fried artichokes twice in one day

Yesterday we visited a marble quarry but last night I swear we slept on a marble bed, with matching pillow. The beds in this hotel are not the best! In fact they are horrible.

Part of our group ventured to the Vatican today but I've been twice so decided not to go. Mom, dad and I walked around and visited Santa Maria degli Angeli. This church was Michelangelo's last architectural work and it was built inside the Roman walls of the Baths of Diocletian. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to the angels, and to the Christian slaves who died building the baths.

We poked around at some shops - Europeans have a lot of inexpensive fashion choices - and stopped for coffee/tea.

After the Vatican tour group returned we walked over to throw our coins in the Trevi fountain. It was busy, of course, and really hot. Thank goodness Lyn and James have deodorant. We stooped at a restaurant to get what we thought were a few appetizers but ended up costing us €90! We wanted to try a sample of deep fried artichoke, a specialty of the restaurant we were told, but it cost up €37. Ugh!

This evening we ate our way through Trastevere with our delightful guide Anna from Eating Italy Food Tours. We did the Twilight Trastevere tour which I highly recommend if you are going to be in Rome. We learned a lot about the Trastevere area and ate a lot of fabulous authentic food. Including deep fried artichokes (twice in one day). We had the most delicious street food, porchetta, biscotti, cheese, pasta and we drank wine in an ancient wine cellar that is not open to the public. The cellar is part of what once was a Jewish synagogue dating back about 2000 years. We also learned the difference between real and fake gelato. The real stuff is very good! All of the places we visited take great pride in their "craft" and many are family run businesses that are second or third generation. One of them had their 93 year old mother taking the money.

Trastevere is a very interesting neighbourhood and very old. It was considered the immigrant area and it's where Julius Caesar had a little fling with Cleopatra. More recently Lady Gaga walked over the oldest bridge. Some Travestevereans brag that they have never crossed the bridge/Tiber to step foot in Rome.

The rest of our group arrived late this afternoon. Tomorrow be board the brand new ms Koningsdam. I'm sure the beds and pillows will be softer.