Food Experiences near the Pantheon

There are so many different food experiences to be had in Rome and since I spend a lot of time around the Pantheon I've noticed that nearly every style of dining is crammed into that tiny piazza. Early this week Joe and I stopped for a quick lunch at a hole in the wall restaurant to the right of the Pantheon that just says Pizzeria next to it and we found chicken breast, pasta, fried zucchini, and our meal was about 10 Euros and we left full and satisfied. The food was exquisite, the chicken fell right off the bone and the zucchini was tender, it was possibly one of the best meals I've had. And I can't tell you how excited I was that I finally found some chicken. Later in the week, we sat at a restaurant to the left of the Pantheon and the prices were outrageous. We sat down without looking at the menu because we figured most of the places in that piazza would be similar and we had eaten at others that were moderately priced. We couldn't have been more wrong. Since we felt rude to get up and leave we ended up paying 35 Euros for small servings of pasta and bread and a glass of wine, plus a 7 Euro service fee. We were even still hungry when we left. The difference between these two dining experiences is the opposite of what one might expect. It seems logical that the more expensive meal would be better in quality and quantity and that wasn't at all true. The food places in the Piazza Rotunda remind me of the people that visit the Pantheon. There is such variety in both categories that it is almost never boring to watch.

Putti in S. Giovanni in Laterano Church

The Putti that I saw this week in the Saint Giovanni (St. John) in Laterano Church were actually quite different from Putti that I've seen in other churches and around much of the city. Several Putti, dare I say most Putti (at least that I've seen) have only two wings, one on each side. The Putti in S. Giovanni's had two wings on each side and were atop every single arch and in nearly every corner of the entire establishment. (upper and lower left) There was also a crying Putto holding a shield with a picture of a Pope on it which I found very interesting because it was the first time I saw a Putto unhappy (above right). I also found evidence on Putti in some paintings around the church which seems to be far less common than the sculpture design. In the one particular painting the Putti seem to be carrying Jesus to heaven on a cloud. (right) This goes right along with my previous post about Putti being a symbol of heaven after death when on the crypt in the Santa Maria in Sopra Minerva church.

Pantheon View

Yesterday I sat at the Pantheon, on the steps, leaned up against a pillar, and tried to take in the view. I wanted to get a different perspective because most people, including myself, stand back and look up at the Pantheon. I decided to be the Pantheon and see what her view is like. Besides all of the people running in and out of her most treasured pieces, trampling on her heart, and hardly taking enough time to appreciate her. Then they often scurry to nearest cafe or even worse McDonald's. I feel ashamed of America when I see that the Pantheon has to stare at a McDonald's every day. I mean, what an insult to her beauty! The Golden Arches are hardly deserving of paralleling the grandiose pillars and dome of the Pantheon. As if it isn't bad enough that McDonald's discretely crept it's way into a home gazing menacingly at the Pantheon, people actually rush by the 2000 year old wonder of the world in search of a burger and fries. I have to admit, I don't even eat McDonald's or any fast food at home, but the first time I started feeling really homesick, I stopped to take a few pictures of the Pantheon, and sat in McDonald's and enjoyed my extremely overpriced, undersized burger and fries. Yesterday I realized how sad it is, that McDonald's is what American's use to associate themselves with home.

Learning a little about Putti

Putti, according to Eyewitness Travel: Rome "were a popular decorative feature in the Baroque period. A Putto is a painting or a sculpture of a child like a cupid or a cherub." Perhaps the editor, Fiona Wild, made the authoritative decision that there is not a difference between Putti and Cherubs, or even a cupid for that matter. This definition however, does not specify that Putti have wings, which is a distinction that I read on Wikipedia a few weeks ago (you can find more in the entry "Cherubs vs Putti"). I have been using this distinction in my search for Putti and I've found several babies that look like Putti but don't have wings and I've been leaving them out. I was specifically searching only for babies with wings to write about and discuss and even to consider Putti. Several times I've found what I thought would be Putti, or other people have pointed them out to me and when I discovered they didn't have wings, I left them with disappointment but perhaps this distinction isn't correct.

Tiber River Experiencing Rome

Along the Tiber River you will find signs every few hundred feet that tell you all about the river, and in six different languages. I was walking home from dinner last night, along the river and I decided to just listen. Listen to the people. After being in Rome for almost three weeks, I've gotten significantly better at hearing the difference between French, Italian, and Spanish. On my walk I heard at least five different languages and several different English- speaking accents and it just really made me realize that Rome is truly an international city. Just as Eleanor Clark describes the city by saying "In Rome to go out is to go home." Everyone, from any background, seems to feel comfortable and happy in Rome. That can't be said for any city that I know of in the US. I really love that you don't only get Roman culture in Rome, you get a mosaic of cultures through the tourists, the immigrants and the natives. The chaos and uniqueness of Rome is truly a work of art.

Dirty River

As I've mentioned previously, the Tiber River has been pretty dirty since it flooded last week. At the drop in the river near the island bridge trash collects fairly significantly. It's clean sometimes and packed with plastic bottles stuck in the current at other times. Who cleans out the trash? This weekend I saw a huge metal box or cabinet-like thing trapped by the water in the dam and fighting furiously to escape but the river kept it in place. Obviously the current is keeping the trash collected there, so I am starting to think someone cleans it out. Does Rome hire people to fish the litter out of the river? Romans seems to take a lot of pride in their city and if they really have someone that cleans it out like they clean the sidewalks, I find that a very admirable trait of Rome.

Picnics by the Tiber

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Rome and people were enjoying the weather everywhere, especially by the Tiber River. As we walked to the Coliseum and Roman Forum today we crossed over a bridge and saw people having picnics along the banks of the river. I have a feeling they usually sit on the cement walkways right next to the river but they couldn't because it is still flooded. Seeing these people enjoying the river even when the water is too high to get really near it makes me excited for the next few weeks when the river goes back down and we can have picnics next to it or sit on the edge and slip our feet in the cool water.