You Want 45 But I Only Have 15

I had a late start today, did not walk out the front door of my hotel until 10:30 a.m.. Unlike the other days, I did not have too much of a plan today other than to tour the Colosseum and Forum. With a Roma Pass, which you purchase for 25 Euro, you get free access to your first two archeological sites or museums. Since I had paid ahead for the Borghese Gallery, I could still take advantage of my first two free entrance fees with the Pass. I knew that along the way I needed to stop for a cappuccino. This morning felt different than the others had, I didn't have a map in hand as I walked. While I did have my trusted friend in my purse, I didn't feel that I needed it out.

There are not a whole lot of restaurants surrounding the Colosseum so I stopped at the place I had eaten at when I had first arrived, "La Biga" for a cappuccino. It was overpriced- 4 Euro- but the view could not be beat. Now down the steps to the Colosseum. The lines were massive. I circled the perimeter of the beast took about as many pictures as I could stand and decided that since it was about 11:30 already, I felt comfortable skipping the formal tour. Beside the Colosseum is the Forum. Again, much of it is viewable from outside the gates, and to enter, you must purchase your dual ticket from the Colosseum, I made a decision to pass this up, and I don't even feel slightly guilty about doing so.


I formulated my next move in my head: walk over to eastern Rome and see Campo de Fiori, the famed open air market. A great part of my journey in that direction imitated my walk to Vatican City yesterday. Along the way I took a wrong turn and realized I was at the bank of the Tiber and I was facing a small bridge over the water. I sat myself down on a rock to look at the map and realized that I was right outside of Trastevere. A couple quick thoughts later, I was crossing the bridge.


Trastevere is the neighborhood across the Tiber River from downtown Rome. New York's answer to Trastevere is Greenwich Village. Its name literally means "across the Tiber."  It is considered a Bohemian neighborhood and used to be populated by the working-class. Now it has a reputation of being one of the must vibrant restaurant and nightlife packed zones in the city.


While I had listed Trastevere as one of the places I wanted to see, I was not sure if I was going to make it there because of its distance from everything else. Well, there I was. The Trastevere neighborhood seems to have maintained the Roman medieval character better than some other places in the City. It was about 12:00 p.m. when I arrived and I was a woman with a mission: find where I am going to eat. I pulled out a travel book to see what its recommendations were and did find the restaurant that it had suggested but I did not feel all that interested. I backtracked a bit and found myself in the Piazza de Santa Maria in Trastevere. As with most of the Piazzas, in the center sits a large fountain. The area is named for Santa Maria church, Rome's oldest church which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was founded in 337 A.D. on the site where a miraculous fountain of oil apparently spouted on the day of Christ's birth.

The Piazza is filled with about four or five restaurants, each one I checked out, and ended up approaching a waiter at "Galeassi."  By the time I sat down it was about 12:15 p.m.. The Piazza was filled with nuns walking around, puppies running without leashes, and people sitting with their backs resting against the fountain with gelattos in hand. I began to have doubts about my restaurant choice when I realized that both my chair and table were rocking on the unlevel cobblestone. No sooner did I stand up to adjust my chair did a waiter run over and both were fixed.

An entire bottle of house white wine was only 8 euro. The sun came out and it began to get a bit warm. I ordered three dishes: appetizer- Fiori di zucca fritti (fried zucchini blossoms filled with mozzarella and anchovies), first course- Rigatoni all'amatriciana (rigatoni with a red gravy and pancetta), and second course- Saltimbocca alla romana (thinly sliced veal layered with prosciutto and sage, then lightly fried).

The fried zucchini was incredible and as I ate, I thought- "I can't believe I only have one day left when I am only beginning to discover this place." Alongside my fried zucchini were tiny fried balls. Upon biting into one I discovered a green olive stuffed with sausage. Amazing. Dear God, I hope that I have died and am now in heaven. I did see St. Peter yesterday. I realized about two olives in that I better slow down and concentrate on the wine for a little bit since I have a horribly small appetite all of a sudden.

After getting through about 1/3 of my bottle of wine I realized that ordering an entire bottle of wine for myself was a bit gluttonous- well I was only about a mile from the Vatican, if I felt that I bad about it I could head over for a confession I suppose. I also realized that all of this fried food is going to make my skin breakout. Oh well, if I become hideously obese and pock marked I trust that one of you will tell me.

Let's pause for a moment to discuss Roman fashion. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my choice to wear a short black trench coat with brightly colored scarves is quite in vogue. In addition to the trench coat, women sport flat black leather walking shoes. And of course, any respectable woman that I saw carried a designer bag.

Back to the food. First course- the rigatoni- my favorite pasta. Let's see how they do it in Italy. I asked my waiter for cheese a few minutes earlier and then I heard from the opposite side of the outdoor seating "Formage para la bella!!" I think that's me he is talking about. I'll just drink while I wait. Out comes the cheese and I bite into the rigatoni. Cooked perfectly aldente. All is right in the world. The red sauce is a bit spicy with just the right saltiness.

Come on Italy, give me three months here and I will have the language down. I am a quick learner, highly motivated and will be an asset to your country. I feel like I am on an interview.

As I sat and ate, I appreciated that my trip was taking place in March and not in the middle of the summer, it was really getting warm under the sun! Gelatto will be in order for today. I looked around and noticed that the Piazza was now completely filled with beautiful wonderful people. When I have a kid, I am bringing him or her here so that their life can be enriched.

There is very little turnover in restaurants for each meal because people stay for so long. I have no idea how the chef possibly times the dishes when I am still on my first course after an hour and a half. At long last, I could eat no more pasta. On to the veal. I normally do not eat baby calf- I made an exception today. It was very good but I was also very full.

During my meal two gentlemen played music on an accordion and a bass. I took their photo as they played so I thought to myself that I will surely be sending them a couple euro momentarily. I have to laugh thinking of my mother complaining that my grandma wanted her to learn to play the accordion- maybe to serenade diners in a piazza square? Not even five minutes after their photo was taken, the accordion player was standing in front of me with his hat. Of course you can have some money.

Finishing the meal off with an espresso, it was time for me to head back for a siesta.

Having spent a heck of a lot of euros on lunch, I was very conscious of the fact that I only had 15 euro left in my bag in case I became lazy and needed to take a taxi back to the hotel. As I walked across the bridge leaving Trastevere I was greeted by a man with many beautiful purses lying on the ground. They were purses with no labels but genuine Italian leather for sure, I smelled them. He asked which one I liked. I pointed to the yellow one. He said "you can have this for only 45 euro." Why is it that only the street vendors know how to speak English? I knew at that moment that I was getting this bag and I was getting it for only 15 euro. I said- "I don't have 45 euro." "How much then, 30 euro?" " I don't have 30 euro." "25 euro, it is a beautiful bag, will look lovely on you." "I don't have 25 euro." "How much do you have?" "I have 15 euro." "That is very cheap for this bag." "It is all I have." He asked me to take out the money. I took it out and showed him that the 15 euro was all I had in my purse. "Fine, 15 euro."

Tonight I am going to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain to see them lit up at night.