"Savan's Senior Sabbatical on a Shoestring": Roaming Around Rome

Rome was my next stop, and after losing my wallet, a welcome sight for me. Not too crowded, tons of summer sales, plenty of places to eat solo in style, and people out and about all hours of the day and evening. My hotel was well located and reasonable (note to others Booking.com and Hotel.com are the way to go for good deals) as summer is vacation time and most Italians stay at home or at the beaches, resulting in great pricing for nicer Rome hotels.

View from my hotel roof terrace

A highlight I have noted in a Facebook post, was time spent with Dr. Luisa Marquart, an internationally known library professor, I met at a conference in Padua 9 years ago. She was so gracious to me and made sure I saw sights in her suburban Rome before we went to dinner.

I have been to Rome numerous times in the past, but have never seen the length of the Roman Aqueducts I saw in her area near the Appian Way. She noted that each time she visited more vandalism had occurred from people taking marble signs, etc. off the fronts of buildings. Italy simply has so many amazing treasures that it is impossible to secure them all. There were many people exercising, running, walking and viewing the area we visited during a late afternoon.

We ate at a very popular local restaurant that seems full when we arrived. Luisa seemed to know everyone and we quickly were shown a table. It was fun to people watch the sophisticated looking group while we ate one of the best meals I have ever had in Italy. This restaurant was near Cine Citta movie studios and often had movie stars eat there. Unfortunately, George C. did not show up on my night. (Restorante San Tarciscio)

After dinner, we visited the Basilica Di San Giovanni a Porta Latina.

“According to Tertullian, as quoted by Saint Jerome, in year 92, St John the Evangelistsurvived martyrdom at Rome under the Emperor Domitian by being immersed in a vat of boiling oil, from which he emerged unharmed. He was later exiled to island of Patmos. This event was traditionally said to have occurred at the Latin Gate (located on the southern portion of the Roman wall). The nearby chapel of San Giovanni in Oleo is said to be on this very spot.”

Luisa could not have been more gracious and giving of her time and I felt I had made a good friend by the end of the evening. She kindly drove me back into the city before midnight and made sure we passed the lighted Colosseum.

During the rest of my time in Italy, I visited two or three museums, shopped a little in a new large department store that had evacuations of a Roman area highlighted in the basement. Visited main sites again and my favorite street Via Margutta near Spanish Steps. In short, took it easy and enjoyed the comfort of one location for a few days. Walked over 12,000 steps most days! Also went to see Mama Mia in Italian!