter's to get another look and that grand space.  It was nearly 4P and the lines to get into the Basilica were incredibly long.

By then I was quite exhausted.  I stumbled back to my hotel, cleaned up a bit, had a beverage in the salon and chatted with some of the other guests of the hotel: a family from South Africa and another group from the UK, both England and Scotland.  Basically killing time until the restaurants opened at 7:30P and trying not to be that person pacing at the door.

I leave my window open when I leave the hotel.  The housekeeping staff always closes it, no matter what the weather.  I flung open the windows when I got back--the room is usually stifling--and listened to the noise and music in the piazza while I got cleaned up.  And then I was pretty sure I heard the sound of a. . . bagpipe?  Yes, yes, I did.  He was strolling through the piazza and moving in front of my hotel--stopped for a few pictures--before marching off down the street in the direction of the Piazza della Minerva.  I wondered if he'd stop next to the elephant and play.

Some random observations, some of which may have been stated already and may get repeated again:

• Romans don't yield.  They have a way of walking so they manage never to look at the on-coming pedestrian traffic.  They don't crash into people very often, but they seem to expect others to yield because they don't.  This is true when walking in the street.  Unless death or injury is imminent, they do not step aside for a car.  Though some roads/alleys are designated for pedestrians, the Romans seem to treat every cobblestoned byway as a pedestrian walkway.  Cars, scooters, buses, trucks just have to wait.  What's amazing to me is how little honking there is.
• Romans, perhaps Italians, have perfected the art of the stroll.  These are not a hurried people.  Even people walking to work, unless it's raining and they don't have an umbrella.  And they think nothing of spreading out across the sidewalk or street, walking arm-in-arm as they chat and wave their cigarettes.  If you're in a hurry, tough.
• There are Hello Kitty stores and a number of the United Colors of Benetton stores.
• There are no pooper scooper laws in Rome.  Watch where you walk.

• I saw two Burger King places and a few McDonald's restaurants.  Thankfully, not many and very few franchised chain restaurants.  Other than these two, the only other I saw was the occasional Friend's Bar, which made me laugh.
• Dogs may be in restaurants, but you will rarely see children.  The dogs I saw were incredibly well-behaved.  Much better behaved than many children I've seen (and heard) in restaurants.  Still. . .
• The rule for parking seems to be: "If there is room, park it."  Unless there is an explicit sign that indicates parking isn't allowed, cars and scooters are parked pretty much anywhere.  And sometimes parked in such a way that they look abandoned.
• PDA is not uncommon in Rome.  Anywhere in Rome.  And often with much gusto that could border on embarrassing except most people don't seem to notice except Americans who were often clearly uncomfortable with such unabashed passion.
• Absinthe can be purchased in almost any store and certainly those selling wine and other spirits, such as grappa.  I did not try any; I saw Moulin Rouge.  And the labels were a little scary looking anyway.
• Grappa comes in flavors: chardonnay, pinot noir, Scotch.  Seriously, Scotch.  I tasted it.  It was not particularly smooth as, for example, a 12yo Balvenie or an 18yo Macallan.  Actually, it wasn't smooth at all.
• Italians don't really have bacon, but I have to commend the Hotel Senato for attempting to cook some sort of ham to try to replicate bacon for its guests.