Yesterday, we went to the church of San Luigi Francese, aka Saint Louis the French, to see the Caravaggios so beautifully shown in Ripley. (Nothing like watching American tourists in Italy while being American tourists in Italy! I love the original movie, but I also really love this new show.) Then we ate at the favorite Roman restaurant of my mom’s friend Eve, the author of the incredible treasure hunt we’ve been using to explore and learn more about the Eternal City. The boys and I shopped the Campo di Fiori for gifts and bulk candy afterwards. The boys each got little bags of pasta with souvenir spoons for friends, and I found a gorgeous black silk dress that I’ll wear at the BMOP concert next week (NEXT WEEK!).
Today, we’ll go to see the Castel Sant’Angelo, the hulking former prison on the banks of the Tiber near the Vatican, then split up: C wants to return to the Capitoline Museum, and I want to get to the MAXXI (21st century art museum— get it?). Tomorrow, we go to Pompeii. It’s hard to imagine we’re not going to be exhausted by that (it’s more than 2 hours travel there and back) so Thursday will be relatively mellow: hopefully nice enough weather to go back to the beach in Ostia. Aryeh and I spent Sunday there with my friend Daniella and her girls, all visiting from Berlin, and their sweet Italian/German friends who live in Rome. Aryeh the only boy, but playing with all of them just so happily. He’s had so little time with kids his own age. And for me to get so much time with a dear friend from high school days (we met at NY Youth Symphony!) was precious.
Little trivia fact: the direct train line to Ostia and its beaches was put in by Mussolini. It’s just 1.50 Euro to go and it’s a lovely gift to the people of Rome, even if the giver was a monster.
Some shots from the beach and the last few days’ adventures…
