Saturday 21st October 2017

Today we had to say goodbye to La Torretta which was very sad as this is a most beautiful place. It is very quiet and serene with outstanding views, great atmosphere and, even though we were the only guests for the first night with one family joining us for the second night it is a warm and friendly place. Maureen, Roberto and Jennifer (Maureen's daughter) are very helpful and attentive but not too much. There are plenty of materials to help one enjoy the area and the hotel will even organize weddings. the evidence of how well this goes is in the visitors' book.  Of course, with having lived here so long, the whole family is full of great advice about what to do, where to go, what to eat, etc. So whether you are an Italian neophyte or an experienced traveler, this is a great place to stay off the beaten track.

We had breakfast and took a last longing look at the wonderful view from the terrace on a beautiful morning with blue skies and sunshine on the Sabine hills across the valley.

Then we decided to take a last walk up the hill to the top of the village where the church is located and then to come down past the 'town square' where 'town hall' is located. The sun on the soft-colored stone just radiates warmth and although it is easy to wax poetical about the place, it just stimulates such thoughts. As it was Saturday morning, it was quiet except for some exuberant boys who were running up and down the steep, narrow streets.

Views of Casperia's upper levels

We returned to La Torretta to collect our bags and then embarked on the tortuous journey down the steps and streets to the car which was parked at the foot of the hill and outside the walls of the town. MAC took a diversion to the Post Office which is legendary for the waiting time, even for the simplest task!! But, she managed to hit it just at the right time and was able to mail some postcards to a school in France who asked for postcards from different destinations. The postcards had German stamps on them and we had forgotten to mail them in Germany. This fact bemused the postmistress who couldn't work out how to affix the Italian stamps over the German stamps. I went to the local supermarket and purchased some cat food for out cats at home.

Then it was in the car and off towards Rome.

The first part of the trip was through the winding roads of the countryside until we met the autostrada and took off in earnest. Driving on the autostrada needs care. That car in the outside lane which seems to be a long way back is probably doing 'warp speed' and it will fill your mirror in less time than you can imagine. Patience may not be an Italian motorist's great suit.

We arrived at a toll booth and took a ticket but when we got to the next toll booth, we tried to insert the ticket and wit would not go into the machine. Dreading the cacophony of hooting which would follow the hold-up we contacted the disembodied voice who, of course, only spoke Italian. After what seemed an age, we managed to discern that he wanted to know where we entered the autsostrada, we told him this and he asked for us to put cash in the slot which we did and then the barrier went up and much-relieved, we drove on.

We entered the outskirts of Rome and were startled to see, standing beside the road at midday on a Saturday, what were obviously hookers. They seemed to parade openly and were obviously not just 'waiting for a bus'!! This seemed rather incongruous both in time and location.

We made good progress through the suburbs and then had some trouble actually finding the Hotel Aurelius but, eventually we parked in a lot reserved for the Municipal employees and walked back to the hotel. We checked in and were advised to move the car soon. So we asked for advice on where to park. Option 1 was a secure lot with 24 hour guards some distance away but we found out this did not open until later in the morning and our flight was early so this was not an option. Option two was just across the street but this was not guarded beyond late afternoon. On asking if this was safe to park a rental car there, the receptionist at the hotel said in classic Italian style "They don't usually take your whole car"!!!! The implication being that anything inside might be plundered!! or, maybe the wheels might not be there in the morning!! This being the only option, we decided to risk it and make sure that the car was cleared of anything inside.

The Hotel Aurelius is actually called 'The Art Gallery Hotel Aurelius' and it is full of copies of Roman statues and busts. Our room was very nice indeed and had the novelty of a 'his and hers shower' the shower stall had side-by-side shower heads so it was possible to shower with your partner if you so desired. 

Hotel Art Gallery Aurelius

Bed at the Hotel Aurelius......with occupants!!

'Her' side of the shower stall

'His' side of the shower stall!!

We decided that we should spend the short time in Rome exploring and so after walking to a local pizza place for a quick lunch we set off on the subway and managed, with the help of two nuns, to find the train going in the right direction towards the station La Panto. As our Berlin guide Michael had challenged us to find some lion statues at the Villa Medici which had been copied and placed at the Glienicke Palace near Potsdam. So we set out to see if we could find the lions at Villa Medici and photographs them for Michael. After stumbling around at the entrance to the Borgese Gardens for a while we were directed to the Villa Medici which stands a short distance from the top of the Spanish Steps.

Sadly, we found the Villa covered in a huge tarpaulin which was part art project by an American artist Elizabeth Payne from Connecticut and part a disguise for the reconstruction and renovation which is taking place. So, we were not able to see the lions in question although there was an interior tour of the house in a couple of hours.

Elizabeth Payne's tarpaulin art

The exterior of the Villa Medici

So we walked up a slope and sat on a terrace overlooking the city watching the world go by. Brides and grooms passed to have pictures taken, Segway tours and also pedalos with families.

We waited in this place until the sun set over St Peters' dome and the sky turned a golden red.

Sunset over Rome

A bride and groom pose for their wedding picture in an idyllic spot

The best lions we could find in the vicinity of Villa Medici

Plaza del Populo - busy on a Saturday evening

We had decided to have dinner at a recommended restaurant called Settembrini which was on the street of the same name. We walked through the Plaza del Pupulo and across the Tiber River and found the restaurant at about 7 p.m. but food service did not start until 7.30 p.m. so we relaxed and had a drink at a table which was on the sidewalk. The restaurant was busy with drinkers who left when food service started but the place is obviously popular and the dinner we had was very nice indeed.

After dinner, we walked a fairly short distance to the La Panto subway stop and caught the subway home. Although we exited at the wrong exit and had to walk a ways to find the hotel, we did find it OK and were soon in bed.